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thedailyrecord--2019-07-20--Watch Iranian balaclava-clad commandos rappel from helicopter onto British oil tanker
| 2019-07-20T00:00:00 |
thedailyrecord
|
Watch Iranian balaclava-clad commandos rappel from helicopter onto British oil tanker
|
Iran has released footage of balaclava-clad commandos seizing a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The clip shows marines rappel from a helicopter onto the deck of the Stena Imperio on Friday in a move which dramatically escalated tensions between the regime, the UK and its allies. Taircraft hovers overhead as the men board the boat, according to The Mirror . A statement from Stena Bulk, which owns the tanker, said ship manager Northern Marine Management had lost contact with the crew of 23 after "unidentified small crafts and a helicopter" approached the vessel at around 4pm on Friday. The company – which is based in Clydebank near Glasgow – said the tanker was in international waters at the time but now appeared to be heading north towards Iran. And today British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Iran's action "raises very serious questions about the security of British shipping and indeed international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." Speaking after a meeting of the Government's emergency committee Cobra, Mr Hunt said the vessel was seized in Omani waters in "clear contravention of international law". The ship, which was carrying no cargo, remains in Iranian hands. Its crew are said to be safe and in good health. Since Royal Marines abseiled from a helicopter off Gibraltar to seize the Grace 1 Iranian tanker on July 4, a number of Iranian officials had threatened to retaliate. And on Friday Iranian troops seized the tanker, which is owned by Stena Bulk who are based in Sweden. The vessel was surrounded by four vessels and a helicopter before heading into Iranian waters, according to Mr Hunt. A spokesman for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed that the UK sent two helicopters to harass Iranian troops as they seized the tanker. Despite the "resistance and interference" of the British warship, the Stena Impero was brought to the shore, Ramezan Sharif, a Guards spokesman said. Stena Bulk are said to be preparing a formal request to visit its 23 crew members who are of Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino nationality, Stena said. Iran claim the tanker violated maritime regulations in the Strait of Hormuz and got into an accident with an Iranian fishing boat. This has been denied by the UK. It is being held at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas for investigations. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency posted a video of the ship anchored at sea, its name clearly visible. Britain also summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires in London. The strait, between Iran and the Arabian peninsula, is the sole outlet for exports of the vast majority of Middle Eastern oil, and the seizure sent oil prices sharply higher. Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif tweeted that the UK "must cease being an accessory to #EconomicTerrorism of the US". He said it was Iran that guarantees the security of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The United States, which tightened sanctions against Iran in May with the aim of halting its oil exports altogether, has been warning for months of an Iranian threat to shipping in the strait. France, Germany and the European Union joined Britain in condemning the seizure. The three big European countries are signatories to a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers that Washington undermined by quitting last year, setting Iran's already fragile relations with the West on a downward spiral. Under the pact, Iran agreed to restrict nuclear work in return for lifting sanctions. The European countries opposed the Trump administration's decision to abandon the agreement last year, but have so far failed to fulfil promises to Iran of providing alternative means for it to access world trade.
|
[email protected] (Tom Davidson)
|
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/watch-iranian-balaclava-clad-commandos-18458010
|
2019-07-20 18:50:29+00:00
| 1,563,663,029 | 1,567,536,320 |
politics
|
political process
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485,663 |
skynewsus--2019-07-22--Trump denies Iran held CIA spies after breaking up ring
| 2019-07-22T00:00:00 |
skynewsus
|
Trump denies Iran held 'CIA spies' after 'breaking up ring'
|
Iran says it has captured 17 suspects, adding some have been sentenced to death Iran's claims that it broke up a CIA spying ring have been dismissed as "totally false" by Donald Trump. Tehran also said it had sentenced some of the 17 suspects to death. But the US president said the allegations contained "zero truth". Mr Trump tweeted: "The report of Iran capturing CIA spies is totally false. Zero truth". He added it was "just more lies and propaganda put out by a religious regime that is badly failing and has no idea what to do". He said the Iranian economy was "dead and will get much worse", and described the county as a "total mess". According to a statement from Iran's intelligence ministry, read on state TV, the alleged spies were "employed in sensitive and vital private sector centres in the economic, nuclear, infrastructural, military and cyber areas... where they collected classified information". Suspects were arrested during previous months, an Iranian intelligence official told a press conference. He did not say how many had been sentenced to death, and did not give his name, which is unusual. Reporters were told, however, that he was the director of the counter-espionage department at Iran's intelligence ministry. None of the suspected spies succeeded in their sabotage missions, he added, claiming that some of them had turned and were now working with his department against the United States. Iran also aired a TV documentary purportedly showing a CIA officer recruiting an Iranian man in the United Arab Emirates. In the film, a woman who speaks Persian with what appears to be an American accent says: "There are so many intelligence officers in Dubai. It is very dangerous... Iranian intelligence." Last month, Iran said it had exposed a large cyber espionage network it alleged was run by the CIA - although it is unclear whether this latest development is linked to that. Spies had been arrested in different countries, it claimed. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the "Iranian regime has a long history of lying", adding: "I would take with a significant grain of salt any Iranian assertion about actions that they've taken." There have been months of increasing tension between Iran and the West since tighter US sanctions came into effect at the start of May. On Saturday, Iran released a video which it claimed disproved Donald Trump's claim that a US warship destroyed an Iranian drone. The American president said the USS Boxer took "defensive action" on Thursday after the drone ignored repeated warnings and came within 1,000 yards of the ship in the Strait of Hormuz. But Iranian state TV aired video it said was taken by the drone on Thursday of USS Boxer and another American warship. There have also been increased tensions between the UK and Iran, after a British-flagged oil tanker, the Stena Impero, was seized in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has linked its capture of the vessel with Britain's role in detaining a tanker carrying Iranian oil earlier this month. Theresa May has chaired a meeting of the government's emergency cobra committee to discuss Britain's response. The prime minister's official spokesman said: "We do not seek confrontation with Iran but it is unacceptable and highly escalatory to seize a ship going about legitimate business through internationally recognised shipping lanes." The spokesman added that the Stena Impero had been seized under "false and illegal pretences and the Iranians should release it and its crew immediately".
| null |
http://news.sky.com/story/iran-sentences-cia-spies-to-death-after-breaking-ring-11768085
|
2019-07-22 06:29:00+00:00
| 1,563,791,340 | 1,567,536,201 |
politics
|
political process
|
484,145 |
skynewspolitics--2019-11-11--Six years free education for adults pledged by Labour
| 2019-11-11T00:00:00 |
skynewspolitics
|
Six years free education for adults pledged by Labour
|
General election: Six years free education for adults pledged by Labour ahead of Jeremy Corbyn speech General election: Six years free education for adults pledged by Labour ahead of Jeremy Corbyn speech Diplomas in areas such as engineering and nursing will all be offered Every adult in the UK would get six years of free education to help bring vocational study in line with university degrees under Labour, Jeremy Corbyn is pledging today. Undergraduate and foundation degrees as well as diplomas in areas such as engineering and nursing will all be offered as part of the promise to be announced officially by the Labour leader and shadow education secretary Angela Rayner. The pair will give a speech in Blackpool, as the general election campaign enters its seventh day. Elsewhere, the Conservatives have sparked a new row over how much Labour's election plans will cost. And the Liberal Democrats are calling for a £5bn flood prevention fund to protect vulnerable communities from the sort of torrential rain that struck northern England last week. Boris Johnson is convening a meeting of the government's emergency committee COBRA to decide a response to the severe flooding later in the afternoon, following pressure from Mr Corbyn and despite saying over the weekend it was "not looking like something we need to escalate to the level of a national emergency". Campaigning will begin in earnest after a brief moment of unity by party leaders on Remembrance Sunday, with Labour trying to shift focus on to its plan to form a national education service. It is announcing a move to give low-income adults grants through educational courses, if the party wins a majority when voters head to the polls on 12 December. Ms Rayner and Mr Corbyn are due to pledge those without an A-level or equivalent qualification would be able to attend college and study them for free. They will also promise to give adults skills to tackle climate change and stop being shut out of work by automation, aiding their bid for a "green industrial revolution". The proposals are estimated by Labour to cost £2.6bn on education entitlement, and a further £573m on maintenance grants from 2023/24. It said funding for the pledge will be set out in the party's manifesto, which will be released in a few weeks. But higher taxes on top earners and reversals to giveaways to big businesses have been hinted at. He said Labour was "making promises that it simply won't be able to fulfil" because its plan to hold another EU referendum means the party "won't be able to focus on domestic priorities like education". "Only Boris Johnson and the Conservatives will get Brexit done and keep our economy strong which means we can focus on the people's priorities like education and the NHS," he added. Meanwhile, the Tories claimed Labour's plans would cost taxpayers £2,400 a year. Speaking to Sky News, Treasury minister Rishi Sunak said the Conservatives had based their estimate on Labour's 2017 manifesto and recent pledges from conference and the campaign trail so far. He said: "We have been clear, we don't think we should borrow for day to day spending. "We have had a £30bn surplus from the OBR and we have spent £13.5bn on the NHS, schools and policing. "We will responsibly invest in long term infrastructure but the debt at the end of parliament will be lower as a share of GDP than it is today. That will not be the case with Labour." Shadow Treasury minister Jonathan Reynolds called it "fake news", as the party has not yet published its manifesto. It came after the Conservatives faced criticism for not placing a cost on their own policies. When asked to, business minister Kwasi Kwarteng told Sophy Ridge On Sunday he wouldn't "bandy around figures". Sam Coates, Sky News' deputy political editor, said: "The latest Tory analysis relies on the results of its work on the economic consequences of Labour economic plans released on Sunday. "The original research was criticised for costing policies that will not be appearing in Labour's manifesto, such as the financial implications of the abolition of all private schools, and relying on heavily disputed research such as the cost of the four-day working week. "This analysis hinges on a tweet from shadow chancellor John McDonnell from January which says Labour has ruled out borrowing to fund for Labour's day-to-day spending plans. They use this to suggest there is a black hole in their spending plans that must be filled with big tax rises. "Labour is likely to contest what the Tories say constitutes 'day to day spending', and will spell out more on their fiscal rules and tax plans next week." Lib Dem shadow chancellor Ed Davey has called for both the other two major parties to submit their manifestos to the Office for Budget Responsibility to be independently costed, raising the need for "proper scrutiny". Party leader Jo Swinson has called for a flood defence fund ahead of a trip to Doncaster to meet a charity handling donations for those affected by the water. "Leaving the EU will mean that we lose access to the EU solidarity fund for flood relief and the EU structural investment funds that help maintain and strengthen flood defences and improve flood resilience," she said. "The Liberal Democrats are committed to investing in our flood defences and protecting communities from the devastation we have seen in the last week."
| null |
http://news.sky.com/story/general-election-six-years-free-education-for-adults-pledged-by-labour-ahead-of-jeremy-corbyn-speech-11859635
|
Mon, 11 Nov 2019 21:28:00 +0000
| 1,573,525,680 | 1,573,561,491 |
politics
|
political process
|
339,224 |
newsbiscuit--2019-08-04--Prime Minister to send 250 beavers to Whaley Bridge
| 2019-08-04T00:00:00 |
newsbiscuit
|
Prime Minister to send 250 beavers to Whaley Bridge
|
After a meeting of the Government’s COBRA Committee late last night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that 250 beavers will be drafted in to help emergency services and the armed forces in shoring up the unstable dam wall at Toddbrook Reservoir. The beavers will be drafted in from zoos and wildlife parks across the country, with US President Donald Trump offering to send another 500 to help if needed.
|
Guest
|
http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2019/08/04/prime-minister-to-send-250-beavers-to-whaley-bridge/
|
2019-08-04 14:00:27+00:00
| 1,564,941,627 | 1,567,534,912 |
politics
|
political process
|
18,364 |
aljazeera--2019-12-12--Britons head to polls in election dominated by Brexit
| 2019-12-12T00:00:00 |
aljazeera
|
Britons head to polls in election dominated by Brexit
|
London, United Kingdom - Voting is under way in the United Kingdom's snap general election, with millions expected to deliver their verdict on the Brexit crisis engulfing British politics. Thursday's ballot will shape how, or whether, the UK will finally exit the European Union after months of parliamentary deadlock over how to execute the result of its 2016 referendum on membership of the bloc. The vote brings to an end a febrile campaign period during which Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party and Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party have offered starkly different visions for resolving the impasse and rebuilding the UK after a decade of austerity. Johnson wants to action a swift exit from the EU, while Corbyn is committed to holding a second referendum over the issue. Polls opened at 7am (7:00 GMT) and close at 10pm local time (22:00 GMT), with final results expected by early Friday morning. More than 45 million voters are registered to take part, but harsh weather and a general sense of weariness, brought on by this being the third election since 2015, may hamper turnout. As leaders of the UK's two largest parties, Johnson, 55, and Corbyn, 70, are clear frontrunners, but both have been criticised over their leadership credentials. They are fighting what has been called an "unpopularity contest". Brexit aside, health and social care provision, the unfolding climate crisis and law and order are among voters' other key concerns, along with the UK's economy, which flatlined in the three months leading up to October. Analysts said it remained to be seen whether Britons would vote according to their views on Brexit, above all else. "We won't know if it's the Brexit election until we see the results," said Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe think-tank, citing several pro-Brexit, traditionally Labour-held constituencies as bellwethers. "The last time [in 2017], for all the talk about Brexit, it was a pretty traditional election where social class was the determining feature for how and why people voted." In Westminster, London's political heart, voters were out early in the morning under grey skies. Aicha Daidai, 28, said she was voting for the first time in 10 years to try and prevent the Conservatives from extending their decade-long grip on government. "I voted Labour. Out of all the candidates, Jeremy Corbyn is the one that I relate to and like the most," Daidai said. "He stands for peace rather than hatred and separation, while as a Muslim woman, I don't like what Johnson has said about Muslims ... He more spreads hatred and separation rather than uniting and keeping us together as a nation." Both Johnson and Corbyn have fought claims of racism within their parties, over Islamophobia and anti-Semitism respectively. Former-Conservative supporter Adam Ling, 50, said he was turning his back on the party over its veer to the right under Johnson's leadership. "I voted Liberal Democrats [a pro-EU party]. I'm an ex-Tory, but the party has gone very right-wing and I'm not there," Ling said. "Brexit is a big issue but also, in general, the Tory party is no longer a big tent; all the people that I liked and admired have all left, so I have left as well." Johnson has repeatedly promised to take the UK out of the EU by the end of next month if voters return a majority Conservative government, with his "Get Brexit Done" mantra front and centre of the party's pre-election campaigning efforts. Even if Parliament were to sign off on his withdrawal agreement by that deadline, a potentially gruelling negotiation over the UK and EU's future relationship will begin as the so-called "transition period" comes into effect. Johnson's Brexit message has been aimed at consolidating support among his base and luring disgruntled, pro-Brexit Labour voters into switching sides. "Brexit is wrapped into a whole bunch of other issues, but I think it's important that we are able to take control of our own destiny from a legal standpoint," said 54-year-old Conservative voter John, in Westminster, adding the party's pledges to invest in the NHS and lower taxes also had his support. "The era of the British Empire is long past and the country needs to be able to embrace a new way forward and to my mind that new way forward is to emulate somewhere like Singapore, and create a low-tax environment. I think it is a lot easier to do that when you're outside of the EU." Corbyn, for his part, has pledged that a Labour administration would negotiate a softer withdrawal agreement than the one brokered between Johnson and Brussels, one aimed at building a new UK-EU customs union and ensuring close alignment to the EU's single market. Under Labour's Brexit plan, the revised deal would be put to a referendum, alongside an option to remain, within six months. With the party deeply divided over the issue, however, much of Labour's pre-election messaging focused on the state of public services and its plan for a major shake-up of the economy. Among the smaller parties, the Scottish National Party is aligned with Labour in supporting a second referendum, so long as remaining in the EU is an option on the ballot paper, while the Liberal Democrats, led by Jo Swinson, have pledged to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit altogether if they win a majority. In the event no party wins an outright majority, there will be a "hung parliament". In this scenario, the party with the largest vote share may form a minority government, seek out the support of smaller parties for a "confidence and supply" arrangement, or try to build a formal coalition. A mile down the road from the Parliamentary Estate, several voters expressed despair at the choices on offer and the prospect of further political chaos. One participant shouted it was "time to spoil my ballot" as he headed to a polling booth, while others said they would register a protest vote. "The two leading parties are both in need of reform," said Victoria, 62. "The centre has collapsed ... and the quality of our politicians is pitiful." Heading out of the booth with no great excitement, having cast his ballot for the Liberal Democrats for the first time, Ling said: "The campaign was completely uninspiring, and its now a choice between unpalatable alternatives ... Politics is broken."
| null |
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/hold-britons-vote-election-dominated-brexit-191211125208804.html
|
Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:50:54 GMT
| 1,576,169,454 | 1,576,153,340 |
politics
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political process
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18,365 |
aljazeera--2019-12-12--Britons vote in high-stakes election dominated by Brexit
| 2019-12-12T00:00:00 |
aljazeera
|
Britons vote in high-stakes election dominated by Brexit
|
London, United Kingdom - The United Kingdom's snap general election has entered its final hours, with millions expected to have delivered their verdict on the Brexit crisis engulfing British politics by the time polls close. Thursday's ballot will shape how, or whether, the UK will finally exit the European Union after months of parliamentary deadlock over how to execute the result of its 2016 referendum on membership of the bloc. The vote brings to an end a febrile campaign period during which Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party and Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party have offered starkly different visions for resolving the impasse and rebuilding the UK after a decade of austerity. Johnson wants to action a swift exit from the EU, while Corbyn is committed to holding a second referendum over the issue. Polls opened at 7am (7:00 GMT) and close at 10pm local time (22:00 GMT), with final results expected by early Friday morning. More than 45 million voters are registered to take part, but harsh weather and a general sense of weariness, brought on by this being the third election since 2015, may hamper turnout. As leaders of the UK's two largest parties, Johnson, 55, and Corbyn, 70, are clear frontrunners, but both have been criticised over their leadership credentials. They are fighting what has been called an "unpopularity contest". Brexit aside, health and social care provision, the unfolding climate crisis and law and order are among voters' other key concerns, along with the UK's economy, which flatlined in the three months leading up to October. Analysts said it remained to be seen whether Britons would vote according to their views on Brexit, above all else. "We won't know if it's the Brexit election until we see the results," said Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe think-tank, citing several pro-Brexit, traditionally Labour-held constituencies as bellwethers. "The last time [in 2017], for all the talk about Brexit, it was a pretty traditional election where social class was the determining feature for how and why people voted." In Westminster, London's political heart, voters were out early in the morning under grey skies. Aicha Daidai, 28, said she was voting for the first time in 10 years to try and prevent the Conservatives from extending their decade-long grip on government. "I voted Labour. Out of all the candidates, Jeremy Corbyn is the one that I relate to and like the most," Daidai said. "He stands for peace rather than hatred and separation, while as a Muslim woman, I don't like what Johnson has said about Muslims ... He more spreads hatred and separation rather than uniting and keeping us together as a nation." Both Johnson and Corbyn have fought claims of racism within their parties, over Islamophobia and anti-Semitism respectively. Former-Conservative supporter Adam Ling, 50, said he was turning his back on the party over its veer to the right under Johnson's leadership. "I voted Liberal Democrats [a pro-EU party]. I'm an ex-Tory, but the party has gone very right-wing and I'm not there," Ling said. "Brexit is a big issue but also, in general, the Tory party is no longer a big tent; all the people that I liked and admired have all left, so I have left as well." Johnson has repeatedly promised to take the UK out of the EU by the end of next month if voters return a majority Conservative government, with his "Get Brexit Done" mantra front and centre of the party's pre-election campaigning efforts. Even if Parliament were to sign off on his withdrawal agreement by that deadline, a potentially gruelling negotiation over the UK and EU's future relationship will begin as the so-called "transition period" comes into effect. Johnson's Brexit message has been aimed at consolidating support among his base and luring disgruntled, pro-Brexit Labour voters into switching sides. "Brexit is wrapped into a whole bunch of other issues, but I think it's important that we are able to take control of our own destiny from a legal standpoint," said 54-year-old Conservative voter John, in Westminster, adding the party's pledges to invest in the NHS and lower taxes also had his support. "The era of the British Empire is long past and the country needs to be able to embrace a new way forward and to my mind that new way forward is to emulate somewhere like Singapore, and create a low-tax environment. I think it is a lot easier to do that when you're outside of the EU." Corbyn, for his part, has pledged that a Labour administration would negotiate a softer withdrawal agreement than the one brokered between Johnson and Brussels, one aimed at building a new UK-EU customs union and ensuring close alignment to the EU's single market. Under Labour's Brexit plan, the revised deal would be put to a referendum, alongside an option to remain, within six months. With the party deeply divided over the issue, however, much of Labour's pre-election messaging focused on the state of public services and its plan for a major shake-up of the economy. Among the smaller parties, the Scottish National Party is aligned with Labour in supporting a second referendum, so long as remaining in the EU is an option on the ballot paper, while the Liberal Democrats, led by Jo Swinson, have pledged to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit altogether if they win a majority. In the event no party wins an outright majority, there will be a "hung parliament". In this scenario, the party with the largest vote share may form a minority government, seek out the support of smaller parties for a "confidence and supply" arrangement, or try to build a formal coalition. A mile down the road from the Parliamentary Estate, several voters expressed despair at the choices on offer and the prospect of further political chaos. One participant shouted it was "time to spoil my ballot" as he headed to a polling booth, while others said they would register a protest vote. "The two leading parties are both in need of reform," said Victoria, 62. "The centre has collapsed ... and the quality of our politicians is pitiful." Heading out of the booth with no great excitement, having cast his ballot for the Liberal Democrats for the first time, Ling said: "The campaign was completely uninspiring, and its now a choice between unpalatable alternatives ... Politics is broken."
| null |
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/hold-britons-vote-election-dominated-brexit-191211125208804.html
|
Thu, 12 Dec 2019 18:59:45 GMT
| 1,576,195,185 | 1,576,196,610 |
politics
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political process
|
18,404 |
aljazeera--2019-12-12--UK election exit poll predicts Conservative majority
| 2019-12-12T00:00:00 |
aljazeera
|
UK election exit poll predicts Conservative majority
|
London, United Kingdom - Voting has ended in the United Kingdom's snap general election, with the exit poll predicting Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party is on course to win a sizeable parliamentary majority. Thursday's high-stakes ballot came after months of political deadlock over Brexit - the UK's drama-filled bid to quit the European Union. The exit poll compiled by Ipsos Mori for the BBC, Sky News and ITV suggested the Conservatives were set to secure 368 seats in the 650-member House of Commons, with the main opposition Labour Party on course for 191. Such a result would mark the Conservative's biggest victory since 1987 and hand Johnson the working majority he needs to take the UK out of the EU by the end of next month, as he has repeatedly pledged to do. It would also signal an historic defeat for Jeremy Corbyn, Johnson's main challenger and leader of the Labour Party. Johnson, 55, wants to action a swift exit from the EU, while Corbyn, 70, is committed to holding a second referendum over the issue. Among the smaller parties, the Scottish National Party were predicted to win 55 seats, with the pro-EU Liberal Democrats forecast to win 13. The exit poll has been increasingly accurate in recent elections; correctly predicting the Conservative Party would be the largest party in the UK's last vote, in 2017. The final result is not expected to be known until the early hours of Friday morning, however, with constituency vote counts now under way. More than 45 million voters were registered to take part in the poll, the UK's third since 2015. Johnson put his "Get Brexit Done" mantra front and centre of the Conservative's pre-election campaigning efforts, promising to leave the EU by January 31 2020 if he won a majority. Chris Hopkins, head of political research at research consultancy Savanta ComRes, said the exit poll indicated the prime minister's pared back campaign messaging had worked. "If this was the Brexit election and it looks for all intensive purposes, if this exit poll is correct, that it was, then the simple message of 'Get Brexit Done' has clearly resonated," Hopkins said. "Johnson is going to want to get his Brexit deal through as soon as he can, and it sounds like he is going to have the numbers to do so at a canter really, very, very easily," he added. Even if Parliament were to sign off on the prime minister's withdrawal agreement by the end of next month, a potentially gruelling period of negotiations over the UK and EU's future relationship would begin as the so-called "transition period" takes effect. Johnson has repeatedly said this period will not be extended past the end of 2020, when it is currently scheduled to end, but there is widespread doubt over whether a comprehensive agreement could be concluded before then. "If you really want to get Brexit sorted by the end of December next year then you are looking at a more limited future relationship because you will not have the time to negotiate in more detail a new bespoke arrangement with the EU," said Maddy Thimont Jack, a specialist Brexit researcher at the UK's Institute for Government. "If you look at previous negotiations that the EU has had with other countries then 11 months is much shorter than it took to broker other agreements, for example with Canada, but I do think it is worth saying that in those instances there wasn't a need for a strict timeframe." Corbyn, for his part, pledged that a Labour administration would negotiate a softer withdrawal agreement than the deal brokered between Johnson and Brussels - one aimed at building a new UK-EU customs union and ensuring close alignment to the EU's single market. Under Labour's Brexit plan, the revised deal would be put to a referendum, alongside an option to remain, within six months. With the party deeply divided over the issue, however, much of Labour's pre-election messaging focused on the state of public services and its plan for a major shake-up of the economy.
| null |
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/tory-majority-predicted-uk-election-exit-poll-191212190121904.html
|
Thu, 12 Dec 2019 23:47:29 GMT
| 1,576,212,449 | 1,576,196,608 |
politics
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political process
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199,761 |
fortruss--2019-10-09--From Hostility to Warmness: Why has Brazilian President Changed his Aggressive Anti-China Actions?
| 2019-10-09T00:00:00 |
fortruss
|
From Hostility to Warmness: Why has Brazilian President Changed his Aggressive Anti-China Actions?
|
In an interview with DW Brasil, former Brazilian ambassador to Beijing, Marcos Caramuru, revealed the great interest Chinese companies have in potential infrastructure work in Brazil. Even with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro showing initial hostility towards China during his 2018 election campaign, his opinion appears to have changed given the huge sums involved in bilateral relations and the opportunities the Asian country can provide the economic struggling Latin American Giant. Bolsonaro is commonly known as the ‘Tropical Trump’ for his open admiration of the U.S. President and his shared ideas and beliefs. Therefore, it was unsurprising that he said “The Chinese are not buying in Brazil… They are buying Brazil,” in the pre-election campaign. Global Times speculated that “it’s inconceivable the new Bolsonaro government would give up on the Chinese market.” It also left a note of caution for the Brazilian leader who made another major antagonism towards China: “His trip to Taiwan during the presidential campaign caught the ire of Beijing. If he continues to disregard the basic principle over Taiwan after taking office, it will apparently cost Brazil a great deal … The Chinese island won’t bring any more benefits to Brazil, which Bolsonaro and his team must be aware of.” Marcus Vinicius Freitas, a visiting professor at the China Foreign University in Beijing, explained that: “When the Chinese look at Brazil they actually see an amusement park where everything still needs to be done.” His assessment is in reference to the huge developmental and infrastructural opportunities that Brazil has, with many sectors remaining underdeveloped despite the domineering position Brazil has over the wider Latin American region. “There is no doubt that China has a menu of options for Brazil,” he added, citing Chinese technologies in road, subway, rail, viaduct and airport construction that could be of interest to Brazil. There are also additional opportunities from agribusiness to commodities, the most attractive sector for Chinese capital is infrastructure and major works, especially in the area of gas, oil, renewable energy which will ensure growth on a sustainable and significant basis for the Brazilian economy. However, despite the significant economic relationship between the two countries and the opportunities China can provide Brazil, it had not stopped Bolsonaro from aggravating Beijing. Therefore, it would be assumed that Bolsonaro would submit to Trump’s every demand in the midst of the U.S. president’s trade war with China. However, this has proven not to be the case with Brazil’s Vice President Hamilton Mourão saying in June that his country does not plan to ban Huawei from providing 5G equipment to telecoms in his country, signalling that Bolsonaro has said one thing during the election campaign, but acted in another way while president. This would suggest that Bolsonaro’s government is following a different path than initially anticipated and the Brazilian president is not a complete U.S. puppet as often said by his critics. Although Trump told Bolsonaro during the latter’s visit to the White House earlier this year that Huawei was a security threat, the Brazilian Vice President emphasized that Brazil has no reason to distrust Huawei and that his country needs the Chinese technology to help its continued development. As Beijing has been calling for a resolution to the Trump-initiated trade war, China’s ambassador to Brazil, Yang Wanming, accused the United States of bullying and lobbying its trading partners, affecting the entire global economy. He explains that the U.S. ruined market confidence, increased the risk of global recession and endangered emerging economies like Brazil. And in this scenario, it would be important for Brasilia and Beijing to defend international cooperation and multilateralism. China’s GDP grew by ‘only’ 6.2% in the second quarter of 2019, which is the lowest economic growth recorded since 1992. This so-called economic ‘slowdown’ has served as a successful bait to trigger Western media. As a result, Trump declared that his tariff war with China was working and said his protectionist measures had led to the exodus of companies from the Asian giant. However, if the measures were so successful Trump would not continue to threaten his partners from trading with China. The Bolsonaro government has seen that in this situation, siding with the U.S. is not in its interests. Although Bolsonaro will continue to take on a very pro-Trump stance in Latin American affairs, especially against Cuba and Venezuela, he has demonstrated that he is unwilling to embroil Brazil in international issues besides those relating to Israel, serving the interests of the powerful Christian Evangelical lobby in the South American country. In fact, an argument can be made that Brazil benefits from the ongoing trade war between the two Great Powers. China has continually been placing large orders of Brazilian soybeans, choosing the South American country to fill the supply gap after stopping U.S. purchases. Chinese buyers are increasingly looking for Brazilian soybeans. China halted U.S. soybean imports as tensions between Beijing and Washington increased and turned to Brazil. For now, Brazil has been able to respond to China’s demand, but its supply is running low and Beijing is at risk of failing to meet its needs. With any end to the trade war, it is unlikely that China will revert and make the U.S. its most important soy purchaser, providing an opportunity for Brazil to consolidate its own position. Whether it was through a sudden realization, or whether it was from internal pressures from Brazil’s powerful agricultural industry and other important advisers, Bolsonaro has certainly done a 180 towards his China rhetoric. With the status of Brazil’s role in BRICS questioned by experts last year because of Bolsonaro’s initial hostility towards China and his vivid support for Trump, his Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo has fully embraced his country’s chairmanship of the organization. This demonstrates that no matter the motivating reason, Bolsonaro has certainly changed his China policy from hostility to openness and welcomeness as the Asian country can drastically improve Brazil’s economic situation.
