Latest news with #ForeignMinister
LBCI
7 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Former Lebanese FM Abdallah Bou Habib passes away at 84
Lebanon's former Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib passed away Wednesday evening at the age of 84 after suffering a heart attack.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan condemns Israeli airstrikes in Syria, calls UNSC to act on Gaza, Kashmir
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, calling them 'unprovoked' and a 'dangerous escalatory path,' as the country's foreign minister chaired high-level UN Security Council meetings in New York under Pakistan's ongoing presidency. Tensions have escalated sharply between Syria and Israel this month after sectarian violence erupted in Syria's Druze-majority region of Sweida, resulting in scores of deaths and prompting a fragile ceasefire. In response, Israel launched airstrikes it says were aimed at protecting the Druze community and demilitarizing southern Syria. 'Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli attacks against the Syrian Arab Republic in contravention of international law and principles of the UN Charter,' the Foreign Office said in its weekly briefing. 'These unprovoked attacks mark a dangerous escalatory path being pursued by Israel in the region with impunity,' the statement added. 'Pakistan expresses its full support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of Syria and calls on the international community to prevent Israel from its acts of aggression that continue to undermine the peace and stability in the entire region.' Separately, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also Pakistan's deputy prime minister, is currently on a visit to New York and Washington to represent Pakistan during its rotating presidency of the UN Security Council. His engagements have included meetings with the UN Secretary-General, President of the General Assembly, and ministers from Austria, the UK, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. Earlier this week, Dar presided over a Security Council debate on multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes. In his remarks, he 'highlighted selective application of international law as untenable from Gaza to Jammu and Kashmir' and called for respect for international agreements such as the Indus Water Treaty 'to preserve peace and cooperation,' the foreign office briefing said. On the same day, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2788 under Pakistan's presidency, urging 'greater use of UN Chapter 6 tools, including negotiations, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and resort to regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as good offices of the Secretary General, and calls for inclusive diplomacy.' Dar also addressed the Security Council's quarterly debate on the Middle East, where he condemned Israel's continued military offensive in Gaza. 'Delivering Pakistan's national statement, the DPM condemned systematic targeting of hospitals, schools, UN facilities, aid convoys, and refugee camps as deliberate acts of collective punishment and fragile violation of international humanitarian law,' the foreign office said. Dar called the Palestinian issue 'a litmus test for the credibility of the United Nations' and urged the Council to act for 'immediate ceasefire, unimpeded aid access, end to occupation and forced displacement, renewed and reinforced international support for UNRWA, implementation of the Arab and OIC-led reconstruction plan for Gaza, and revival of the two-state solution.' The Foreign Office also reiterated Pakistan's longstanding position on Palestine, stating: 'We firmly believe that the only just solution to the Palestinian question is the creation of an independent, viable, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state along the pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.'
ABC News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Australia hosts defence talks with the UK
Tomorrow, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong will host talks with their British counterparts. Defence Minister Richard Marles speaks to 7.30's Sarah Ferguson. Jacob Greber joins Sarah Ferguson to discuss politics of the day.
Times of Oman
16 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
"Maldives-India relationship always demonstrated that India is the first responder": Ex Maldives Foreign Minister
Male: Former Foreign Minister of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid, noted that India has always been the first responder to Maldives because Indians have a generous heart. Shahid, while talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Maldives on July 25-26, said that the rise in aid from India shows its maturity and generosity. "The relationship between Maldives and India has always demonstrated that India is the first responder. Whenever we dial the international line, India responds first. It is for many reasons. First and foremost, because Indian people have a big heart and they are always ready to assist Maldives in the neighbourhood, they are most generous," he said. He said that despite the tensions, India decided with maturity that no matter what, the relationship between the people of Maldives and India should not change. "Second, India is so close to Maldives geographically. Whenever anything of urgency and distressful happens in Maldives, India has never let us increase in aid by the Indian government shows the generosity and maturity. Despite the diplomatic tension, India decided that the relationship is between people-to-people and governments change, political parties in power change but the relationship that exists between our two people is on solid foundation and has never changed," he said. Shahid said that it was important for Maldives to note that they must not use its neighbours for its own political gains. "It is important that we in Maldives recognise that true friendship requires Maldivian political parties and leadership not to use our neighbouring countries as a punching bag for political convenience. The ground reality hits us quickly, easily and that is what we are seeing," he said. He said that the countries should respect its friends. "So, it will be important for us to refrain from using our friends for political conveniences as a punching bags. We should respect and move forward with a true sense of friendship and cooperation," he said. He said that it was unfortunate that there was a dip in tourism due to diplomatic tensions, further hoping that PM's visit would make everything right. "There is a huge market just next door to us. It is only natural that we tap into the economic boom that is taking place in India. It was unfortunate that there was a dip in Indian tourism around arrivals in the Maldives because of the diplomatic tensions. But I think the PM's visit this time will put everything right," he said. Shahid further said that the current Maldives government will recognise that India is its genuine friend and both countries bear no ill-will towards each other. "The message that we are receiving shows that the current Maldivian government is ready to recognise the ground reality that India is a genuine friend and that India will always work to the greater good of its neighbours and there is no ill-will on the part of anyone. I am hopeful and I look forward to this visit by PM to be a new beginning, a way to further consolidate the relationship between our two countries," he said. He further said that it is important that Maldives recognises that the leadership must not use its friends for political gains and must move forward with respect. "It is important that we in Maldives recognise that true friendship requires Maldivian political parties and leadership not to use our neighbouring countries as a punching bag for political convenience. The ground reality hits us quickly, easily and that is what we are seeing. So, it will be important for us to refrain from using our friends for political conveniences as a punching bags. We should respect and move forward with a true sense of friendship and cooperation," he said. He expressed contentment at the thawing of frozen ties between the two nations. Shahid said that the strain was unfortunate, and was due to incorrect narrative of the current government. "I am delighted by the PM's visit. The PM's visit this time goes beyond symbolism because the PM is making a State Visit coinciding with the 60th anniversary of our independence. He is going to be the Guest of Honour here for the celebrations. This goes beyond symbolism because recently we have had very unfortunate diplomatic strain between Maldives and India because of the narrative that the current government used during the elections," he said. Shahid added that the PM's visit went beyond symbolism as it was taking place on the 60th anniversary of their independence. The visit also acknowledged that the narrative that the government was promoting was untrue. "The hate that was being mongered by the current government accusing our best friend India of such unnecessary things led to this diplomatic strain. It is so important that the PM be here with us as the Guest of Honour during our celebrations of our independence day which is the public recognition by the current administration that what they had been saying and what they had been promoting is not true. So, the Maldivian people are delighted and we are very much looking forward to welcome the PM," he said.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Israel welcomes US withdrawal from UN cultural body UNESCO
Israel's Foreign Minister on Tuesday hailed the United States' decision to withdraw from the UN cultural and education agency UNESCO, thanking Washington for its "moral support and leadership." "This is a necessary step, designed to promote justice and Israel's right for fair treatment in the UN system, a right which has often been trampled due to politicisation in this arena," Gideon Saar posted on X. Announcing its exit, the United States accused UNESCO of being biased against Israel and promoting "divisive" causes. AFP
