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Diplomacy

Three Suicides In One Night — Guantanamo Prison Commander Nominated As US Ambassador To South Korea

April 28, 2018 By Ann Wright, Opednews.com , , ,
Why nominate to be the US Ambassador to South Korea a military general officer who was in charge of notorious Guantanamo prison when on June 9, 2006 at a secret facility on the prison grounds, three prisoners ended up dead? And how did three prisoners -- Mani Shaman Turki al-Habardi Al-Utaybi, Salah Ali Abdullah Ahmed al-Salami and Yasser Talal Al Zahrani -- end up dead? US military said the three prisoners committed suicide -- all in the same way -- by hanging themselves while handcuffed after stuffing socks in their mouths. In Scott Horton's extensive article in Harpers' magazine "The Guantanamo 'Suicides' A Camp Delta Sergeant Blows the Whistle," that every member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee should read and ask Admiral Harris about, Horton writes...

The Two Koreas Talk: On The Path To Peace

March 8, 2018 Staff, Zoominkorea.org , , , ,
Following a two-day meeting with North Korean officials in Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy returned to Seoul on March 6. The special envoy had dinner with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on March 5 and a follow-up meeting the next day with North Korea’s high-level officials including Kim Yong-chol, the vice chairman of the Korean Workers Party (KWP) Central Committee. Upon their return to Seoul, the South Korean delegation gave an announcement to the press that summarized the result of the meeting. According to this announcement, the North and South made a major breakthrough in the inter-Korean talks by agreeing to hold a summit as soon as late April of this year. The following is a translation of the full press announcement by the South Korean special envoy to Pyongyang on the results of their meeting

North and South Korea Discuss Olympic Cooperation

January 13, 2018 Staff, Zoominkorea.org   , , , ,
On January 9, high-level officials from North and South Korea met to discuss the North’s participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea in February. The inter-Korean meeting was held in the village of Panmunjom at the border of the divided Korean Peninsula. On January 1, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed hope for reconciliation with South Korea in his New Year address. The next day, South Korean President Moon Jae-in proposed high-level talks with North Korea ahead of the Olympics. Ri Son-gwon of North Korea and Cho Myong-gyon of South Korea — the lead representatives of their respective states’ reunification committees — led the talks. The two sides came to an agreement about North Korea’s delegation to the Pyeongchang Olympics.

South Korea Shifts Towards China

November 12, 2017 Alexander Mercouris, www.theduran.com , , , , , ,
By Alexander Mercouris for The Duran. The big news in Asia this week is not US President Trump’s grand but ultimately empty visit to China. It is the quiet steps China and South Korea have begun to take towards each other. In a recent article for The Duran I discussed how Russian foreign policy seemed to be edging towards a solution to the Korean crisis involving direct Chinese – Russian brokered talks between North and South Korea which would not involve the US. I also referred to the longstanding Russian projects to build railway lines and gas pipelines across North Korea to South Korea, providing South Korea via North Korea and Russia with a land bridge to Europe, whilst bringing the two Koreas together and binding them closer both economically and politically to the two Great Eurasian Powers ie. Russia and China. I also speculated that these Russian plans – which I said had unquestionably been worked out in collaboration with China – might also involve the two Koreas coming together in some form of confederation with each other.

Former U.S. Diplomats Decry U.S.-Backed Saudi War In Yemen

May 9, 2016 Alex Emmons and Zaid Jilani, www.theintercept.com , , , ,
By Alex Emmons and Zaid Jilani for The Intercept - SAUDI ARABIA AND the other Arab states that form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been brutally bombing Yemen for more than a year, hoping to drive Houthi rebels out of the capital they overran in 2014 and restore Saudi-backed President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The United States has forcefully backed the Saudi-led war. In addition to sharing intelligence, the U.S. has sold tens of billions of dollars in munitions to the Saudis since the war began.

The Sham Syrian Peace Conference

November 9, 2015 Gareth Porter, www.middleeasteye.net , ,
By Gareth Porter for Middle East Eye - I have always been enthusiastic in my support for peace negotiations, which have been neglected all too often in internal and international conflicts. But it is clear that the international conference on Syria that held its first meeting in Vienna on October 30 is a sham conference that is not capable of delivering any peace negotiations, and that the Obama administration knew that perfectly well from the start. The administration was touting the fact that Iran was invited to participate in the conference, unlike the previous United Nations-sponsored gathering on Syria in January and February 2014.

Iran And Cuba – Is Diplomacy Working?

July 28, 2015 Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, www.clearingthefogradio.org , ,
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers in Clearing The Fog Radio - Two major diplomatic changes occurred recently between the US and Iran and Cuba. Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, UK, US + Germany) completed an agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear program. It is historic that the US and Iran engaged in diplomatic relations and that the sanctions against Iran will end. The agreement opens Iran up for more foreign investment and trade. Will war be averted? We speak with Professor Muhammad Sahimi, a chemical engineer who frequently writes about Iranian politics and the nuclear program to hear an Iranian perspective on this agreement. And diplomatic relations were restored with Cuba after 54 years of economic and political isolation. The Cuban embassy was reopened in Washington, DC. We speak with Miguel Fraga, the First Secretary of the Cuban Embassy about the restoration of diplomacy, what Cuba is asking of the US and how the US is responding.