|
Paul Antonopoulos
|
https://www.fort-russ.com/2019/10/from-hostility-to-warmness-why-has-brazilian-president-changed-his-aggressive-anti-china-actions/
|
Wed, 09 Oct 2019 11:30:59 +0000
| 1,570,635,059 | 1,570,622,834 |
politics
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political process
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217,661 |
france24--2019-11-25--Uruguay opposition leads presidential vote with slim margin
| 2019-11-25T00:00:00 |
france24
|
Uruguay opposition leads presidential vote with slim margin
|
Supporters of Uruguayan presidential candidate Daniel Martinez from the ruling party Frente Amplio, wait for results after the second-round presidential election in Montevideo, Uruguay November 24, 2019. Uruguay's conservative opposition held a slim lead on Sunday in a run-off presidential election between the liberal ruling party and a resurgent opposition that had been the pre-vote favourite to clinch victory. With 99.4% of polling booths counted, National Party candidate Luis Lacalle Pou had 48.74% of the vote ahead of Daniel Martinez's ruling Broad Front party with 47.48%, official data showed, with around 30,000 votes separating the two rivals. In a region undergoing political upheaval, the likely swing to the right would mark a major shift in the farm-driven South American nation, known for its cattle ranches and liberal policies on legalized marijuana and abortion rights. Broad Front, the ruling party for 15 years, has overseen a period of stability and growth, but has come under pressure recently from a slowing economy due to global trade woes and the effects of drought and flooding on the key farm sector. The slim gap meant an official result could be delayed until Thursday or Friday as the last votes are counted, electoral court president José Arocena told reporters. "We still have to wait to know the final result," Martinez said late on Sunday to supporters waving Uruguayan flags in capital Montevideo. Lacalle Pou, speaking later, said that he would also wait to claim victory and that the close result meant the two parties would need to work closely together in the period ahead. "Formally we will know in a few days," he told supporters, adding that he believed the result was "irreversible". Pre-election polls had made Lacalle Pou, 46, whose father is a former president, favorite to topple the long-standing coalition that has been led by President Tabare Vazquez since 2015. Some 2.7 million Uruguayan voters were eligible to choose, with a widespread expectation that the South American nation was set for a shift back towards the right. As pre-election campaigns closed last week Lacalle Pou had struck a confident tone, saying Uruguay was demanding change. Pre-election polls had showed him beating Martinez by a margin of 6-8 points. "It's the people... saying 'I want to shake up the government's drowsiness and change it,'" said Lacalle Pou, who became the front-runner after striking deals with a string of allies following an October first round. Martinez, a 62-year-old former Montevideo mayor, has said the five-party coalition against him is simply an attempt to dislodge the liberal government and warned about "fundamentalist" policies taking Uruguay sharply to the right. While neighboring counties Bolivia and Chile are suffering unrest and Argentina is in the middle of a political left-turn, Uruguay has generally remained stable. However economic growth slowed to just 0.1% in the second quarter of the year. Unemployment has also edged up to 9.2% versus a year earlier, while inflation this year so far has been 8.36%.
|
NEWS WIRES
|
https://www.france24.com/en/20191125-uruguay-election-tight-race-between-left-and-right-as-vote-count-begins-1
|
Mon, 25 Nov 2019 02:11:20 GMT
| 1,574,665,880 | 1,574,697,672 |
politics
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ipolitics--2019-04-07--What Were Watching Libel suits and long-running scandals
| 2019-04-07T00:00:00 |
ipolitics
|
What We’re Watching: Libel suits and long-running scandals
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PMO libel suit marks early start to this week’s installment of the SNC-Lavalin saga If anyone on Team Trudeau was harbouring the faintest of hopes that expelling Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from caucus would mark the beginning of the end of the sprawling SNC-Lavalin saga, the Conservatives have made it clear that they’re not planning on letting this die down without a fight. On Sunday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer convened a mid-afternoon press conference to reveal what would seem to be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest — and perhaps most ill-advised yet — attempt to move past the allegations of attempted political interference in the criminal case of the embattled Quebec engineering firm; namely, a notice of defamation, signed off on by high-profile libel lawyer Julian Porter on Trudeau’s behalf. It alleges that Scheer’s March 29 Facebook posting was “beyond the pale of fair debate,” and “is libellous” of Trudeau “personally, and in the way of his occupation as Prime Minister.” After talking it over with his legal team, Scheer has decided to fight back by rocketing off a missive of his own, penned by lawyer Peter Downard. It contends that Trudeau’s complaint is “entirely without merit” and that it is “profoundly disappointing” for the prime minister to “seek to silence debate on matters of such great public importance.” Scheer has now issued an open challenge to Trudeau: Proceed with the threatened lawsuit “immediately” — which, Scheer notes, would require the prime minister to submit to depositions, hand over evidence and possibly even testify under oath in open court — or “properly acknowledge” that Scheer’s statements “were appropriate and grounded in evidence before the Canadian people.” So far, there’s been no word from PMO on how Trudeau intends to respond, but you can bet the pros and cons of the latest legal gambit will dominate both the precinct speculation circuit and the next round of House debate. Elsewhere on the SNC-Lavalin front Conservative MP Peter Kent is planning to renew his campaign to have the House ethics committee open a new investigation into the case. That seems, at least at press time, virtually assured to go down to defeat at the hands of the Liberal majority. On the Senate side, Independent Sen. Andre Pratte will make the case for his proposal to set up a special committee to explore one particular aspect of the case: prosecutorial independence. If his motion succeeds, the committee would examine and report on the separation of the functions of the minister of justice and the attorney general, and on other initiatives that promote the integrity of the administration of justice. It would also delve into the fine print of the remediation regime to explore “the appropriate interpretation of the national economic interest.” Finally, while not directly related to the allegations at the heart of the SNC-Lavalin controversy, in the wake of now former Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick’s assertion that he was “very worried” about the potential for foreign interference in the upcoming federal election, it might be worth perusing the Communications Security Establishment’s latest status report on “cyber threats to Canada’s democratic process.” It’s set to be released on Monday morning. Wernick’s initial warning — which was delivered as part of his opening statement to the justice committee during its investigation into the attempted political interference allegations — was viewed by many as an attempt to divert attention away from his own actions on the SNC-Lavalin file. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he was wrong to sound the alarm over the risk. What remains unclear is whether the fallout from Wernick’s testimony — and his subsequent resignation — has had a corrosive effect on the credibility of the ostensibly nonpartisan public officials and agencies tasked with monitoring and countering such attacks. According to the advisory, senior CSE officials will hold an embargoed technical briefing for media before giving the floor to Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould, who will preside over the public reveal. In the House: Omnibudget bill and pot pardons After writing off all but one day of the previous sitting week to a Conservative-led filibuster that lasted the full four days allotted for the initial budget debate, the government will go back to ticking off items on its legislative priority list on Monday. The Liberals will start with their long-awaited proposal to set up a streamlined process for pot-related pardons, which has been criticized by the New Democrats, among others, for not simply expunging those records from the archives. Also on the Commons agenda this week: Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s first — and, given the calendar and the rapidly dwindling number of sitting days before the summer recess, almost certainly last — omnibus bid to implement his most recent budget plan. It’s expected to be tabled within the next day or two, and with debate set to begin debate on Wednesday afternoon. And while there’s virtually no chance it will garner the cross-aisle support required to succeed, on Monday evening, the Conservatives will force the Liberal caucus to vote down their opposition motion calling on the government to “show respect for the rule of law” by handing over various documents and records demanded by lawyers for Vice Admiral Mark Norman ahead of his trial on one count of breach of trust. At committee this week: Canola trade crisis, HIV disclosure and anti-malarial drugs While the SNC-Lavalin scandal spotlight is, as noted earlier, set to shine on at least two House committees — JUSTICE and ETHICS — both are currently slated to continue studying two entirely unrelated issues that are arguably just as critical to public policy: the criminal prosecution of individuals who fail to disclose their HIV status and the privacy of digital government services, respectively. It’s worth noting that the question of when to pursue criminal charges on HIV non-disclosure was actually the subject of what would turn out to be Wilson-Raybould’s final ministerial directive, which was issued last December on World AIDS Day. It instructs prosecutors not to pursue charges where there was “no realistic possibility of transmission,” as well as take into account other factors when determining whether the public interest would be served by prosecution. Over at INTERNATIONAL TRADE, MPs will hold another roundtable discussion with Canadian canola producers as they continue to examine the circumstances — and potential consequences — of China’s move to suspend Richardson International’s export permit. It’s viewed by many in the sector as another salvo in the ongoing diplomatic standoff over the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver last year. (TUESDAY PM) Also on the Commons committee to-do list this week: Meanwhile, thanks to a last-minute deal co-signed by all four Senate caucus leaders, NATIONAL SECURITY will soon wrap up its work on Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale’s plan to tighten up federal firearms laws by adding enhanced background checks and more rigorous record-keeping requirements for retailers. It’s due to be reported back to the Upper House no later than Wednesday. Also facing an imminent deadline under the agreement: LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, which will have to finish going through the fine print of the government’s bid to overhaul the federal access to information regime by Tuesday. There’s still more than a month left on the clock for ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES committee, which kicks off cross-country hearings on Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s controversial proposal to revamp the federal environmental assessment process. Senators will be in Vancouver on Monday, followed by full day sessions in Calgary, Fort McMurray and Saskatoon. Back in the precinct, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS is still mulling over the implications of the proposed ban on tanker traffic off the northern coast of British Columbia, which has to be reported back to the Senate by May 16th. On the witness list for this week: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, who will take a brief time-out from the provincial campaign hustings to offer her thoughts on the proposed new restrictions via video conference on Tuesday. Saskatchewan Trade Minister Jeremy Harrison will appear in person during the same session. (TUESDAY AM) Finally, two ministers are set to appear before Senate committees this week: Also on the Hill this week The Canadian Federation of Agriculture hits the West Block press theatre to launch a pre-election campaign focused on “producing prosperity in Canada.” According to the notice, it will “promote the opportunities presented by Canada’s Agri-Food industries and highlight the many benefits a more prosperous domestic industry can provide to all Canadians.” (TUESDAY AM) Representatives from the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada will outline its collective concerns over a “duplicative clean fuel standard” within the proposed carbon pricing regime. The group contends it “will push the total carbon price to an excess of $200 per tonne, effectively doubling the cost of natural gas for the industry.” (Tuesday AM) House Speaker Geoff Regan commemorates the 20th anniversary of Nunavut being formally established as a full-fledged territory by unveiling a sculpture created by Igloolik-based artist Bart Hanna. It will be displayed in West Block until the Centre Block reopens. (MONDAY AM) Out and about outside the precinct Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor teams up with Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale to unveil a “national action plan” on post-traumatic stress injuries that aims to bolster “research and data collection,” as well as new measures to encourage “early intervention and stigma reduction,” as well as preventative measures, and increased support for care and treatment. (MONDAY) Elsewhere in the capital, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna drops by a Loblaws Superstore with a fresh tranche of cash from her government’s low carbon economy fund for a new “climate action” initiative by the supermarket chain. (MONDAY)
|
Kady O'Malley
|
https://ipolitics.ca/2019/04/07/what-were-watching-libel-suits-and-long-running-scandals/
|
2019-04-07 19:36:57+00:00
| 1,554,680,217 | 1,567,543,666 |
politics
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political process
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275,059 |
ipolitics--2019-04-09--Liberal MP pushes Senate-backed bid for tougher sentences for violent crimes against Indigenous wome
| 2019-04-09T00:00:00 |
ipolitics
|
Liberal MP pushes Senate-backed bid for tougher sentences for violent crimes against Indigenous women
|
MPs will have one more day to delve into the fine print of Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s latest omnibus budget bill, which was tabled in the House on Monday and weighs in at just under 400 pages, and is expected to be called for an opening round of debate on Wednesday. On the Commons to-do list today: The government’s bid to overhaul the laws governing resource management in the Mackenzie Valley, which was introduced last fall but is still waiting for preliminary second-reading approval before it can proceed to committee for further study. Later this afternoon, Liberal MP Robert Falcon Ouellette will attempt to make the case for Sen. Lillian Dyck’s proposal to make the fact that the victim of a violent crime is an Indigenous woman an aggravating circumstance in sentencing, which has been in parliamentary limbo since it was adopted by the Upper House nearly two years ago. Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is set to submit to a 45-minute Q&A session on the floor of the Senate Chamber, where he can expect to be quizzed about everything from national security policy to the move by a Senate committee to perform a major rewrite of his proposed new gun laws. UPDATE: According to Sen. Denise Batters, the minister cancelled his scheduled appearance on Monday for unspecified schedule-related reasons. ON & AROUND THE HILL The Canadian Federation of Agriculture launches its national pre-election campaign, which will focus on “producing prosperity in Canada,” and will be outlined in detail during a morning press conference hosted by a panel of senior association members from across the country. Also on the precinct media circuit: The Parliamentary Budget Office is also slated to release a new report that examines infrastructure spending in the territories, which will be posted to the PBO website this morning.
|
Kady O'Malley
|
https://ipolitics.ca/2019/04/09/liberal-mp-pushes-senate-backed-bid-for-tougher-sentences-for-violent-crimes-against-indigenous-women/
|
2019-04-09 10:30:52+00:00
| 1,554,820,252 | 1,567,543,422 |
politics
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political process
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282,024 |
labourlist--2019-10-04--McDonnell kicks off pre-election campaign tour in Essex
| 2019-10-04T00:00:00 |
labourlist
|
McDonnell kicks off pre-election campaign tour in Essex
|
John McDonnell will kick off Labour’s pre-election campaign tour in Essex today – outlining the party’s plans to rebuild the economy and invest in communities hit hard by Tory austerity measures. With a general election looming, the Shadow Chancellor will use the latest phase of his UK-wide listening tour to set out Labour’s plans to improve living standards in Essex and outline the party’s programme for government. Speaking ahead of the ‘Road to Rebuilding the Economy’ conference in Colchester, McDonnell said: “Nearly 10 years of austerity has hit communities in Colchester and Essex as a whole very hard. British towns, coast to coast, have lost their traditional industries. Nothing has filled that gap and people in Essex have been let down badly by the Tory government, which has inflicted over nine years of austerity on these communities. “Our struggling high streets are one of the clearest symptoms of the government’s failure to invest in our communities. Labour’s five-point plan for British high streets will help breathe life back into our struggling town centres. And Labour will deliver a fair deal for Essex’s coastal communities.” The Shadow Chancellor will highlight Labour’s plans to introduce a real living wage of £10 by 2020, establish a four-day working week with no loss of pay, deliver free personal care, roll out sector-wide collective bargaining, tackle tax avoidance and increase investment in public services by raising taxes on the top 5% of UK earners. “Labour will tax the rich and giant corporations to end austerity, properly fund public services free at the point of use, and rebuild our economy so it works for the many, not the few,” McDonnell said. The one-day conference in Colchester – where Tory MP Will Quince holds a majority of 5,677 – is the latest in a new series of pre-election campaign events focused on the economy and the impact of austerity on communities across the country. Previous conferences have been held in Hastings and Rye, Broxtowe, Pudsey, Mansfield, Blackpool, Airdrie and Shotts, Stoke on Trent, Chingford and Woodford Green and Stroud as part of a listening exercise to help develop Labour’s next manifesto and plans to transform local economies. McDonnell’s visit to Colchester comes on the heels of a series of major policy announcements unveiled by the Shadow Chancellor at Labour Party conference in Brighton, including the introduction of a shorter working week and a new National Care Service. McDonnell’s recent comments signal that Labour’s expanded vision for universal basic services – which includes free higher and further education, childcare, school meals and bus services for young people – will form a central plank of the party’s general election message. The Shadow Chancellor – who vowed to eliminate in-work poverty by the end of Labour’s first term in office – described the government spending round presented by Sajid Javid in early September as a “pre-election, panic-driven Tory stunt.”
|
James F. Kelly
|
https://labourlist.org/2019/10/mcdonnell-kicks-off-pre-election-campaign-tour-in-essex/
|
2019-10-04 23:01:28+00:00
| 1,570,244,488 | 1,570,633,625 |
politics
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political process
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297,229 |
mail--2019-03-20--Turkeys Erdogan sparks spat with Australia New Zealand
| 2019-03-20T00:00:00 |
mail
|
Turkey's Erdogan sparks spat with Australia, New Zealand
|
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been campaigning for local elections due at the end of the month, suggested this week that Australia and New Zealand had sent troops to fight in WWI's Gallipoli campaign due to their opposition to Islam. In more inflammatory comments, Erdogan said any Australians and New Zealanders traveling to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments would be sent back in coffins "like their grandfathers" were in the Gallipoli campaign. The battle, marked by heavy casualties on both sides, was a disastrous defeat for the allies against the then Ottoman Empire. Although the battle later helped cement friendship between the three countries, more than a century later it remains a highly sensitive subject in both Australia and New Zealand. Australia was aghast at Erdogan's comments, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison summoning Turkey's ambassador Wednesday and demanding Erdogan take the comments back, saying "all options are on the table" if he did not. On Wednesday, a senior Turkish official said Erdogan's words "were unfortunately taken out of context." "As he was giving his speech at the (Gallipoli) commemorations, (Erdogan) framed his remarks in a historical context of attacks against Turkey," said Fahrettin Altun, director of communications for the Turkish presidency, on Twitter. "Turks have always been the most welcoming and gracious hosts to their Anzac visitors," he said. It is not the first time Erdogan has sparked outrage abroad by making controversial statements about foreign countries, particularly during pre-election periods to stir up nationalist sentiment and consolidate his support base. He has sought to patch-up relations after the elections. In 2017, in the run-up to a referendum on expanding the powers of Turkey's president, Erdogan had lashed out at the Netherlands and Germany, comparing them to Nazis after they barred Turkish officials from holding campaign rallies there. He also recently engaged in a war of words with Israel's prime minister and frequently slams the European Union over its immigration policies and what he says is rising Islamophobia. Local elections are set to be held in Turkey on March 31. With the economy struggling, Erdogan's party risks losing the capital, Ankara, to the opposition. Such an outcome would be a severe blow to the president, whose ruling Justice and Development Party and its predecessor have run the city for the past quarter century. On Wednesday Erdogan, inaugurating a theme park in Ankara as part of his pre-election campaign, called for votes for his ruling party candidates as a response to "occupiers who attempt to threaten our nation from tens of thousands of kilometers away." Australia has issued a travel advisory warning people visiting the Gallipoli battlefields for remembrance ceremonies during next month's anniversary of the campaign to exercise caution. Erdogan has also sparked outrage abroad by screening at his campaign rallies excerpts of a video taken by the gunman who killed 50 people in mosques in Christchurch, to denounce what he has called rising hatred and prejudice against Islam. Three Turkish citizens were among the dozens wounded in the attack. Erdogan, whose party has roots in Turkey's Islamic movement, has also been showing parts of a manifesto said to have been left by the gunman in which he threatens Turks and Erdogan himself. New Zealand has been trying to prevent the use of the videos. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters is due in Istanbul this week for a meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation to discuss the mosque shootings and was expected to take up the issue during the visit. In Australia, Turkish ambassador Korhan Karakoc said he had a "frank" conversation with Morrison when the envoy was summoned to Parliament House on Wednesday. "Remarks have been made by the Turkish President Erdogan that I consider highly offensive to Australians and highly reckless in this very sensitive environment," Morrison told reporters in Canberra, Australia's capital. "They are offensive because they insult the memory of our Anzacs and they violate the pledge that is etched in the stone at Gallipoli," he said, referring to a promise made by the founder of modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk, that those who are buried rest on friendly soil. "I do not accept the excuses that have been offered for those comments," Morrison said. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu later held a telephone conversation with his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said. They did not provide further details about the call. In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post on Wednesday, Erdogan said the attacker in New Zealand is no different from the Islamic State group. He also called on Western leaders to learn from "the courage, leadership and sincerity" of New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and "embrace Muslims living in their respective countries."
| null |
https://www.mail.com/news/world/9069100-turkeys-erdogan-sparks-spat-with-australia-zealand.html
|
2019-03-20 17:29:00+00:00
| 1,553,117,340 | 1,567,545,444 |
politics
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political process
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396,498 |
oann--2019-11-25--Uruguay election: tight race between left and right as vote count begins
| 2019-11-25T00:00:00 |
oann
|
Uruguay election: tight race between left and right as vote count begins
|
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – Uruguay’s presidential candidates were neck-and-neck as early vote count data trickled in on Sunday night in a run-off vote between the liberal ruling party and a resurgent conservative opposition that had been favorite to clinch victory. After polls closed at 7:30pm local time (2230 GMT), exit polls gave mixed signals. Two showed Luis Lacalle Pou’s center-right National Party holding a slim lead. A third had Daniel Martinez of the ruling Broad Front party just ahead. The seemingly tighter-than-expected race comes after pre-election polls had made Lacalle Pou, whose father is a former president, distant favorite to topple the long-standing coalition that has led farm-driven Uruguay through a period of stability and relative, though recently cooling, growth. Some 2.7 million Uruguayan voters were eligible to choose, with widespread expectation that the South American nation was likely a shift back towards the right after around 15 years of liberal rule. As pre-election campaigns closed last week Lacalle Pou, a 46-year-old, had struck a confident tone, saying Uruguay was demanding change. Pre-election polls show him beating Martinez by a margin of 6-8 points. “It’s the people…saying ‘I want to shake up the government’s drowsiness and change it,'” said Lacalle Pou, who became the front-runner after striking deals with a string of allies following an October first round. Martinez, a 62-year-old former Montevideo mayor, has said the five-party coalition against him is simply an attempt to dislodge the liberal government. He has also warned about “fundamentalist” policies taking Uruguay sharply to the right, “ending up like in Argentina or Brazil.” Amid wider regional unrest in Bolivia and Chile, Uruguay remains stable, but a slowing economy saw growth of just 0.1% in the second quarter of the year. Unemployment has also edged up to 9.2% versus a year earlier, while inflation this year so far has been 8.36%.
|
mayor
|
https://www.oann.com/uruguay-heads-to-the-polls-in-run-off-vote-tilt-to-the-right-likely/
|
Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:30:44 +0000
| 1,574,659,844 | 1,574,642,362 |
politics
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political process
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484,036 |
skynewspolitics--2019-10-31--Johnson and Corbyn trade blows over who is 'the elite'
| 2019-10-31T00:00:00 |
skynewspolitics
|
Johnson and Corbyn trade blows over who is 'the elite'
|
General election: Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn trade blows over who is 'the elite' General election: Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn trade blows over who is 'the elite' Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn traded blows over which one is "the elite" as day one of the pre-election campaign kicked off. The two leaders sought to burnish their credentials on separate trips and position themselves as the true voice of "the people". Rousing activists in the marginal Battersea seat Labour won from the Tories in 2017, Mr Corbyn attacked "born to rule" Conservatives and accused the prime minister of trying to "fool" people into thinking Brexit was being blocked by an "establishment elite". "They know the Conservatives are the establishment elite," he insisted, adding the government will "fight harder and dirtier than ever before" to stay in power. But Mr Johnson hit back, saying Mr Corbyn is "privately educated as well". "This is not about where you come from or what your background is, this is about your vision for the country," the prime minister said. "At the moment, not everyone has the same opportunity, we want to increase opportunity around the whole of the UK." Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats sought to keep pace by revealing their election slogan: "Stop Brexit, build a brighter future." The election campaign has been kickstarted early, ahead of parliament officially closing down early next week. Mr Corbyn used his speech to repeat key Labour pledges - a minimum wage of £10 an hour for anyone older than 16; 30 hours of free child care for two-to-four year olds; scrapping tuition fees; renationalising rail, Royal Mail and water; and renegotiating a Brexit deal to be put to a referendum within six months of coming to power. But he distanced himself from a policy passed by members at Labour's party conference last month to effectively abolish private schools, only saying it would be "discussed" at the next manifesto meeting. When asked by Sky News what he made of his poor personal poll ratings, the Labour leader said "it's not about a presidential election". He refused to say whether he will stand down if he loses the election. His shadow chancellor John McDonnell also ruled out to Sky News forming any coalition or pact if Labour does not win a majority, insisting "we would run a minority government". Mr Johnson, meanwhile, defended delaying Brexit while on a hospital trip in Cambridge, saying his deal was "oven-ready" and if he wins on 12 December - the first election held that month in nearly a century - Britain can be out of the EU "by the absolute latest by January next year". He repeated pledges to invest in schools, hospitals and infrastructure to stimulate the economy. "Let's get through the logjam now, get a new parliament going and then deliver on the priorities of the British people," he said.
