UN concerned about recent developments in Mongolia

more The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concerns today about developments in Mongolia, where a four-day state of emergency was imposed on 1 July 2008 following post-electoral violence. There have been reports of at least five deaths, numerous injuries and around 700 protestors detained. OHCHR called upon the authorities to exercise the utmost restraint...

UK: FM's Written Ministerial Statement on Terrorist Suspects

more Following his statement to the house of 21 February, the Foreign Secretary made a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament onTerrorist Suspects (Rendition) on Wednesday 3 July. 'On 21 February I made a statement to the House regarding new information we had been passed by the US Government regarding rendition. Contrary to earlier assurances that Diego Garcia had not been used for rendition flights, US investigations...

Interview of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (G8 countries)

more It is a great honour for us to meet with you on the eve of your first G8 summit. There is a huge amount of interest in you and in your views as the new President of Russia not just from your partners in the G8 but also from the press and public in other countries. I would like to start therefore by thanking you on behalf of us all for the invitation to come here and for this interview, this conversation. My first question is...

Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah interview with Al-Siyassah

more Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz interview with Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassah, published July 1, 2008. Question: At the outset, let me ask you how the Jeddah conference had worked, which finally gathered representatives of the producers and consumers of oil. During the Conference, you had delivered a transparent speech that identified clearly shortcomings that led to the continuing rise in oil prices?

Italy: Address by Minister Frattini on the Transatlantic Link

more It is an honour and a pleasure for me to address such a prestigious audience as a last speaker of this very interesting conference. On both sides of the Atlantic, we are approaching a season of important changes. The way we will be able to deal with them, and with their aftermath, will greatly influence the way we will be able to shape our alliance. The first of such changes concerns the election of the new President...

Horn of Africa: Djibouti and Eritrea on the brink of War; Mutual accusations, a border dispute and foreign interference make the regional context of this strategic area even more volatile

more (pdf) - A border dispute and a conflict over the ownership of a strategic area: Djibouti officials told they consider their country is at war with Eritrea after accusations of intrusions (on June 10) into its territory by Eritrean troops. "If Eritrea wants war, it will get it," said Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, after visiting troops. Djibouti accusations were denied by the Eritrean government that recently left the Djibouti-based African Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which plays an essential role to restore peace and confidence in the region. The crisis results from an ongoing dispute over the the ownership of the strategic Ras Doumeira areas (see map). "Fighting halted 36 hours after the incursion but Djibouti armed forces are in place to defend their territory from enemy incursion," the Djibouti army said in a statement.

US Secretary Boucher discussed with Pakistani FM Qureshi

more US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher called on Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi today. The discussions focused on bilateral relations, counter-terrorism cooperation, and regional issues of common interest. The Foreign Minister underscored the importance of increased bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of energy, agriculture and social sector development...

DOD: Guantanamo Detainee charged for Role in USS Cole Attack

more A Saudi Arabian national being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been charged with planning and preparing for the attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 U.S. sailors and wounded 47 others, the Defense Department announced today. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was charged today in connection with the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the vessel as it awaited refueling in the Port of Aden in Yemen, Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann...

US President Bush on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons

more Forty years ago today, the United States joined 61 other nations in signing the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Today, almost all nations are party to the Treaty. The NPT represents a key legal barrier to nuclear weapons proliferation and makes a critical contribution to international security. I reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Treaty and our commitment to work diligently to strengthen...

EU Border management: Equiliber between freedom and security

more Border management, including the need for a balance between freedom and security, was the subject of a discussion at the EP on Monday between MEPs, national MPs and visiting experts. In the near future Parliament is due to scrutinise several proposals designed to consolidate the system created by the opening up of Europe's borders and the introduction of the Schengen regime. MEPs will be keen to ensure that...

United States on the Crisis in Zimbabwe (Mugabe's election)

more The Government of Zimbabwe has followed a sham election with an illegitimate inauguration. As the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika and election observer mission, as well as many African leaders have already said, any outcome from this illegitimate runoff cannot be considered credible. We condemn the actions of the Mugabe regime, which continues to reject the will of the Zimbabwean people, abuse their human rights...

EU: Achievements of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council

more By signing the Lisbon Treaty in December 2007, the EU Member States committed to ratifying it at the earliest possible date. This aim was achieved by 19 Member States, while ratification procedures are under way in the remaining countries. Slovenia ratified the Treaty as the second Member State on 29 January 2008. This success was slightly overshadowed by the negative result of the referendum in Ireland. Nevertheless, the European Union remains committed...

Outline of the deal for the Release of the Israeli Soldiers Kidnapped

more Today's discussion is exceptional when compared with the topics raised in Government meetings every week. A political or party-based decision is not what is asked of anyone, but rather: a personal, moral decision. The Government is being asked to, and each of its members must, disassociate themselves from the public discourse, from the headlines in the media, from the personal appeals and deal with our personal and collective soul searching as citizens of this country...

US Ambassador cites Positive Changes and Substantial Progress in Iraq

more Iraq is enjoying some substantial political, and economic progress in addition to better security, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq said during an interview on CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer” today. “As security has improved, the environment has changed for the better,” Ryan C. Crocker from Baghdad. “That allows for compromises to emerge that simply were not possible before.”...

