Geopolitics
[ Politico ] White House freezes Ukraine military package that includes lethal weapons
“The Biden White House has temporarily halted a military aid package to Ukraine that would include lethal weapons, a plan originally made in response to aggressive Russian troop movements along Ukraine’s border this spring. The aid package would be worth up to $100 million, according to four people familiar with internal deliberations. The National Security…
Read MoreUN General Assembly voted 199-1 (36 abstain) to call for an end to arms sales to Myanmar’s military junta.
UNGA adopted resolution with an overwhelming vote to denounce arm sales to Myanmar’s military in the light of the military coup and violence. “The risk of a large-scale civil war is real. Time is of the essence. The opportunity to reverse the military takeover is narrowing.” UN special envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, told…
Read More[ The Irrawaddy ] Time Is Right for India to Step In and Help Solve Myanmar Crisis
The Myanmar junta chief’s candid admission that his regime is not in full control of the country ravaged by a civil war offers an opportunity for India to step in to mitigate the crisis. Last month, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing reportedly said in a television interview that he did not expect to see such an uprising…
Read More[ Eurasianet ] In Karabakh, Turkish and Azerbaijani leaders cement alliance
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid his first official visit to Karabakh eight months after Azerbaijan’s victory in the war against Armenia. He and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on June 15 signed a new agreement aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries on defense and economic issues. Erdogan was the first foreign leader…
Read More[ Middle East Monitor ] UAE resumes flights to Syria
Direct flights between Syria’s Damascus and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s cities of Dubai and Sharjah will resume on 20 June, the Syrian Ministry of Transport announced yesterday. In an official statement, the ministry said that the national airline, Syrian Air, will operate three flights to Sharjah and four to Dubai every week.
Read More[ BusinessWorld ] The European Union and ASEAN are natural partners and have a common agenda
“The EU launched in April 2021 an Indo-Pacific strategy, with one key message: we want to step up our engagement and work with our partners to boost trade and investment, economic openness, and a sustainable approach to connectivity in the region. Besides being an economic powerhouse, the EU is also ready to be a political…
Read More[ Today ] Singaporean Dickson Yeo, who spied for China in the US, tried to gather info on Singapore for foreign handlers: ISD
A 40-year-old Singaporean who was previously jailed in the United States for spying for China has been served with a detention order under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for acting as a paid agent of a foreign state. He was arrested by ISD on Dec 30 last year upon his deportation from the United States,…
Read More[ Reuters ] Erdogan says Turkey can work with France on Syria, Libya
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday that their two countries could work together to tackle conflicts in Syria and Libya. Erdogan was speaking at a news conference after a NATO summit in Brussels where he met the French president and other leaders. The two countries have disagreed…
Read More[ Japan Today ] China cautions G7 that ‘small’ groups don’t rule the world
“The days when global decisions were dictated by a small group of countries are long gone,” a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London said. “We always believe that countries, big or small, strong or weak, poor or rich, are equals, and that world affairs should be handled through consultation by all countries.” The Chinese…
Read More[ SCMP ] Why Asean is wary about stronger ties with China
According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang told Asean that Beijing was keen to “explore the possibility of elevating relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership as a new benchmark of China-Asean cooperation”. But the phrase “comprehensive strategic partnership”, which signifies a higher priority in Beijing’s foreign affairs, did not appear in a lengthy joint statement…
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