MOSCOW, 30 November 2021, (TON): Russia is seriously concerned about the development of events on the site of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

This was stated by the deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Oleg Ryazantsev, who is the head of the Russian delegation at the 26th session of the Conference of the Org-anization’s member states, which opened.

“Centrifugal tendencies are growing, the practice of making decisions by consensus has been lost, the atmosphere is utterly politicized,” stated Ryazantsev, whose text of his speech was circulated on the OPCW website.

He called the primary reason for the emerging situation “the desire of a small group of states to replace international law with their own invented rules.”

In this context, he recalled that in 2018 the OPCW’s technical secretariat was empowered with prosecutorial functions to identify those responsible for the use of chemical weapons and create an illegitimate Investigation and Identification Group, which in its reports accused Syria of using chemical weapons.

The deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said “our organization is undermined by the campaign orchestrated by a small group of countries in connection with the case of the alleged poisoning of [Alexei] Navalny in August 2020.”

WASHINGTON, 30 November 2021, (TON): US’s Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministerial in Riga, Latvia, November 30-December 1, 2021.

During his visit, the Secretary will meet with Latvian President Egils Levits, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics to discuss the U.S.-Latvian shared commitment to NATO and Transatlantic security and to increasing coordination on global challenges.

The United States and Latvia are strategic allies and partners, with a relationship built on mutual commitments to democracy, freedom, rule of law, security, and prosperity.

Having established diplomatic relations in 1922, the United States never recognized the Soviet Union’s forcible occupation of Latvia in 1940.

Following the restoration of Latvia’s independence in 1991, the United States worked closely with the people of Latvia as they rebuilt their institutions to ensure their personal liberty, economic freedom, and sovereignty.

BARCELONA, 30 November 2021, (TON): The Sixth Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) gathered Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Euro-Mediterranean region on 29 November 2021 in Barcelona under the Co-Presidency of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the European Union to take stock of progress achieved and to guide further work ahead.

The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to recognize the importance played by the UfM as a unique, action-driven platform promoting regular dialogue and cooperation, and concretely addressing common challenges in view of a more peaceful, secure, green, prosperous and inclusive Mediterranean region.

The UfM can contribute to these goals in the Mediterranean region by creating, through dialogue and cooperation, a political environment that is conducive to the solution, in relevant fora and on the basis of agreed parameters, of the conflicts and the political tensions affecting members of the UfM.

The need to strengthen efforts to solve protracted conflicts and crises that are depriving the region from its right to peace and stability was emphasised.

Regarding the Middle East peace process, recent high-level contacts between the parties were welcomed, including agreeing on measures to improve the socio-economic conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory.

All steps were encouraged that contribute to creating political horizons to achieve just and comprehensive Middle East peace and to relaunch effective negotiations to solve the Palestinian Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution and in accordance with international law.

RIYADH, 30 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia denounced the visit of Israel’s president to Ibrahimi mosque in the West Bank, calling the act a flagrant violation of its sanctity.

According to a Saudi foreign ministry statement “Saudi Arabia called on the international community to assume its responsibilities to stop the Israeli government and its officials’ continuous practices towards Islamic sanctities.”

Saudi Arabia called on the international community to assume its responsibilities to stop the Israeli government and its officials’ continuous practices towards Islamic sanctities.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the site to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, sparking scuffles between Israeli security forces and protesters.

BEIJING, 30 November 2021, (TON): Iran, China and Russia held useful informal consultations ahead of the Vienna talks on rebuilding the Iranian nuclear deal.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, said “the meeting helped to better understand Iran’s renewed position.”

Ulyanov wrote on Twitter “China, Iran and Russia held trilateral informal consultations in preparation for the official resumption of the Vienna talks on November 29. The exchange of views was useful primarily for a better understanding of Tehran’s renewed negotiating position.”

In Vienna on November 29, the seventh round of negotiations will begin on the restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, which was interrupted in June due to elections in Iran and the formation of a new government there.

BRUSSELS, 30 November 2021, (TON): European Union and Nato leaders vowed to counter “hybrid threats” during visits to Lithuania and Latvia dominated by the Belarus migrant crisis and Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also repeated his call on Russia to de-escalate its military build-up on the border with Ukraine and warned of consequences if it used force.

The visit by Stoltenberg and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen came ahead of a meeting of Nato foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Latvia this week.