| null |
http://news.sky.com/story/general-election-boris-johnson-and-jeremy-corbyn-trade-blows-over-who-is-the-elite-11850212
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Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:41:00 +0000
| 1,572,543,660 | 1,572,544,074 |
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political process
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526,349 |
sputnik--2019-02-22--Bernie Sanders Refuses to Recognise Guaido as Venezuelas Interim President
| 2019-02-22T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Bernie Sanders Refuses to Recognise Guaido as Venezuela's Interim President
|
In an interview with Univision’s Jorge Ramos, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has just announced that he will run for US president in the 2020 election, has refused to recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s president, having suggested that the US should ensure “free and fair” elections in the Latin American country. “No. I think what has to happen right now — I think there are serious questions about the recent election. There are many people who feel it was a fraudulent election, and I think the United States has got to work with the international community to make sure that there is a free and fair election in Venezuela”, Sanders said. When asked whether he believes that Nicolas Maduro is a “dictator” and should step down, Sanders seemingly avoided giving a direct answer to the question: “I think clearly he has been very, very abusive. That is a decision of the Venezuelan people, so I think, Jorge, there’s got to be a free and fair election”. Sanders’ reluctance to recognise Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president came shortly before the opposition leader issued his “presidential” decree number 001 in order to authorise the deliveries of humanitarian aid currently stockpiled in neighbouring Colombia. His decision was made despite President Nicolas Maduro’s strong opposition to the deliveries, which he said might be used as a pretext for a foreign intervention in Venezuela. Guaido Signs 1st ‘Presidential’ Decree to Allow Aid in Venezuela White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, in turn, said that the Venezuelan military, who support the Maduro government, should let “peaceful civilians at the Colombian and Brazilian borders peacefully bring in humanitarian aid”, warning that any infractions “will not be forgotten”. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump called on Venezuelan military officers to not follow orders given by Maduro to block the humanitarian aid deliveries to the country, adding that Washington is seeking a peaceful transition of power in the country but "all options" were on the table. In the meantime, Maduro said Thursday that he sees a certain connection between Washington's rhetoric against Venezuela and the re-election campaign of Trump. "Donald Trump has started his pre-election campaign… He's desperate, and so he really liked the idea of attacking Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, and he thinks that, using this rhetoric of Cold War, he will improve [his rating], which in reality could lead to his total collapse", Maduro said in remarks broadcast by a local TV channel. Tensions have been simmering in Venezuela since mid-January when Guaido declared himself the country’s president, challenging last May’s re-election of Maduro. The United States, Canada, Japan, Israel, a host of Latin American countries and a number of European nations have recognised the opposition leader, while Russia, Turkey, China, Mexico, and many others have voiced their support for Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimately elected president. READ MORE: Stalled Coup: US' Allies May Soon Regret They Rushed to Embrace Guaido – Journo Maduro, for his part, has slammed Guaido as a “puppet” of the United States, which he accused of staging a coup d’etat in Venezuela. He also cut diplomatic ties with Washington, although DC has refused to withdraw its personnel from the Latin American country.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/us/201902221072643854-sanders-refuses-recognise-guaido/
|
2019-02-22 06:15:00+00:00
| 1,550,834,100 | 1,567,547,705 |
politics
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political process
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526,513 |
sputnik--2019-02-23--Op Troika of Tyranny Pompeo Warns of More Regime Changes in Latin America
| 2019-02-23T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Op 'Troika of Tyranny'? Pompeo Warns of More Regime Changes in Latin America
|
In an interview with Christina Londono of Telemundo, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said that Washington seeks to change the regime not only in Venezuela, but also in Nicaragua and Cuba – the countries White House National Security Adviser John Bolton infamously dubbed a “troika of tyranny” in November 2018. “Yes, President Trump’s administration has done so and will continue to do so not just in Venezuela but certainly Nicaragua and Cuba as well”, Pompeo said when asked whether the United States intends to “help” people in “undemocratic regimes”. READ MORE: Twitterstorm as Rep. Ilhan Omar Asks US Venezuela Envoy if He'd Support Genocide Pompeo went on to explain that the current policy differs from that of previous administrations: “They recognise that these governments are treating their people harshly, presenting real risks, security risks to the people, privacy risks, denying them basic liberties. […] The United States under President Trump is working diligently in not just Venezuela but each of those two countries to achieve good outcomes for those people. […] The American people will support them”, the US secretary of state elaborated. When Londono asked if he was hoping for a domino effect in the region, Pompeo answered that he wanted the citizens of those countries to realise that “the yoke of authoritarianism that has been foisted upon them is not necessary”. “I hope that each of those countries, that the citizens of those countries understand… that they can have a different life and that they’ll continue their efforts, their goodwill, and their humanity towards achieving a better political situation, both in Venezuela and Nicaragua, and Cuba as well”. Pompeo also reiterated that all options were on the table in Venezuela, but “we are very hopeful that the Venezuelan people and the Venezuelan military will come to understand that Maduro’s days are past”. While the governments of Cuba and Nicaragua are yet to comment on Pompeo’s claims, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has launched a signature-gathering campaign against US interference, previously told Sputnik that the main objective behind Washington's involvement in Venezuela was the fact that the country has the biggest oil reserves in the world. On Thursday, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro said that the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric towards Venezuela were linked to the re-election campaign of Donald Trump. "Donald Trump has started his pre-election campaign… He's desperate, and so he really liked the idea of attacking Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, and he thinks that, using this rhetoric of Cold War, he will improve [his rating], which in reality could lead to his total collapse", Maduro said in remarks broadcast by a local TV channel. Earlier this week, Trump called on Venezuelan military officers not to follow orders given by Maduro to block the humanitarian aid deliveries to the country, adding that Washington is seeking a peaceful transition of power in the country but "all options" were on the table. Venezuela Temporarily Closes Three Crossings at Colombian Border 'Due to Grave and Illegal Threats' The situation in crisis-torn Venezuela spiralled downward in mid-January when Juan Guaido, the head of the opposition-led National Assembly, declared himself the country’s interim president, challenging last May’s re-election of Maduro. The move was immediately recognised by the United States, its allies in the region and beyond, while Russia, China, Mexico, among other nations, voiced their full support for Maduro. The US has been trying to push its humanitarian aid to Venezuela through Colombia, which was also accused by Maduro of trying to sabotage his government. While Maduro has consistently refused to allow the aid, currently stockpiled in Colombia, into the country out of national security concerns, Guaido signed his first “presidential” decree in order to authorise the deliveries. Since the Cuban Revolution in 1959, tthe US has been trying to undermine the communist government in Havana, imposing stringent sanctions against the island and standing up against Fidel Castro, including the botched 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion to overthrow El Comandante. READ MORE: Sanders' Refusal to Recognise Guaido May Cost Him 2020 Nomination — Florida Dems In December 2014, Barack Obama's administration announced a decision to take steps toward a rapprochement with Havana after more than 50 years of non-engagement, although his historic move was scrapped by the current administration, which re-imposed economic, trade, and travel restrictions. The United States has made repeated attempts to undermine the Nicaraguan government, with the most scandalous attempt from 1982-1989. The so-called Iran-Contra affair involved senior Reagan administration officials secretly facilitating the illegal sale of weapons to Iran, which was under an arms embargo, in a bid to use the money to support and fund the Contras, Nicaraguan paramilitaries attempting to topple the Sandinista government. READ MORE: Venezuela Updated UN Chief on US Plan to 'Force' Humanitarian Aid Into Country Currently, the situation in Nicaragua is reminiscent of that in Venezuela: last April, people took to the streets to protest against social security reforms that would have resulted in increased taxes. Even though, President Daniel Ortega eventually cancelled the envisaged reforms, protests didn’t stop and have morphed into a broader opposition movement.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/latam/201902231072675099-pompeo-regime-changes-latin-america/
|
2019-02-23 07:31:00+00:00
| 1,550,925,060 | 1,567,547,598 |
politics
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political process
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551,065 |
sputnik--2019-11-27--Israeli Democratic Union Party Member: Departing Netanyahu 'Shatters Pillars of Democracy'
| 2019-11-27T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Israeli Democratic Union Party Member: Departing Netanyahu 'Shatters Pillars of Democracy'
|
Thousands flocked to central Tel Aviv on Tuesday night to express support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he continues to fight his legal battles. Last week, Israel's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced that he had decided to indict the premier in breach of trust, fraud and - in one case - even in bribery for his purported involvement in a number of graft probes including buying positive press and receiving illegal gifts from a rich donor. Netanyahu denies these allegations, while accusing left-wing politicians, the media and the judiciary system of a witch hunt. But Yair (Yaya) Fink, a member of the Democratic Union Party, considered left-wing in Israel's political arena, thinks that Netanyahu has not always been corrupt. Netanyahu is appreciated in the right-wing circles for his ability to confront terror and for the overhaul he did in the country's economy, transforming it from socialism oriented into a modern free-market economy. It was under Netanyahu that Israel made major breakthroughs in privatisation removing entire industries from government control and signing free trade agreements with a number of states including Turkey, Canada, Mexico and others. In foreign relations, Netanyahu is seen as a leader who built strong relations with Russia and established ties with countries that Israel had no diplomatic relations with - like Chad. But, according to Fink, things went wrong. "In the last several years Netanyahu started caring less about the people and more about promoting his own agenda, which is remaining in power and escaping jail. To achieve this goal he started using hatred and anger to incite the public against different groups. One of such was the Arab Israelis," he said referring to the pre-election campaign of 2015, where Netanyahu called on right-wing supporters to get out and vote threatening that if they didn't, the rule of the right-wing would be in danger due to Arab population's high turnout rates. That's why, believes Fink, it is only natural for Netanyahu to leave his post. Fink is not alone. According to the recent poll of Israel channel 13, some 56 per cent of Israelis want to see Netanyahu leave office following Mandelblit's announcement, with only 35 per cent saying he should keep his post. Despite the fact that Fink is assured that it will take ages to see Netanyahu go, his disappearance from Israel's political map will open new vistas. "I really hope Israel is not going into another round of elections. But if it does, the left parties have a high chance to gain more seats and seize control of the Israeli parliament," he summed up.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201911271077418024-israeli-labor-party-member-departing-netanyahu-shatters-pillars-of-democracy/
|
Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:34:54 +0300
| 1,574,886,894 | 1,574,859,312 |
politics
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political process
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552,388 |
sputnik--2019-12-10--Brexit Actually: Boris Johnson Causes Shockwaves With Pre-Election Parody Clip
| 2019-12-10T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Brexit Actually: Boris Johnson Causes Shockwaves With Pre-Election Parody Clip
|
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has taken his pre-election campaigning to a whole new level this year, posting a video recreating an iconic scene from the legendary British movie “Love Actually” where he urged voters to back the Conservatives and finally get “Brexit done”. In the three-minute “Brexit Actually” clip, the British PM mimics a famous scene between Andrew Lincoln and Keira Knightly, as he peels away written signs in front of a woman’s doorstep while Christmas carols are playing in the background. The billboards read: “With any luck by next year we will have Brexit done (if Parliament doesn’t block it again) and we can move on”. The clip ends with the prime minister walking away from the doorstep, while saying “enough, enough, let’s get this done”, which partly emulates Lincoln’s monologue in the film. Netizens had mixed reactions to the post, but most of Johnson’s followers found the pre-election clip hilarious and “absolutely brilliant”, retweeting it thousands of times just several hours after it appeared online. Others, however, posted some alternative versions of the scene, featuring UK Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg and US President Donald Trump in a veiled hint at a recent scandal over the alleged sell off of Britain’s National Health Service. Some UK media outlets reported that Johnson’s team has been working on the clip for a while but almost decided to pull the plug after Labour MP for Tooting Rosena Allin-Khan came up with a similar idea last month, posting her own recreation of a “Love Actually” scene on Twitter. Britons are heading to the polls on 12 December. According to experts, the outcome of the fierce election battle is likely to be unpredictable. The vote will not only decide the next British prime minister, but also might potentially review the results of the 2016 Brexit referendum.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/viral/201912101077529138-brexit-actually-boris-johnson-causes-shockwaves-with-pre-election-parody-clip/
|
Tue, 10 Dec 2019 09:51:06 +0300
| 1,575,989,466 | 1,575,982,172 |
politics
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political process
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553,155 |
sputnik--2019-12-15--EU Recognition of Palestinian Statehood is Remote but Possible - Former Israeli Ambassador
| 2019-12-15T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
EU Recognition of Palestinian Statehood is Remote but Possible - Former Israeli Ambassador
|
According to media reports, Jean Asselborn, the foreign minister of Luxembourg, has sent a letter to the 27 foreign ministers of the bloc urging them to hold a discussion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its resolution as soon as possible. The meeting between foreign ministers is expected to take place as early as January. But Gideon Meir, Israel's former ambassador to Italy, says the move is nothing new and that similar initiatives took place in the past. In 2014, for example, the European Parliament voted in favour of a non-binding resolution calling for the recognition of the state of Palestine. Just like many others, this one too was purely declarative and non-binding. Israel enjoys strong economic and cultural relations with each of the 28 European countries that make up the EU and the European Union itself. In 2017 alone, Israel's total trade with the EU amounted to approximately $40 billion. That, however, didn't stop the union from pursuing an anti-Israel agenda. The reason for the collision the former ambassador believes is the Israeli government's hawkish policies towards Palestinians, its expansion activity in the West Bank, and the constant urge of the Israeli government to bite off more territories from the Palestinians - something that the EU strongly condemns. Last month, the Israeli government announced it would build a new Jewish neighbourhood in Hebron, one of the key Palestinian cities in the West Bank, with a predominately Arab population. Earlier this year, amid his pre-election campaign, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed he would annex the Jordan Valley, which makes up some 30 percent of the West Bank's total territory. The EU's hostility towards Israel has nothing to do with the country's government, believes Meir. Such was the case with former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who withdrew Israeli forces from Gaza and evacuated some 8,000 Jewish settlers, and such was the case with former premier Ehud Olmert, who in 2008, offered a series of concessions - including turning Jerusalem into an international city - but was rejected by the Palestinian leadership. Yet, Meir believes Israel should not worry. For an EU decision to be binding, it must first be accepted by the country's foreign ministers and then by the heads of state, he explained, adding that a unanimous decision is hampered by a split within the bloc. Nevertheless, the former diplomat says he won't be surprised if one day the EU recognises a Palestinian state. But that would not bring the Palestinians even one inch closer to their ultimate goal of independence. "Unilateral recognition won't solve anything. Quite the opposite is true: it will make the Palestinians even more irrelevant in the eyes of the Israelis", stressed the former diplomat. For a breakthrough to be achieved, Meir believes, the Palestinians will need to sit down for talks with Israel. "So far, they missed every opportunity to do so in the past", he said, adding that Israel's right-wing government is similarly to blame for the situation, exerting little to no effort in establishing peace with its Palestinian neighbours. The EU has never recognised Israel's control over the West Bank and the Golan Heights, captured from Jordan and Syria respectively during the 1967 Six-Day War, with Brussels pushing for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201912151077580485-eu-recognition-of-palestinian-statehood-is-remote-but-possible---former-israeli-ambassador/
|
Sun, 15 Dec 2019 11:06:35 +0300
| 1,576,425,995 | 1,576,413,823 |
politics
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political process
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560,909 |
tass--2019-02-05--Kievs EU NATO aspirations nothing but pre-election rhetoric opposition candidate
| 2019-02-05T00:00:00 |
tass
|
Kiev’s EU, NATO aspirations nothing but pre-election rhetoric — opposition candidate
|
KIEV, February 6. /TASS/. The incumbent Ukrainian government’s attempt to waive the country’s neutral status enshrined in the constitution and opt for EU and NATO membership instead is nothing but pre-election campaigning deprived of any practical sense, opposition lawmaker Yuri Boyko said on Tuesday. On February 7, Ukraine’s parliament Verkhovna Rada is expected to hear a bill on amending the constitution to add a provision about the country’s strategic course for becoming a full-fledged member of the European Union and NATO. "Attempts are being made to drag the parliament into the election campaign of the incumbent president. This, among other things, is about amending the constitution to include the EU and NATO aspirations. This is nothing but electoral campaigning, intended to create another rift in the society. It will have no practical consequences, because neither the EU nor NATO are willing to have us as a member, and a clear signal was made about this. Besides, such amendments are clearly in violation of the country’s basic legal document and were introduced with only one goal - the goal for power, based on war, poverty and civil discord," said Boyko, who is a leader of the Opposition Platform - For Life party. Boyko added that his party strongly opposes such developments and favors preserving the country’s neutral status in military and political affairs and partnership with all neighboring countries. "Instead of building a pro-Atlantic or pro-something country, we favor creating a pro-Ukrainian state," he said. Ukraine’s July 16, 1990 declaration of state sovereignty proclaimed the course of gaining the status of a permanently neutral country which is not a member to any military bloc. This course was enshrined in the August 24, 1991 Act of Declaring Independence and confirmed in a nationwide referendum on December 1, 1991. Changes to the country’s political course, which entail delegating part of Ukraine’s national sovereignty to some other entity or organization, can only be made after Section 1 of the country’s constitution is amended following a nationwide referendum. Neither the parliament, nor any other state body has the right to do so on its own whim. In other media
| null |
http://tass.com/world/1043376
|
2019-02-05 23:11:36+00:00
| 1,549,426,296 | 1,567,549,543 |
politics
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political process
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572,299 |
tass--2019-10-13--Winner of next presidential elections in US makes no difference for Russian - envoy
| 2019-10-13T00:00:00 |
tass
|
Winner of next presidential elections in US makes no difference for Russian - envoy
|
RHODES, October 12. /TASS/. Russia has never interfered and will not meddle in US presidential elections. It has no need to do so and it does not matter for Russia, who will be elected as the US President in 2020, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said at the Rhodes Forum. "Russia has never had the need to do so," Chizhov said. It does not matter for us, who is in the White House now or who will be the next US President after elections in 2020, the Russian diplomat said. In May 2017, the US Department of Justice announced that former FBI Chief Robert Mueller had been appointed as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. On the outcomes of the probe, Mueller failed to prove that US President Donald Trump had colluded with the Russian government to win the election. A report by US Attorney General William Burr published on March 24 has confirmed that there was no collusion between Moscow and the Donald Trump presidential campaign. However, the document claims that Russia attempted to influence the outcome of the US 2016 presidential election through cyberattacks, as well as through the activities of Russia’s Internet Research Agency. Trump and key members of his team have been repeatedly rejecting all the accusations concerning any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Moscow also refuted these allegations many times. The next presidential elections in the United States will be held on November 3, 2020. The pre-election campaign will start in February 2020.
| null |
https://tass.com/politics/1082862
|
Sun, 13 Oct 2019 03:43:38 +0300
| 1,570,952,618 | 1,570,970,307 |
politics
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political process
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692,232 |
theguardianuk--2019-03-01--No joke comic takes centre stage in race for Ukraine presidency
| 2019-03-01T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
No joke: comic takes centre stage in race for Ukraine presidency
|
Vladimir Zelenskiy may just joke his way to becoming Ukraine’s next leader. A comic actor who plays a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president in a hit Ukrainian TV show after his rant against corrupt politicians goes viral, he is now pitching for the top job in real life and has a 10-point lead in some opinion polls. It is Ukraine’s most unorthodox presidential campaign in history. After announcing his campaign on New Year’s Eve, Zelenskiy has shot into first place by contrasting his screen personality, a genial everyman who speaks in a gravelly bass, with public discontent against the country’s ruling class. His political party and TV show share the same name, Servant of the People. On the stage in Bila Tserkva, a working-class city an hour south of Kyiv, he had the crowd in stitches. “Why does [Ukraine’s president, Petro] Poroshenko want a second term?” Zelenskiy quipped about the man he wants to replace. “So he doesn’t get a [prison] term.” Between the improv sketches that make up much of the evening’s show from his comedy troupe, he and his co-hosts continued to skewer Ukraine’s ruling class with savage political humour. It felt like a campaign rally in the guise of a revue, and Zelenskiy is scheduled to continue performing right up to election day. “This isn’t part of a pre-election campaign,” he said to laughs from an audience of hundreds, some of whom told the Guardian they had been given free tickets to the event. “You yourselves know what to do.” In Ukraine, where only one president has won re-election since independence in 1991, one of Zelenskiy’s greatest assets may be that he has not been in politics long enough to earn voters’ wrath yet. Ukrainian politics has turned against the establishment – perhaps for good reason. Even as the economy has stabilised, inequality and corruption remain rife, utility bills have risen and the afterglow of the 2014 revolution has faded with few prominent corrupt officials jailed. As one adviser to Zelenskiy’s rival Yulia Tymoshenko said: “If you leave Kyiv and start talking about real wages and living conditions, that doesn’t make you a populist, that makes you a realist.” Despite unanswered questions about his own business ties to the powerful oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi, whose television channel 1+1 screens his political comedy, Zelenskiy has sought to present himself as a new face in Ukrainian politics running against an entrenched elite. His programme nods to the exhaustion with politics and promises greater direct democracy: a pledge to serve only one term, national referendums on key issues and plans to lift immunity from prosecution for lawmakers, judges, and the president himself. Using a synonym for making arrests, one of his campaign slogans reads: “When spring comes, we’ll start planting.” “There is a very high desire to see high-ranking officials, members of the ruling class arrested,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst. “He’s not the only one doing it, but it does sound more natural coming from him.” Dmitry Razumkov, a political advisor to Zelenskiy, denied the candidate was a populist. “Everyone is tired of the system and is protesting against it. Zelenskiy is a uniting figure who can break the old system and replace it.” But Zelenskiy’s lack of political experience outside of TV comedy hasled to criticism. A meeting with European ambassadors was a fiasco, several told the Guardian. “Their response was: is this some kind of joke?” one diplomat said. “Some of his programme looks fine on paper, but when it comes down to it, he can’t actually discuss his policies.” Heightened scrutiny has also provoked questions about his company’s earlier business dealings in Russia and his reliance on Kolomoiskyi for access to the airwaves. But this has failed to hinder his rise in the polls, with especially strong support among young voters. Zelenskiy has recently sought to make inroads among Kyiv’s progressive political elite as the 31 March first round draws nearer. Aivaras Abromavičius, a former economy minister and one of several prominent reformers who has met Zelenskiy, called him a “good listener” and “ambitious”, but said he was vague on his ties to Kolomoisky and his precise political plans. “He does not seem to have very strong views about most things,” Abromavičius said. “I see that as an advantage. Those views will be shaped if he becomes president. By someone around him, and the question is by whom. That is the key question.” Born in Kryvyi Rih, a largely Russian-speaking industrial town in the country’s Dnipropetrovsk region, Zelenskiy helped build a comedy troupe of childhood and university friends into a multimillion dollar business. Some remain his closest confidants, working as actors and scriptwriters, and occupying key positions on his campaign staff. “He was always the motor to our success,” said Vadim Pereverzev, a childhood friend and writer for Zelenskiy’s Studio Kvartal 95. “He’s the only one among us who was irreplaceable.” He was not always drawn to politics. Oleksii Blanar, a former colleague who now works for a competing comedy studio, said Zelenskiy had rejected proposals to run for political office in the mid-2000s when the two worked together. Blanar, who voiced support for Poroshenko’s re-election, is sceptical of Zelenskiy’s run. “Back then he was regularly being called into politics. He always said no, I don’t want to be a politician,” Blanar said during an interview at a Kyiv cafe. “I believe that he was changed by his new friendships and those around him,” adding that he meant Kolomoisky. Zelenskiy’s campaign denies that Kolomoiskyi had any influence on his decision to run. None of his colleagues, including campaign staff, said precisely when Zelenskiy began considering his run for president. Some, including Kolomoiskyi in a recent television interview, have suggested the idea dates to the 2015 debut of Servant of the People. Zelenskiy is shooting the third series, which is scheduled for broadcast shortly before the first round vote. Opponents are calling the new series an undeclared campaigning tool and demanding a delay in its broadcast. Zelenskiy has met criticism of his business ties by saying that all television channels in Ukraine are controlled by oligarchs, so his relationship with Kolomoiskyi was necessary to do business. His candidacy has also survived revelations that a business he controlled continued to earn money in Russia after he said he closed it after the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Zelenskiy has said he now has exited the business. The frontrunner for now, analysts caution his weak party structure and young support base could leave him vulnerable to more experienced campaigns as election day approaches. “I think the original idea was to create a great show, almost a reality show, to create hype,” said Fesenko. “But now he is a favourite and everyone is discussing him. A lot can happen before the elections, but for now he’s still gaining, there’s a chain reaction of support for Zelenskiy.”
|
Andrew Roth in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
|
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/01/comedian-vladimir-zelenskiy-takes-centre-stage-in-ukraine-presidential-race
|
2019-03-01 05:00:03+00:00
| 1,551,434,403 | 1,567,546,916 |
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political process
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832,804 |
therussophileorg--2019-01-11--American Interference Chisinau Is Going to Stir up a Conflict with Transnistria
| 2019-01-11T00:00:00 |
therussophileorg
|
American Interference: Chisinau Is Going to Stir up a Conflict with Transnistria
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00:04:09 11/01/2019 [fondsk.ru](https://www.fondsk.ru/news/2019/01/09/kishinev-sobralsja-razzhech- konflikt-s-pridnestrovem-47422.html) **_“New strategy”_ – the demand to revise the [5+2 format](https://www.osce.org/chairmanship/119488)** Because of the information hype in the media connected to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Moldova, the statement of the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Kristina Lesnik, in which she promised to solve all the problems related to Transnistria that the previous authorities couldn’t solve in almost 30 years, remained rather unnoticed. It is for this purpose that the so-called new strategy was invented – Chisinau adopted it unilaterally, without coordinating it with Tiraspol. Lesnik declared this on December 26th at a concluding press conference, but the events of the pre-election campaign, and then the New Year’s holiday, pushed the news connected to Transnistria into the background. Although they have explosive contents and clearly show that the current Moldovan authorities are orientated towards inciting a conflict with the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) according to the scenario rolled out in Ukraine. Firstly, madam Lesnik was indignant by the fact that the _“Transnistrian conflict is sometimes call Moldovan-Transnistrian”_. In her opinion, this is _“speculation”_ – supposedly under the 1992 truce document there are the signatures of the presidents of Russia and Moldova Boris Yeltsin and Mircea Snegur. And that’s why officially this is a Russian-Moldavian document about a ceasefire. It follows from Lesnik’s statement that Transnistria isn’t a party to the conflict, but it is Russia that represents this side. It’s very familiar, isn’t it? In Ukraine the armed conflict between the forces of the Kiev regime and the armies of the unrecognised Republics of Donbass was declared as _“war with Russia”_ , so the government of Moldova also decided to go along the same way. Secondly, the government of Moldova is going to work more resolutely in order to _“force Tiraspol to accept all the conditions of Chisinau”_. This is a question of all economic and humanitarian issues important for Transnistria now being directly coordinated with political issues, namely its return to the structure of the Republic of Moldova. Thirdly, Chisinau will coerce Tiraspol into unification not independently, but together with Tbilisi and Kiev – the tripartite memorandum _“on coordination of efforts on the reintegration of non-controlled territories”_ was recently signed. Lesnik thanked the American ambassador Dereck J. Hogan _“for the support that the US gives to Chisinau, Kiev, and Tbilisi in their common aspirations”_. It is absolutely clear that this _“new strategy”_ was written under the dictation of Washington. Fourthly, the government of Moldova intends to put the main emphasis on security issues, namely on Russian peacekeepers and their presence in Transnistria. In fact, Lesnik’s message about a _“new strategy”_ concerning the PMR is a demand to revise not only the international negotiation format on Transnistria _“5+2”,_ but also the positions of its participants: the Russian Federation and the PMR. The special role was assigned to Ukraine. This state more and more turns from a guarantor of peace in Transnistria into the fuse needed to kindle a conflict nearly 28 years later. Isn’t it strange that already before the introduction of [martial law](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=martial+law) in ten regions of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko suddenly called Transnistria _“just as dangerous as Crimea”_ , and promised to deploy a special group of forces on the border with the PMR. And the Chief of the General Staff of the UAF [Viktor Muzhenko](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Viktor+Muzhenko) met his colleague from Moldova Igor Cutie and discussed a plan of interaction should the situation in Transnistria become aggravated. And the Moldavian military leader for some reason went to Donbass to the front line. The American media also throws fuel onto the fire – literally before New Year _“Newsweek”_ published an article with a prediction: during the New Year’s holiday Russia will attack Ukraine and take away Transnistria, and the _“residents of Moldova will wake up on the border with Russia”_. They didn’t guess correctly, of course, but even crazy forecasts are good for inflating the intensity in the region. After all, it is not about solving the conflict in Transnistria any more, but about re-kindling it. The _“new strategy”_ of the government of the Republic of Moldova created with the assistance of the US stipulates a coercive reunification of Transnistria and Moldova with the assistance of the Ukrainian and Georgian sides. > “In Moldova peace has been preserved for 26 years; Georgia fell into pieces after Saakashvili attacked (with the US’ assistance) South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers in 2008; the military operations in Ukraine haven’t stopped for a minute. Whose experience does Chisinau want to borrow? The experience of achieving peace or of fratricidal war?” > > wrote the “[Moldavskiye Vedomosti](http://www.vedomosti.md/news/kishinev- hochet-prinudit-tiraspol-k-samoubijstvu)” newspaper, analysing Kristina Lesnik’s statement about a “new strategy” Unfortunately, the worst suppositions that Transnistria is considered by the US as one more place to exercise force for the purpose of putting more pressure on Russia (and at the same time Europe too) come true. And the timing was chosen not incidentally – during the election period, when the ruling clique of Moldova is ready to pay any price in order to remain in power. Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved. from https://www.stalkerzone.org/american-interference-chisinau-is-going-to- stir-up-a-conflict-with-transnistria/
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Ollie Richardson
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https://www.therussophile.org/american-interference-chisinau-is-going-to-stir-up-a-conflict-with-transnistria.html/
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2019-01-11 00:04:14+00:00
| 1,547,183,054 | 1,567,552,880 |
politics
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political process
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therussophileorg--2019-01-15--Pakistan At A Crossroads
| 2019-01-15T00:00:00 |
therussophileorg
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Pakistan At A Crossroads
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This [post](https://orientalreview.org/2019/01/15/pakistan-at-a-crossroads/) was originally published on [this site](http://orientalreview.org/) The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is steadily changing its policies – both domestic and foreign. Outside observers are putting the change down to democratic transition and an Asian-style populism. This is partially justified, since the recent parliamentary elections were relatively transparent and the winner – the current prime minister, Imran Khan – opted for combating corruption, improving the well-being of all segments of the population, and pragmatism in his pre-election campaign. On 9 December, he announced a new roadmap for the country’s economic development over the next six to nine months. The key points of the programme are a friendly climate for foreign investors, a reduction in the gap between the import and export of goods, and a way out of the prolonged economic crisis that has devalued the Pakistani rupee. As for the main aspects of the country’s foreign policy, there are a few of them and they are interrelated. The status of Kashmir continues to be an important foreign policy issue for Pakistan. According to Dr Syed Nazir Gilani, Secretary General of the Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights, a report on the situation published by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in June 2018 shows that the UN has considerable interest in the Kashmir issue, namely the violation of human rights by Indian security forces over the last 40 years. The most noteworthy information in the report is the number of Indian armed forces in the region – between 500,000 and 700,000 – making Kashmir one of the most militarised zones in the world. India continues to be regarded as the most dangerous regional rival, especially given the number of defence and dual-use technology contracts between both India and the US, and India and Israel. Islamabad believes that Washington is interested in a close partnership with New Delhi, since the White House would be able to use India to indirectly influence both Pakistan and China. Or at least send certain signals. Yet the Pakistani government is taking steps to normalise relations with its eastern neighbour. At the end of November, construction work began on the Kartarpur corridor, which will allow Sikhs living in India unhindered, visa- free access to the second holiest place in their religion (the first is the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which is also in India but located far from the country’s border with Pakistan). Even India has noted that the new corridor will help resolve contentious issues between the two countries. Afghanistan is another problem area. Chronic instability and insurgency in the country has led to an enormous influx of refugees into Pakistan and the need for careful control of the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, which is 2,670 km long (equal in length to the entire EU) and passes straight through the middle of populated areas in some places (since the British didn’t take ethnic factors into account when demarcating the border, the Durand Line cut the Pashtun people in two) and through remote mountainous regions in others, with paths that could be used by potential intruders. These could include both smugglers and radical Islamists interested in recruiting young Pakistanis or organising terrorist attacks. Yet the Afghanistan issue must, first and foremost, be resolved internally, which means that the Taliban and the government must reach a degree of consensus. Supporting the negotiation process, which also involves Russia, is therefore a priority for Pakistani politicians. The views of Moscow and Islamabad are virtually identical – there is no military solution to the Afghan crisis. On 15 December, Pakistan’s foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, visited Afghanistan, where he took part in talks to settle the conflict. The Pakistani foreign minister also gave a speech at the UN. And when US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Pakistan’s prime minister asking for help to settle the conflict in Afghanistan, Pakistan regarded it not as an example of Trump’s unpredictability, since he had previously threatened Islamabad with sanctions, but as an example of Washington’s weakness and a confirmation of Pakistan’s importance in the region. The White House followed up the request by sending its Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, to Pakistan, where he held talks on specific steps. Commenting on how Pakistan will proceed given the change in the US president’s behaviour, Imran Khan [noted](https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook /pakistani-leader-to-the-us-were-not-your-hired-gun-anymore/2018/12/06 /e138790c-f8a5-11e8-863c- 9e2f864d47e7_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.506792fc3ea0) that he does not want his country to be “treated like a hired gun — given money to fight someone else’s war”. His statement has become a kind of meme in Pakistani society, where there is a growing awareness that friendship with Washington often comes with unpleasant surprises. [](https://www.therussophile.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/imran- khan-1.jpg)Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan The situation with China is quite different. It has been supporting Pakistan since the 1990s, including with the transfer of arms and dual-use technologies, and continues to invest heavily in the country. The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which links Gwadar Port (operator – the People’s Republic of China) with Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region, could be called the building project of the century. Among other things, the CPEC will completely modernise Pakistan’s transport infrastructure. Following Imran Khan’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the kingdom also confirmed its willingness to invest in the project. The corridor itself is being referred to in Pakistan as a “game changer”. Hence the increased level of interest from other countries. The project is causing a certain amount of unease in another of Pakistan’s neighbours, however – the Islamic Republic of Iran. Since the Saudis are Tehran’s main geopolitical competitors, anything Riyadh does in Pakistan is viewed by the Iranians as a possible challenge. Given that Iran is working with India to develop Chabahar Port on the Gulf of Oman and export oil there, the Iranians are also not happy about the further expansion of Gwadar Port. Added to this is the issue of Baluchi separatism, but this affects both Iran and Pakistan equally. Islamabad previously adopted a balanced policy with regard to Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East, however, and it is unlikely that the new government will deliberately rock the boat. Russia also occupies a special place in Pakistan’s new policy. Although defence and security cooperation has advanced considerably, clear priority is given to India in Moscow’s foreign policy regarding South Asia. This can be seen in both the main strategic documents on foreign policy (including economic development) and security, and in their practical implementation. But considering Pakistan’s location (the geopolitical Rimland that is the coastal belt of Southern Eurasia), its growing importance as a transport hub thanks to the CPEC, its enormous resource potential, and the rational, pragmatic policies that Islamabad has been demonstrating recently, the Russian government should increase its involvement in all possible joint projects and suggest alternative options to Pakistan that have been tried and tested over many years of experience. ###### Reposts are welcomed with the reference to ORIENTAL REVIEW. from https://orientalreview.org/2019/01/15/pakistan-at-a-crossroads/
