NATO warns Russia will pay 'high price' if uses force against Ukraine

 

Brussels, NOV 30: Russia will pay a “high price” if it uses force against Ukraine, and the West has already shown that it can wield economic, financial and political sanctions against Moscow, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

“There will be a high price to pay for Russia if they once again use force against the independence of the nation, Ukraine,” Stoltenberg told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, Latvia.

“We have different options and we have demonstrated over the years, in reactions to Russia‘s previous use of military force against Ukraine, that we can sustain heavy economic and financial sanctions, political sanctions.

“And also the fact that we have increased our presence here in the region, both in the Black Sea region but also in the Baltic region, in the air or land and at sea, is a direct reaction to the Russian military incursion into Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea.”

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Courtesy Anews

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Taiwan hopes to see closer collaboration with Baltic nations

 

As she received visiting lawmakers from Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, Tsai said it was the first time the parliaments of all three Baltic States had formed a joint delegation to visit Taiwan.

TAIPEI CITY, NOV 29: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday that Taiwan is looking forward to collaborating more closely with Baltic nations in efforts to strengthen democracy.

As she received visiting lawmakers from Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, Tsai said it was the first time the parliaments of all three Baltic States had formed a joint delegation to visit Taiwan.

Tsai also expressed her appreciation for what she called a "meaningful trip."

The delegation of 10 lawmakers arrived in Taipei on Sunday for the 2021 Open Parliament Forum scheduled on Thursday.

China this month officially downgraded its relationship with Lithuania to the "charge d'affaires" level due to its recent closer interactions with Taiwan.

"This month, the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania officially opened. We expect Lithuania to establish its representative office in Taiwan early next year," Tsai said.

Matas Maldeikis, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament's Taiwan Friendship Group, said that the Baltic country's policy toward Taiwan is widely supported by its public.

"Preserving freedom and rule-based international order is a vital interest for both Taiwan and Lithuania," Maldeikis said.

China sent 27 warplanes to Taiwan's air defence zone on Sunday, the day the Baltic delegation arrived. The daytime flyby of Chinese warplanes was the biggest since October 4, when a record 52 aircraft were detected near Taiwan.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and opposes any form of official contacts between Taiwan and other countries.

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Courtesy Anews

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Pakistani president greets Azerbaijan

 

Ashgabat, NOV 28: President of Pakistan Arif Alvi has congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the liberation of Azerbaijani lands and restoration of territorial integrity.

I highly appreciate his contribution to this work,” said President of Pakistan Arif Alvi, speaking at the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization.

He congratulated Azerbaijan on the victory in the Patriotic War.

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Courtesy report.az

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Erdoğan calls for regional and international cooperation to fight against terrorism

 

Ashgabat, NOV 28: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday said regional and international cooperation were of great importance in the fight against terrorism and that no distinctions should be made between terror groups.

Speaking at the 15th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization, Erdoğan said that peace, stability, and regional development would gain momentum once the region is cleared of terror groups such as YPG/PKK, Daesh/ISIS, and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) contains great potential for the development of member countries, the Turkish president stressed in his comments.

At the summit in Ashgabat, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered remarks on the economic potential of the region, the impact of COVID-19 worldwide, the issue of Cyprus as well as terrorism.

“We should make more use of the high potential offered by our geography, which has a population of approximately 500 million in an area of 8 million square kilometers (3.09 million square miles),” Erdoğan said.

“We must intensify our efforts to increase our trade volume to the level of $100 billion; in this context, we first must put into effect the trade agreement, ECOTA, which is among the strategic goals of the 2025 Vision document,” he added.

Stressing that the agreement, which has not been implemented for 17 years, was the main instrument that could help reach the intra-regional goals, Erdoğan said that the Istanbul-based ECO Bank could function efficiently to develop member countries once its institutional and financial capacities are enhanced.

Furthermore, the president noted that the improvement of the transport infrastructure within the region along with efforts to revive the Silk Road were ongoing at full pace.

“It is important to establish lasting peace and stability as soon as possible in Afghanistan which has been facing a serious humanitarian and economic crisis,” he said, referring to the member country.

