DHAKA, 20 November 2021, (TON): Bangladesh has urged the South African government to establish a diplomatic representation in Dhaka in order to facilitate consular and other cooperation as the two countries seek greater cooperation in broader areas.

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen made the request during a meeting with South African minister of international relations and cooperation Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor at State Guest House Padma.

Momen sought continued cooperation of South Africa in Rohingya repatriation issue.

He sought support of the government of South Africa at IMO and other Bangladesh candidature.

Pandor paid a bilateral visit to Bangladesh after her engagements at IORA 21st Council of Ministers meetings in Dhaka.

She was accompanied by high officials of South African foreign ministry and the South African high commissioner in India.

At the outset of the meeting, Momen briefed her about the development march of Bangladesh under the prudent leadership of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the huge socio-economic progress achieved by Bangladesh during the last decade.

During the meeting, both sides discussed important issues of mutual interest and cooperation.

KAMPALA, 20 November 2021, (TON): Police said “Ugandan authorities have killed at least five people, including a Muslim cleric, accused of having ties to the extremist group responsible for Tuesday's suicide bombings in the capital.”

Police spokesman Fred Enanga said “four men were killed in a shootout in a frontier town near the western border with Congo as they tried to cross back into Uganda. A fifth man, a cleric named Muhammad Kirevu, was killed in “a violent confrontation" when security forces raided his home outside Kampala.”

A second cleric, Suleiman Nsubuga, is the subject of a manhunt, he said, accusing the two clerics of radicalizing young Muslim men and encouraging them to join underground cells to carry out violent attacks.

The police raids come after the explosions on Tuesday in which at least four civilians were killed when suicide bombers detonated their explosives at two locations in Kampala. One attack happened near the parliamentary building and the second near a busy police station. The attacks sparked chaos and confusion in the city as well as outpourings of concern from the international community.

Enanga said “a total of 21 suspects with alleged links to the perpetrators are in custody.”

RIYADH, 20 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry announced the reopening of the Kingdom’s embassy in Somalia.

The ministry said “it appreciated the Somali government’s efforts in facilitating the reopening of the Kingdom’s embassy in Mogadishu which confirms the depth of relations between the two countries.”

It added that it looks forward to strengthening Saudi-Somali cooperation in order to achieve more growth and prosperity for the two countries and their peoples.

BRUSSELS, 20 November 2021, (TON): The European Union strongly condemns the Russian Federation’s conduct of a kinetic direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon test against its own satellite, COSMOS 1408, resulting in its destruction by a missile, as a clear act of irresponsible behaviour in outer space.

It generated a large amount of space debris that constitute a long-lasting risk for crewed and un-crewed space activities, including for the safety of astronauts and cosmonauts at the International Space Station.

This action goes also against the principles reflected in the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and will jeopardize the free access to and use of space for all States for many years. It also contradicts the position expressed by the Russian Federation in multilateral fora, including in its contribution to the report of the UN Secretary General on responsible behaviour in outer space. This puts the credibility of its stance into question.

The conduct of such tests are dangerous and highly destabilising, as potentially leading to deteriorating the confidence between space actors, increasing the perception of threats. This could lead to potential catastrophic consequences.

The European Union continues to urge all States to refrain from the irresponsible behaviour of destructing space objects that generate space debris in order to preserve the safe, secure and sustainable use of outer space for present and future generations.

RIYADH, 20 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh received his Indonesian counterpart Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and his accompanying delegation as part of their official visit to the Kingdom.

Qoumas praised the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries, which he described as strong, praising the Kingdom’s efforts in spreading moderation, caring for the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, and serving pilgrims.

He added that the preventive measures taken by Saudi Arabia to address the coronavirus disease pandemic and to ensure the safety of pilgrims reflected positively on the Kingdom, opening the door for more pilgrims in the future.

Al-Asheikh affirmed the distinguished relations and cooperation between the two sides in Islamic affairs, spreading the concept of moderation and countering extremism, and hate speech.