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Leonid Savin
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https://www.therussophile.org/pakistan-at-a-crossroads.html/
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2019-01-15 14:07:26+00:00
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therussophileorg--2019-01-30--Why Petro Poroshenkos Electoral Campaign Is a Collapsing Sand Castle
| 2019-01-30T00:00:00 |
therussophileorg
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Why Petro Poroshenko’s Electoral Campaign Is a Collapsing Sand Castle
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14:10:09 30/01/2019 [strana.ua](https://strana.ua/articles/analysis/183638-kak-budet-dejstvovat- na-vyborakh-poroshenko.html) The president Petro Poroshenko finally publicly announced his plans to again for the position of leader. At a forum in Kiev entitled _“From Kruty to Brussels. We go our own way”_ he declared that he was driven by _“a feeling of deep responsibility before the country, contemporaries, before the past and future generations”_ , and his aim is to _“guarantee the inevitability”_ of integration into the European Union (EU) and NATO and _“the irreversibility of our independence”_. According to Poroshenko, the country faces a choice: [either his re-election or](https://www.stalkerzone.org/zakharova-does-putin-even-know-that-he-was- nominated-as-a-candidate-for-the-ukrainian-presidency/) _[“Putin”](https://www.stalkerzone.org/zakharova-does-putin-even-know-that-he- was-nominated-as-a-candidate-for-the-ukrainian-presidency/)_ , and, moreover, this alternative in the form of a slogan, seemingly, will become key in his campaign. In addition, there were more promises of a breakthrough in the economy during his next term. It’s true that the congress showed that in parallel the president’s team is consolidating its administrative resources. And one more stake will be placed on illegal technologies of working with the electorate, which everyone is talking about more and more louder. _“Strana”_ tried to understand Poroshenko’s chances in elections. ## Support groups Poroshenko is still participating in the presidential race, as he himself declared at a forum in the Kiev International Exhibition Center (by the way, this was the favourite palace of Party of Regions congresses). But he wasn’t nominated by the _“Bloc of Petro Poroshenko”_ (BPP) party that he is the honorary chairman of. The guarantor chose the path of self-nomination. There are several explanations for this. According to the political strategist [Andrey Zolotarev](https://stalkerzone.org/?S=Andrey+Zolotarev), Poroshenko doesn’t want to be associated with a concrete party brand, hoping to _“present himself as the president of all Ukrainians”_. But situation inside the BPP itself is quite complicated. The mayor of Kiev, [Vitaly Klitschko](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Vitaly+Klitschko), remains the formal leader of the party, although he diligently distances himself from the political force. On the eve of the forum it became known that the Kiev city governor would be absent allegedly because of a recurrence of an old back injury and his subsequent hospitalisation in an Austrian clinic. Many saw this as [Klitschko’s unwillingness to support the guarantor in elections](http://klitsch/), and there were many jokes on social networks in this respect. As a result the mayor after all dropped a video of support in which he clarifies that the candidate Poroshenko promised _“the implementation of the law on the capital”_ – the long-standing goal of the team of Klitschko. _“The mayor obviously wanted to avoid this fate. UDAR, which he is going to revive, will go to parliamentary elections independently. Why would he show himself near Poroshenko? But, apparently, the Presidential Administration called him and said: what, Vitaly Vladimirovich, are you out of your mind? However, he got off with small blood,”_ said a source from the UDAR faction in the parliament of the last convocation who knows Klitschko. But the Prime Minister [Vladimir Groisman](https://stalkerzone.org/?S=Vladimir+Groisman), the Prosecutor- General [Yury Lutsenko](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Yury+Lutsenko) – both are nominees from BPP, as well as the speaker of the parliament [Andriy Parubiy](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Parubiy) and many people’s deputies came from the presidential nominal bloc. In addition to the speaker from the second column of the power – the _“[People’s Front](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=People's+Front)“_ (PF) party – there was also the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council [Aleksandr Turchynov](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Aleksandr+Turchynov). If he entered into the presidential camp long ago, then the appearance at the event of Parubiy, who also made a speech, means that he followed the same example (unlike the Minister of Internal Affairs [Arsen Avakov](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Arsen+Avakov) and the leader of the PR party [Arseny Yatsenyuk](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Yatsenyuk), but we will talk about them below). And there were also heads of regions and loyal city mayors, for example, the mayor of Dnepropetrovsk [Boris Filatov](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Boris+Filatov), whose speech was a non- stop pro-Poroshenko dithyramb… _“There are too many officials [at the event] who participate in illegal pre- election campaigning – after all, according to legislation, they have no right to do this… But who now pays attention to such, so to speak, trifles… After all, they are all buddies,”_ wrote the former Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration and current Chairwoman of the board of the public association _“For Democracy Through Law”_ Marina Stavniychuk on her Facebook page, giving her assessment. And in response to the direct question asked by a journalist about how his direct campaigning and appeals to vote for Poroshenko correspond to the ban on prosecutors participating in the pre-election campaign, Yury Lutsenko simply answered: _“I am on vacation”_. The forum really helped Poroshenko to show, despite the Klitschko incident, the integrity of his team (and even its completion, as the example of Parubiy demonstrates). Perhaps, this is the only scenario possible for them. > “Here it’s not a question of belief – there is just no place to disappear to” > > commented the political strategist Andrey Zolotarev. According to rumours, Groisman wasn’t able to reach an agreement with Tymoshenko about guarantees of his future after her possible victory in elections, and therefore he was forced to reconcile with Poroshenko (who he had a sluggish conflict with in recent years). The unexpected decision of the government to pay monetised of subsidies in cash became the first indicator of this (which was apprehended by many as an attempt to directly bribe voters). However, the source of _“Strana”_ in the government considers that one shouldn’t exaggerate the value of public support from the officials of the incumbent president. _“Now everybody understands that Poroshenko’s chances of being re-elected for a second term are not very high. But he will be president for at least three more months before the inauguration of the new head of state. And for any official the most important thing is the opportunity to resolve issues. And this is why they also change their loyalty when it comes to solving certain issues that are important for themselves in these two-three months. But saying that someone will actively work for Poroshenko’s victory is a waste of time. For their own pocket with the help of Poroshenko – yes, it will happen. But nobody will rush around for him during elections,”_ said a source. In general, there are no grounds to talk about broad political and public support for the president, noted the political scientist [Ruslan Bortnik](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Ruslan+Bortnik). Firstly, the head of the second party in power PF Arseniy Yatsenyuk and the influential Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, whose ministry plays an important role in ensuring the result of elections, didn’t come. Rumours about them drifting into the camp of the main rival of the president Yuliya Tymoshenko received more confirmation. Secondly, there was no head of the Kiev Patriarchate [Filaret](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Filaret), who until recently Poroshenko sang a hosanna to for his devotion to the idea of autocephaly but who the other day blessed Tymoshenko’s congress. On the other hand, the newly elected head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine [Epifany](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Epifany) was present. Thirdly, from the former presidents there was only [Viktor Yushchenko](https://stalkerzone.org/?S=Viktor+Yushchenko), and not Leonid Kravchuk (he participated in Tymoshenko’s campaign) and not [Leonid Kuchma](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Leonid+Kuchma), and the high-ranking foreign guests were also absent. Commentators and bloggers who have traditionally reflected the position of the environment of president Poroshenko obviously weren’t an equal replacement for them. ## Tomos moves into the background One more important conclusion following the results of the forum: there was a change of priorities in the pre-election campaign of Poroshenko. The topic of [Tomos of Autocephaly](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Tomos) has been replaced by new promises of economic reforms. The political strategist Zolotarev considers that the HQ of the president was obliged to opt for this, because the so- called [Tomos Tour](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Tomos+Tour) (Poroshenko’s trip to regions with a copy of the church diploma) didn’t bring a considerable boost to his approval rating. The expert Bortnik in general predicts that the tours will be curtailed. > “Apparently, Poroshenko’s team hoped that the first cycle of the Tomos Tour will acquire the Jerusalem Patriarch’s recognition of the presidential ‘[Orthodox Church of Ukraine](https://www.stalkerzone.org/the-istanbul-church- in-ukraine-what-the-text-of-tomos-really-means/)‘ project. But this didn’t happen, so continuing the tour doesn’t make any sense” > > said Bortnik, who is also involved in a church issues And Poroshenko somehow needs to respond to the criticism voiced against him by opponents concerning the state of affairs in the economy. His attempts to distance himself, having transferred responsibility to Groisman, obviously aren’t perceived by society. That’s why Poroshenko promises strategic measures. _“A responsible economic strategy dictates to us the need to clearly determine priorities and place an emphasis on those sectors of the economy where we can achieve leading positions. They will become breakthrough points that will push us forward. They will bring money to ensure a notable increase in the standard of living of the people. Examples of such sectors are the agro-industrial complex, ІТ, mechanical engineering, tourism, logistics,”_ stated the president during the forum, considering it is possible to attract _“billions of dollars of investments”_ in these sectors. The political scientist Bortnik notes that Poroshenko at the same time avoids specifics so that no questions are asked should these promises be broken. _“Poroshenko doesn’t promise peace in two weeks and 1,000 hryvnia per day military salaries any more,”_ said the expert. However, the guarantor gives one clear forecast for his second possible presidential term. _“In 2024 we will submit an application for accession to the European Union. I don’t doubt at all that we will receive it and we will start implementing the action plan concerning NATO membership,”_ stated Poroshenko. In his opinion, Ukraine’s full membership in these alliances is needed not only by Ukraine itself, but _“definitely”_ also by EU and NATO. It is obvious that in the near future it is worth expecting a vote in parliament on amendments to the Constitution concerning aims to enter both blocs. _“The question is: are the European Union and NATO ready to accept Ukraine? At the moment they sure aren’t. And it is doubtful that even in the next 5 years Ukraine – if the current political orders will remain – will build independent justice and will lead the real fight against corruption, so that the EU starts to think about accepting Ukraine. NATO has its own requirements that, by the way, any president can be involved in fulfilling . But the most important thing is that countries with territorial problems, according to the NATO charter, can’t be members of the alliance. I don’t think that in five years we will resolve the issues of Donbass and Crimea,”_ said the political scientist Anatoly Oktisyuk. Thus, the EU and NATO, despite their will and participation, will become just PR tools of the president’s campaign. But despite all the attempts to expand the set of theses of the campaign, the main one remains invariable and was officially formulated perhaps for the first time at the forum: _“If not Poroshenko, then Putin”_. However, its effectiveness is doubtful. If at elections the incumbent president would face resistance from only the candidates from the Southeast, like Yury Boyko, who supports reconciliation with Russia, then this could still somehow work. But among the main competitors of Poroshenko there is not only Boyko, but also Tymoshenko and Gritsenko, who in their rhetoric concerning war and Moscow don’t really differ from Poroshenko and obviously aren’t perceived by the people as _“Putin’s agents”_. Especially since they, unlike the president, have no [Lipetsk factory](https://stalkerzone.org/?s=Lipetsk), which paid taxes into the Russian budget after the beginning of war. ## Hope for voting networks In general, it’s not a fact that the new and old slogans of Poroshenko will help to reduce the gap with him and his main competitor Tymoshenko – after all, she also promises economic recovery and a pro-West course. The political strategist Ruslan Bortnik considers that the situation compels Poroshenko’s team to play foul. _“We see a certain ‘Anaconda’ plan being performed by the president. This is when opponents are strangled administratively, financially, and via the media, plus playing on a decrease in voter turnout and buying up their votes. Lowering the voter turnout is very important, the electorate is told that there is no choice besides the 50 persons who are interested in standing. But they themselves hope to ascend at the expense of the administrative resource,”_ explains the political scientist Bortnik. The political strategist Zolotarev offered a reminder about the rumours of regional propaganda networks [a black scheme involving electoral fraud – ed] being created, which, in reality, is electoral technology designed to buy up votes. However, Bortnik doesn’t believe that even such methods will help. _“I think that in reality the task of achieving victory is no longer set for the president’s team. The most important thing is to receive a worthy result that will allow to hold negotiations with Tymoshenko or Vladimir Zelensky”._ However, a source in a pro-government faction who is accepted on Bankova Street, on the contrary, assures _“Strana”_ that Poroshenko’s team _“already solved the issue entering the second round of voting”_. _“It is possible to speak about this with confidence when we see such a concentration of administrative resources and the technologies that are being used,”_ he stated. At the same time, one of the representatives of the environment of the Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that Poroshenko doesn’t have exclusive influence on administrative resources. _“Avakov already gave the direct command to break up these networks that will buy up votes for Poroshenko. And without the protection of the police it will be very difficult to launch these voter networks. Or to be more precise – it will be impossible. City mayors are pro-Poroshenko in words, but in practice they will work more for other candidates with who they already reached an agreement concerning participation in the Rada elections in the autumn of 2019. So the entire administrative and pre-election creation of Poroshenko is a sand castle that will collapse on March 31st,”_ said the source. Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved. from https://www.stalkerzone.org/why-petro-poroshenkos-electoral-campaign-is-a -collapsing-sand-castle/
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Ollie Richardson
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https://www.therussophile.org/why-petro-poroshenkos-electoral-campaign-is-a-collapsing-sand-castle.html/
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2019-01-30 18:09:45+00:00
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therussophileorg--2019-02-06--Kievs EU NATO aspirations nothing but pre-election rhetoric opposition candidate
| 2019-02-06T00:00:00 |
therussophileorg
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Kiev’s EU, NATO aspirations nothing but pre-election rhetoric — opposition candidate
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This [post](http://tass.com/world/1043376) was originally published on [this site](http://tass.com/)  KIEV, February 6. /TASS/. The incumbent Ukrainian government’s attempt to waive the country’s neutral status enshrined in the constitution and opt for EU and NATO membership instead is nothing but pre-election campaigning deprived of any practical sense, opposition lawmaker Yuri Boyko said on Tuesday. On February 7, Ukraine’s parliament Verkhovna Rada is expected to hear a bill on amending the constitution to add a provision about the country’s strategic course for becoming a full-fledged member of the European Union and NATO. “Attempts are being made to drag the parliament into the election campaign of the incumbent president. This, among other things, is about amending the constitution to include the EU and NATO aspirations. This is nothing but electoral campaigning, intended to create another rift in the society. It will have no practical consequences, because neither the EU nor NATO are willing to have us as a member, and a clear signal was made about this. Besides, such amendments are clearly in violation of the country’s basic legal document and were introduced with only one goal – the goal for power, based on war, poverty and civil discord,” said Boyko, who is a leader of the Opposition Platform – For Life party. Boyko added that his party strongly opposes such developments and favors preserving the country’s neutral status in military and political affairs and partnership with all neighboring countries. “Instead of building a pro-Atlantic or pro-something country, we favor creating a pro-Ukrainian state,” he said. Ukraine’s July 16, 1990 declaration of state sovereignty proclaimed the course of gaining the status of a permanently neutral country which is not a member to any military bloc. This course was enshrined in the August 24, 1991 Act of Declaring Independence and confirmed in a nationwide referendum on December 1, 1991. Changes to the country’s political course, which entail delegating part of Ukraine’s national sovereignty to some other entity or organization, can only be made after Section 1 of the country’s constitution is amended following a nationwide referendum. Neither the parliament, nor any other state body has the right to do so on its own whim. In other media from http://tass.com/world/1043376
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Michael Sullivan
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https://www.therussophile.org/kievs-eu-nato-aspirations-nothing-but-pre-election-rhetoric-opposition-candidate.html/
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2019-02-06 00:07:11+00:00
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therussophileorg--2019-10-09--From Hostility to Warmness: Why has Brazilian President Changed his Aggressive Anti-China Actions?
| 2019-10-09T00:00:00 |
therussophileorg
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From Hostility to Warmness: Why has Brazilian President Changed his Aggressive Anti-China Actions?
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This post was originally published on this site In an interview with DW Brasil, former Brazilian ambassador to Beijing, Marcos Caramuru, revealed the great interest Chinese companies have in potential infrastructure work in Brazil. Even with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro showing initial hostility towards China during his 2018 election campaign, his opinion appears to have changed given the huge sums involved in bilateral relations and the opportunities the Asian country can provide the economic struggling Latin American Giant. Bolsonaro is commonly known as the ‘Tropical Trump’ for his open admiration of the U.S. President and his shared ideas and beliefs. Therefore, it was unsurprising that he said “The Chinese are not buying in Brazil… They are buying Brazil,” in the pre-election campaign. Global Times speculated that “it’s inconceivable the new Bolsonaro government would give up on the Chinese market.” It also left a note of caution for the Brazilian leader who made another major antagonism towards China: “His trip to Taiwan during the presidential campaign caught the ire of Beijing. If he continues to disregard the basic principle over Taiwan after taking office, it will apparently cost Brazil a great deal … The Chinese island won’t bring any more benefits to Brazil, which Bolsonaro and his team must be aware of.” Marcus Vinicius Freitas, a visiting professor at the China Foreign University in Beijing, explained that: “When the Chinese look at Brazil they actually see an amusement park where everything still needs to be done.” His assessment is in reference to the huge developmental and infrastructural opportunities that Brazil has, with many sectors remaining underdeveloped despite the domineering position Brazil has over the wider Latin American region. “There is no doubt that China has a menu of options for Brazil,” he added, citing Chinese technologies in road, subway, rail, viaduct and airport construction that could be of interest to Brazil. There are also additional opportunities from agribusiness to commodities, the most attractive sector for Chinese capital is infrastructure and major works, especially in the area of gas, oil, renewable energy which will ensure growth on a sustainable and significant basis for the Brazilian economy. However, despite the significant economic relationship between the two countries and the opportunities China can provide Brazil, it had not stopped Bolsonaro from aggravating Beijing. Therefore, it would be assumed that Bolsonaro would submit to Trump’s every demand in the midst of the U.S. president’s trade war with China. However, this has proven not to be the case with Brazil’s Vice President Hamilton Mourão saying in June that his country does not plan to ban Huawei from providing 5G equipment to telecoms in his country, signalling that Bolsonaro has said one thing during the election campaign, but acted in another way while president. This would suggest that Bolsonaro’s government is following a different path than initially anticipated and the Brazilian president is not a complete U.S. puppet as often said by his critics. Although Trump told Bolsonaro during the latter’s visit to the White House earlier this year that Huawei was a security threat, the Brazilian Vice President emphasized that Brazil has no reason to distrust Huawei and that his country needs the Chinese technology to help its continued development. As Beijing has been calling for a resolution to the Trump-initiated trade war, China’s ambassador to Brazil, Yang Wanming, accused the United States of bullying and lobbying its trading partners, affecting the entire global economy. He explains that the U.S. ruined market confidence, increased the risk of global recession and endangered emerging economies like Brazil. And in this scenario, it would be important for Brasilia and Beijing to defend international cooperation and multilateralism. China’s GDP grew by ‘only’ 6.2% in the second quarter of 2019, which is the lowest economic growth recorded since 1992. This so-called economic ‘slowdown’ has served as a successful bait to trigger Western media. As a result, Trump declared that his tariff war with China was working and said his protectionist measures had led to the exodus of companies from the Asian giant. However, if the measures were so successful Trump would not continue to threaten his partners from trading with China. The Bolsonaro government has seen that in this situation, siding with the U.S. is not in its interests. Although Bolsonaro will continue to take on a very pro-Trump stance in Latin American affairs, especially against Cuba and Venezuela, he has demonstrated that he is unwilling to embroil Brazil in international issues besides those relating to Israel, serving the interests of the powerful Christian Evangelical lobby in the South American country. In fact, an argument can be made that Brazil benefits from the ongoing trade war between the two Great Powers. China has continually been placing large orders of Brazilian soybeans, choosing the South American country to fill the supply gap after stopping U.S. purchases. Chinese buyers are increasingly looking for Brazilian soybeans. China halted U.S. soybean imports as tensions between Beijing and Washington increased and turned to Brazil. For now, Brazil has been able to respond to China’s demand, but its supply is running low and Beijing is at risk of failing to meet its needs. With any end to the trade war, it is unlikely that China will revert and make the U.S. its most important soy purchaser, providing an opportunity for Brazil to consolidate its own position. Whether it was through a sudden realization, or whether it was from internal pressures from Brazil’s powerful agricultural industry and other important advisers, Bolsonaro has certainly done a 180 towards his China rhetoric. With the status of Brazil’s role in BRICS questioned by experts last year because of Bolsonaro’s initial hostility towards China and his vivid support for Trump, his Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo has fully embraced his country’s chairmanship of the organization. This demonstrates that no matter the motivating reason, Bolsonaro has certainly changed his China policy from hostility to openness and welcomeness as the Asian country can drastically improve Brazil’s economic situation.
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Paul Antonopoulos
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https://www.therussophile.org/from-hostility-to-warmness-why-has-brazilian-president-changed-his-aggressive-anti-china-actions.html/
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Wed, 09 Oct 2019 12:00:12 +0000
| 1,570,636,812 | 1,570,626,829 |
politics
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political process
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892,945 |
therussophileorg--2019-10-13--Winner of next presidential elections in US makes no difference for Russian – envoy
| 2019-10-13T00:00:00 |
therussophileorg
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Winner of next presidential elections in US makes no difference for Russian – envoy
|
This post was originally published on this site RHODES, October 12. /TASS/. Russia has never interfered and will not meddle in US presidential elections. It has no need to do so and it does not matter for Russia, who will be elected as the US President in 2020, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said at the Rhodes Forum. “Russia has never had the need to do so,” Chizhov said. It does not matter for us, who is in the White House now or who will be the next US President after elections in 2020, the Russian diplomat said. In May 2017, the US Department of Justice announced that former FBI Chief Robert Mueller had been appointed as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. On the outcomes of the probe, Mueller failed to prove that US President Donald Trump had colluded with the Russian government to win the election. A report by US Attorney General William Burr published on March 24 has confirmed that there was no collusion between Moscow and the Donald Trump presidential campaign. However, the document claims that Russia attempted to influence the outcome of the US 2016 presidential election through cyberattacks, as well as through the activities of Russia’s Internet Research Agency. Trump and key members of his team have been repeatedly rejecting all the accusations concerning any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Moscow also refuted these allegations many times. The next presidential elections in the United States will be held on November 3, 2020. The pre-election campaign will start in February 2020.
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Michael Sullivan
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https://www.therussophile.org/winner-of-next-presidential-elections-in-us-makes-no-difference-for-russian-envoy.html/
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Sun, 13 Oct 2019 00:55:30 +0000
| 1,570,942,530 | 1,570,972,168 |
politics
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political process
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85,397 |
cbsnews--2019-08-29--Trump and 2020 divide longtime friends in Iowa
| 2019-08-29T00:00:00 |
cbsnews
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Trump and 2020 divide longtime friends in Iowa
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Cedar Falls, Iowa — In a quiet neighborhood down the road from the University of Northern Iowa, a group of women who refer to themselves as "sisters for life" have gathered at the home of Bonnie Anderson. Liz Miller, Janice Clark, Mary Schawke, and Lisa Sevcik each agree to have a second cup of peach iced tea from their host and despite disagreements on various political issues, they are able to come to a consensus on a few topics. "I don't ever recall seeing this kind of a division in my lifetime," says Schawke. "We kind of are in a civil war right now between Democrats and Republicans." The women are all on various sides of the political spectrum but on a breezy sunny afternoon, they're able to demonstrate that heated political debates in America can still take place with decency. Miller, in her 80s, is a staunch supporter of President Trump and often repeats lines word by word from the president. Clark, in her 70s, is a Democrat who is hungry for a candidate to unseat Mr. Trump in 2020. Anderson, 83, voted twice for President Obama and then -- like many others in Iowa -- supported the Republican nominee in 2016. Schawke, 63, also voted for Mr. Trump but admits she will be keeping an eye on the eventual Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, Sevick, in her 50s, calls herself a lifelong Republican but opted to vote Democrat in 2016 and doesn't see herself supporting Mr. Trump this time around either. During a two hour conversation that turns hostile at times, the women often stop to remind themselves of their respect for each other. The longtime friends are part of the Cedar Falls Woman's Club, a chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs that dates back to 1914. The group holds formal meetings on the first Wednesday of each month from September through May and currently has more than 90 members. Schwake, a small business owner, thinks part of the reason for the division in the country is because Democrats "started pouting like little children" when Hillary Clinton lost the general election in 2016. She says she "didn't like it" when Mr. Obama won but "respected our new president," adding, "when Trump won, it has just been a battle royale." In Iowa, 31 of the state's 99 counties flipped to Mr. Trump during 2016 election after voting for Mr. Obama in 2008 and 2012. Anderson is one of those voters, and while she says "Trump is doing some good," she now regrets voting for him because of the way he "belittles people." "That bothers me so much" Anderson says before she is interrupted by Miller, sitting next to her on the couch with arms crossed. "I don't see anything. He belittled you? Did he?" Miller asks. Miller, who manages a farm that has been with her family for more than a century, says "the average people" who voted for Mr. Trump "don't give a dang" about how he talks and acts. "I think he's doing great for the United States," Miller says. "People don't like his personality, so what?" There is some sense of anxiety in the room about the future of the economy and Anderson, breaking up the brief moment of silence after she is questioned by Miller, begins to express her unease about the recent returns on her investments. "I am afraid of a recession, I really am," Anderson says. "I have seen those investments going down on a daily basis and I know there are millions of others who have investments and the same thing is going to happen. That is scary." While there is disagreement about the future of America's economy, these Iowans all concur that family farming is becoming "obsolete." Schawke, with a disappointed expression on her face, says "a small farmer can't raise a family in this economy." Miller says her youngest son, in his 50s, is a farmer who hasn't made a profit in the last three years. "He is just hand to mouth. He is just breaking even," Miller says. "It's like he's not working at all and he needs to be getting another job." The group is split when it comes to the way Mr. Trump has handled trade negotiations with China. Miller says "it is time for China to break. They were just screwing us." Clark, sitting across the room doesn't think China will back down. "They don't need us," Clark says, adding the situation makes her very sad. "I hate to see my country go down in this area because of that." Schawke, who grew up on a farm, admits that the trade war with China is hurting farmers in Iowa and across the country. But she says, "If we give in then we are weak," adding that she admires the president for "sticking to his guns and saying 'no' to China." The only one at this gathering who's not an official member of the woman's club is Sevick. She wants to talk about guns in America and questions why she has to "worry about going to Walmart." "It makes no sense that they are allowing people to buy machine type guns. I hope we can do something about that," Sevick says as Miller and Schawke interrupt her to say "guns don't kill people." "The gun is a tool," Schawke says with a stern tone in her voice. She adds the "terrorists" who are shooting people are "mentally ill." For Schawke, the matter is personal because she is a registered gun owner and has a permit to carry but she also has a son who is mentally ill. She says "we have to change the treatment of the mentally ill," and "help with their disease." The group is also torn about the treatment of families at the Southern border. They want the controversial detention centers to remain in place but agree that children should not be separated from their parents. Anderson says "parents should know they are going to be separated" and questioned why families even involve their kids in the arduous journey when the threat of separation looms at the U.S. border. Clark answered her question without hesitation saying "because they are desperate." Clark is now looking forward to the 2020 presidential race and says her "heart goes out to Warren," referring to the Massachusetts senator who is one of the front runners for the Democratic nomination. Anderson says she is "not sure" which side she will support in 2020 after voting for the Democratic ticket twice and then switching up to the Republicans in 2016. "I don't have full confidence in Biden but if they come up with a stronger candidate, I probably would vote Democrat," she says. Miller predicts a "landslide" reelection victory for Mr. Trump in 2020 and says the he has her full support. Schawke said she doesn't put the president "on a pedestal," and admits her support is "wavering more than it was a year or two ago." "I am torn," Schwake said. "For the most part he's leading our country in the right direction but he doesn't act very presidential and he insults people."
| null |
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-and-2020-divide-longtime-friends-in-iowa/
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2019-08-29 22:33:07+00:00
| 1,567,132,387 | 1,567,543,577 |
politics
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political process
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98,789 |
cnbc--2019-03-30--Trump is trying to kill Obamacare again and Democrats couldnt be happier
| 2019-03-30T00:00:00 |
cnbc
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Trump is trying to kill Obamacare again and Democrats couldn't be happier
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His administration restarted its efforts to kill the health care law this week, backing a lawsuit that argues all of the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. Now, Trump faces a question that has confounded Republicans in recent years: if courts toss out Obamacare, how do you replace it with an alternative that expands coverage, cuts costs and keeps the law's most popular parts in place? The White House has no easy answers. When the GOP tried several times to repeal Obamacare in 2017, voters overwhelmingly disapproved of the plans. Americans grew to like the existing law more when they saw projections that the Republicans' alternatives would leaves tens of millions more people uninsured or increase costs. Democrats flipped 40 House seats and control of the chamber in last year's midterms in large part by criticizing the Republican push to repeal the ACA. After the drubbing, Republican leaders in Congress have had little appetite for reopening the Obamacare fight, instead focusing on several top Democratic presidential candidates' calls for a government-run "Medicare-for-all" health care system. Then Trump jumped into the fray in recent days. Focusing on health care ahead of a pivotal 2020 election, in which Republicans will try to defend the White House and a Senate majority and retake House seats, carries massive political risk. There's little evidence to suggest voters trust Trump and the GOP to come up with a health care plan if the president gets his wish and the Supreme Court scraps Obamacare. "The one lasting effect of the repeal and replace debate is that the ACA is actually more popular than ever. That will make it harder to talk about repealing and replacing it," said Larry Levitt, senior vice president for health reform at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "The repeal and replace debate in 2017 did the one thing that seemed impossible: which was to make the ACA popular." For Democrats, Trump's decision to make health care front and center of the political debate again is a welcome change of topic for the party after special counsel Robert Mueller concluded the Russia probe. After a two-year investigation, Mueller did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired with Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, putting Democrats on the defensive. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly jumped on Trump's latest moves against Obamacare, announcing a vote in the coming week to condemn his attempt to kill the law. And 2020 Democratic presidential candidates see health care as a winning issue as the campaign heats up. Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand, who officially launched her campaign the day Mueller's key findings were released, said the debate over health care is a fight the party welcomes. "If it's a fight for healthcare this administration wants, it's a fight they'll get—and we will win," Gillibrand said.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/30/trump-tries-to-kill-obamacare-in-lawsuit-but-replacing-is-hard.html
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2019-03-30 13:55:00+00:00
| 1,553,968,500 | 1,567,544,698 |
politics
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political process
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98,978 |
cnbc--2019-04-24--Melinda Gates Capitalism needs work but it beats socialism and the US is lucky to have it
| 2019-04-24T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Melinda Gates: Capitalism needs work, but it beats socialism and the US is 'lucky' to have it
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Capitalism vs. socialism? For Melinda Gates, the choice is simple. "What I know to be true is I would far rather live in a capitalistic society than a socialist society," Gates said in an interview with CNBC's Becky Quick that aired on "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "I think when we stop and think of what we have from a capitalistic society, we have to remember what we actually have." Gates' comments come as the American political system is embroiled in a debate about socialism and capitalism. Several Democratic lawmakers and presidential candidates have called for sweeping changes to a system they say is responsible for growing inequality and division within the country. President Donald Trump has accused them of embracing socialism, which he says would lead to economic ruin in the U.S. Without mentioning the political debate, Gates, who co-chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation along with her husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, defended the U.S. system. Yet she also acknowledged the need to address the gaps between the rich and the poor. Gates also said U.S. residents are "lucky," and that people living in developing countries "want to live in these types of capitalistic societies." Several American billionaires have argued that the modern version of capitalism isn't working. Wealthy business leaders such as Warren Buffett, Jamie Dimon, Ray Dalio and Bill Gates have called for fixes to widening economic inequality and the lack of public education funding. Some are advocating for public-private partnerships and higher taxes on the wealthy to address widespread income inequality. These business leaders have also condemned arguments for socialism. Dimon, CEO of J.P. Morgan, told shareholders this month that socialism "inevitably produces stagnation, corruption and often worse," but acknowledged there are flaws with capitalism and that it should be combined with a strong social safety net. In her CNBC interview, Gates called for proper government regulation and a solid tax system to address capitalism's gaps. "I think we all do better as a globe when countries can grow from low, to middle income, to high income," she said. "And so I think we need to look at our system and say, 'OK, what are the great things about it? And what are the things that, at this point in time, we need to adjust and change?'" Despite these issues, she said, American capitalism is the envy of much of the world. "When I go to places like Malawi or Tanzania or Senegal, they say they all want to live in America," Gates said. "We are lucky to live here. They want to live in these types of capitalistic societies. And we just need to tune it and get it right."
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/24/melinda-gates-capitalism-needs-work-but-is-better-than-socialism.html
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2019-04-24 11:49:00+00:00
| 1,556,120,940 | 1,567,541,940 |
politics
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political process
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98,979 |
cnbc--2019-04-24--Melinda Gates Capitalism needs work but it trumps socialism and the US is lucky to have it
| 2019-04-24T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Melinda Gates: Capitalism needs work, but it trumps socialism and the US is 'lucky' to have it
|
Capitalism vs. socialism? For Melinda Gates, the choice is simple. "What I know to be true is I would far rather live in a capitalistic society than a socialist society," Gates said in an interview with CNBC's Becky Quick for Wednesday's episode of "Squawk Box." "I think when we stop and think of what we have from a capitalistic society, we have to remember what we actually have." Gates' comments come while the American political system is embroiled in a debate about socialism and capitalism. Several Democratic lawmakers and presidential candidates have called for sweeping changes to a system they say is responsible for growing inequality and division within the country. President Donald Trump has accused them of embracing socialism, which he says would lead to economic ruin in the U.S. Without mentioning the political debate, Gates, who co-chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation along with her husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, defended the U.S. system. Yet she also acknowledged the need to address the gaps between the rich and the poor. Gates also said U.S. residents are "lucky," and that people living in developing countries "want to live in these types of capitalistic societies." Several American billionaires have argued that the modern version of capitalism isn't working. Wealthy business leaders such as Warren Buffett, Jamie Dimon, Ray Dalio and Bill Gates have called for fixes to widening economic inequality and the lack of public education funding. Some are advocating for public-private partnerships and higher taxes on the wealthy to address widespread income inequality. These business leaders have also condemned arguments for socialism. Dimon, the CEO of J.P. Morgan, this month told shareholders that socialism "inevitably produces stagnation, corruption and often worse," but acknowledged there are flaws with capitalism and that it should be combined with a strong social safety net. In her CNBC interview, Gates called for proper government regulation and a solid tax system to address capitalism's gaps. "I think we all do better as a globe when countries can grow from low, to middle income, to high income," she said. "And so I think we need to look at our system and say, 'Okay, what are the great things about it? And what are the things that, at this point in time, we need to adjust and change?'" Despite these issues, American capitalism, in her view, is the envy of much of the world. "When I go to places like Malawi or Tanzania or Senegal, they say they all want to live in America," Gates said. "We are lucky to live here. They want to live in these types of capitalistic societies. And we just need to tune it and get it right."