Erdoğan said Turkey supported efforts to keep the Afghan state institutions functioning, including sectors of critical importance such as education and health, adding the Afghan economy should be supported to eliminate the risk of a possible influx of refugees that would affect the whole region.

The Turkish president underlined that Azerbaijan took back its occupied territories and opened the door for regional peace and stability. He applauded Baku’s efforts to increase regional prosperity through different projects.

“These steps will support the normalization efforts in the region. As Turkey, we will continue to be by Azerbaijan’s side. It is of great importance that we stand in full solidarity with Azerbaijan as an organization,” he said.

The key to the solution of the Cyprus issue is to recognize sovereign equality and the equal international status of Turkish Cypriots, Erdoğan said.

He called on the participant countries to evaluate the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus‘s (TRNC) vision of a solution without prejudice, and said Turkey encourages to develop ties in the fields of sports, culture, education and tourism in a bid to alleviate the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

The TRNC is an observer state of ECO.

Erdoğan said the COVID-19 outbreak has transformed into a global threat through time and that more than 5 million people have lost their lives due to the virus, which adversely affected a variety of different sectors such as economy, commerce and tourism.

Turkey, for its part, has done its best to extend a helping hand to the world amid the pandemic, according to Erdoğan, who noted that Ankara has helped 160 countries and 12 international organizations, including some ECO members.

Noting that Turkey has provided vaccines to scores of countries, Erdoğan said the country’s first locally produced COVID-19 vaccine, TURKOVAC, will be put in the service of all humanity after getting emergency use approval.

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Japan PM vows to step up defense amid China, NK threats

 

TOKYO, NOV 27: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, at his first troop review Saturday, renewed his pledge to consider “all options,” including acquiring enemy base strike capability, and vowed to create a stronger Self-Defense Force to protect the country amid growing threats from China and North Korea.

Kishida said the security situation around Japan is rapidly changing and that “the reality is severer than ever,” with North Korea continuing to test-fire ballistic missiles while advancing its capability, and China pursuing a military buildup and increasingly assertive activity in the region.

“I will consider all options, including possessing so-called enemy base strike capability, to pursue strengthening of defense power that is necessary,” Kishida said in an address to hundreds of Ground Self-Defense Force members in olive-colored helmets and uniforms.

Kishida, who took office in October, served as top commander for the first time at Saturday’s Self-Defense Force troop review held at the main army base Camp Asaka, north of Tokyo. About 800 troops gathered for the inspection, according to the Defense Ministry.

“The security environment surrounding Japan has been rapidly changing at an unprecedented speed. Things that used to happen only in science-fiction novels are today’s reality,” Kishida said. He said his government will lead “calm and realistic” discussions to determine what is needed to protect people’s lives and gain their understanding.

The possibility of possessing so-called enemy base strike capability has been a divisive issue because opponents say it violates Japan’s war-renouncing Constitution.

Kishida has shifted his dovish stance to a more hawkish one, apparently to please influential leaders within his governing party, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and to strengthen his grip on power. He now advocates increasing Japanese military capability and spending.

On Friday, Kishida’s Cabinet approved a 770 billion yen ($6.8 billion) request for an extra defense budget through March to expedite the purchase of missiles, anti-submarine rockets, and other weapons amid rising concern over the escalation of military activities by China, Russia, and North Korea.

The request, still pending parliamentary approval, is a record for an extra defense budget and will bring Japan’s military spending for the current year to a new high of more than 6.1 trillion yen ($53.2 billion), up 15% from 5.31 trillion yen in 2020. The combined budget for 2021 will be just over 1% of Japan’s GDP, keeping its customary cap.

Kishida has said he is open to doubling Japan’s military spending to cope with the worsening security environment. Critics also say Japan, as the world’s fastest-aging country with a shrinking population, should allocate more money toward health care and other services.

Compared to past troop reviews, which included 4,000 soldiers, more than 200 vehicles, and dozens of warplanes, Saturday’s event was significantly scaled down to minimize the impact on regular troop activity, officials said. There was no parade or public viewing, and only nine tanks and other vehicles participated in the online event.

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Courtesy Anews

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