Stoltenberg and von der Leyen both accused Belarus of orchestrating the migrant crisis on its border as a “hybrid” threat against the European Union, a charge that the regime has denied. A hybrid threat is a security challenge combining traditional military means and non-military tactics such as disinformation.

Von der Leyen said at a joint news conference with Stoltenberg and Lithuanian leaders in Vilnius “to respond to such events, it is important that the European Union and Nato work hand in hand.”

Stoltenberg said “we discussed how we could step up our joint work between Nato and the EU”.

Von der Leyen said the EU had decided to triple to $226 million its funding for border management in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland for 2021 and 2022.

She said the money would go on patrol vehicles and electronic surveillance, including drones.

KABUL, 30 November 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi and accompanying delegation met with the UK Charge d’Affaires for Afghanistan Mission Martin Longden and discussed the humanitarian, economic and security situation of Afghanistan in Qatar.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs IEA delegation assured them about security and emphasized that Afghanistan seeks positive relations with the world, similarly urging transparent and urgent health assistance to Afghanistan.

Balkhi added “in the end, both sides agreed to continue such dialogue.

KABUL, 30 November 2021, (TON): This weekend the EU held a two-day dialogue in Doha with members of the Taliban declared interim Afghan government (‘the Afghan delegation’). This dialogue does not imply recognition by the EU of the interim government but is part of EU’s operational engagement, in the interest of the EU and the Afghan people.

According to the humanitarian principles of humanity, independence, impartiality and neutrality to ensure access to those in need “the two sides expressed grave concern about the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as winter is arriving. The EU delegation stated that the EU intends to continue providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan women, men and children in need.”

Both sides underlined the necessity of humanitarian access and of men and women participating in assessing the needs for, and the delivery of, humanitarian assistance to ensure equal access for women, men and children.

The EU delegation welcomed the confirmation by the Afghan delegation that humanitarian and ‘humanitarian+’ assistance will not be subject to taxation. The Afghan delegation recalled its commitment to resume the payment of salaries to all civil servants, who in many cases have not received their salary since May.

The Afghan delegation recalled its commitment to the rule of law and good governance. The EU delegation underlined the importance of democracy and called for any possible constitutional reform to be implemented through a transparent and participatory process.

Both sides expressed their commitment to the territorial integrity of a sovereign Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours, interacting with the international community based on national sovereignty and mutual respect and recognition of all its national and international responsibilities.

ISLAMABAD, 30 November 2021, (TON): According to sources “progress has been made on the stream gas pipeline project between Pakistan and Russia, with deadlines for the signing of essential agreements and paperwork finalised.”

According to diplomatic sources, Russia has approved key aspects of the construction of a stream gas pipeline in Pakistan. The dates for signing key documents and agreements for the stream gas pipeline project have been set. Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2022.

 It was learnt that Pakistan and Russia have agreed on a dialogue draft for making progress on the shareholders’ agreement. An agreement to formally establish a company for pipeline’s construction will be signed on January 31, 2022.

Sources said “the signing of the legal documents will pave way for the establishment of a special purpose company. Islamabad and Moscow will sign the stream gas pipeline project’s shareholders’ agreement on February 15.”

In addition, Pakistan and Russia have reached an agreement on the provision of infrastructure for the construction of the Stream gas pipeline. On February 15, the applicable agreement covering the facilities will be signed as well.

The project seeks to build a 1,100-kilometre-long stream gas pipeline that will supply 12.6 billion cubic metres of gas at a cost of $2.5 billion to $3 billion.

In July, Pakistan and Russia had signed an agreement for the construction of a 1,100-kilometre-long stream gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore which will be completed by 2023.

ISLAMABAD, 30 November 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi welcomed on Monday Saudi Arabia's move to request an extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and announced that Pakistan had offered to host the meeting in Islamabad on December 17.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), Qureshi said “Pakistan fully endorses the initiative taken by Saudi Arabia and expressed confidence that other OIC members would also back the proposal.”

“According to state-run Saudi Press Agency “Saudi Arabia, which is the chair of the OIC summit, made the call for the extraordinary session the same day.”

The agency reported that the meeting had been called to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and "pathways for an urgent humanitarian response", acknowledging Pakistan's offer to host the summit.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, the country already struggling with drought and severe poverty after decades of war has seen its economy all but collapse, raising the spectre of an exodus of refugees.

According to the FO's statement “Qureshi, too, highlighted the need for providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan in these difficult times.”