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/24/melinda-gates-capitalism-needs-work-but-is-better-than-socialism.html
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2019-04-24 11:49:00+00:00
| 1,556,120,940 | 1,567,541,940 |
politics
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political process
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103,097 |
cnn--2019-03-14--Beto ORourke announces hes running for president in 2020
| 2019-03-14T00:00:00 |
cnn
|
Beto O'Rourke announces he's running for president in 2020
|
Keokuk, Iowa (CNN) Beto O'Rourke announced Thursday he is running for president, entering the 2020 race with a call for Americans to look past their differences in order to confront the challenges facing the country. "You'll see us run the largest grassroots campaign this country has ever seen," O'Rourke told reporters in Iowa, where he held his first campaign event at a coffee shop in Keokuk. "It's the only way to win. It's the only way to effectively govern." O'Rourke, who is starting a three-day swing through eastern Iowa, announced his entrance into the race with a video Thursday morning. I am running to serve you as the next president. The challenges we face are the greatest in living memory. No one person can meet them on their own. Only this country can do that, and only if we build a movement that includes all of us. Say you're in: https://t.co/EKLdkVET2u pic.twitter.com/lainXyvG2n "This is a defining moment of truth for this country and for every single one of us," the 46-year-old Democratic former congressman from Texas said in the video. "The challenges that we face right now, the interconnected crises in our economy, our democracy and our climate have never been greater." "They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America," he said. O'Rourke said he will hold a kick-off rally for his campaign in El Paso, Texas, on March 30. His campaign headquarters will be in El Paso, he told CNN, because "it's my hometown and it's where I want to be." His entrance into the race is the culmination of his two-year, out-of-nowhere rise from a back-bench congressman largely unknown outside El Paso to Democratic stardom as a record-breaking fundraiser, the subject of an HBO documentary and the target of two separate efforts to draft him into the presidential campaign. He joins a crowded field of more than a dozen Democrats vying for the party's nomination. O'Rourke began his Iowa trip -- which includes stops in eight counties that Barack Obama won in 2012 but Donald Trump won in 2016 -- in the state's rural southeastern corner, pledging to the crowds to listen to and address the concerns of those who believe they have been left behind in recent elections. He said in Texas, farmers and others in rural areas face a lack of broadband internet access. "They can't go on Tinder to find that special date tonight," he said. O'Rourke's short stump speech focused on climate change and immigration. Drawing a comparison to refugees who are currently arriving at the Southern border, which he said he doesn't view as a problem, he warned that climate upheaval would lead to a "crisis of a different magnitude altogether." Answering questions from the crowd, O'Rourke praised the ambitious Green New Deal proposal, saying he hasn't "seen anything better that addresses this singular crisis we face -- a crisis that could, at its worst, lead to extinction." He said he would end the federal prohibition of marijuana, pointing to incarceration rates and saying that those in prison "don't look like people in this room. They are browner and blacker." Speaking to reporters afterward, he also answered questions about what sets him apart from the Democratic field of presidential candidates, who he said he will not criticize. O'Rourke pointed to his life in a border community -- Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, is visible from his porch -- and the attention Trump has directed to the border. "I have a profoundly positive story to tell that as a nation of immigrants, we should remind ourselves that our success, our strength and yes, our safety and security, depend on the fact that we are a city of immigrants in El Paso, a nation of immigrants across this country," he said. O'Rourke told reporters Thursday his loss in the Texas Senate race helped Democrats shift the state into competitive territory for the 2020 presidential election. "I think I was able to show by going to every single county that we will leave no one behind, that no one will be forgotten, that every single one of us as an American and as a human being is important, and we will pay the respect necessary to show that and ensure that," he said. While O'Rourke will have to prove his policy bona fides, his strengths -- he's a tireless campaigner who won over younger voters -- will serve as a test of whether the Democratic base and its legions of young voters are more interested in inspirational figures or candidates whose ideology matches theirs. O'Rourke picked up two congressional endorsements Thursday morning, from New York Rep. Kathleen Rice and Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar, a long-time O'Rourke friend who last fall won his former seat in the House. "He is a son of the border, and during an era of unprecedented racist attacks on safe, secure communities like ours, I am grateful that he consistently stands up to the xenophobia and bigotry that has driven the ugliest of political debates," Escobar said in a statement. O'Rourke's entrance into the presidential race is the culmination of calls for him to explore a bid for national office that began after his closer-than-expected finish in the 2018 Senate campaign. In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, O'Rourke said the 2020 campaign has "got to be about the big things that we hope to achieve and enact and do for one another." He said that "the most pressing, the most urgent, the most existential challenge of them all is climate. And the scientists, beyond a shadow of a doubt, know that we have at a maximum 12 years in order to enact significant change to meet that threat and reduce the consequences of the decisions that we made in the past -- the consequences that our kids and the generations that follow will bear." O'Rourke also began to lay out what he saw as his top priorities on the eve of his entrance into the 2020 race. "Rewriting and signing into law immigration policies that reflect who we are and our values and what we know to be true, grounded in the facts," he said. "Making sure that everybody can see a doctor and live to their full potential. Listening to and then raising up rural communities that for so long have been left behind. Making sure people that are looking for work are able to find it -- that they're equipped with the skills and training and education necessary to maximize their potential. But also investing in people that are already working. ... There are so many people in this country working two and three jobs and struggling to make ends meet." "The destination cannot be Election Night, November 2020. The destination really has to be the realization of everything this country is capable of doing," O'Rourke said. Afterward, Obama praised the Texan for his Senate run, calling him an "impressive young man who ran a terrific race." "What I liked most about his race was that it didn't feel constantly poll-tested," Obama said during a podcast taping with his former top strategist David Axelrod. "It felt as if he based his statements and his positions on what he believed. And that, you'd like to think, is normally how things work. Sadly, it's not." O'Rourke refused to hire pollsters for his Senate campaign and only employed a digital consulting firm. While speculation about a presidential run built after his closer-than-expected Senate loss, some of it has died down in recent months.
|
Eric Bradner
|
http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/TS56S8t-qqo/index.html
|
2019-03-14 15:30:15+00:00
| 1,552,591,815 | 1,567,546,312 |
politics
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political process
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470,932 |
rferl--2019-10-03--Russias Medvedev In Cuba Signals Accords Trade Deals Will Be Signed
| 2019-10-03T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Russia's Medvedev In Cuba, Signals Accords, Trade Deals Will Be Signed
|
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in the Cuban capital for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with President Miguel Diaz-Canel, tour an energy project on the outskirts of Havana, and see how the city is overhauling its capitol building, whose golden dome came as a gift from Moscow. According to a statement on the Russian government's website, Medvedev will discuss "topical issues of Russian-Cuban cooperation in trade, economic, investment, energy, transport, cultural, and humanitarian, and other fields." A number of bilateral accords and commercial contracts will be signed after the talks, though no specifics were given. Medvedev's visit comes at a time when the island country is going through a new economic crisis while under severe U.S. sanctions, AP reported. Two areas hit hardest by the difficulties, the oil and transportation industries, may receive Russian assistance. A key ally of the former Soviet Union, Cuba still enjoys warm relations with Russia as well as with trade partners Venezuela, China, Spain, and Canada. Last month, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said trade turnover between Russia and Cuba had increased by 34 percent to $388 million in 2018, and was expected to reach $500 million this year.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-pm-medvedev-heads-to-cuba-signals-accords-trade-deals-will-be-signed/30197047.html
|
2019-10-03 06:47:10+00:00
| 1,570,099,630 | 1,570,221,729 |
politics
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international relations
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572,906 |
tass--2019-11-04--EAEU open to signing free trade deals with Asian countries - Russian PM
| 2019-11-04T00:00:00 |
tass
|
EAEU open to signing free trade deals with Asian countries - Russian PM
|
BANGKOK, November 4. /TASS/. Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines have expressed interest in signing free trade agreements with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the 14th East Asia Summit in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok on Monday. "The Eurasian Economic Union has experience in creating a common market and I would like to point out that the Union is open to cooperation with all interested partners," he said. "We welcome the interest that Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines have shown," Medvedev added. He noted that free trade agreements had already been signed with Vietnam, Singapore and China, talks were underway with India. The Russian prime minister emphasized the need to combine the potential of ASEAN, EAEU countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He also stressed that the 2016 Russia-ASEAN Summit had supported the idea of establishing a broad Eurasian partnership. Sanctions have become a political pressure tool that triggers trade wars, Russian Prime Minister added. "Unfortunately, the use sanctions is increasing, they have become a tool of political pressure and unfair competition," he pointed out. According to Medvedev, protectionist sentiment is growing stronger in a number of countries, "which leads to specific political and legal decisions." "They result in large-scale trade wars," the Russian prime minister emphasized. At the same time, in his words, Asian countries are beginning to realize that there is a need to search for new methods of constructive interaction instead of establishing blocs and unions that oppose each other. "The current situation in relations between the countries of the region and Asian countries’ determination to create an open and non-discriminatory market environment are proof of that," Medvedev said.
| null |
https://tass.com/economy/1086788
|
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 12:38:20 +0300
| 1,572,889,100 | 1,572,882,088 |
politics
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international relations
|
142,019 |
drudgereport--2019-01-17--USA Weighs Lifting China Tariffs to Hasten Trade Deal
| 2019-01-17T00:00:00 |
drudgereport
|
USA Weighs Lifting China Tariffs to Hasten Trade Deal...
|
U.S. officials are debating ratcheting back tariffs on Chinese imports as a way to calm markets and give Beijing an incentive to make deeper concessions in a trade battle that has rattled global economies. The idea of lifting some or all tariffs was proposed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a series of strategy meetings, according to people close to internal deliberations. They say the aim is to advance trade talks and win China’s support for longer-term reforms.
| null |
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/TvWARad0qhE/u-s-weighs-lifting-china-tariffs-to-hasten-trade-deal-calm-markets-11547754006
|
2019-01-17 22:25:39+00:00
| 1,547,781,939 | 1,567,552,107 |
politics
|
international relations
|
2,874 |
abcnews--2019-12-05--China says US must cut tariffs in trade deal
| 2019-12-05T00:00:00 |
abcnews
|
China says US must cut tariffs in trade deal
|
Washington must roll back punitive tariffs on Chinese imports if the two sides reach a trade deal, China said Thursday, indicating Beijing is sticking to its position ahead of another possible Dec. 15 duty increase. The two sides are negotiating details of a “Phase 1” agreement announced by President Donald Trump in October. Beijing said last month the U.S. side agreed to roll back some tariffs, but Trump dismissed that. “China believes that if the two parties reach a ‘Phase 1’ agreement, tariffs should be reduced accordingly,” said a Commerce Ministry spokesman, Gao Feng. Gao said negotiators are in “close communication” but he had no other details. The two sides have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other’s imports in the fight over Beijing’s technology ambitions and trade surplus. That has disrupted global trade and threatens to chill economic growth. Washington is due to raise tariffs on an additional $160 billion of Chinese imports on Dec. 15, including smartphones and toys. That will extend penalties to almost everything the United States buys from China. Global financial markets tumbled this week after Trump cast doubt on whether an agreement can be reached this year. Details of the Oct. 12 agreement have yet to be released. But it doesn’t address basic disputes about trade, Chinese industrial subsidies and technology policy. Economists say a final settlement is unlikely this year. Some express skepticism the two sides can complete the “Phase 1” deal.
| null |
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/china-us-cut-tariffs-trade-deal-67512155
|
Thu, 05 Dec 2019 05:09:39 -0500
| 1,575,540,579 | 1,575,547,557 |
politics
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international relations
|
3,207 |
abcnews--2019-12-15--China delays tariffs on US autos, other goods in trade deal
| 2019-12-15T00:00:00 |
abcnews
|
China delays tariffs on US autos, other goods in trade deal
|
BEIJING -- China’s government says it will postpone planned punitive tariffs on U.S.-made automobiles and other goods following an interim trade deal with Washington. Sunday’s announcement came after Washington agreed to postpone a planned tariff hike on $160 billion of Chinese goods and to cut in half penalties that already were imposed. “China hopes to work with the United States on the basis of equality and mutual respect to properly address each other's core concerns and promote the stable development of Chinese-U.S. economic and trade relations,” said a Cabinet statement. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said that under Friday’s agreement, China committed to buy $40 billion of American farm products over the next two years. He said China also promised to end its long-standing practice of pressuring companies to hand over their technology as a condition of market access. Beijing had planned to impose 25% duties on American-made autos on Sunday, which would have raised the total charge to 40%. Hardest hit were Germany’s BMW AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes unit, which ship U.S.-made SUVs and other cars to China. Other goods were targeted for 10% and 5% penalties.
| null |
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/china-delays-tariffs-us-autos-goods-trade-deal-67740111
|
Sun, 15 Dec 2019 04:51:15 -0500
| 1,576,403,475 | 1,576,411,538 |
politics
|
international relations
|
3,502 |
abcnews--2019-12-26--China's November soybean imports rise after US trade deal
| 2019-12-26T00:00:00 |
abcnews
|
China's November soybean imports rise after US trade deal
|
BEIJING -- China's imports of soybeans surged in November following the announcement of an interim trade deal with the United States. Imports rose 53.7% over a year earlier to 5.4 million tons, according to customs data. Imports of U.S. soybeans more than doubled from the previous month to 2.6 million tons, according to AWeb.com, a news website that serves the Chinese farming industry. China cut off purchases of American soybeans, the country's biggest import from the United States, after President Donald Trump raised import duties on Chinese goods in a dispute over Beijing's technology ambitions and trade surplus. The two governments announced an interim “Phase 1” agreement in October but have yet to release details. U.S. officials say it might be signed as early as January. U.S. officials said as part of that deal, Beijing will buy more American farm exports. Chinese officials have yet to confirm the possible scale of purchases. Chinese government spokespeople said in September importers were placing orders for American soybeans but no details of purchases have been announced. Chinese buyers use soybeans as animal feed and to crush for cooking oil. Beijing bought more Brazilian soybeans, but no other supplier could fully replace the large scale of American supplies. That added to the strain on Chinese pig farmers who are struggling with an outbreak of African swine fever that has devastated herds.
| null |
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/chinas-november-soybean-imports-rise-us-trade-deal-67928423
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Thu, 26 Dec 2019 04:30:18 -0500
| 1,577,352,618 | 1,577,361,945 |
politics
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international relations
|
76,370 |
breitbart--2019-11-25--Jim Cramer: We Have to Walk Away to Get a Great China Trade Deal
| 2019-11-25T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
Jim Cramer: We Have to Walk Away to Get a Great China Trade Deal
|
U.S. negotiators should walk away from trade talks with China, CNBC anchor Jim Cramer said Monday morning. Talks between the U.S. and China have reportedly stalled as China refuses to publicly commit to purchasing $50 billion of agricultural goods and its negotiators insist that the U.S. drop tariffs already in place as part of a ‘phase one’ preliminary trade deal. Cramer argued that if the U.S. threatened to stop talks, China would be forced to compromise and begin accepting U.S. terms for a deal. “If you saw [Treasury Secretary Steven] Mnuchin come out and say, ‘You know what? I’m finished with these guys,’ then what would happen is that we’d see a real deal,” Cramer said. Secretary Mnuchin is thought to be a China ‘dove’–meaning, more open to a permissive deal with China–in the trade talks and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is considered a China ‘hawk.’ “We have to walk away to get a real deal,” Cramer said. Cramer also argued that U.S. mainstream media bias against Trump was distorting U.S. public perceptions–and perhaps Chinese perceptions–about the trade dispute. “The hand of Xi keeps weakening but the mainstream media keeps talking about it getting stronger,” Cramer said. “I think that Trump knows that is not the case. All of his trade advocates know that is not the case.” In particular, U.S. media is exaggerating the strength of the Chinese economy, Cramer said. “Right now, I really do not think China is doing well economically. And we are. But the mainstream media says that Xi is a great Chinese man with great democratic leanings, member of the WTO, and we have a mad man,” Cramer said. In response to a question from Becky Quick, Cramer said he doubted the stock market would sell off sharply if trade talks were called off. “I don’t think it matters. All it does is strengthen his hand,” Cramer said. “China is the enemy except for the mainstream media that just loves Xi. They think he’s Alexander Hamilton meets George Washington. The guy is a communist dictator who is killing people,” Cramer said.
|
John Carney
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/NLcsPiqmNJU/
|
Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:26:42 +0000
| 1,574,713,602 | 1,574,726,854 |
politics
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international relations
|
81,729 |
cbsnews--2019-01-31--Trump optimistic on possible China trade deal
| 2019-01-31T00:00:00 |
cbsnews
|
Trump optimistic on possible China trade deal
|
President Trump was optimistic about a possible trade deal with China by a March 1 deadline, as he met with China's top trade negotiator at the White House Thursday afternoon. In the meeting, he was presented with a letter from the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. The president briefly spoke to reporters before meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, saying that China has agreed to purchase 5 million tons of U.S. soybeans per day. Mr. Trump tweeted ahead of his meeting with Liu Thursday afternoon that "meetings are going well with good intent and spirit on both sides." The president has expressed some optimism about reaching a deal in the next month, but says "no final deal will be made" until he meets directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "China's representatives and I are trying to do a complete deal, leaving NOTHING unresolved on the table," Mr. Trump tweeted Thursday morning. "All of the many problems are being discussed and will be hopefully resolved. Tariffs on China increase to 25% on March 1st, so all working hard to complete by that date!" "Looking for China to open their Markets not only to Financial Services, which they are now doing, but also to our Manufacturing, Farmers and other U.S. businesses and industries. Without this a deal would be unacceptable!" the president also tweeted. If the U.S. and China reach an agreement on trade, the president told reporters on Thursday, it will be the largest in the world. But some of the president's top advisers took a more guarded approach to the outcome of the talks. These are historic talks, I'm not here to predict the outcome," top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said in a discussion with reporters in the Roosevelt Room Thursday afternoon. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who is leading the talks, said the important thing for such conversations is that they do "not come off the rails," which these talks have not. "Will we have an agreement? I don't know," Lighthizer added. The Chinese talks are taking place after the U.S. indicted Chinese telecom company Huawei Technologies Co. and its CEO earlier this week on 13 counts, including fraud. Mr. Trump told reporters Thursday afternoon that the intended summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "coming along" and will occur at the end of February.
| null |
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-meets-with-chinese-vice-premier-on-trade-today-2019-01-31-live-updates/
|
2019-01-31 23:28:48+00:00
| 1,548,995,328 | 1,567,550,099 |
politics
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international relations
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98,646 |
cnbc--2019-03-14--China suggests linking an official state visit by Xi to a US trade deal
| 2019-03-14T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
China suggests linking an official state visit by Xi to a US trade deal
|
With a U.S.-China trade deal at least weeks away, Chinese negotiators have suggested combining a long-discussed state visit by President Xi Jinping to the United States with the announcement of any forthcoming agreement, according to three sources briefed on discussions. The two countries had been planning a meeting between the two leaders at President Donald Trump's private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to follow Xi's late-March visit to Europe, to avoid the optics of a standalone trip to announce a trade deal on U.S. soil. But U.S. officials have suggested there are too many outstanding details to conclude negotiations by then, making a meeting in March unlikely. "Our hope is we are in the final weeks of having an agreement," Robert Lighthizer, the Trump administration's top trade official, testified to the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. But Lighthizer would not commit to a positive outcome, or a resulting meeting, and said many issues remain. "If those issues are not resolved in favor of the United States, we won't have a deal." Since the two countries brokered a temporary truce at the G-20, U.S. negotiators have been seeking commitments and concessions up front, while Chinese negotiators had sought to shelve complicated issues for the two presidents to settle in person. But that dynamic changed, the three people briefed on the talks said, when Trump walked out on talks with Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam, after North Korea sought an end to sanctions. Beijing now wants a deal fully locked in before its leader sits down with Trump, although Trump would still prefer to close the deal himself. "We could have the deal completed and come and sign — or we can get the deal almost completed and negotiate some of the final points," Trump said Wednesday. "I would prefer that."
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/14/china-suggests-linking-official-state-visit-by-xi-to-trump-trade-deal-sources.html
|
2019-03-14 18:02:00+00:00
| 1,552,600,920 | 1,567,546,316 |
politics
|
international relations
|
99,500 |
cnbc--2019-07-23--US China in-person trade talks expected next week White House eyes longer-term timeline for deal
| 2019-07-23T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
US, China in-person trade talks expected next week; White House eyes longer-term timeline for deal
|
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Feb. 15, 2019 American trade negotiators will soon head to China for face-to-face talks as the world's two largest economies try to strike a deal, sources told CNBC. The U.S. officials will travel to China for discussions sometime between Friday — the start of a six-week congressional recess in Washington — and Thursday, August 1. While the talks represent a critical next step after a truce reached between the countries' leaders in June, a deal is not viewed as near. President Donald Trump has signaled that he'd be willing to relax restrictions on China's Huawei in exchange for purchases of U.S. agricultural products. Longer-term, U.S. officials have suggested they could roll back the tariffs in exchange for Beijing making the deal legally binding — something it backtracked on in May.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/23/us-china-expected-to-hold-in-person-trade-talks-next-week.html
|
2019-07-23 17:58:00+00:00
| 1,563,919,080 | 1,567,536,081 |
politics
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international relations
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100,192 |
cnbc--2019-10-14--China wants another round of talks before signing phase one of the trade deal, source says
| 2019-10-14T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
China wants another round of talks before signing phase one of the trade deal, source says
|
China wants another round of talks before signing what President Donald Trump called last week the first phase of a trade deal between the two nations, a source told CNBC's Kayla Tausche on Monday. It is not clear whether the additional trade talks would take place in Washington or Beijing, but a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He could be sent before month's end to iron out phase one of the trade deal. Bloomberg News first reported the news and said in its report that China also wants the U.S. to scrap a tariff hike scheduled for December. China and the U.S. held trade talks in Washington last week that ended with Trump saying both sides reached a "very substantial phase one deal." As part of that deal, China will address intellectual property concerns raised by the U.S. and buy $40 billion to $50 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to hold off on a tariff hike set for this week. But while Trump characterized the talks' outcome as a success, Chinese state media said "substantial progress" was made. Also, it did not call phase one a "deal" while making little mention of the agricultural product purchases. At this point, another round of in-person negotiations is "likely" given the number of variables encompassing phase one of the trade deal, Tausche reports.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/14/china-wants-another-round-of-talks-before-signing-phase-one-of-the-trade-deal-source-says.html
|
Mon, 14 Oct 2019 11:50 GMT
| 1,571,068,200 | 1,571,091,427 |
politics
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international relations
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113,498 |
cnsnews--2019-07-01--Kudlow Trumps Agreement to Resume Trade Talks With China Is a Very Big Deal
| 2019-07-01T00:00:00 |
cnsnews
|
Kudlow: Trump's Agreement to Resume Trade Talks With China 'Is a Very Big Deal'
|
(CNSNews.com) - President Trump is returning from the G-20 summit with an agreement to restart trade talks with China. I had a great meeting with President Xi of China yesterday, far better than expected. I agreed not to increase the already existing Tariffs that we charge China while we continue to negotiate. China has agreed that, during the negotiation, they will begin purchasing large amounts of agricultural product from our great Farmers. At the request of our High Tech companies, and President Xi, I agreed to allow Chinese company Huawei to buy product from them which will not impact our National Security. Importantly, we have opened up negotiations again with China as our relationship with them continues to be a very good one. The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed. I am in no hurry, but things look very good! There will be no reduction in the Tariffs currently being charged to China. Chief White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told "Fox News Sunday" the agreement to resume trade talks "is a very big deal." The first point is just resuming the talks has president said, continuing the talks which had been interrupted for a while is a very big deal. I think that is the banner headline from this, and I think everybody's going to be pleased at that. There's no promises. There's no deal made. There's no timetable. I want to emphasize that, the president said several times this is about the quality of the deal, there's no timetable, there's no rush. He is comfortable where he is in any case. But I think coming back, we will resume the talks, the two teams will be getting together, tariffs will not be raised. There's no lifting of tariffs on the remaining $325 billion, that's an important concession by President Trump. And we also expect the Chinese -- while the talks are going, we expect the Chinese to begin large-scale purchases, imports of the U.S. agriculture products and services. So, new talks, resume talks, no new tariffs and agriculture purchases, and the rest of it is going to go on for quite some time, frankly. Host Chris Wallace noted that before U.S.-China trade talks broke down in May, Kudlow said the two sides were 90 percent of the way to a deal. "Have they agreed to keep the commitments they'd already made, or are we starting from scratch?" Wallace asked. "Well, the president himself mentioned a couple of times, in his press conference and elsewhere, that he would like to go back to where we left off in early May, whenever it was, and yes, that 90 percent number is fair, although the last 10 percent could be the toughest and there's no guarantees that the deal will go through. "Look, it's very important, I know from the American side, the relationship with China has to be rebalanced. It has been very unbalanced in recent years. As you know, we have had tremendous problems with intellectual property theft, force transfers of technology, tariffs, nontariff barriers, various cyber hacking going on and other issues, OK? Those have to be remedied. I mean, that's a very important point of these talks, however long that may take, it is impossible to predict, but we would prefer to go back. "I don't know what the Chinese side is going to say and we won't know until Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Mnuchin and so forth get back together with their Chinese counterparts," Kudlow said. President Trump announced he did make one concession to China involving Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant, allowing American companies to resume selling technology to Huawei. Some Republicans oppose doing business with a company that is believed to be an extension of Chinese intelligence. "Now let's be quite careful here," Kudlow said. "The president's announcement...he was very clear to say that American companies can supply Huawei with various products and services provided that there is no national security issues or problems. "So, the Commerce Department, as you may know, already offered a number of general service licenses for some sales to Huawei. On the other hand, I think Commerce will probably go back after the president's decision and take another look at that, maybe open it up. "You know, there's a lot of technology services, telecom-related services that really you can find on general markets, and we don't think have any national security implications," Kudlow said. "So, I think there's a good chance the Commerce Department, Secretary Ross, will open the door on that and grant these licenses." Amid criticism from Republican lawmakers, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) among them, Kudlow said, "This is not a general amnesty, if you will. Huawei will remain on the so-called entity list where there are serious export controls and any national security inferences or suggestions, there won't be any licenses. "But having said that, I think all this kind of happens is the Commerce Department will grant some temporary additional licenses where there was a general availability. I mean, for example, some of the chips, the chipmakers in the United States are selling products that are frankly widely available from other countries and we don't think there's any national security." “So, we will look at this carefully. We will undoubtedly -- I think the president will be meeting with senators and others, our own principles are going to be meeting to take a look at this. So, this is not general amnesty. They will remain on the so-called entity list and national security concerns will remain paramount.”
|
Susan Jones
|
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/kudlow-trumps-agreement-resume-trade-talks-china-very-big-deal
|
2019-07-01 10:06:50+00:00
| 1,561,990,010 | 1,567,537,325 |
politics
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international relations
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153,354 |
drudgereport--2019-11-05--China presses for more tariff roll-backs in 'phase one' trade deal...
| 2019-11-05T00:00:00 |
drudgereport
|
China presses for more tariff roll-backs in 'phase one' trade deal...
|
The United States and China appear to be close to clinching the first phase of a trade agreement that is expected to see both sides remove tariffs, according to multiple media reports. China is pushing President Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a 'phase one' US-China trade deal, people familiar with the negotiations said on Monday. The deal, which may be signed later this month by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a yet-to-be determined location, is widely expected to include a US pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for December 15 on about $156billion worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys. A US official said the fate of the December 15 tariffs is being considered as part of negotiations and a potential signing trip this month. Another source briefed on the talks said Chinese negotiators want Washington to drop 15 per cent tariffs on about $125billion worth of Chinese goods that went into effect on September 1. They are also seeking relief from earlier 25 per cent tariffs on about $250billion of imports from machinery and semiconductors to furniture. A person familiar with Beijing's negotiating position said that China is continuing to press Washington to 'remove all tariffs as soon as possible.' China's request to remove the September 1 duties was earlier reported by Politico, citing sources. The Financial Times newspaper also reported that the White House was considering whether to roll back the September 1 tariffs, which cover some clothing items, flat-screen televisions, smart speakers and Bluetooth headphones. Ralph Winnie, director of the China program at the Eurasia Center, said wrapping up the interim trade pact would provide a boost to both the US and Chinese economies, while handing Trump an important win among farmers - a core constituency. 'It's in both countries' interest to have this trade deal,' Winnie said. 'If he seals the deal, it will be looked on very favorably by the American people. It's a win-win for both countries.' Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has been pressing China to curb massive subsidies to state-owned firms and end the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese firms as a price of doing business in China. Analysts say the phase one deal will fail to adequately address these issues, focusing largely on Chinese purchases of US farm goods and intellectual property protections related to copyright and trademark issues. It will not address industrial subsidies at all. Charles Boustany, a former congressman from Louisiana and counselor at the National Bureau of Asian Research, said any initial agreement would likely be short-term in nature and unstable. 'Even though there's some talk about a phase one agreement, we don't think it´s going to be substantive in terms of addressing any of the structural problems,' he said. 'It would largely be a status quo situation where China continues to do what it´s doing.' Some business groups complain that a central component of the 'phase one' deal - increased access to China's financial services market - will fall short of its promises, because of inconsistencies in China's new foreign investment law. In comments submitted to the Chinese government by the US Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in China and the US Information Technology Office, the groups pointed out that Beijing's draft regulations 'do not address clear differences between the treatment of China's state-owned enterprises and the private sector,' according to a person familiar with the comments. Trump had said on Friday evening that negotiations on the initial phase agreement were going well and he hoped to sign the deal with Xi at a US location when work on the deal was completed. US and Chinese negotiators have been racing to finalize the text of an agreement for Trump and Xi to sign this month, a process clouded by wrangling over US demands for a timetable of Chinese purchases of US farm products.
| null |
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/WUQ4wOathJo/China-pushing-Trump-remove-tariffs-ahead-trade-deal--media.html
|
Tue, 05 Nov 2019 13:10:36 GMT
| 1,572,977,436 | 1,572,959,773 |
politics
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international relations
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156,201 |
drudgereport--2019-12-14--USA, China Agree to Limited Deal to Halt Trade War...
| 2019-12-14T00:00:00 |
drudgereport
|
USA, China Agree to Limited Deal to Halt Trade War...
|
Details emerged Friday from the U.S.’s first-stage trade deal with China, which marked a milestone in President Trump’s initiative to rebalance trade with Beijing but left questions over how far it goes to level the playing field for U.S. businesses. The limited agreement, capping months of sometimes-testy negotiations, calls for China to purchase more products from American farmers and other exports, U.S. officials said. In return, the U.S. put the brakes on new tariffs set to take effect Sunday and agreed to reduce some...
| null |
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/pSxDaObCOEo/us-china-confirm-reaching-phase-one-trade-deal-11576234325
|
Sat, 14 Dec 2019 00:16:36 GMT
| 1,576,300,596 | 1,576,282,711 |
politics
|
international relations
|
206,621 |
fortune--2019-10-09--China Open to a Partial Trade Deal With the U.S. Even as Tensions Spike
| 2019-10-09T00:00:00 |
fortune
|
China Open to a Partial Trade Deal With the U.S. Even as Tensions Spike
|
Less Risk, More ‘Reliability’: Coworking Giant IWG Seeks to Capitalize as WeWork Stumbles
|
Ian Mount
|
https://fortune.com/2019/10/09/china-us-trade-talks-partial-trade-deal-tariffs/
|
Wed, 09 Oct 2019 10:38:51 +0000
| 1,570,631,931 | 1,570,623,016 |
politics
|
international relations
|
207,189 |
fortune--2019-11-09--U.S.-China Trade Talks: What’s the Deal?
| 2019-11-09T00:00:00 |
fortune
|
U.S.-China Trade Talks: What’s the Deal?
|
The Maker of White Claw Is Now a Multibillionaire, Thanks to the Hard Seltzer Craze
|
claychandler
|
https://fortune.com/2019/11/09/us-china-phase-one-trade-deal-still-on-hold/
|
Sat, 09 Nov 2019 12:02:54 +0000
| 1,573,318,974 | 1,573,344,410 |
politics
|
international relations
|
207,956 |
fortune--2019-12-13--Beijing Complains of ‘Unjustified Restrictions and Crackdowns’ as U.S.-China Trade Deal Hopes Rise
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
fortune
|
Beijing Complains of ‘Unjustified Restrictions and Crackdowns’ as U.S.-China Trade Deal Hopes Rise
|
AT&T Turns on 5G for Consumers: What You Need to Know
|
Ian Mount
|
https://fortune.com/2019/12/13/beijing-complaints-us-china-trade-war-phase-one-deal-trump/
|
Fri, 13 Dec 2019 11:49:21 +0000
| 1,576,255,761 | 1,576,281,983 |
politics
|
international relations
|
207,969 |
fortune--2019-12-13--The Markets Have Spoken: Phase One Trade Deal Between the U.S. and China Is ‘No Victory’
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
fortune
|
The Markets Have Spoken: Phase One Trade Deal Between the U.S. and China Is ‘No Victory’
|
AT&T Turns on 5G for Consumers: What You Need to Know
|
Erik Sherman
|
https://fortune.com/2019/12/13/trump-china-trade-deal-phase-one-markets/
|
Fri, 13 Dec 2019 18:30:00 +0000
| 1,576,279,800 | 1,576,281,982 |
politics
|
international relations
|
211,091 |
foxnews--2019-05-21--China committed to forging new trade deal with Trump countrys ambassador tells Fox News
| 2019-05-21T00:00:00 |
foxnews
|
China 'committed' to forging new trade deal with Trump, country's ambassador tells Fox News
|
China is "committed" to forging a trade deal with America that will "serve the interests" of both countries, according to Beijing's ambassador to the U.S. Ambassador Cui Tiankai made the remarks in a Tuesday interview with Bret Baier on "Special Report," in the wake of a breakdown in trade talks earlier this month. "This trade deficit has a lot of structural reasons behind it. It's not just a simple game of numbers," Cui said. "But still, we are ready to address the imbalance in trade. We are ready to take action to buy more American products and services." ANGRY DEM SAYS TRUMP 'RAPING THE COUNTRY,' AS IMPEACHMENT PUSH NEARS CRITICAL MASS Cui said he is optimistic that a new trade pact will come to fruition if "both sides" of the negotiating table have the "political will" required to forge one. "A good deal has to be made on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit," he said. "China remains ready to continue our talks with our American colleagues to reach a conclusion." Baier asked about a New York Times report that claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping "misjudged" President Trump's fervor to make a deal, leading the negotiations to fall apart. "We are still committed to whatever we agree to do," Cui said. "It is the U.S. side that changes its mind so often." Baier also brought up the contrast between Trump's comments about China's role as an economic rival and those of former Vice President Joe Biden - the current Democratic 2020 front-runner. "[Biden] says China’s not a competitor of ours. China is a massive competitor of ours," Trump told "The Next Revolution" host Steve Hilton in a Sunday interview. Trump was addressing comments Biden made at a campaign stop in New Hampshire last week, where he said of China, "they're not bad folks, folks, but guess what, they're not competition for us." CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "First of all, we don't want to have anything to do with American domestic politics," Cui said. "Honestly, very often it's almost impossible for us to make sense of it." Cui added that China's aim is to "meet the growing aspirations of our people" and not to "seek global dominance or to compete with anybody else" to that extent.