Cuban Embassy Opens In Washington, But Issues Remain Unresolved

July 21, 2015 Paul Lewis, www.theguardian.com , , , ,
By Paul Lewis in The Guardian - Cuba’s blue, red and white-starred flag has been raised above the country’s newly inaugurated embassy in Washington, heralding the formal restoration of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba . The establishment of embassies in both Washington and Havana, for the first time in 54 years, marked the symbolic end to one of the last vestiges of the cold war. After more than half a century of diplomatic animosity, the world’s capitalist superpower is once again on formal speaking terms with the small, communist state to the south. Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, flew to Washington to preside over the flag-raising ceremony on Monday and met with his US counterpart, John Kerry. It was the first time a Cuban foreign minister was hosted by a secretary of state in Washington since 1958. Appearing side by side at a State Department press conference, both diplomats expressed hope that a reset between the US and Cuba would lead to significant improvements in relations between the two countries.

Historic Iran Nuke Deal Resets Eurasia’s ‘Great Game’: Escobar

July 16, 2015 Pepe Escobar, www.atimes.com , , , ,
By Pepe Escobar in Asian Times - This is it. It is indeed historic. And diplomacy eventually wins. In terms of the New Great Game in Eurasia, and the ongoing tectonic shifts reorganizing Eurasia, this is huge: Iran — supported by Russia and China — has finally, successfully, called the long, winding 12-year-long Atlanticist bluff on its “nuclear weapons.” And this only happened because the Obama administration needed 1) a lone foreign policy success, and 2) a go at trying to influence at least laterally the onset of the new Eurasia-centered geopolitical order. So here it is – the 159-page, as detailed as possible, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA); the actual P5+1/Iran nuclear deal. As Iranian diplomats have stressed, the JCPOA will be presented to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which will then adopt a resolution within 7 to 10 days making it an official international document.

Religious Leaders Urge Alternatives To Bombing

September 4, 2014 Maryknoll, www.maryknollogc.org , , ,
Dear President Obama: As religious communities, leaders, and academics, we write to express our deep concern over the recent escalation of U.S. military action in Iraq. While the dire plight of Iraqi civilians should compel the international community to respond in some way, U.S. military action is not the answer. Lethal weapons and airstrikes will not remove the threat to a just peace in Iraq. As difficult as it might be, in the face of this great challenge, we believe that the way to address the crisis is through long-term investments in supporting inclusive governance and diplomacy, nonviolent resistance, sustainable development, and community-level peace and reconciliation processes. Pope Francis has affirmed that “peacemaking is more courageous than warfare,” and more recently said that “it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I underscore the verb ‘stop;’ I don’t say bomb, make war -- stop him.” But how, we ask?

Jimmy Carter: Begin With Recognizing Hamas

August 7, 2014 Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, www.foreignpolicy.com , , , , ,
Israelis and Palestinians are still burying their loved ones as Gaza's third war in six years continues. Since July 8, when this war began, more than 1,600 Palestinian and 65 Israeli lives have been sacrificed. Many in the world are heartbroken in the powerless certainty that more will die, that more are being killed every hour. This tragedy results from the deliberate obstruction of a promising move toward peace in the region, when a reconciliation agreement among the Palestinian factions was announced in April. This was a major concession by Hamas, in opening Gaza to joint control under a technocratic government that did not include any Hamas members. The new government also pledged to adopt the three basic principles demanded by the Middle East Quartet comprised of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia: nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and adherence to past agreements. Tragically, Israel rejected this opportunity for peace and has succeeded in preventing the new government's deployment in Gaza.

Five Latin American Countries Withdraw Envoys From Israel

July 31, 2014 Anadolu Agency, www.middleeastmonitor.com , , , ,
The decision of the Latin American countries to recall their ambassadors in Tel Aviv is a "deep disappointment", says Israel. El Salvador on Wednesday became the fifth Latin American country to withdraw its ambassador from Israel in protest at Israel's military offensive in Gaza. Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru have already recalled their ambassadors. Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Yigal Palmor said that the move encourages Hamas; "this decision encourages Hamas which has been recognized as a terrorist organization by several countries. The countries standing against terror must act responsibly and should not reward them. While Hamas has been responsible for hindering a ceasfire, El Salvador, Peru and Chile were expected to support international attitude for peace and demilitarization of Gaza", the statement said. Earlier Israel criticized Brazil over its decision to recall its ambassador in protest at Israel's military offensive in Gaza. Brazil was one of 29 countries in the UN Human Rights Council that voted last Wednesday to investigate Israel over its military offensive in Gaza. During a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping on July 17, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said her country was "profoundly concerned by the dramatic events" in Gaza.

Germany Expels CIA Station Chief In Spying Scandal

July 11, 2014 DW, www.dw.de , , ,
Germany has expelled the US’ top foreign intelligence chief from Berlin, but Washington has said little on the matter. Spying allegations threaten to fray ties between the allies, a possibility neither wants. The White House declined to issue a statement regarding the expulsion of a high-ranking CIA official from Berlin on Thursday. Instead, spokesperson Josh Earnest reassured reporters that the Obama administration was working to resolve the diplomatic row. "I don't want you to come away from this exchange thinking we take this matter lightly," Earnest said on Thursday. However, he could not comment on the current spying allegations against the US as that "would put at risk US assets, US personnel and United States national security." The German government asked the main CIA representative to voluntarily leave Berlin on Thursday. Officials declined to release the operative's identity.
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