Geopolitical News from the modern world

Monthly archive

Novembre 2017 - page 7

Velayati Decries French Interference in Iran Affairs

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

After some French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments in an interview with the United Arab Emirates-based al-Ittihad newspaper in which he urged inflexibility with Iran regarding its missile program and influence in the Middle East, top Iranian official Ali Akbar Velayati criticized and strongly rejected these remarks against Iran. Velayati warned that such acts of interference would discredit the French government in the eyes of Iranians and he stressed that Tehran will never ask for permission from anyone to enhance its missile program. “As an Iranian person familiar with the foreign policy issues and the French history, I recommend the president of that country (France) to try to follow General de Gaulle’s path during his term for foreign policy”, as he added. Even the senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in an interview with IRIB said that “It is not in the interests of Macron and the French government to interfere in issues pertaining to Iran’s missile program and strategic affairs, about which the Islamic Republic is very sensitive”. In denouncing Macron’s comments, Velayati also exhorted the French government not to fall under the influence of the wrong anti-Iran claims and to persuade its Persian Gulf allies to implement rational policies.

You might be interested in

Focus on Blue Corridor Project

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

The second Adriatic Trilateral Meeting was held in Durres on Friday and it was attended by Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, Croatian Deputy/PM and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Marija Pejcinovic Buric and the Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Srgjan Darmanovic. Foreign Ministers agreed that the countries should focus on impetus and opportunities in order to accelerate implementation phases and work together to provide financial support to the Adriatic-Ionian Corridor’s project. Recalling the Joint Declaration adopted at their first meeting in Split, Croatia, on 10 February 2017, Ministers reaffirmed the importance of this strategic platform of cooperation between the three countries, as a valuable mechanism contribùting to the security, stability and prosperity of the South East Europe. Ministers reiterated, once again, that the Adriatic Trilateral is an excellent example of how likeminded countries  can join their efforts to offer better synergies to the common regional agenda, as well as to effectively address internal and external challenges in South East Europe. They agreed that the third Adriatic Trilateral Ministerial will take place in Montenegro in 2018.

You might be interested in

: Updated: PM Abadi says army freed last IS bastion in Anbar in record time

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

BAGHDAD – In a statement on Friday, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced that the armed forces and the Iraqi people succeeded in recapturing the city of Rawa, the last Islamic State’s stronghold in Western Anbar, in record time. “Our champions freed Rawa in record time and are resuming the combing of the Jazeera region as well as the desert and securing the Iraqi borders”, as Abadi said. In a few hours the city of Rawa has been liberated, showing the power and capability of Iraqi army as well as the successful and efficacious battles’ plans. After the recapture of many districts in the town, the liberation of Rawa marked the end of the military presence of IS in Western Anbar. Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, commander of Jazeera and Upper Euphrates Combing Operations, declared that the recapture of Rawa was announced by raising the Iraqi flag above buildings there. Naeem al-Kaoud, chief of Anbar Province Council’s Security Committee, said that “operations to retake Rawa will possibly not take more than 24 hours, noting that most of IS militants had fled to Syria”. According to United Nations counts, the war against IS has displaced five million people, while hundreds of civilians and security troops were killed.

You might be interested in

Court will study videos of officials’ interrogations as part of Maidan killings case

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Kyiv’s Pechersky District Court will study behind closed doors the videos of interrogations of high-ranking Ukrainian officials in the process on a motion from the Prosecutor General’s Office to conduct a special pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings on the suspicion of former President Viktor Yanukovych in the crimes that led to the killings of Maidan activists on February 18-20, 2014, the PGO’s press service has reported.

At a meeting on Thursday, November 16, the court heard the testimony of Zakarpattia Regional Governor Hennadiy Moskal. Then the prosecutor in the case filed a petition to examine behind closed doors other statements of officials contained in 38 volumes of materials, with the goal of not disclosing the secrets of the pre-trial investigation.

Yanukovych’s lawyer, Vitaliy Serdiuk, in turn, said on his Facebook page that in this way the court had closed the possibility for the media and society to further examine the videos of interrogations of MP Serhiy Pashynsky, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Deputy Prime Minister Viacheslav Kyrylenko and other witnesses in the “Maidan case.”

You might be interested in

Turkish minister: Muslim cleric infiltrated the U.S
.

in AMERICAS/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

A Turkish minister says the “American system” has been infiltrated by a Muslim cleric blamed for last summer’s failed coup. Foreign Minister M. Cavusoglu told journalists Friday that cleric Fethullah Gulen “has entered American missions here through the local staff,” referring to the arrest of a local staff member of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul in October for alleged links to Gulen. The minister also said Gulen infiltrated the U.S. judicial system by pointing to purported links in the controversial case of Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab, charged by an ex-U.S. attorney for evading sanctions on Iran. Cavusoglu said Preet Bharara was “very close” to Gulen and used the same indictment prosecutors filed against Zarrab in Turkey after corruption allegations shook the country in 2013. Gulen denies involvement in the coup.