|
Charles Creitz
|
http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/ZlxLAnonb44/trump-china-trade-deal-ambassador-cui-tiankai
|
2019-05-21 23:55:58+00:00
| 1,558,497,358 | 1,567,540,337 |
politics
|
international relations
|
273,931 |
investorsbusinessdaily--2019-02-12--U.S.-China Trade Deal: Not Much At Stake, Except The Global Economy
| 2019-02-12T00:00:00 |
investorsbusinessdaily
|
U.S.-China Trade Deal: Not Much At Stake, Except The Global Economy
|
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|
TERRY JONES
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PoliticRss/~3/kS3JVWYemfM/
|
Tue, 12 Feb 2019 03:42:58 +0000
| 1,549,960,978 | 1,570,449,999 |
politics
|
international relations
|
319,675 |
msnbc--2019-01-09--President Trump reportedly eager to make trade deal with China
| 2019-01-09T00:00:00 |
msnbc
|
President Trump reportedly eager to make trade deal with China
|
More blame Trump after weeks of shutdown: poll
| null |
http://www.msnbc.com/stephanie-ruhle/watch/president-trump-reportedly-eager-to-make-trade-deal-with-china-1422641731875
|
2019-01-09 16:14:55+00:00
| 1,547,068,495 | 1,567,553,330 |
politics
|
international relations
|
332,762 |
nationalreview--2019-10-11--U.S. Reaches Partial Trade Deal with China: Report
| 2019-10-11T00:00:00 |
nationalreview
|
U.S. Reaches Partial Trade Deal with China: Report
|
After two productive days of talks in Washington, sources told Bloomberg Friday that the U.S. and China agreed to a partial trade deal, laying the foundation for a broad deal that Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping could sign later this year. “China would agree to some agricultural concessions and the U.S. would provide some tariff relief,” Bloomberg reports. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin did not confirm an agreement during a press conference, saying the U.S. has had “a productive two days” of negotiations with the Chinese. Friday morning, Trump seemingly tweeted in anticipation of the deal. Trump confirmed the deal elaborated on the details Friday afternoon during a meeting He in the Oval Office. The president said a “phase one” agreement was in place and would take several weeks to write, but would likely be signed by both sides in November. The provisions include China purchasing $40 billion to $50 billion worth of American agricultural products, along with agreeing to guidelines on how it manages its currency, and policies with intellectual property, including forced technology transfer. On Wall Street, stocks rose on Friday as investors anticipated a positive conclusion to negotiations. The S&P 500 was up roughly 1.8 percent before midday, putting the benchmark stock market index on track to snap losses over the previous three weeks, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 1.9 percent.
|
Tobias Hoonhout
|
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/u-s-reaches-partial-trade-deal-with-china-report/
|
Fri, 11 Oct 2019 18:35:30 +0000
| 1,570,833,330 | 1,570,832,873 |
politics
|
international relations
|
346,512 |
newsmax--2019-11-03--Trump Says China Trade Deal Will Be Signed Somewhere in US
| 2019-11-03T00:00:00 |
newsmax
|
Trump Says China Trade Deal Will Be Signed Somewhere in US
|
The “phase one” trade deal with China, once completed, will be signed somewhere in the U.S., President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday.
| null |
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-china-deal-signed/2019/11/03/id/939965
|
Sun, 03 Nov 2019 13:24:20 EDT
| 1,572,805,460 | 1,572,886,723 |
politics
|
international relations
|
347,026 |
newsmax--2019-12-01--Report: US-China Trade Deal 'Stalled Because of Hong Kong Legislation'
| 2019-12-01T00:00:00 |
newsmax
|
Report: US-China Trade Deal 'Stalled Because of Hong Kong Legislation'
|
A trade deal between United States and China was now "stalled because of Hong Kong legislation," news website Axios reported on Sunday, citing a source close to U.S. President Donald Trump's negotiating team. The deal was stalled also because time was needed to allow Chinese President Xi Jinping's domestic politics to calm, the report added, citing the unnamed source. China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that legislation signed by Trump on Wednesday backing protesters in Hong Kong was a serious interference in Chinese affairs.
| null |
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/china-trade-hongkong/2019/12/01/id/944021
|
Sun, 01 Dec 2019 20:45:23 EDT
| 1,575,251,123 | 1,575,312,743 |
politics
|
international relations
|
384,068 |
npr--2019-02-20--Trade Talks With China Continue As Trump Shies From A Hard Deadline For A Deal
| 2019-02-20T00:00:00 |
npr
|
Trade Talks With China Continue, As Trump Shies From A Hard Deadline For A Deal
|
Trade Talks With China Continue, As Trump Shies From A Hard Deadline For A Deal Talks between U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators continue this week in Washington, after discussions last week in Beijing did not yield a deal. Higher level meetings are slated to begin Thursday and continue through the end of the week. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to continue the negotations. On Tuesday, President Trump called the talks "very complex." "I think the talks are going very well," he told reporters. A big jump in tariffs is due on March 2, following a March 1 deadline imposed by Trump. Without a deal by that date, tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products would go from 10 percent to 25 percent. But Trump seemed to back away from a hard deadline, saying that March 1 "is not a magical date." "The real question will be: will we raise the tariffs?" Trump said, as The Wall Street Journal reports. "I know that China would like not for that to happen. So I think they are trying to move fast so that doesn't happen. But we'll see what happens." Whether key U.S. issues with China — such as market access and intellectual property enforcement — are resolved remains an open question. Bloomberg reports that in the negotiations, the U.S. seeks to stabilize the value of the yuan, to head off any efforts by China to devalue its currency: "The Trump administration has been clear in its talks with Beijing that any attempt to depreciate the yuan — a strategy aimed at offsetting existing U.S. duties on Chinese imports — would be met with more or higher American tariffs, according to two of the people briefed on the discussions." But pledges by China to buy more American goods and address structural issues won't matter if the White House doesn't create mechanisms to enforce the deal, Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told CNBC. "Without enforcement, this deal fails," Brilliant said. "Implementation and enforcement are going to be two key elements — so you need to have implementation, you need to have follow-through, but you need to have enforcement mechanisms that will ensure that both sides have trust that this deal is sustaining and verifiable."
|
Laurel Wamsley
|
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/20/696343041/trade-talks-with-china-continue-as-trump-shies-from-a-hard-deadline-for-a-deal?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news
|
2019-02-20 21:39:57+00:00
| 1,550,716,797 | 1,567,547,926 |
politics
|
international relations
|
388,264 |
npr--2019-12-13--U.S.-China Trade Deal Phase 1 Is Here; December Tariffs Are Scrapped
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
npr
|
U.S.-China Trade Deal Phase 1 Is Here; December Tariffs Are Scrapped
|
U.S.-China Trade Deal Phase 1 Is Here; December Tariffs Are Scrapped China and the United States have agreed on what has been called the first phase of a trade deal. As part of this Phase One agreement announced Friday, the U.S. suspended tariffs that were planned on $160 billion in Chinese imports that were set to take effect Sunday. The U.S. also halved the September 1 tariffs from 15% to 7.5% — they included all kinds of consumer products such as clothing and sports equipment. Under the deal, China will purchase an unspecified amount of American products and has also agreed to "structural" changes, which have so far not been detailed. In a tweet, President Trump said the U.S. has agreed to a "very large Phase One trade deal with China" and said tariffs on imported Chinese products that were set to take effect this weekend would not be imposed. Trump also said Beijing has agreed "to many structural changes and massive purchases of Agricultural Product, Energy, and Manufactured Goods, plus much more." The two countries will begin negotiations over the second phase of a trade deal right away, he said. China too confirmed in a press conference in Beijing that a deal was reached. Both sides are yet to sign the deal. Officials said the agreement would cover agricultural products, intellectual property protection, currency manipulation and forced technology transfers by U.S. companies doing business in China. All are issues that Washington has been pressing China to address for years, with limited success. China will increase purchases of high quality and competitive products from all countries, including the United States, officials said.
|
Jim Zarroli
|
https://www.npr.org/2019/12/13/787531540/u-s-china-trade-deal-phase-1-is-here-december-tariffs-are-scrapped?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news
|
Fri, 13 Dec 2019 10:42:54 -0500
| 1,576,251,774 | 1,576,282,513 |
politics
|
international relations
|
415,528 |
politicalwire--2019-10-11--Trump Announces Partial Trade Deal with China
| 2019-10-11T00:00:00 |
politicalwire
|
Trump Announces Partial Trade Deal with China
|
President Trump announced that the U.S. and China have reached a “very substantial phase one” deal on trade “subject to it being written,” the Washington Post reports. He added that the tariffs set to go into effect against China on Tuesday have now been canceled.
|
Taegan Goddard
|
https://politicalwire.com/2019/10/11/trump-announces-partial-trade-deal/
|
Fri, 11 Oct 2019 19:54:44 +0000
| 1,570,838,084 | 1,570,831,383 |
politics
|
international relations
|
416,324 |
politicalwire--2019-12-03--Trump Suggests China Trade Deal Could Be Delayed
| 2019-12-03T00:00:00 |
politicalwire
|
Trump Suggests China Trade Deal Could Be Delayed
|
President Trump said that it might be better to wait until after the 2020 election to strike a trade deal with China, CNBC reports. Said Trump: “In some ways, I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal, but they want to make a deal now and we will see whether or not the deal is going to be right,” Bloomberg: “Stocks dropped in Europe and U.S. equity futures sold off as Trump’s comments indicated no urgency to reach a deal by Dec. 15.”
|
Taegan Goddard
|
https://politicalwire.com/2019/12/03/trump-suggests-china-trade-deal-could-be-delayed/
|
Tue, 03 Dec 2019 11:49:58 +0000
| 1,575,391,798 | 1,575,374,540 |
politics
|
international relations
|
416,545 |
politicalwire--2019-12-12--U.S. and China Reach Tentative Trade Deal
| 2019-12-12T00:00:00 |
politicalwire
|
U.S. and China Reach Tentative Trade Deal
|
“The U.S. and China have reached agreement on a tentative trade deal, which President Trump is expected to formally approve this afternoon,” the Washington Post reports. Said one insider: “The deal is essentially done. The mechanics of how you execute it and how you get it signed still have to be worked out.”
|
Taegan Goddard
|
https://politicalwire.com/2019/12/12/u-s-and-china-reach-tentative-trade-deal/
|
Thu, 12 Dec 2019 21:19:13 +0000
| 1,576,203,553 | 1,576,195,334 |
politics
|
international relations
|
416,575 |
politicalwire--2019-12-13--U.S.-China Reach Modest ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
politicalwire
|
U.S.-China Reach Modest ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal
|
The United States and China announced that they had reached a “Phase One” trade deal that would see a reduction in tariffs from both sides as well as increase China’s purchases of U.S. agricultural products. Bloomberg notes the deal averts a new round of tariffs scheduled to go into effect on December 15. President Trump tweeted that the deal was “amazing.” It’s probably not a coincidence it was announced just minutes after impeachment articles were passed by the House Judiciary Committee.
|
Taegan Goddard
|
https://politicalwire.com/2019/12/13/u-s-china-reach-modest-phase-one-trade-deal/
|
Fri, 13 Dec 2019 15:54:23 +0000
| 1,576,270,463 | 1,576,281,725 |
politics
|
international relations
|
419,143 |
politico--2019-12-15--Trade rep: China will determine success of trade deal
| 2019-12-15T00:00:00 |
politico
|
Trade rep: China will determine success of trade deal
|
China, in addition to making promises to better protect U.S. intellectual property, has pledged to buy another $200 billion worth of goods and services from the United States over the next two years, including about $40 billion to $50 billion worth of agricultural products each year. "You could think of it as $80 to $100 billion in new sales for agriculture over the course of the next two years. Just massive numbers," Lighthizer said. That has prompted questions about whether U.S. farmers can actually accommodate the increased demand, without siphoning sales away from other export markets they already have. For much of the last two years, there has been a debate about whether Trump's true aim by imposing tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese good was to separate, or "decouple," the U.S. economy from China, rather reach an actual trade agreement. On Sunday, Lighthizer indicated the objective was to tie the two economies closer together. "The way to think about this deal, is this is a first step in trying to integrate two very different systems to the benefit of both of us," the trade chief said. The Trump administration also got another trade win last week when House Democrats and the AFL-CIO endorsed a newly revised North American trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, after changes were made to toughen labor enforcement provisions and weaken intellectual property protections for life-saving biologic medicine. Some of the tweaks made to shore up Democratic support have annoyed Republicans, who have different views of both issues. But that's not expected to block congressional approval. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week and the Senate to follow suit in early 2020, after it finishes Trump's impeachment trial. Lighthizer conceded weakening the biologics provision made the trade deal worse on that point. But he said the overall package was "better" as a result of the changes demanded by Democrats. "There's nothing about being against labor enforcement that's Republican," Lighthizer said. "The president wants Mexico to enforce its labor laws. He doesn't want American manufacturing workers to have to compete with people who are in very difficult conditions."
|
[email protected] (Doug Palmer)
|
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/15/lighthizer-china-success-trade-deal-085597
|
Sun, 15 Dec 2019 17:04:20 GMT
| 1,576,447,460 | 1,576,454,776 |
politics
|
international relations
|
425,356 |
powerlineblog--2019-10-12--Trade Deal With China Is a Blockbuster
| 2019-10-12T00:00:00 |
powerlineblog
|
Trade Deal With China Is a Blockbuster
|
What the Democrats fear most is happening: President Trump and his negotiating team are reaching wide-ranging agreements with China that will be a huge boon to the United States. In an Oval Office press conference yesterday, President Trump and China’s Vice Premier announced a Phase 1 set of agreements that will be documented over the next several weeks. The video of the press conference is embedded below; Trump’s performance was masterful. His many years of experience as a negotiator shine through. The Phase 1 agreement covers several important topics, including agricultural sales. China has agreed to ramp up its purchases of agricultural products to $40-$50 billion–three times the previous peak–over the next two years. Trump joked that farmers will need to buy more land and work overtime. That means, I think, that Democrats can say goodbye to hopes that tariffs would be the issue that could win votes in rural America. The agreement also opens up China’s financial services markets to American companies, covers currency manipulation, and addresses some aspects of intellectual property and technology transfer agreements. Phase 2 negotiations will begin immediately. In view of the Phase 1 agreement, new tariffs scheduled to go into effect on October 15 have been canceled. Further tariff increases are scheduled for December 15, but Trump and Steven Mnuchin, who participated in the press conference, emphasized that there is plenty of time to reach a Phase 2 agreement that would nullify those increases. Phase 2 could be the final agreement, or, if there are still open issues, there could be a Phase 3. Many are saying that the Chinese willingness to enter into this wide-ranging agreement shows that they understand impeachment is a joke, and expect that President Trump will be re-elected. In fact, Trump himself said exactly that in response to a question: “They expect that I’m going to win. Otherwise they wouldn’t sign the deal. It’s very simple.” If Trump can get our relationship with China straightened out well in advance of the election, with economic benefits becoming visible, the main obstacle to his re-election will, in my opinion, be removed. Here is the press conference in its entirety:
|
John Hinderaker
|
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/10/trade-deal-with-china-is-a-blockbuster.php
|
Sat, 12 Oct 2019 17:01:35 +0000
| 1,570,914,095 | 1,570,920,004 |
politics
|
international relations
|
497,895 |
sottnet--2019-02-23--US China draft memorandums for possible trade deal
| 2019-02-23T00:00:00 |
sottnet
|
US, China draft memorandums for possible trade deal
|
A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.
| null |
https://www.sott.net/article/407894-US-China-draft-memorandums-for-possible-trade-deal
|
2019-02-23 19:31:41+00:00
| 1,550,968,301 | 1,567,547,614 |
politics
|
international relations
|
504,157 |
sottnet--2019-07-30--Trump threatens worse trade deal for China if Beijing stalls until after his re-election
| 2019-07-30T00:00:00 |
sottnet
|
Trump threatens worse trade deal for China if Beijing stalls until after his re-election
|
Last week's eruption of Urbinas volcano in Peru, as seen from space
| null |
https://www.sott.net/article/417677-Trump-threatens-worse-trade-deal-for-China-if-Beijing-stalls-until-after-his-re-election
|
2019-07-30 17:39:20+00:00
| 1,564,522,760 | 1,567,535,402 |
politics
|
international relations
|
509,783 |
sottnet--2019-12-15--China suspends some retaliatory tariffs after reaching agreement on 'phase one' trade deal with US
| 2019-12-15T00:00:00 |
sottnet
|
China suspends some retaliatory tariffs after reaching agreement on 'phase one' trade deal with US
|
China has suspended additional tariffs on some U.S. goods that were meant to be implemented on Dec. 15, the State Council's customs tariff commission said on Sunday, after the world's two largest economies agreed a "phase one" trade deal on Friday.The deal, rumors and leaks over which have gyrated world markets for months, reduces some U.S. tariffs inChina's retaliatory tariffs, which were due to take effect on Dec. 15, were meant to target goods ranging from corn and wheat to U.S. made vehicles and auto parts.the commission said in a statement issued on the websites of government departments including China's finance ministry."China hopes, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, to work with the United States, to properly resolve each other's core concerns and promote the stable development of U.S.-China economic and trade relations," it added.Beijing has agreed to import at least $200 billion in additional U.S. goods and services over the next two years on top of the amount it purchased in 2017, the top U.S. trade negotiator said Friday.A statement issued by the United States Trade Representative also on Friday said the United States would leave in place 25% tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods.
| null |
https://www.sott.net/article/425732-China-suspends-some-retaliatory-tariffs-after-reaching-agreement-on-phase-one-trade-deal-with-US
|
Sun, 15 Dec 2019 18:31:34 +0000
| 1,576,452,694 | 1,576,456,621 |
politics
|
international relations
|
531,810 |
sputnik--2019-04-18--US China Aim to Sign Trade Deal in Late May or Early June - Reports
| 2019-04-18T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
US, China Aim to Sign Trade Deal in Late May or Early June - Reports
|
The two sides have set up a draft schedule of meetings that they hope will conclude with a formal signing ceremony as early as May 27, or the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The talks are aimed at ironing out the wording of a final trade agreement that would be signed by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The report noted, however, that US and Chinese officials have previously missed their own deadlines for concluding a deal. US President Donald Trump on April 4, after meeting with China's Liu at the White House, said he hopes to wrap up a trade deal with China within four weeks. Beijing and Washington have been embroiled in a trade dispute since June, when US President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 25 percent tariffs on Chinese goods worth of $50 billion in a bid to fix the US-Chinese trade deficit. Since then, the two countries have exchanged several rounds of trade tariffs.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/world/201904181074239645-usa-china-trade-deal/
|
2019-04-18 02:23:08+00:00
| 1,555,568,588 | 1,567,542,606 |
politics
|
international relations
|
534,207 |
sputnik--2019-05-20--China Denies Agreeing to Extravagant US Trade Deal Demands Report
| 2019-05-20T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
China Denies Agreeing to ‘Extravagant’ US Trade Deal Demands – Report
|
China has denied Trump's claims that Beijing gave into Washington's "extravagant demands," in regards to a future trade deal, The Washington Examiner reported Monday. "We don't know what this agreement is the United States is talking about," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, referring to Trump's repeated claims that a new trade deal is almost secured. "Perhaps the United States has an agreement they all along had extravagant expectations for, but it's certainly not a so-called agreement that China agreed to," the spokesman added. Beijing viewed the tariff hike as an attempt to "achieve unreasonable interests through extreme pressure," Lu noted, adding that China believes further talks "can only follow the tracks of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit." China reportedly responded to the tariff increase by imposing 25 percent tariffs on $60 billion of US goods, which will come into effect beginning 1 June. The existing tariffs cover approximately $250 billion worth of goods, The Washington Examiner report says. Currently, the Trump administration is reportedly mulling the imposition of new 25 percent tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, effectively covering everything imported into the US from China. The introduction of new tariffs may also result in the closure of some 12,000 clothing stores in just one year, according to a report by the Swiss bank UBS, cited by Business Insider. According to the report, the US, being massively overrepresented, will need to close some 21,000 clothing stores owned by many brands by 2026. However, with the new tariffs imposed, about half that number will go out of business in just one year, the document says. Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that the new trade deal is near completion, is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Japan at the G-20 summit in late June, according to the Examiner.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/business/201905211075178089-china-extravagant-trade-demands/
|
2019-05-20 23:05:31+00:00
| 1,558,407,931 | 1,567,540,453 |
politics
|
international relations
|
536,424 |
sputnik--2019-06-25--IMF Urges US China to Resolve Trade Dispute With Comprehensive Deal
| 2019-06-25T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
IMF Urges US, China to Resolve Trade Dispute With Comprehensive Deal
|
"It is especially important that the trade tensions between the US and China - which represent a threat to the global outlook and create important negative spillovers to other countries - are quickly resolved through a comprehensive agreement that strengthens the international system," the report said US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the upcoming G20 summit in Japan this week to try to resolve their ongoing tariff dispute. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said last week that Trump is ready to put tariffs on an additional $300 billion of Chinese imports if the United States and China fail to reach a trade agreement. Ross also downplayed the potential that an agreement could be reached at the G20 summit. The United States and China have been trying to overcome disagreements that emerged in the wake of Trump’s decision last June to impose the 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods in a bid to fix the trade deficit. Since then, the two sides have exchanged several rounds of tariffs. In May, the United States escalated the trade dispute with China when it included another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the 25 percent tariff category. China pledged to retaliate by hiking tariffs on $60 billion worth of US imports in June.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/business/201906251076040202-imf-usa-china-trade-dispute-comprehensive-deal/
|
2019-06-25 01:30:30+00:00
| 1,561,440,630 | 1,567,538,225 |
politics
|
international relations
|
546,591 |
sputnik--2019-10-11--Trump Says US, China Reached 'Substantial Phase One' Trade Deal
| 2019-10-11T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Trump Says US, China Reached 'Substantial Phase One' Trade Deal
|
Trump announced a "very substantial phase one deal" Friday the Oval Office, while Chinese Vice Premier Liu He sat nearby. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin noted it addressed transparency issues related to foreign exchange rates. Mnuchin further noted that more work is needed to be done, and that officials will be considering whether or not to rescind the US' currency manipulation designation on China. The news caused US stock markets to explode, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average spiking by nearly 500 points with just minutes to go before closing, but when it became apparent the deal wouldn't be penned until November, investors began to backtrack somewhat. The Dow still ended the day with a gain of 318.83.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/business/201910111077028854-trump-says-us-china-reached-interim-trade-deal/
|
Fri, 11 Oct 2019 22:43:09 +0300
| 1,570,848,189 | 1,570,841,431 |
politics
|
international relations
|
547,906 |
sputnik--2019-11-01--Trump Announces Plan for New Location for Signing of ‘Phase One’ of US-China Trade Deal
| 2019-11-01T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Trump Announces Plan for New Location for Signing of ‘Phase One’ of US-China Trade Deal
|
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced Wednesday he’s calling off the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago in mid-November due to nationwide protests sparked by a proposed hike in public transport fares. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were expected to meet at the summit to discuss a possible “phase one” deal that the two countries are close to finalizing and could possibly even sign. “China and the USA are working on selecting a new site for the signing of Phase One of Trade Agreement, about 60% of the total deal, after APEC in Chile was cancelled due to unrelated circumstances,” Trump tweeted on Thursday. Trump earlier said that the “phase one” trade deal represents the majority of a long-term agreement, as Bloomberg News reported Thursday that China is doubtful about reaching a comprehensive trade deal with the US due to Trump’s “impulsive nature.” The US president assured that the phase one deal is “very substantial” and phase two will start “almost immediately” after the first phase is signed. Trump had said the agreement would address issues such as intellectual property and financial services and has China promising to buy $40 billion to $50 billion in American agricultural products, while also including a pause in tariff hikes.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/us/201911011077194693-trump-new-location-signing-of-phase-one-china/
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Fri, 01 Nov 2019 05:39:18 +0300
| 1,572,601,158 | 1,572,612,404 |
politics
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international relations
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71,284 |
breitbart--2019-04-17--Taliban Corrects Reuters Report Claiming Women Jihadis Would Negotiate Peace Talks
| 2019-04-17T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
Taliban Corrects Reuters Report Claiming Women Jihadis Would Negotiate Peace Talks
|
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the jihadi group, indicated that “women will be included for the first time in the Taliban delegation to peace talks in Qatar this month.” The report came a day after the state-owned Xinhua news outlet from China, Afghanistan’s neighbor, suggested that the terrorist group is suspected of bombing two girl’s schools in the war-ravaged country in recent days — on Monday and Sunday. “For a group notorious for its strictly conservative attitude to women’s rights, the move represents a step towards addressing demands that women be included in the talks, intended to lay the foundations for a future peace settlement,” Reuters noted. “There will be women among Taliban delegation members in the Doha, Qatar, meeting,” Mujahid allegedly told Reuters via a telephone call. Without naming the women, he added, “These women have no family relationship with the senior members of the Taliban, they are normal Afghans, from inside and outside the country, who have been supporters and part of the struggle of the Islamic Emirate [Taliban].” Soon after the Reuters article came to light, Mujahid dismissed it as fake news. On Wednesday, Xinhua suggested the Taliban may be behind the recent attack on two girls’ schools in western Afghanistan’s Farah province, which shares a border with the group’s ally Iran. Although no specific group claimed responsibility for the attack, Xinhua noted, “Taliban militants have in the past been blamed for such incidents as they oppose girls’ education.” After a brief hiatus, the U.S. and the Taliban are reportedly expected to resume negotiations during an April 19-21 meeting in the Qatari capital of Doha, home to the group’s political office. The Taliban’s refusal to allow Kabul to participate in the talks has surfaced as the top point of contention between negotiators. Nevertheless, Reuters noted that the upcoming negotiations would include a delegation “comprising prominent Afghans, including opposition politicians and civil society activists.” “The non-Taliban delegation that was in Moscow [in February] could be expanded next week to include some government officials, but acting in their private capacities as the insurgents have refused to hold formal talks with Kabul,” it adds. The Taliban, which is fighting to establish an Islamic State in Afghanistan, considers itself the only legitimate government in the country, dismissing Kabul as an American “puppet.” Under President Donald Trump, the United States has deemed the negotiated political reconciliation between Kabul and the Taliban — which may allow the group to return to power — the top priority of its strategy to end the conflict. The Taliban has intensified attacks against U.S. troops as well as Afghan security forces and civilians amid the ongoing peace negotiations, particularly after launching its spring offensive, dubbed “Victory,” last Friday. However, the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) continue to show a willingness to take on the terrorist group, killing an estimated 200 Taliban jihadis in less than a week since the offensive began. Under U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States has boosted its peace-seeking efforts to end the ongoing war — raging since October 2001. So far, negotiations have produced a draft agreement — the eventual withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces in exchange for counterterrorism assurances from the Taliban. The terrorist group has rejected the Trump administration’s proposal to leave behind a residual force to ensure it keeps its promises, demanding that the foreign troops leave within months. Taliban terrorists claim they will only talk to Kabul after the departure of all U.S.-NATO troops.
|
Edwin Mora
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/lJkoYjkBPXc/
|
2019-04-17 00:57:09+00:00
| 1,555,477,029 | 1,567,542,645 |
conflict, war and peace
|
peace process
|
72,260 |
breitbart--2019-08-26--Americans Stand Defeated Taliban Says Peace Deal with US Imminent
| 2019-08-26T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
'Americans Stand Defeated': Taliban Says Peace Deal with U.S. Imminent
|
“The U.S. agreed to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and resolve the Afghan issue peacefully,” Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s chief spokesperson, told Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday. Shaheen refused to elaborate on the timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Zabihullah Mujahid, another Taliban spokesman, told Voice of America (VOA) on Saturday that negotiators are fleshing out the details of a mechanism for pulling out U.S.-led foreign forces from Afghanistan. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the United States is planning to leave behind a residual force in Afghanistan. The limited American presence is expected to ensure the Taliban keeps its end of the peace agreement. VOA suggested that the residual force may only remain in the country until the end of 2020. President Trump, however, said the United States will “always” maintain a presence in Afghanistan. Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai, the top Taliban peace negotiator, recently described the potential agreement as a victory for the terrorist group. He boasted that the Taliban brought U.S.-led foreign forces to “their knees” in war, VOA learned from a video disseminated Saturday by media outlets friendly to the terrorist group. “I believe that Americans will leave Afghanistan very soon. Americans stand defeated, and Afghanistan will again be liberated,” Stanekzai declared. The Taliban and the United States are currently engaged in the ninth round of peace negotiations in Qatar, which began last Thursday. Both sides have been discussing an end to the Afghan war for over a year. So far, the U.S. has agreed to pull out the vast majority of foreign forces in exchange for Taliban assurances that Afghanistan will not harbor international terrorists such as its ally al-Qaeda and rival Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). Taliban terrorists remain cozy with al-Qaeda, according to the Pentagon, the United Nations, and independent assessments. The U.S. also expects the Taliban to accept a ceasefire with U.S.-backed Afghan security forces. Moreover, the U.S. demands that the Taliban agree to intra-Afghan talks. Reuters, however, reported Monday that the peace pact with the United States would not prevent the terrorist group from targeting U.S.-backed Afghan security forces. “We will continue our fight against the Afghan government and seize power by force,” a Taliban commander told Reuters on condition of anonymity. “The Americans will not come to the assistance of the Afghan government and its forces in their fight against us,” the commander reportedly added. President Trump has repeatedly said he plans to leave behind a limited force in Afghanistan to keep tabs on the Taliban despite rabid opposition by the terrorist group to the proposal. On Friday, Shaheen told Dawn that the Taliban and the United States had reached an agreement on a time frame for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. “We have an agreement on a time frame for the withdrawal”‘ he said, without elaborating further. “Discussions are now focused on its implementation mechanism.” For months, the main point of contention between peace deal negotiators has been finalizing details behind the timeframe for the withdrawal of foreign forces. Taliban jihadis continue to refuse to recognize the Afghan government, dismissing it as an American “puppet.” The Taliban, which is fighting to establish a sharia-compliant Islamic emirate, considers itself the only legitimate government of Afghanistan. Asked if the terrorist group is planning to sit with the Kabul after negotiators finalize a peace deal, Shaheen told AA: Taliban narco-jihadis have stressed they will only negotiate with the Afghan government after the complete withdrawal of foreign forces. It remains unclear exactly what the peace deal between the United States and the Taliban will entail because negotiations continue. The Trump administration hopes to announce a pact by September 1.