National Security Implications of Global Climate Change to 2030

more (pdf) The US Intelligence Community judge global climate change will have wide-ranging implications for US national security interests over the next 20 years. Although the United States will be less affected and is better equipped than most nations to deal with climate change, and may even see a benefit owing to increases in agriculture productivity, infrastructure repair and replacement will...

Australia: DPRK Declaration of Nuclear Programs (North Korea)

more Australia welcomes the announcement that the DPRK has provided a declaration of its nuclear programs to China, as Chair of the Six-Party Talks. This declaration provided for under the 13 February 2007 and 3 October 2007 Six-Party Talks agreements, represents an important step towards the eventual abandonment of the DPRK's its nuclear weapons programs...

Kosovo: European Policy Summit Address by PM Hashim Thaçi

more It is indeed an honour to speak before this respected forum. For more than two decades now, the political and economic fate of the Balkans has been closely tied to the efforts of the European Union to stabilize the region and put it on the road to peace, reforms and economic development. Billions of Euros in reconstruction aid and thousands of soldiers, police officers and experts are a testimony to the EU's commitment to the region...

Press Conference by Djibouti on border crisis with Eritrea

more With all diplomatic efforts exhausted for ending the aggression that had been sparked on 10 June along Djibouti's border with Eritrea, the Prime Minister of Djibouti, Deleita Mohamed Deleita, announced today at a Headquarters press conference that he was presenting the situation to the Security Council on behalf of peace and security for the troubled Horn of Africa region. Joining the Prime Minister in the press conference was Mahamoud Ali Youssouf...

Iran not interfering with Iraq-US security deal: envoy

more Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazemi Qomi said on Wednesday that Tehran does not interfere with the strategic agreement between Iraq and the US. Speaking at a banquet given in honor of a group of media persons in Baghdad, he said Iraq is an independent state with democratic government and for the same reason Iran does not interfere with the strategic agreement between Baghdad and Washington. Iran is doubtful about US measures in Iraq...

OAS and UN publish a new study on drugs in Latin America

more On occasion of the celebration today of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS), together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), present the findings of a study entitled "Guidelines for Public Policy on Drugs in the Subregion: First comparative study on drug use and associated factors among the general population (aged 15-64)...

Statement by Chair Wu Dawei of Six-Party Talks (North Korea)

more China's top negotiator on Korean Peninsular nuclear issue Wu Dawei read a Statement by Chair of Six-Party Talks here on Thursday. Following is the full text: The six-party talks has made positive progress in the second-phase actions for the implementation of the Joint Statement thanks to the concerted efforts by all the parties. In the spirit of the October 3, 2007 Six-Party agreement, on June 26, 2008, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...

Zimbabwe: FCO Lord Malloch Brown article on Robert Mugabe

more For a long time Robert Mugabe has kept alive the falsehood that Africa and much of the rest of the world remains on his side in what he claims is a colonial dispute with Britain and, to a lesser extent, Europe. The events of the past few weeks have transformed that view. It is unequivocally clear that the world is united in its condemnation of the violence perpetrated by Zimbabwe's leaders. This is now Mugabe and his regime versus the world...

China approves SCO's good neighborly cooperation treaty

more The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, Thursday approved the Treaty of the Long-term Good Neighborly and Friendly Cooperation between Member Countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Other SCO member countries are also in the process of approving the pact, according to the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee. The approval of the treaty is good for developing the SCO...

Russia: Interview of President Medvedev with Reuters

more Interviewer: Mr President, thank you for giving us your time. We would like to know about the upcoming Russia-European Union summit. What are your priorities for the summit? President Dmitry Medvedev: I think it will be a success. I hope we can set progress in motion on the most complicated problem that has come up of late – drafting a new basic agreement between Russia and the European Union. We will, of course, examine all the different issues...

UN Press Conference: African Union Special Envoy for Darfur

more "If we now mobilize all efforts to get the security situation under control, avoid an escalation, then we may be able to create an environment in which talks can take place on substantive issues," United Nations Special Envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson told correspondents today at a Headquarters press conference. Briefing together with his counterpart from the African Union, Salim Ahmed Salim, Mr. Eliasson said he had told the Security Council...

OPEC: Further steps in the EU-OPEC Energy Dialogue

more The fifth ministerial-level meeting of the Energy Dialogue between the European Union (EU) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) took place in Brussels, today. Representatives of the EU included Mr Andrej Vizjak, President of the EU Energy Council, Minister of Economy of Slovenia; Mr Jean-Louis Borloo, incoming President of the EU Energy Council, Ministre d'Etat, ministre de l'énergie, de l'écologie, du développement durable...

OPEC: Jeddah energy summit communiqué (Oil Crisis)

more Communiqué issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Secretariat General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Secretariat General of the International Energy Forum and the Secretariat General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) following the Jeddah energy summit, June 22, 2008 At the invitation of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King...

Iraq: Article on Minister's Zebari and Senator Obama's Conversation

more Sen. Barack Obama told Iraq's foreign minister this week that he plans to visit the country between now and the presidential election. We think that's a good thing, not because Sen. John McCain has been prodding the candidate to do it but because it will give Mr. Obama an opportunity to refresh his badly outdated plan for Iraq. To do that, the Democrat needs to listen more to dedicated Iraqi leaders like Hoshyar Zebari, the foreign minister -- who, it seems...