You might be interested in

U.S. Senate approves defense budget for Ukraine’s security assistance

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

The US Senate approved a bill ‘The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018,’ which includes the permission to allocate $350 million on providing security assistance to Ukraine,” the statement reads.

Thus, the Congress completed the procedure for approval of the document, which now heads to the U.S. president, who is expected to sign it.

The draft law authorizes the delivery of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine and substantially expands the parameters of U.S. support for Ukraine in the security and defense spheres. Thus, the document includes provisions allowing the use of U.S. defense budget funds for the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian servicemen in U.S. medical institutions, the teaching, and training of Ukrainian medical specialists in this area, as well as the strengthening of the capabilities of the country’s air and naval forces.

For the first time, at the legislative level, it is proposed to provide Ukraine with such defensive means as air defense and surface search surveillance radars, naval countermine means, offshore and coastal ships.

You might be interested in

China supports Saudi Arabia amid regional tensions

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

China supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and achieve greater development, President Xi Jinping told Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, at a time of regional tensions between Saudi Arabia, Iran, Lebanon and Yemen. China has traditionally played little role in Middle East conflicts or diplomacy, despite its reliance on the region for oil. But it has been trying to raise its profile, with Salman visiting China in March. Speaking by telephone, Xi told Salman that China’s determination to deepen strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia will not waver, no matter how the international and regional situation changes, China’s Foreign Ministry said late on Thursday. Remarking on the importance of maintaining close communication between the two countries’ heads of state, Xi said China and Saudi Arabia are comprehensive strategic partners whose strategic mutual trust is deepening.

You might be interested in

Greminger’s first official visit to Macedonia : Dimitrov welcome OSCE’s supports

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

The current and future activities of the government with special emphasis on Action Plan 3-6-9 which enters the second phase of its implementation were discussed at Friday’s meeting between FM Nikola Dimitrov and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, who pays his first official visit to Macedonia after taking office in July 2017.Dimitrov in this direction presented priority areas in which efforts to act and improvement of situation are underlined as rule of law and judiciary, human rights and media freedom, electoral legislation and where recommendations and support from OSCE are welcome, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.Although OSCE is organisation which generally has a mandate to manage challenges, in the current Macedonian context is prepared to consider ways to exploit favourable opportunities and to grab the positive momentum for democratic development of the country, Greminger said. He also expressed satisfaction from promising reform path, the vision of the future and the expressed encouragement.

You might be interested in

Russia vetoes US resolution on Syria chemical weapons use

in PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Russia on Thursday vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution to extend the mandate of experts trying to determine who was responsible for chemical attacks in Syria. Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia then withdrew a rival Russian resolution, which is opposed by the United States and other Security Council members, over Moscow’s insistence that it be voted on second not first as required under council rules. The result of Thursday’s vote on the U.S. draft resolution would mean that the Joint Investigative Mechanism, known as the JIM, will cease operations when its current mandate expires at midnight Thursday. This would be a serious blow to efforts to hold those responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria accountable. Both the U.S. and Russia said they wanted the JIM to be extended, but Russia insisted on changing its mandate, which the Trump administration and other council members rejected.

You might be interested in

 Troops liberate region, set up bridge to invade last IS bastion in Anbar

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

On Thursday a security source from Jazeera Operations Command announced that security troops have recaptured a region held by the Islamic State militants in their last stronghold in Anbar. “Iraqi troops raised the flag above buildings in al-Sa’eedan region, Northwest of Rawa, after liberating it. The militants booby-trapped the buildings and roads”, as the source said. During the offensive, the militant group’s defense failed and troops, supported by army jets, succeeded in killing many IS members. In related news, Maj. Gen. Noaman al-Zawba’ie, Commander of the seventh division, announced to Alghad Press that the Iraqi army started erecting a floating bridge between Annah and Rawa in Western Anbar ahead of invading Rawa. “The bridges between the two towns are destroyed and cannot be used at the meantime. Thus, another one will be set up so that troops could pass toward Rawa”, as the commander added. According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the War Media Cell, thirteen villages were liberated, forty-five IS members and two suicide bombers were killed in three days in Western Anbar. After the recapture of Qaim town and Ebeidi and Krabla regions in Western Anbar, only Rawa’s liberation is still ongoing.

You might be interested in

1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 18
pressrelease
Go to Top