|
Edwin Mora
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/QjBZ5KLqHSo/
|
2019-08-26 21:52:01+00:00
| 1,566,870,721 | 1,567,533,330 |
conflict, war and peace
|
peace process
|
102,613 |
cnn--2019-02-16--Kushner readies for spring launch of US Middle East peace plan
| 2019-02-16T00:00:00 |
cnn
|
Kushner readies for spring launch of US Middle East peace plan
|
Washington (CNN) The United States is beginning to prep allies for a spring rollout of its plan for Middle East peace, with President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, outlining the timing and methodology of the plan at the Middle East security conference in Warsaw, Poland. During a presentation Thursday, Kushner confirmed that the Trump administration will not release its peace plan prior to Israel's elections in April, according to a senior administration official present in the room. After a series of meetings at the Munich Security Conference this weekend, Kushner will spend the end of the month, alongside Jason Greenblatt, Trump's former personal lawyer who is now an adviser on Israel, on a trip to present economic elements of the plan to wealthy Arab allies. Kushner's presentation was the first chance international diplomats had to hear about the Trump administration's efforts to resolve the decades-long conflict. The President's son-in-law and his team have kept a tight wrap on the substance of his plan, refusing to share details with traditional US partners on Mideast peace efforts, including allies in the region and in Europe. The silence surrounding the plan has become a source of frustration and uncertainty that some diplomats worry could eventually scuttle the proposal's chances. Kushner has rebuffed major US allies' requests to circulate the plan, one diplomat said, as he and his team are reportedly fearful that its contents would leak out and the proposal would be scuttled before they have a chance to roll it out. But the diplomat told CNN that the silence and secrecy could contribute to the plan's failure. This diplomat said major US allies hope to see the proposal early so they can identify snags or build support, but they have been met with silence, which has left them frustrated. "We're not being told anything," a second diplomat said. These allies very much want to help out in the process if they can, but they feel left out and many have voiced frustration. One concern the allies have is they will learn about the substance of the plan so late in the game that it's impossible to weigh in with changes -- and that it could be something they can't support. One source familiar with discussions between countries said this is particularly a concern in Arab countries that will get briefed on the economic portion of the proposal -- which they will be asked to fund. "This is not likely to go well -- the economic piece is seen in the region as shorthand for trying to buy the Palestinians off," the source said. "It's important to get Arab buy-in. You need the main Arab players to urge the Palestinians not to say no. ... You want them to go to (Palestinian Authority President) Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and say, 'Don't dismiss it. Give it a thought. Let's see what elements you can live with.' For that to happen," the source said, Arab countries "have to feel that they are co-owners of this thing. They have to be privy" to the substance of the plan. That source cautioned that while almost nothing is known about the proposal, it is expected to skew heavily in favor of Israel and is expected to use nonlegal language, not the internationally established and accepted jargon associated with past peace proposals. The style and choice of the language, the source said, is an attempt to speak directly to Palestinians in the hope that they can be used to pressure Abbas to accept the plan. It is not expected to mention a two-state solution, the source said, but explains how Palestinian self-determination will manifest itself. In Poland on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu told those gathered at Kushner's briefing that he will not prejudge the plan before it is put out and he hopes that Palestinians, who refused to attend the meeting, will do so as well, according to the senior administration official in the room. Talks between the US and Palestinians broke down after Trump's December 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a rejection of international consensus that the issue should be resolved toward the end of peace negotiations. The US has also closed the Palestinian diplomatic presence in Washington and cut aid to Palestinian refugees, deepening the chill between the two sides, leading Palestinians to declare that the US had forfeited its position as a neutral arbiter in the conflict. A diplomat familiar with the peace plan discussions said the US had asked Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US, Prince Khalid bin Salman, to try to get Palestinian leadership to attend the summit. He was unsuccessful. An Arab diplomat said the United Arab Emirates had also asked the Palestinians to come to Warsaw -- but they said no. Their reasoning, the diplomat said, is that the US has not done anything in their favor, giving them little reason to attend the conference. "We can try to talk and give some advice, but can't force them to do anything," a Saudi diplomat told CNN. "We do not have the power to tell people not to go or to go. But we always try to bridge opinions when we can." The senior administration official said rollout of the peace plan has been delayed by a number of external factors. Kushner and his team were supposed to visit the countries that are to be involved with the economic portion of the proposal in October, but that got pushed back after Khashoggi's murder. US elections in November created another roadblock, along with the partial government shutdown in January. But some analysts said the delay until after April's elections may be about helping Netanyahu, an old family friend of Kushner's who is facing corruption allegations and political headwinds. Even if the Israeli leader wins the elections in April, the political baggage he carries -- including the possibility he may get indicted on corruption charges -- may make it hard for him to assemble a coalition. But if the administration puts forward a peace plan after the election, various Israeli political parties might want to join the coalition to be part of that process. "Netanyahu might be keen on having the plan coming out after the election and before coalition formation, so it could be a pivot point to broaden his coalition," said David Makovsky, of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy. Schanzer said the proposal's rollout could just as easily sink the prime minister, who has drawn some red lines about what he will and will not accept. Netanyahu's conditions include an Israeli security presence along the Jordan River -- the western edge of any future Palestinian state -- for decades. And he has said in the past that he will not divide Jerusalem, even as Palestinians say they want to establish their capital there as well. "I think it could be a bomb they are going to drop on the Israeli political system. ... No matter when this thing is rolled out, there is a possibility that this plan blows up Netanyahu's chance at being prime minister even if he wins the election," Schanzer said. "This could disrupt his ability to hold together a coalition because of what he would be asked to give up."
|
Nicole Gaouette
|
http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/5f9K5Iiei1g/index.html
|
2019-02-16 06:15:44+00:00
| 1,550,315,744 | 1,567,548,338 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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197,051 |
foreignpolicy--2019-09-11--In the Demise of the Taliban Peace Talks Russia Is the Winner
| 2019-09-11T00:00:00 |
foreignpolicy
|
In the Demise of the Taliban Peace Talks, Russia Is the Winner
|
In the Demise of the Taliban Peace Talks, Russia Is the Winner Over the weekend, the prospects of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban seemed to fall apart. That is a major setback, since it will likely delay a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and could lead to an escalated Taliban offensive on Afghan government-held territories. But one player—Russia—might benefit. In an otherwise dark period for U.S.-Russian relations, Afghanistan seemed to have recently emerged as a rare bright spot for bilateral cooperation. After a visit to Moscow in May, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described achieving a “reduction in violence” in Afghanistan as a shared interest of the United States and Russia. Dialogue between U.S. and Russian officials on Afghanistan, which was largely frozen after the collapse of the Northern Distribution Network—a rail network passing through Russia that supplied U.S. forces—in 2015 is now commonplace. Russia had even offered to act as a guarantor for any future U.S.-Taliban peace agreement. Although such a deal now seems to be off the table, Russia’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, stated that he believes U.S.-Taliban peace talks are “suspended” but not “dead,” and he announced Moscow’s plans to consult with the United States on the future of the negotiations. Although the de-escalation of tensions between the United States and Russia, which had risen last year due to Moscow’s alleged arms transfers to the Taliban, is a positive development, Russia should not be trusted as a partner in Afghanistan. The collapse of the U.S.-Taliban peace talks provides an opening for Russia to reassert its diplomatic presence in the country, and this prospect should concern U.S. policymakers. Russia’s subversion of the authority of Afghanistan’s internationally recognized government and propagation of disinformation about U.S. intentions in Afghanistan reveal that Moscow remains a dangerous adversary in the region. Ever since Russia overruled strenuous objections from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and invited a Taliban delegation to Moscow in November 2018, Russia’s relationship with the Afghan government has deteriorated. Kabul’s frustrations with Moscow have boiled over into public statements. For example, in February, Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Sebghat Ahmadi openly described Kremlin-backed negotiations as unhelpful to the peace process. As Russia fears that its poor relationship with the Afghan government could lead to its diplomatic isolation, Moscow has subverted Ghani’s authority by throwing its weight behind opposition figures and strengthening its relationship with the Taliban. As long as the United States still wants some kind of settlement between Kabul and the Taliban, Russia’s overt support for opposition figures is counterproductive, because it risks undermining Afghan public trust in an eventual peace agreement. Russia’s efforts to bolster the influence of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai should be viewed with particular concern. Through his participation in Kremlin-hosted peace negotiations and regular interviews with Russian state media outlets, Karzai has repeatedly raised doubts about Washington’s ability to constructively contribute to Afghan security. As Karzai retains popular support among Afghanistan’s Pashtun community, his anti-American rhetoric could turn this group against any residual presence of U.S. intelligence personnel after the United States leaves the conflict. Meanwhile, the Moscow-based Council of Afghan Society’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between Afghan opposition figures and the Taliban also undercut the peace process, as they sowed discord among supporters of Afghanistan’s U.N.-recognized government. In February, Ghani accused Afghan opposition figures who participated in these Moscow-hosted talks of placing their political ambitions ahead of peace, and in May, Amrullah Saleh, who is campaigning to be Ghani’s vice president in upcoming presidential elections, accused opposition participants of betraying the Afghan public. By polarizing representatives of the Afghan government along pro- and anti-Ghani lines, Russia has inadvertently facilitated the Taliban’s efforts to frame the Afghan government as a divided, illegitimate authority that does not represent the Afghan people. Russia’s efforts to strengthen its diplomatic partnership with the Taliban might also have fueled the militant group’s expansionist ambitions, at a time when the United States had urged the Taliban to abandon its goal of recreating an Islamic emirate in exchange for a U.S. withdrawal. Although Russia officially labels the Taliban as a terrorist organization, influential Russian experts, such Oleg Barabanov from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, are increasingly inclined to view “moderate” Taliban members as trustworthy partners. This perception could cause Russia to lobby for expanded Taliban influence over Afghanistan’s future and indirectly reward the Taliban’s expansionist activities, as Moscow routinely invokes the Taliban’s territorial reach as a justification for deepening the group’s diplomatic representation. In addition to complicating the path to a lasting peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban, Russia continues to spread disinformation about U.S. objectives in Afghanistan that is aimed at eroding Afghan public trust in U.S. security guarantees. Russia’s state media outlet Sputnik is a leading agent of such disinformation, as it operates a Dari-language website, but Sputnik’s efforts are frequently complemented by statements from the Russian foreign ministry. Russian state media outlets and officials have frequently floated the conspiracy theory that the United States is covertly supporting the Islamic State of Khorasan Province in Afghanistan. The Russian foreign ministry has alleged that unidentified helicopters use Afghanistan’s NATO-controlled airspace to supply weapons to the Islamic State branch and that U.S. special forces seized prison documents to obfuscate Washington’s covert alignment with the group. Russia has cast similar negative aspersions about the U.S. government’s support for the postponement of Afghanistan’s elections. In an official statement in January, the Russian foreign ministry accused the United States of trying to assume control over Afghanistan’s electoral process and said that Ghani’s government was placing U.S. interests ahead of the demands of Afghan society. Even as the United States and the Taliban seemed close to a deal. Russia’s disinformation machinery continued operating in full gear. Sputnik framed U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed retention of intelligence personnel in Afghanistan as a facade for the preservation of an eternal U.S. presence in the country. Russian state media outlets also circulated the narrative that the United States was deceiving the Taliban with false promises of a military withdrawal. These messages aligned closely with long-standing Russian fears of a U.S. desire to maintain a permanent base in Afghanistan from which to plunder Central Asia’s mineral resources and encircle Iran. Since the U.S.-Taliban peace negotiations broke down, pro-Kremlin news organizations have accused Trump of using the death of a U.S. soldier at the hands of the Taliban as an excuse to abandon the peace talks and argued that the United States backed out of the negotiations so it could blame the Afghan government if the Taliban recaptured Kabul. As U.S. policymakers figure out how to reboot or replace the recently collapsed peace process, Washington should view Moscow as a potential spoiler of, rather than a partner for, its plans in Afghanistan. Russia’s willingness to engage with the United States in the country is principally aimed at highlighting its great power status and should not be viewed as real support. Although Russia is genuinely concerned about the spillover of terrorism from an unstable Afghanistan to Central Asia, it principally seeks to counter that threat by consolidating its hegemony over Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and strengthening its influence in Afghanistan by backing pro-Kremlin political figures. The collapse of the U.S.-Taliban peace negotiations is likely to lead to a revival of alternative diplomatic processes on Afghanistan, and Russia’s Moscow-format talks will undoubtedly benefit from this trend. As Russia’s diplomatic clout grows, the United States should formulate a strategy to combat its subversion of Ghani’s government, counter Kremlin disinformation tactics, and restrict Moscow’s ability to undermine Washington’s interests in Afghanistan.
|
Samuel Ramani
|
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/11/in-the-demise-of-the-taliban-peace-talks-russia-is-the-winner/
|
2019-09-11 15:13:16+00:00
| 1,568,229,196 | 1,569,330,467 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
|
216,028 |
france24--2019-06-30--US and Taliban push for tangible results in fresh round of peace talks
| 2019-06-30T00:00:00 |
france24
|
US and Taliban push for ‘tangible results’ in fresh round of peace talks
|
REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina | Members of a Taliban delegation, led by chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (C, front), leave after peace talks with Afghan senior politicians in Moscow, Russia May 30, 2019 Peace negotiations between the US and Taliban are “critical” a spokesman for the militant group said Sunday during the second day of talks in Qatar, as the insurgents claimed responsibility for two attacks that left several Afghans dead. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the Associated Press that both sides are looking for “tangible results” as they try to hammer out the fine print of agreements that will see the eventual withdrawal of over 20,000 US and NATO troops from Afghanistan, and end America's longest-running war. The agreements are also expected to provide guarantees that Afghanistan will not again harbor terrorists planning international attacks. The talks began on Saturday and are expected to continue into the next week. The two sides sat down to negotiate just days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington was hopeful of a deal to end Afghanistan's protracted war by September 1. "Getting a comprehensive peace agreement with the Taliban before September 1 would be nothing short of a miracle," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the US-based Wilson's Center. "That said, I could certainly envision a more limited deal being in place by September 1 on a US troop withdrawal, given that there's already been ample progress on this issue." Pompeo and Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad have both said the final accord will include not only agreements with the Taliban on troop withdrawal and guarantees of a non-threatening Afghanistan, but also agreements on intra-Afghan dialogue and a permanent cease fire. But a lasting peace may already have suffered a setback following two separate attacks on Saturday by Taliban fighters. At least eight election commission staff were killed in an attack in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, where the jihadist group set off car bombs, Independent Election Commission (IEC) spokesman Zabiullah Sadaat told AFP. A Kandahar police spokesman, said security forces were also killed in the attack, and that district’s communications had been cut off. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for Saturday’s killing of at least 25 pro-government militiamen in an attack in northern Afghanistan. Until now the Taliban have refused direct talks with the Afghan government while holding two separate meetings with a wide array of prominent Afghans from Kabul, including former president Hamid Karzai, members of the former northern alliance that fought the Taliban during its five-year rule as well as members of the government. The Taliban have said they will meet government officials but as ordinary Afghans, labelling President Ashraf Ghani's government a US puppet and noting that the Washington is the final arbiter on the key issue: troop withdrawal. The Taliban have refused to commit to a ceasefire until the withdrawal is complete, saying that to restart their insurgency if the US reneges on its promises could be difficult. But the accelerated pace of negotiations and the sudden announcement of a September 1 target date for an agreement could be linked to Afghan President Ghani's insistence on presidential polls scheduled for September 28 in Afghanistan, say analysts. The upcoming elections have been criticised by many of his political opponents who often point to last October's parliamentary polls. The voting was so badly mismanaged that Ghani fired the entire Independent Election Commission, and several of the parliamentary seats are still being contested. A biometric identification system aimed at reducing election fraud was prematurely rolled out, with the few people trained on the machines not even showing up on election day. While there were incidences of election violence, analysts widely agreed the greatest flaw was the widespread mismanagement and fraud. Khalilzad has also suggested that presidential elections could hamper reaching a peace agreement. "I do think the US government recognises that the election could pose a major obstacle to peace talks, given that it will be a distraction and given that it will accentuate and intensify the fractures and rivalries in the Afghan political environment that undercut reconciliation prospects," said regional expert Kugelman. "Another reason for the focus on September 1 is much simpler: President Trump wants out, and he wants a deal as soon as possible."
|
FRANCE 24
|
https://www.france24.com/en/20190630-usa-taliban-peace-talks-attacks-bombs-nato-afghanistan
|
2019-06-30 11:24:11+00:00
| 1,561,908,251 | 1,567,537,527 |
conflict, war and peace
|
peace process
|
252,087 |
inquisitr--2019-09-03--Donald Trumps Afghanistan Peace Deal With Taliban Is Called Losing Says Brit Hume
| 2019-09-03T00:00:00 |
inquisitr
|
Donald Trump’s Afghanistan Peace Deal With Taliban ‘Is Called Losing,’ Says Brit Hume
|
The Afghanistan war has lasted almost 18 years now, and President Donald Trump remains focused on ending it and bringing U.S. troops home. Negotiators are reportedly closing in on a deal that will set a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops, and peace talks between Afghan and Taliban have led to a peace agreement “in principle” that will ostensibly create a path forward for the South-Central Asian country. Per Newsweek, not everyone is impressed with Trump’s non-interventionist leaning, including Fox News analyst Brit Hume, who believes that the peace agreement with the Taliban is equivalent to “losing.” “This is called losing,” Hume said on Fox News Sunday during an interview with Chris Wallace. “We completely — ultimately abandoned that situation over there, partly because it’s unpopular, partly because people are frustrated with it, partly because it’s been going on so long,” he added, claiming that the U.S. military and public will not likely be happy with the results. As of now, CNN reports that Trump must still approve the agreement between U.S. and Taliban. If it proceeds, it reportedly means the U.S. will remove troops from five bases across Afghanistan within 135 days. Of course, this is conditional on Taliban holding up their end of the agreement, which includes counter-terrorism assurances and a comprehensive ceasefire. If the agreement proceeds, it could end the 18-year war — American’s longest yet — that has siphoned up billions of dollars of taxpayer money. Although the move is seen as positive by many, others are skeptical that it will proceed with the intended results. Al Jazeera reports that Afghanistan civilians are skeptical of the deal and highlight the exclusion of specific parties — the Afghan government, women representatives, and minority groups — from the peace negotiations. These exclusions were reportedly the result of Taliban request, according to the Al Jazeera report. “Some of these civil activists have argued that agreeing to the demands of the armed group would legitimise its position and embolden it to use the lives of Afghan civilians as leverage in the talks, but these voices have been excluded from the peace talks and silenced by the many threats the Taliban has made against anyone who dares to speak against them.” According to Ryan Crocker, a U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan in 2011 to 2012, the U.S. has a duty to protect its allies before it leaves Afghanistan. Per The Washington Post, he highlights that withdrawing U.S. troops means that some Afghan partners that are waiting for visa processing would lose not just lose their jobs but their right to live in a safe, protected U.S. base. He said that the Taliban could not be trusted with such Afghan interpreters, whom he claims they have “targeted as traitors.”
|
Tyler MacDonald
|
https://www.inquisitr.com/5614122/donald-trump-brit-hume-afghanistan/
|
2019-09-03 17:19:30+00:00
| 1,567,545,570 | 1,569,331,539 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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329,699 |
nationalreview--2019-01-28--REPORT US Agrees to Outlines of Peace Deal with Taliban
| 2019-01-28T00:00:00 |
nationalreview
|
REPORT: U.S. Agrees to Outlines of Peace Deal with Taliban
|
The U.S. has agreed to the outlines of a peace deal with the Taliban that includes the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in exchange for a guarantee that terrorist groups will not be permitted to take route in the vacated region, the New York Times reported Monday. “We have a draft of the framework that has to be fleshed out before it becomes an agreement,” America’s chief negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the New York Times during an interview in Kabul. “The Taliban have committed, to our satisfaction, to do what is necessary that would prevent Afghanistan from ever becoming a platform for international terrorist groups or individuals.” “We felt enough confidence that we said we need to get this fleshed out, and details need to be worked out,” he added. The U.S. has also demanded that the Taliban enter into a cease-fire with the Afghan government as a precondition for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Taliban leadership is reportedly considering the demand but has not yet agreed to it. While the deal has not yet been finalized, it represents the most significant progress since peace negotiations began some nine years ago. Following six days of negotiation, Khalilzad briefed Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on the status of negotiations, prompting the president to strike a tone of cautious optimism in a subsequent address to the nation. “We want peace quickly, we want it soon, but we want it with prudence,” Ghani said. “Prudence is important so we do not repeat past mistakes.”
|
Jack Crowe
|
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/report-u-s-agrees-to-outlines-of-peace-deal-with-taliban/
|
2019-01-28 12:52:57+00:00
| 1,548,697,977 | 1,567,550,497 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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468,208 |
rferl--2019-02-20--Afghan Loya Jirga To Convene Next Month To Discuss Peace Talks
| 2019-02-20T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Afghan Loya Jirga To Convene Next Month To Discuss Peace Talks
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KABUL -- Afghan politicians and tribal, ethnic, and religious leaders are set to meet for at least four days next month to discuss negotiations with the Taliban, President Ashraf Ghani's special peace envoy has said. Omar Daudzai said on February 20 that the gathering, known as a Loya Jirga, will be held from March 17-20, adding: “If the discussions continue, it will be extended.” Daudzai said that the consultative Loya Jirga will discuss the government's "values and red lines" and will aim to come up with a framework for the Western-backed government in Kabul to engage in peace negotiations with the militant group. The Taliban, which now reportedly controls nearly half of Afghanistan, has so far refused to hold direct negotiations with the Afghan government, calling it a Western puppet. However, it has held a series of direct talks with U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in recent months to put an end to the 17-year war in Afghanistan. Speaking at an event organized by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) in Kabul, Daudzai said that most Afghan politicians want these talks to lay the groundwork for direct negotiations between the Taliban and Kabul. AIHRC head Sima Samer warned that using human rights as a bargaining chip in the talks with the Taliban would undermine any peace agreement. U.S. Ambassador John Bass emphasized that the final goal of the talks was "peace and dignity" for the people of Afghanistan. Khalilzad is scheduled to meet Taliban negotiators for talks in Qatar on February 25. During their previous round of talks in Doha, the Qatari capital, U.S. and Taliban negotiators reached the basic framework of a possible peace deal. The agreement calls for the Taliban to prevent international terrorist groups from basing themselves in Afghanistan and for the United States to withdraw its forces from the country. U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan since an October 2001 invasion that brought down the Taliban government after it refused to hand over Al-Qaeda terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, blamed for launching the September 11, 2001, in the United States. Taliban leaders, who took control in 1996, imposed a harsh form of Islamic law that denied education and work to women and girls as they cracked down on other social activities.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-loya-jirga-to-convene-next-month-to-discuss-peace-talks/29781362.html
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2019-02-20 16:26:37+00:00
| 1,550,697,997 | 1,567,547,925 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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468,687 |
rferl--2019-03-30--Actress-Activist Jolie Urges Role For Women In Afghan Peace Process
| 2019-03-30T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Actress-Activist Jolie Urges Role For Women In Afghan Peace Process
|
U.S. actress Angelina Jolie, who is an activist for refugee-related causes, has urged in a speech at the United Nations that women be represented in the peace process aimed at ending the long conflict in Afghanistan. "In Afghanistan thousands of women have recently come together in public risking their lives to ask that their rights and the rights of their children be guaranteed in peace negotiations that so far they have been allowed no part of," Jolie told ministers and diplomats at the UN on March 29. "The international community's silent response is alarming, to say the least," Jolie added. "There can be no peace or stability in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world that involves trading away the rights of women." The world "will remain stuck in a cycle of violence and conflicts" as long as countries put almost every other issue ahead of equality for women, she said. The 43-year-old Academy Award-winning actress serves as a special envoy for the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency that she began working with 18 years ago. The United States has been leading peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar as Washington seeks to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan. The government in Kabul has complained about being left out of direct talks, as the Taliban refuse to negotiate with Afghan officials, calling them puppets of the United States. Some women have also expressed concerns that their voices are being sidelined and that the small gains experienced since the Taliban was driven from power in 2001 could be reversed if the extremist group is allowed back into government. More generally, Jolie said there are many examples of successful and inspiring women throughout the world, "but women and girls are still the majority of the victims of war." "They are over half of all refugees, and the vast majority of the victims of rape and other sexual and gender-based violence," she said in the UN speech.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/actress-angelina-jolie-urges-larger-role-women-afghan-peace-talks/29850947.html
|
2019-03-30 01:07:06+00:00
| 1,553,922,426 | 1,567,544,699 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
|
469,003 |
rferl--2019-04-19--Afghan Peace Talks Suspended Amid Conflict Over Delegates
| 2019-04-19T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Afghan Peace Talks Suspended Amid Conflict Over Delegates
|
Disputes over the size of delegations have roiled critical peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, with new talks in Qatar now suspended and Washington urging both sides to return to the table. The talks, which had been scheduled for April 19, were considered a significant first step toward finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan and the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops. But a statement released April 18 by the Afghan government blamed the Qatari government for the disruption. The head of the organization hosting the talks in Doha, however, said the dispute stemmed from disagreement over the size and composition of the respective delegations. "This unfortunate postponement is necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate in the conference," Sultan Barakat, of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, said in a statement. President Ashraf Ghani's administration earlier in the week had announced a list of 250 people, including government figures, to attend the so-called intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha. The Taliban criticized the lengthy list, saying that they would not meet with so many people. The Taliban also insisted they would not be negotiating with Kabul at the conference. The list was also criticized by some powerful opposition figures, including the powerful former warlord, Atta Mohammad Noor, who said it was not inclusive. The U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said he was disappointed by the delay. "We're in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue," the envoy said in a post to Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans." The United States has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, the Taliban have launched their so-called spring offensive, unleashing violence in many parts of the country. The militants now control or influence about half the country, and last year was the deadliest yet for civilians.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-peace-talks-suspended/29890931.html
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2019-04-19 04:36:56+00:00
| 1,555,663,016 | 1,567,542,459 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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469,052 |
rferl--2019-04-22--Pompeo Tells Afghan President Qatar Talks With Taliban Best Chance For Peace
| 2019-04-22T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Pompeo Tells Afghan President Qatar Talks With Taliban Best Chance For Peace
|
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to express disappointment over the postponement of talks with the Taliban and to condemn the insurgent group’s recent announcement of a "spring offensive." Some 250 Afghan politicians and civil society figures had been due to meet with Taliban negotiators in Doha starting on April 19 for the so-called intra-Afghan dialogue. It would have marked the first time that Taliban and Kabul government officials sat together. But the meetings were abruptly cancelled on April 18 amid disagreements about the size and composition of the Afghan delegation. The State Department said in a statement that Pompeo called Ghani on April 21 and condemned the Taliban's announcement of starting another offensive in the spring. Pompeo also said that the talks present an important opportunity to advance peace. “The secretary encouraged all sides to seize the moment and reach an understanding on participants, so that an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue can be convened in Doha as soon as possible,” the State Department said. The United States has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/pompeo-tells-afghan-president-qatar-talks-with-taliban-best-chance-for-peace/29896306.html
|
2019-04-22 09:11:18+00:00
| 1,555,938,678 | 1,567,542,180 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
|
469,093 |
rferl--2019-04-28--US Envoy Says On Eve Of Loya Jirga That Taliban Must Adapt For Peace
| 2019-04-28T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
U.S. Envoy Says On Eve Of Loya Jirga That Taliban Must Adapt For Peace
|
The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says the Taliban must change its ways and agree to a cease-fire if peace is to come to the country that has been locked in a civil war for 17 years. Khalizad, the head of U.S. efforts to force a peace deal with the Taliban, made his comments during a visit to Kabul on April 28. "If the Taliban insist on going back to the system they used to have, in my personal opinion it means the continuation of war not peace," Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, told the private television station Tolo News. He added: "Our focus is on terrorism. No agreement will be done if we don't see a permanent cease-fire and a commitment to end the war. We are seeking peace and [a] political settlement.... We want peace to give [U.S.-led forces] the possibility to withdraw." The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of Resolute Support, a NATO-led mission that provides training and assistance to security forces in Afghanistan as they battle Taliban fighters and other extremist groups, including Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda. Khalilzad's comments came one day before the holding of a nationwide Loya Jirga, a traditional gathering of elders, religious scholars, and prominent Afghans -- with more than 2,000 people from across the country having been invited to discuss U.S.-led peace efforts. President Ashraf Ghani’s Special Envoy Omar Daudzai said on April 28 that the Loya Jirga will provide the ground for "intra-Afghan talks" with the Taliban. Several high-ranking officials, including Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, have refused to participate in the four-day gathering. Abdullah boycotted the Loya Jirga on the grounds that his team had not been consulted prior to the decision to hold the assembly. Daudzai said negotiations are under way to convince Abdullah and others to attend the Loya Jirga, which would lay out the government's negotiating position for future talks with the Taliban. On April 27, Ghani held a meeting with Khalilzad, who is trying to find a peaceful resolution to the 17-year war. "Both sides once again emphasized an intra-Afghan dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, led by the Afghan government," Ghani’s office said in a statement. The comments came a day after the United States, Russia, and China said in a joint statement that they have agreed on the goal of withdrawing foreign forces from Afghanistan and to seek an "inclusive Afghan-led" peace process. Khalilzad has been engaged in a series of talks with the Taliban in Qatar as he looks to bring the extremist group into peace negotiations with the government in Kabul. Taliban negotiators have so far refused to negotiate with the government, calling it a puppet of the West, and have insisted on the withdrawal of foreign forces before talks with Kabul can begin. Khalilzad is on a multination tour of the region and is scheduled to visit Qatar -- the usual site for negotiations with representatives of the Taliban militants. The U.S. envoy said Washington wants "to put an end to their expenses in Afghanistan and the dangers the forces face but also Washington has a responsibility and wants to end this war responsibly and leave a good legacy," Khalilzad said.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-to-hold-loya-jirga-grand-assembly-to-discuss-peace-talks/29908268.html
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2019-04-28 07:48:23+00:00
| 1,556,452,103 | 1,567,541,811 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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469,689 |
rferl--2019-06-27--Afghan President Travels To Pakistan For Talks On Peace With Taliban
| 2019-06-27T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Afghan President Travels To Pakistan For Talks On Peace With Taliban
|
Afghanistan’s president has held talks with Pakistan’s prime minister as momentum builds for peace talks with the Taliban that are aimed at ending Afghanistan's decades of war and conflict. Ashraf Ghani’s June 27 meeting with Imran Khan came as the Afghan leader started a two-day trip to Pakistan, his first since elections that brought Khan to power last year. In addition to the Taliban peace negotiations, Ghani’s visit is also seen as an attempt to improve the often-strained relationship between the two neighbors. According to a statement released by Khan’s office, the two leaders "agreed to open a new chapter of friendship and cooperation…based on mutual trust and harmony for the benefit of the two peoples and countries and for advancing the cause of peace, stability and prosperity in the region." Earlier, Ghani met with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi where he "praised Pakistan's role in the peace process," according to a Foreign Ministry statement. Pakistan has facilitated ongoing peace negotiations between Washington and the Taliban, with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad trying to find a negotiated exit to the 17-year war in Afghanistan. Ghani’s visit comes a week after dozens of Afghan political leaders attended a peace gathering in Pakistan. The Taliban has refused to talk directly with Kabul government representatives, calling them U.S. puppets. Khalilzad, meanwhile, traveled to Tajikistan for talks with Tajik officials on the Afghan peace push. Khalilzad has held six rounds of talks with the Taliban in the Qatari capital, Doha. The next round is scheduled to begin on June 29. The talks are expected to focus on working out a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and on a Taliban guarantee that militants will not plot attacks from Afghan soil.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-president-starts-two-day-visit-to-pakistan-to-talk-ties-peace-with-taliban/30023146.html
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2019-06-27 07:58:21+00:00
| 1,561,636,701 | 1,567,537,913 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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470,165 |
rferl--2019-08-05--Khalilzad Hails Excellent Progress In Peace Talks With Taliban
| 2019-08-05T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Khalilzad Hails 'Excellent Progress” In Peace Talks With Taliban
|
U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad says he will leave Qatar for India on August 5 following three days of talks with the Taliban to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan. Khalilzad tweeted that the eighth round of talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators in the Qatari capital, Doha, “focused on the remaining issues in completing a potential deal with the Taliban that would allow for a conditions-based troop withdrawal.” “We have made excellent progress,” he wrote. The U.S. envoy said in a separate tweet that he will travel to New Delhi later in the day for “pre-scheduled meetings to further build international consensus” in support of the Afghan peace process. Khalilzad also said that his team will continue to discuss with Taliban representatives “technical details as well as steps and mechanisms required for a [successful] implementation of the four-part agreement” the sides have been working toward since his appointment last year. A bilateral U.S.-Taliban agreement would cover the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees by the Taliban not to harbor terrorist groups. Such a deal would be followed by intra-Afghan peace negotiations on a political settlement and a permanent cease-fire. The Taliban has said it will only negotiate with the Western-backed Kabul government when Washington commits to withdrawing its troops.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/khalilzad-hails-excellent-progress-in-peace-talks-with-taliban/30093762.html
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2019-08-05 16:37:03+00:00
| 1,565,037,423 | 1,567,534,836 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
|
470,274 |
rferl--2019-08-12--Taliban Afghan Peace Talks With US Long And Useful Sides To Consult
| 2019-08-12T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Taliban: Afghan Peace Talks With U.S. 'Long And Useful'; Sides To Consult
|
U.S. and Taliban negotiators will consult their leaders following an eighth round of peace talks to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan, the Taliban says. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the negotiations in the Qatari capital, Doha, ended early on August 12, adding: "It was long and useful. Both sides decided to consult with their leaders/seniors for the next steps." U.S. officials didn’t immediately comment. But on August 11, as Afghans were marking the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha, U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad expressed hope that “this is the last Eid where Afghanistan is at war.” “I know Afghans yearn for peace. We stand with them and are working hard toward a lasting & honorable peace agreement and a sovereign Afghanistan which poses no threat to any other country,” Khalilzad tweeted. “Many scholars believe that the deeper meaning of [Eid Al-Adha] is to sacrifice one's ego. Leaders on all sides of the war in Afghanistan must take this to heart as we strive for peace,” he wrote in a separate tweet. Few details have emerged, but a U.S.-Taliban deal would cover the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees by the Taliban that Afghanistan would not become a haven for other extremist groups. Such an accord would be followed by intra-Afghan peace negotiations on a political settlement and a permanent cease-fire. The Taliban has so far refused to negotiate with the Western-backed government in Kabul, calling it a “puppet regime.” As U.S. and Taliban negotiators appeared to be closing in on an accord, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on August 11 said Afghanistan’s future “cannot be decided outside.” Ghani insisted that peace was only possible "between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban movement." Washington has said it wants a peace deal finalized by September 1, and some U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility that the Afghan presidential election set for September 28 could be canceled in the event of a peace settlement and the formation of an interim government that the Taliban would join. Ghani called for the vote to be held as planned, saying: “Without a legitimate and strong government that comes through an election, Afghans won't be able to achieve a dignified peace." Earlier this month, the militants denounced the election as a "sham," and warned fellow Afghans to stay away from campaign rallies and the polls, saying such gatherings could be targeted. On August 12, Afghanistan's National Directorate For Security intelligence service announced in a statement that 35 Taliban prisoners will be released as "a clear sign" of the government's "strong will" for peace.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-afghanistan-talks-end-both-sides-to-consult/30105119.html
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2019-08-12 04:41:48+00:00
| 1,565,599,308 | 1,567,534,372 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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470,391 |
rferl--2019-08-22--US Taliban Kick Off Ninth Round Of Afghan Peace Talks In Qatar
| 2019-08-22T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
U.S., Taliban Kick Off Ninth Round Of Afghan Peace Talks In Qatar
|
U.S. and Taliban negotiators have resumed talks in Qatar to firm up a peace deal to end the nearly 18-year conflict in Afghanistan, reports say. U.S. officials and Taliban spokesmen were quoted as saying that the ninth round of talks started on August 22 in the Qatari capital of Doha. A Taliban member said U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been leading the negotiations with the militant group since last year, also met one-on-one on August 21 with the Taliban's lead negotiator, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Associated Press reported. Khalilzad is scheduled to travel to Kabul to "inform the top Afghan leaders about the peace deal and then finalize a declaration to end the war in Afghanistan," a senior U.S. official privy to the peace negotiations told Reuters. Previous rounds of U.S.-Taliban negotiations have focused on issues including a U.S. troop withdrawal, a cease-fire, intra-Afghan negotiations to follow, and guarantees by the militant group not to harbor terrorist groups. The Taliban has so far rejected holding direct talks with the Afghan government. The United States formally ended its Afghan combat mission in 2014 but about 14,000 U.S. troops remain in the country, mainly training and advising government forces battling the Taliban, an affiliate of the Islamic State group, and other militants. Some U.S. forces carry out counterterrorism operations. U.S. President Donald Trump said on August 20 that the U.S. military role in Afghanistan had basically turned into a "ridiculous" police force. The next day, two U.S. service members were killed in action in the country, joining more than 2,400 U.S. service personnel who have died in the United States' longest war, which started with the 2001 U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/us-taliban-kick-off-ninth-round-of-afghan-peace-talks-in-qatar/30124056.html
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2019-08-22 19:37:41+00:00
| 1,566,517,061 | 1,567,533,751 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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476,445 |
rt--2019-09-08--Afghan peace talks dead for the time being US wont enter any agreement Pompeo
| 2019-09-08T00:00:00 |
rt
|
Afghan peace talks dead ‘for the time being’ & US won't enter any agreement – Pompeo
|
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that peace negotiations with Afghanistan’s Taliban are dead and that Washington will not enter any future agreement without “commitments” from the militants. Appearing on a round of cable news shows Sunday morning, Pompeo told one of these, Fox News, that negotiations with the Taliban are dead “for the time being,” adding that Washington is recalling its special envoy to Afghanistan to work out its next steps. Also appearing on CNN, Pompeo said that the US would not enter into any future agreement with the Taliban without “significant commitments” from the fighters, who now control more Afghan territory than at any point since the US invasion in 2001. Pompeo’s statements come one day after President Donald Trump canceled meetings with Taliban officials at Camp David. Trump scrapped the talks –which were planned in secret– after Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul killed 12 people, including one American soldier, earlier in the week. “If they cannot agree to a ceasefire during these very important peace talks, and would even kill 12 innocent people, then they probably don’t have the power to negotiate a meaningful agreement anyway,” Trump tweeted on Saturday. With diplomacy scuppered, Pompeo told CNN that “if the Taliban don’t behave...we’re not going to reduce our support for the Afghan security forces that have fought so hard there in Afghanistan,” a hint that the US may remain involved in Afghan affairs for some time yet. President Trump dropped a similar hint on Saturday night, asking “how many more decades are they willing to fight?” Prior to the canceled meeting, US officials seemed hopeful that an end to the 18-year conflict in Afghanistan was near. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad presented a draft US-Taliban agreement to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the beginning of the month, which outlined plans for a US withdrawal from the country in exchange for a Taliban pledge not to plan attacks abroad from within Afghanistan. Trump’s revelation that the talks had fallen apart drew a wave of political and media criticism for even hosting them in the first place. Democrat and Republican lawmakers alike argued that members of the Taliban should “never” be allowed onto US soil. CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Pompeo on Sunday whether he would support a similar move from a Democrat president, especially one taking place days before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. “We have an obligation to do everything we can,” Pompeo responded, and told Tapper that he has always been “fully supportive” of Trump’s efforts to sit down with the Taliban. Like this story? Share it with a friend!
