KABUL, 04 December 2021, (TON): Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai called the Taliban “brothers” and said “he had good exchanges with the group on many issues.”

Karzai, who was the president of Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014 and waged war against the Taliban, said “I see the Taliban very much as brothers and I see all other Afghans as brothers.”

He told the British broadcaster “the country now needs to come together.”

“We are a people. We are a nation. All Afghans have suffered.”

Karzai expressed optimism that women and girls would soon be able to return to schools, universities and the workplace, from which they are currently banned by the interim Taliban government.

After discussing the issue with the Taliban leaders, Karzai claimed “they agree with us, understand it and say it will happen” though he did not give a date.

The former president also called on Afghans, who fled abroad as the Taliban took control of the country in August, to return home and help rebuild Afghanistan.

KABUL, 04 December 2021, (TON): The Taliban decreed they were banning forced marriage of women in Afghanistan, a move apparently meant to address criteria the international community consider a precondition to recognising their government and restoring aid to the war-torn country.

The move was announced by the reclusive Taliban chief, Hibatullah Akhunzada, a cleric chosen as the group’s supreme leader who is believed to be in the southern city of Kandahar.

It comes as poverty is surging in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in August amid the withdrawal of US and Nato troops.

Since then, foreign governments have halted funds that had been a mainstay of the economy.

The decree said “both (women and men) should be equal.”

It added that “no one can force women to marry by coercion or pressure.”

NAYPYITAW, 04 December 2021, (TON): The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) clashed with the Myanmar military in Hpakant and Mohnyin townships, a little under a week after the junta launched airstrikes against the rebel group in Mohnyin.

Colonel Naw Bu, the KIA’s information officer said “about 50 soldiers from the junta’s Infantry Battalion 42 attacked KIA territory near Nyaung Htauk village in Mohnyin.”

He told media “we were only defending against them; they were heading towards our base on the ground.”

The clash ended at about 6pm. Naw Bu did not disclose details of casualties.

There was another clash the same day near Wailon village, which sits along the road linking Hpakant with Mohnyin, about 17 miles from Hpakant’s urban center.

A junta artillery unit from Hpakant fired around 30 shells at the site of the clash between 3pm and 8pm, a local said.

He said “the shelling from Hpakant was so loud that my house was shaken.”

NAYPYITAW, 04 December 2021, (TON): Myanmar’s junta slammed a UN decision to deny its chosen representative a seat at the world body and keep in place an envoy appointed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s ousted government.

Diplomats said “the committee responsible for approving nominations of ambassadors to the New York body met Wednesday but deferred a decision over the rival claims to Myanmar and Afghanistan’s seats.”

The deferral keeps in place envoys appointed to the body by both governments before they were toppled by a coup in Myanmar in February and the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan in August.

Myanmar junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said “this decision does not reflect the reality on the ground and existence of our country.”

He added “we will continue submitting (to the UN) as usual according to diplomatic procedure and the right to representation in accordance with international and local laws.”

The deferral leaves Kyaw Moe Tun, appointed by Suu Kyi’s government, in place as Myanmar’s envoy.

DHAKA, 04 December 2021, (TON): Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki said that Japan expects Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pay an official visit to Japan in 2022, the year of 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On the auspicious occasion that falls on February 10, 2022, Bangladesh and Japan agreed to take their bilateral relations to the next level.

The Japanese Ambassador highly appreciated the socio-economic development of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and assured of continuing its support to Bangladesh.

This was discussed when Japanese Ambassador Naiko met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam at his office.

The State Minister and the Ambassador expressed their satisfaction at the ever-expanding bilateral cooperation between the two countries and agreed to organize befitting commemorative events both in Dhaka and Tokyo.

Ambassador Naoki expressed that the inauguration of Metro Rail Line 6 in 2022 would be an appropriate event on the 50th anniversary.

The Japanese envoy also highlighted that the Arihajar Special Economic Zone would see Japanese and international investment worth of $1 billion beginning next year.

DHAKA, 04 December 2021, (TON): Bangladesh Labor Party urged the United Nations to take initiatives to stop the killing of Bangladesh nationals by the Border Security Force of India along the Bangladesh-India border.

A press release said “the party chairman Mustafizur Rahman Iran made the demand in a human chain formed by the party in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka to protest against border killing by BSF.

Condemning border killings by the BSF, Iran alleged that innocent Bangladesh nationals were being killed by the BSF along the border in violation of the international border law.

He criticised Bangladesh government and said that the government's knee-jerk foreign policy was responsible for the border killings.

Iran alleged that members of the BSF were involved in illegal trade and smuggling along the border.

He urged the Bangladesh government to go to the International Court of Justice for filing a case seeking justice for the victims of border killings.

RIYADH, 03 December 2021, (TON): Military Chief of Staff of Saudi Arabia Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili met the commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command, Vice Adm. Charles Cooper, in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues of common interest and cooperation between the Saudi and American naval forces to ensure the security and stability of the region.

ADDIS ABABA, 03 December 2021, (TON): The UN aid chief warned “Ethiopia risks descending into sectarian violence and experiencing a chaotic Kabul-style exodus if the year-long conflict spreads to the capital Addis Ababa.”

In an interview, Martin Griffiths expressed deep concern for the stability of a nation of 115 million people composed of more than 80 ethnic groups.

Griffiths, the UN undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, said the conflict in Ethiopia has sparked perhaps the world’s most worrying humanitarian crisis.

He warned that a battle in the capital Addis Ababa and increasing communal violence could worsen the situation “exponentially.”

Humanitarian organizations have been scrambling to respond to soaring needs in Ethiopia, and laying contingency plans in case the crisis deepens.

Griffiths said “the worst I think from a humanitarian perspective (would be) if there is a battle for Addis or turmoil around there, leading to increased communal violence across the country.”

“If that were to happen, we’re facing something I don’t think we have faced before for many, many years: We’re facing a fracture … of the fabric of Ethiopia.”

The chaos flowing from such a situation would be far worse than what has happened in the last 13 months.

Thousands of people have been killed, two million displaced and hundreds of thousands driven into famine-like conditions since the conflict erupted in November 2020, according to UN estimates.

WASHINGTON, 03 December 2021, (TON): Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Stockholm on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial.

Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Kuleba discussed the need for a diplomatic, peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Donbas and the full restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty over its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea, in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.

The Secretary reconfirmed the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity and stressed the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the best path forward.

WASHINGTON, 03 December 2021, (TON): Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State has said that on behalf of the United States of America, I want to convey our warm wishes to the people of the United Arab Emirates as you mark the Golden Jubilee of your nation.

We have enjoyed an enduring partnership through the last fifty years.  It is one built on economic ties, innovation, people-to-people exchanges, and a commitment to regional security and stability.

I commend the United Arab Emirates for the historic cooperation with Israel forged over the past year through the Abraham Accords. 

I also congratulate you on the success of Expo 2020 Dubai, and our partnership to deliver programs at the USA Pavilion to showcase American culture, commerce, and innovation.

We look forward to working with the UAE on shared global priorities during your tenure on the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, and advancing our joint efforts to combat climate change and food insecurity.