WASHINGTON, 20 November 2021, (TON): The US government wants to maintain open and clear lines of communication with Beijing. The coordinator for the Indian and Pacific Oceans at the National Security Council at the White House Kurt Campbell said on Friday at a conference organized by the Washington Institute for Peace.

He said “the first and most important thing is to have open, clear lines of communication.”

He noted that the importance of deep engagement within which the parties can discuss issues of disagreement, as well as “promising areas” where joint work is possible.

Campbell said “he also spoke about the need for interaction at the highest level. “Ensuring that there is an open, respectful line of communication between the two [leaders] is a vital part of our diplomacy.”

At the same time, he noted that the main characteristic of relations between the United States and China is now competition.

He added “we compete on all fronts. We believe in responsible and healthy competition.”

Chinese President Xi Ji-nping made it clear to B-iden at a video-conference summit that US foreign policy steps in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) in the security sphere “cause heartburn” in Beijing.

BRUSSELS, 20 November 2021, (TON): The Council adopted a decision establishing a €40 million assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) in support of the Republic of Mozambique.

This assistance measure complements an urgent measure amounting to €4 million approved by the Council under the EPF on 30 July 2021 for the most urgently required equipment.

With the measure decided, the EU will support the Mozambican military units trained by the EU military training mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique), and enable them to conduct security operations in the country’s northern province of Cabo Delgado.

The assistance measure will, in particular, provide adequate, non-lethal equipment to strengthen the capacities of the first Mozambican army companies scheduled to be the first to benefit from the EUTM Mozambique’s training.

This includes individual and collective equipment, ground mobility assets, technical tools and a field hospital.

The provision of the assistance will be subject to the compliance of the EUTM-trained units of the Mozambican armed forces with relevant international law, in particular international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as with relevant legal instruments and best practices based on international and EU rules, standards and policies in the area of the supply of military equipment.

WASHINGTON, 20 November 2021, (TON): The United States rebuffed an appeal by the Taliban to release Afghan assets frozen after their takeover, saying the new government in Kabul must “earn” legitimacy first.

Thomas West, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in a tweeted statement that Washington had long made clear that if the Taliban claimed power by military force rather than negotiating with the previous US-backed government, that critical non-humanitarian aid would be cut off.

West said “that is what occurred.”

He said “legitimacy & support must be earned by actions to address terrorism, establish an inclusive government, & respect the rights of minorities, women & girls, including equal access to education & employment.”

In an open letter the Taliban called on the US Congress to release Afghan assets frozen after their takeover of the country in August.

Washington seized nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank, and the aid-dependent economy has effectively collapsed, with civil servants unpaid for months and the treasury unable to pay for imports.

PARIS, 20 November 2021, (TON): French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Friday that he would not “abandon” fishermen demanding post-Brexit licences for waters off the Channel island of Jersey, escalating a battle of words that could spiral into a trade war.

Macron told journalists during a visit to northern France “we are going to continue to fight, we will not abandon our fishermen.”

He called on the European Commission to step up its efforts to pressure Jersey, a British crown dependency, to honour what France says are the terms of the post-Brexit trade accord with the bloc.

Macron said “the Commission must protect us. It has to see this through, but it’s moving too slowly, too weakly.”

He added that if the Commission doesn’t play its part, France will do it.

“I refuse returning to a bilateral discussion,” he added, because “this isn’t a question for France and the British, but a question of respecting your word.”

WASHINGTON, 20 November 2021, (TON): The United States warned China after a standoff in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines, saying it stood by Manila amid an escalation that directly threatens regional peace and stability.

US State Department Ned Price said in a statement “Beijing should not interfere with lawful Philippine activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.”

The Philippines condemned "in strongest terms" the actions of three Chinese coast guard vessels that it said blocked and used water cannon on resupply boats headed towards a Philippine-occupied atoll in the South China Sea.

Price said "the United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order and reaffirms that an armed attack on Philippine public vessels in the South China Sea would invoke US mutual defense commitments.”