Latest news with #foreign ministers
Arab News
a day ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Australia, Britain to hold talks on boosting defense and economic ties
SYDNEY: Australia and Britain's defense and foreign ministers will hold talks in Sydney on Friday on boosting cooperation, coinciding with Australia's largest war games and the first visit by a British carrier strike group in three decades, Australia said. Following the Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN), Britain's Foreign Minister David Lammy and Defense Secretary John Healey are scheduled to travel to the northern garrison city of Darwin, where the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has arrived for the Talisman Sabre war games. Australia sees Britain as a critical partner and the two countries are working closely amid 'shared strategic challenges in an increasingly complex and uncertain world,' Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement. As many as 40,000 troops from 19 countries are taking part in the Talisman Sabre exercises held from July 13 to August 4, which Australia's military has said are a rehearsal of joint war fighting that contribute to stability in the Indo-Pacific. Britain has significantly increased its participation in the exercise co-hosted by Australia and the United States, with 3,000 troops taking part. The talks are expected to focus on progressing the AUKUS partnership for Britain and Australia to build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine, even as the United States reviews the trilateral defense technology agreement and presses Australia to increase defense spending. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Britain and Australia were 'longstanding friends' and the two countries wanted to modernize the relationship. 'From building defense capability and boosting economic resilience, to standing up for human rights, advancing gender equality, and defending the international rules and institutions that protect us all,' she said in a statement.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Group of 25 countries tell Israel to end the war ‘now'
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and 24 other foreign ministers, along with the EU's Commissioner for Equality, have condemned Israel for depriving Gazans of "human dignity". They urged the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on aid flow and called for the war to "end now", describing the suffering of civilians as having reached "new depths". The ministers stated that proposals to move 600,000 Palestinians to a "humanitarian city" in Rafah are "completely unacceptable" and constitute a violation of international humanitarian law. They condemned the "drip feeding of aid" and the killing of hundreds of Palestinians while seeking assistance, calling Israel's denial of essential humanitarian aid unacceptable. Mr Lammy later told the Commons that ignoring calls from the UK and other nations for the war in Gaza to end is "tarnishing greatly the reputation of Israel".
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Israel depriving Gazans of ‘human dignity', say UK and 24 other countries in call to end war now
Foreign secretary David Lammy has joined other foreign ministers in condemning the Israeli government for depriving Gazans 'of human dignity'. Mr Lammy and his counterparts from 24 other countries, including France, Australia and Canada, along with the European Union's commissioner for equality, urged the Israeli government to ' immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid'. They called for the war to 'end now' and described proposals to move 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called 'humanitarian city' in Rafah as 'completely unacceptable'. In a statement shared on Monday afternoon, the politicians said: 'The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. 'The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability, and deprives Gazans of human dignity. 'We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.' They said it is 'horrifying' that hundreds of Palestinians 'have been killed while seeking aid' and that the 'Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable'. The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. In the statement, the countries say they 'strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the occupied Palestinian territories'. The foreign ministers reiterated calls for the remaining people being held hostage by Hamas to be released and asked for 'all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law'. They urged the international community to 'unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire'. Earlier in July, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz laid out plans for the 'humanitarian city' in Rafah, Gaza's most southern city, which has been heavily damaged during the war. He reportedly said that the military would initially move 600,000 Palestinians there, with the aim of eventually transferring the whole population to Rafah. 'Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a 'humanitarian city' are completely unacceptable,' the foreign ministers said on Monday. 'Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.' The signatories also pledged that they would be 'prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire'.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Gaza war ‘must end now', say Lammy and 24 other foreign ministers
Foreign Secretary David Lammy and foreign ministers from 24 other nations have condemned the Israeli government for depriving Gazans of "human dignity" and urged an immediate lifting of aid restrictions. The group, including representatives from France, Australia, and Canada, described proposals to move 600,000 Palestinians to a "humanitarian city" in Rafah as "completely unacceptable" and a violation of international law. They criticised the "drip feeding of aid" and the "inhumane killing of civilians" seeking basic necessities, saying that hundreds have died while trying to access assistance. The ministers said "the war in Gaza must end now" with an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire". They also reiterated demands for the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Israel depriving Gazans of ‘human dignity', says UK and 25 other countries in call to end war now
David Lammy has joined other foreign ministers in condemning the Israeli government for depriving Gazans "of human dignity" as they called for the war to "end now". The foreign secretary and counterparts from 24 other nations including Australia, Canada and France, plus the EU commissioner for equality, urged the Israeli government to "immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid". They also described proposals to move 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called "humanitarian city" in Rafah as "completely unacceptable".