|
RT
|
https://www.rt.com/usa/468355-pompeo-taliban-talks-dead/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS
|
2019-09-08 13:36:00+00:00
| 1,567,964,160 | 1,569,330,785 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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477,626 |
russiainsider--2019-02-01--Maverick Trump Plows On Says Willing to Meet Taliban Demand to Withdraw From Afghanistan If Peace R
| 2019-02-01T00:00:00 |
russiainsider
|
Maverick Trump Plows On, Says Willing to Meet Taliban Demand to Withdraw From Afghanistan If Peace Reached
|
In comments at the White House on Thursday, President Trump finally addressed weeks of reports of peace negotiation in Afghanistan, saying that if a peace deal is reached, he is willing to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan. That’s a huge deal, and not just because the US has been occupying Afghanistan since 2001. These comments came the same day that the Senate passed a non-binding resolution expressing opposition to leaving Afghanistan. Indications are that a peace deal with the Taliban to cap off over 17 years of war is a very real possibility. The Taliban’s main demand is for all foreign troops to leave Afghanistan, and would guarantee no ISIS or al-Qaeda bases are allowed in Afghanistan. While other officials have said a lot of other issues need to be sorted out for a final deal to be reached, those are already the broad strokes of a pact, and a reason to be optimistic that a negotiated settlement could happen. Indeed. This is the only way peace happens. The Taliban have been offering to come out of the bush forever now but their key demand has always been that foreigners agree to a withdrawal timetable -- and since Trump and Americans want the very same thing, why not? That Trump has finally confirmed this publicly confirms the current peace talks in Qatar are serious and have a real chance of producing a settlement. Best not to get one's hopes up, but after 18 years America's longest war and occupation of another sovereign nation could actually soon finally be over. Moreover it shows Trump won't bent to the blob on this one easily. The Senate republicans are voting against him and for permanent war. He doesn't care. He schooled the Republican Party mainstream three years ago and should stick to his guns. Hate him for Venezuela, Yemen, Iran, Khan Shaykhun strikes...(indeed the list is long), but is he an unqualified evil on everything? No, not by comparison to anyone else that was likely to win the White House in 2016. It's been one step forward, two steps back, but on Syria, Afghanistan and Korea he is the unlikely, the best, the only, chance for peace those places and the Americans have.
|
RI Staff[field_author_has_account_]
|
https://russia-insider.com/en/maverick-trump-plows-says-willing-meet-taliban-demand-withdraw-afghanistan-if-peace-reached/ri26127
|
2019-02-01 08:02:02+00:00
| 1,549,026,122 | 1,567,549,913 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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504,821 |
sottnet--2019-08-13--Taliban Afghan-US peace talks were long and useful sides to consult with leaders for next steps
| 2019-08-13T00:00:00 |
sottnet
|
Taliban: Afghan-US peace talks were 'long and useful; sides to consult with leaders for next steps
|
U.S. and Taliban negotiators will consult their leaders following an eighth round of peace talks to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan, the Taliban says. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the negotiations in the Qatari capital, Doha, ended early on August 12, adding: "It was long and useful. Both sides decided to consult with their leaders/seniors for the next steps."U.S. officials didn't immediately comment. But on August 11, as Afghans were marking the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha, U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad expressed hope that "this is the last Eid where Afghanistan is at war." Khalilzad tweeted: Few details have emerged, butSuch an accord would be followed by intra-Afghan peace negotiations on a political settlement and a permanent cease-fire.The Taliban has so far refused to negotiate with the Western-backed government in Kabul, calling it a "puppet regime."As U.S. and Taliban negotiators appeared to be closing in on an accord,Ghani insisted that peace was only possible "between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban movement."and some U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility that thein the event of a peace settlement and the formation of an interim government that the Taliban would join.Ghani called for the vote to be held as planned, saying:Earlier this month, the militants denounced the election as a "sham, " and warned fellow Afghans to stay away from campaign rallies and the polls, saying such gatherings could be targeted.On August 12, Afghanistan's National Directorate For Security intelligence service announced in a statement that 35 Taliban prisoners will be released as "a clear sign" of the government's "strong will" for peace.
| null |
https://www.sott.net/article/418502-Taliban-Afghan-US-peace-talks-were-long-and-useful-sides-to-consult-with-leaders-for-next-steps
|
2019-08-13 19:43:41+00:00
| 1,565,739,821 | 1,567,534,317 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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505,586 |
sottnet--2019-09-02--US-Taliban peace talks fail in Doha Afghan presidential election up ahead
| 2019-09-02T00:00:00 |
sottnet
|
US-Taliban peace talks fail in Doha, Afghan presidential election up ahead
|
did not offer a timeline for the withdrawal, which is what the Taliban demands. The United States and Taliban have concluded the ninth day of the ninth round of peace negotiations in Qatar with no final agreement in sight, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Saturday.The issues discussed during the Qatar talks include pulling out foreign armed forces from Afghanistan, a comprehensive ceasefire, prisoner release and future intra-Afghan negotiations.While some, like Wahidullah Ghazi Khel, the spokesman for the new National Front have hope that the technical teams working on both sides will reach an agreement shortly , the correspondent reported.The Taliban insist that the Afghan authorities should participate in the talks not as a government but as a political movement.The peace talks, meanwhile, were overshadowed by overnight clashes between the Taliban and the Afghan government forces in Kunduz.While the Afghan government has claimed that the attack had been successfully repelled, the Sputnik correspondent has reported that there were fears that, while the government has vowed to safeguard the democratic process.Conflict-struck Afghanistan has been long torn by fighting between government troops and the Taliban, who are currently negotiating a peace deal with the United States.
| null |
https://www.sott.net/article/419635-US-Taliban-peace-talks-fail-in-Doha-Afghan-presidential-election-up-ahead
|
2019-09-02 10:38:17+00:00
| 1,567,435,097 | 1,569,331,671 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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524,418 |
sputnik--2019-02-06--Taliban Shifts to Talks With Moscow Despite Possible US Peace Deal
| 2019-02-06T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Taliban Shifts to Talks With Moscow Despite Possible US Peace Deal
|
However, no Afghan government officials were present at the meeting, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani strongly criticized the talks as undermining his government. Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, the scholar-in-residence and director of the Middle East Institute's Center for Pakistan and Afghanistan Studies, joined Radio Sputnik's Loud & Clear Tuesday to discuss the Taliban talks. "I think that unless, and until, they're [the Taliban] willing to talk directly with the Afghan government, it's going to be very difficult for the US, as much as it is angling to get out of Afghanistan as soon as possible. But if it does so without a ceasefire and some kind of discussions between the Taliban and the government in Kabul, it's going to look too much like we [the US] sold them out," Weinbaum told hosts John Kiriakou and Brian Becker. The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as a reaction to the 9/11 terror attacks, with the mission lasting until December 28, 2014. Since then, Afghanistan has been in a state of political turmoil, with the government unable to establish full control over the country's territory due to various terrorist factions, in particular the Taliban and Daesh. The US has long insisted that the Afghan government take part in the peace negotiations; however, the Taliban has said it is the only stakeholder in Afghanistan that will deal with the US, rejecting the Kabul government as a US puppet. In January, US President Donald Trump announced that the US and the Taliban had reportedly finalized a deal to end the war in Afghanistan. The deal will ensure that terrorist groups are not allowed to use the country as a base of operations and that the US and other foreign countries will withdraw their troops, Sputnik previously reported. "As far as the Moscow discussions, they are significant," Weinbaum told Sputnik. "Part of the Taliban's approach here is, ‘We are not against talking to Afghans… we don't want to talk to the Kabul government because they aren't in a position to negotiate. They are just puppets to the US," Weinbaum added. "What is interesting about the meeting in Moscow is that opposition politicians in the country representing all of the major opposition parties are in Moscow today talking. But they're all trying to diminish the Kabul government in the lead-up to the elections, which will take place this summer. So, what they want to show is that this government has no credibility, and that there should be an interim government and then elections to hopefully oust the government," Weinbaum continued. In addition, the meeting in the Russian capital is a victory for the Kremlin, according to Weinbaum. "[The meeting is Moscow] sidelines the American negotiations and means that there is an alternative. Russia would like to say that ‘whatever goes on in Afghanistan, we would very much like to be part of it.' This is a bit of a struggle between the US and Russia, because we are in a position where both parties are trying to say they can do what has to be done in terms of ending the conflict, but theirs is the way to do it," Weinbaum noted.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201902061072161353-taliban-shifts-talks-moscow-possible-us-deal/
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2019-02-06 00:34:00+00:00
| 1,549,431,240 | 1,567,549,487 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
|
527,722 |
sputnik--2019-03-13--In Interests of Israel and Syria to Negotiate Peace Professor
| 2019-03-13T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
'In Interests of Israel and Syria to Negotiate Peace' – Professor
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Last month, Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton, together with Representative Mike Gallagher, introduced a resolution to ensure that Israel retains control of the Golan Heights. On Thursday, Syria reportedly warned the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation that Damascus will attack Israel if it does not leave the Golan Heights. The region was taken by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967. Neither the UN nor the US recognises the territory as belonging to Israel. Sputnik: What do you think about the announcement by Lindsey Graham that he will push for US recognition of the Golan Heights? Do you think it's just part of a campaign effort? Eyal Zisser: You know, in Israel itself we are approaching elections, this is one thing. And in the United States, there is the tension between the Democrats and the Republicans; and the Republican Party is becoming a little bit much to the right, sometimes it's more to the right than many Israelis themselves. So, I don't think that it shows that there is any change in the policy of the United States; I doubt it very much whether the US administration will change its position, but with President Trump, you never know. Sputnik: Do you think that if Trump does make that move, it will be upheld by US lawmakers? Eyal Zisser: It's hard to say. We have to mention that many Israeli prime ministers in the past, including Benjamin Netanyahu himself, the current prime minister, were ready to give the Golan Heights entirely or part of it as Israel's part of the peace process. I think the issue is that there is no peace process on the horizon, it's not on the agenda, that's why there're those who say that Israel should retain it. I doubt very much whether or not there will be any change in the position of all actors; and I also think that in the coming future, maybe it can take several years, negotiations with Syria will be resumed, because it is in the interest of the two countries — Israel and Syria — to negotiate for peace; and once again we'll hear other voices from Israel. Sputnik: How much support is there in Israel itself to recognise the Golan Heights as part of the country? Or is there, as you've mentioned, more support to actually return to talks with Syria and, perhaps, return part, or all, of that area to Syria as part of a peace deal? Eyal Zisser: You know, when there were peace talks some years ago, in 2000 and before and after, there was readiness; according to the polls, more than half of the Israelis were ready to give it back. When there is no peace when Iran is playing a role in Syria when the situation is not stable in Syria and with the emergence of ISIS in Syria, I think it is not on the agenda, so there is not much support. In this sense, people change their mind according to the situation; so I don't think that if there is a peace process, even a peace agreement, there will be a withdrawal from the Golan Heights. READ MORE: 'Conflict Can't Be Ruled Out': Iran Warns Israel Against 'Adventurism' in Syria Sputnik: Can you talk about how this is going to affect Washington's role in the region? Is there any incentive for Washington to push for US recognition of the Golan Heights? Other than the personal political ambitions of some politicians, is there strategic importance for Washington? Eyal Zisser: You're absolutely right. There was a time when the United States wanted to play a role in the region, the region was important for it; and it had to take into consideration all of the interests of all of the parties, it sought good relations with Arab countries, it wanted some role in Syria and Iraq, good relations with Iran, so, when the US had a real interest in the region, we never heard such talks; nowadays, the United States [has] lost any interest in the region and it looks at the region through the prism of domestic American politics, and you can clearly understand why you hear such voices from some lawmakers in the United States. READ MORE: Possible US Recognition of Golan Linked to Assad Remaining Syrian Leader — PhD Sputnik: What can we expect to hear from the UN on this matter? Eyal Zisser: All the UN institutions voted over and over again to confirm that the future of the Golan Heights should be dictated as part of peace negotiations. If Syria decides to give it up to Israel, that's okay, but it should be part of peace negotiations. This situation cannot be changed as a result of a war; the presence of Israel there can be legitimate in the sense that as long as there is no war it's important for Israel to be there. But the permanent future should be dictated in peace negotiations and in an agreement recognised internationally. This was always the position of the UN and, by the way, also of the USA. Views and opinions, expressed in the article are those of Eyal Zisser and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201903131073203173-israel-syria-us-negotiation/
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2019-03-13 15:30:00+00:00
| 1,552,505,400 | 1,567,546,484 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
|
539,796 |
sputnik--2019-08-02--Taliban Indicate Readiness to Strike Peace Deal - US Afghan Envoy
| 2019-08-02T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Taliban Indicate Readiness to Strike Peace Deal - US Afghan Envoy
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"The Taliban are signaling they would like to conclude an agreement. We are ready for a good agreement", Khalilzad said in a statement posted on Twitter. Khalilzad arrived in the Qatari capital of Doha on Friday to resume peace talks with the Taliban. He said in an earlier statement on Twitter that the United States is pursuing a peace agreement and not a withdrawal agreement of American troops. "Our presence in Afghanistan is conditions-based, and any withdrawal will be conditions-based", he said. Khalilzad said on Sunday that once the United States and the Taliban concluded an agreement, intra-Afghan negotiations between the movement and Afghanistan's national negotiating team would take place. On Saturday, the Taliban movement also confirmed that the peace negotiations with Washington will be resumed later in the day. "At Doha time today at 10:00 [07:00 GMT], the negotiations between delegation of Islamic Emirate and US will be resumed", the Taliban main spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahed, wrote on Twitter. The peace talks come amid reports that the United States is preparing to withdraw almost 6,000 troops from Afghanistan to support the peace deal with the Taliban. The United States and the Taliban have already held seven rounds of peace talks, which have so far excluded the Afghanistan government. But the Afghan government has recently said that it has agreed on a 15-member delegation, including politicians as well as social and tribal representatives, for peace talks with Taliban. Afghanistan is suffering from an unstable political, social and security situation due to the activity of the Taliban and the Daesh terrorist group. The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces are currently conducting joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across the country with support from the international coalition. *Taliban, Daesh (Islamic State, ISIS, ISIL, IS) are terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other countries.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/world/201908031076446715-taliban-indicate-readiness-to-strike-peace-deal---us-afghan-envoy/
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2019-08-02 22:29:00+00:00
| 1,564,799,340 | 1,567,535,055 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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669,585 |
theepochtimes--2019-09-08--Trump Cancels Afghan Peace Negotiations After Taliban Admits to Kabul Attack
| 2019-09-08T00:00:00 |
theepochtimes
|
Trump Cancels Afghan Peace Negotiations After Taliban Admits to Kabul Attack
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as he meets with President of Romania Klaus Iohannis in the Oval Office of the White House on Aug. 20, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) President Donald Trump announced on Twitter Saturday, Sept. 7 that he was canceling U.S.-Afghan peace negotiations after learning that the Taliban had launched a murderous terror attack in Kabul thinking it would “strengthen their bargaining position.” “I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations,” Trump wrote Saturday night. Trump said that there had been secret arrangements made for two private meetings on Sept. 8; one with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and another with major Taliban leaders. “They were coming to the United States tonight,” the president wrote. Trump said in his tweets that the Taliban had admitted to using deadly attacks as a means to give them a stronger negotiating position in the peace talks with the Afghan government and the United States. “Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great great soldiers, and 11 other people. “What kind of people would kill so many in order to seemingly strengthen their bargaining position?” On Sept. 5, an explosion from a Taliban car bomb killed an American soldier, a Romanian service member, and 10 civilians in a busy diplomatic area in Kabul near the U.S. Embassy. The Defense Department identified the American as Sgt. 1st Class Elis A. Barreto Ortiz, 34, from Morovis, Puerto Rico. Ortiz was the fourth U.S. service member killed in the past two weeks in Afghanistan, amid numerous other attacks by the Taliban and other extremist groups in Afghanistan despite the peace negotiations. The Trump administration had been hopeful for a peace agreement that could bring an end to the almost 18-year war in Afghanistan that started when the Bush administration invaded the country in October 2001 following the Sept. 11 attacks. Since then, the United States has lost more than 2,400 soldiers and spent more than $800 billion on the war. The United States and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in 2014, but U.S. and allied troops remain, conducting strikes on the ISIS terrorist group and the Taliban, and working to train and build the Afghan military. Taliban insurgents, however, control nearly half of Afghanistan. They carry out near-daily attacks, mainly targeting security forces and government officials. Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington’s peace envoy, has been leading the U.S. peace effort, with a strategy focused on four interconnected issues: counterterrorism, NATO and U.S. troop presence, inter-Afghan dialogue, and a permanent cease-fire. The Taliban have so far refused direct talks with the internationally-recognised Western-backed government in Kabul, which it says is an illegitimate “puppet” regime of the United States. This line of reasoning also appears to be applied to Afghani civilians, as seen in Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid’s referring to civilian casualties as “invaders.” Khalilzad has said 5,000 U.S. troops would withdraw from five bases in Afghanistan within 135 days of a final deal. Between 14,000 and 13,000 troops are currently in the country. However, the Taliban want all of the approximately 20,000 U.S. and NATO troops out of Afghanistan immediately, while the United States seeks withdrawal in phases that would depend on the Taliban meeting certain conditions, such as a reduction in violence. “We’ve been there for 18 years. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said last month. “We’re not really fighting; we’re almost more of a police force over there.” But Afghanistan remains dangerous and some U.S. presence is needed, he said. The talks have also sought guarantees from the Taliban that Afghanistan would not again become a safe haven for extremist groups such as al-Qaida and the local affiliate of the ISIS terrorist group. The Afghan government on Sept. 4 said it remains concerned that a full U.S. troop withdrawal that moves too quickly and without the Taliban meeting conditions, such as reducing violence, could lead to “total civil war” such as the one that engulfed the country in the 1990s after a coup by Afghanistan’s Soviet-backed communist party, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). Trump said on Twitter: “If they cannot agree to a ceasefire during these very important peace talks, and would even kill 12 innocent people, then they probably don’t have the power to negotiate a meaningful agreement anyway. How many more decades are they willing to fight?” Khalilzad has not commented publicly on this week’s attacks. With reporting by The Associated Press.
|
Melanie Sun
|
https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-slams-taliban-what-kind-of-people-would-kill-in-order-to-strengthen-their-bargaining-position_3073224.html
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2019-09-08 00:11:01+00:00
| 1,567,915,861 | 1,569,330,844 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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730,032 |
thehuffingtonpost--2019-11-28--Trump Makes Surprise Afghanistan Visit, Says U.S. And Taliban Peace Talks Restarted
| 2019-11-28T00:00:00 |
thehuffingtonpost
|
Trump Makes Surprise Afghanistan Visit, Says U.S. And Taliban Peace Talks Restarted
|
Trump met Thursday with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and announced that the U.S. and the Taliban had restarted peace negotiations, according to a White House press pool report. Trump said he believed the Taliban wanted a cease-fire. “The Taliban wants to make a deal ― we’ll see if they make a deal,” Trump told reporters following his meeting with Ghani. “If they do they do, and if they don’t they don’t. And that’s fine.” In September, Trump declared peace talks between the U.S. and Taliban leaders were “dead” after an American soldier was killed by a suicide bomber in the capital city of Kabul. “We’ve made tremendous progress and at the same time we’ve been drawing down our troops,” Trump said Thursday. He said he hopes to decrease the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 8,600. Last month, the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin Miller, said the size of the U.S. forces in the country was between 12,000 and 13,000 troops. Before his meeting with Ghani, Trump served turkey to troops at Bagram Airfield. He later addressed the crowd of roughly 500 troops, which erupted in applause when he finished speaking, according to the White House press pool report. “It’s a dangerous area, and he wants to support the troops,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said of the president’s trip. “He and Mrs. Trump recognize that there’s a lot of people far away from their families during the holidays, and we thought it’d be a nice surprise.” Grisham said the trip had been planned weeks in advance, according to the White House press pool report. The first lady did not accompany the president on the trip. Last week, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, surprised U.S. troops in Iraq for a pre-Thanksgiving celebration.
| null |
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-surprise-thanksgiving-afghanistan_n_5de01d00e4b0913e6f7ba30f
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Thu, 28 Nov 2019 15:12:09 -0500
| 1,574,971,929 | 1,575,137,563 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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759,131 |
theindependent--2019-05-04--Female delegate told she aposshould be in the kitchenapos at Afghan peace talks with Taliban
| 2019-05-04T00:00:00 |
theindependent
|
Female delegate told she 'should be in the kitchen' at Afghan peace talks with Taliban
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An Afghan assembly to discuss peace with the Taliban has been criticised for making female delegates feel unwelcome, with one woman told she “should be in the kitchen”. The assembly, known as a loyal jirga, was convened by President Ashraf Ghani to debate Afghanistan’s path to peace. Organisers said that around 30 per cent of the 3,200 delegates were women. But several female delegates said they felt ignored, marginalised or patronised. They were told that men should lead the jirga’s 51 committees and women should serve as secretaries. Some women complained that they were groped and fondled – not by men, but by women who patted them down during security checks. On the second day of the assembly, a female delegate who rose to speak was ordered to be quiet by a male delegate. “He told her: ‘Peace has nothing to do with you. Sit down, you should be in the kitchen cooking!’” said Behnoh Benod, 31, a male delegate who witnessed the put-down. Other women said they had been confronted by male delegates who claimed to support women’s rights, but only under sharia, or Islamic law – a view shared by the Taliban. “I asked them which sharia law, the Taliban sharia law or Isis sharia law,” said a delegate, Sakina Hussaini, referring to the Islamic State. “Some men didn’t accept women as human beings and I had to scream at them,” she said. Male delegate Behnoh Benod said just 16 of the delegates on his 108-member committee were women. A male delegate was selected as committee chair. Of the 51 committees, 13 were headed by women, and 28 elected women as committee secretaries. For many women, the jirga got off to a bad start when Ms Ghani appointed as chairman Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf, a combative former warlord known for his harsh views on women’s rights. When a female delegate complained directly to Mr Sayyaf , she was hustled out by security guards. Other delegates hooted and clapped to drown out her protest. State-run television RTA, which broadcast the proceedings, posted a banner on Twitter showing images of Mr Ghani and Sher Mohammed Abas Stanekzai, the chief Taliban peace negotiator. Beside them were photos of two women with their faces covered – one by a niqab, a veil that leaves the eyes visible, and the other by a burqa, the garment forced upon women under the Taliban regime that was toppled in 2001. After a torrent of complaints on social media, a new banner appeared. Ghani and Stanekzai were still depicted, but four smiling women wearing head scarves that left their faces uncovered were added to the two with their faces concealed. On Monday, as the jirga opened, some female delegates arrived dressed in burqas. “Most of these women have come from provinces and they have no idea why they are here,” said delegate Taiyaba Khavari. Ms Khavari and other women said they grew disillusioned as they were insulted or interrupted by male delegates. Torpekai, 45, a delegate who goes by one name, said she had been pleased to be among war victims invited to Kabul. She said her 18-year-old son, a police officer, had been killed by the Taliban. Torpekai said she had planned to tell delegates that she wanted the Taliban punished if a peace deal gave them a role in a postwar government. But the men who dominated the jirga did not bother to listen. “No one would hear me out,” Torpekai said. “They said women shouldn’t be here – this isn’t a discussion for women.” It was not just women who felt disillusioned by the jirga. Social media lit up with comments from Afghans who dismissed the assembly as a patronage tool for Mr Ghani. Some critics said the jirga usurped Afghanistan’s parliament. The government shut down the capital for five days, giving government workers the week off. The jirga was caught up in a bruising presidential election campaign, in which Mr Ghani is struggling to stay relevant while his government is excluded from peace talks in Doha, Qatar, between the Taliban and the United States. The militants refuse to meet with the government, calling it illegitimate. Jirga organisers said it was an effective exercise in grassroots democracy that incorporated a wide range of Afghan society. Among the delegates were urban and rural residents, victims of war and terrorism, young people, traditional elders, and ulema, or Islamic religious scholars. Organisers said that with the government sidelined at the peace talks, the jirga produced a national consensus on conditions for peace with the Taliban. The assembly’s recommendations are not legally binding. “It’s our sacred tradition,” said Mohammed Umer Daudzai, who organised the gathering. “I doubt that anybody will say consensus building or dialogue is a bad idea.” At the close of the jirga on Friday, Mr Ghani accepted its recommendation to seek a ceasefire, a goal of the Doha peace negotiations. He urged the Taliban to negotiate within Afghanistan and said he would release 175 Taliban prisoners. Among other recommendations accepted by Mr Ghani was a demand that any postwar government honour the Afghan constitution and protect the rights of women and children. He thanked the delegates, “especially the women”. One delegate, Wazhma Tukhi, 25, said she was satisfied. “The constitution protects our rights, and that’s all Afghan women want,” she said. But another, Masuma Bahar, 24, said the jirga should have made a stronger case for preserving women’s gains over the past 18 years. “There were women on the board and they should have raised their voices, but they haven’t done anything,” she said.
|
David Zucchino, Fatima Faizi
|
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/afghanistan-peace-talks-assembly-taliban-women-ashraf-ghani-a8899541.html
|
2019-05-04 13:09:11+00:00
| 1,556,989,751 | 1,567,541,176 |
conflict, war and peace
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peace process
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