WASHINGTON, 02 February 2022, (TON): Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya led the U.S. delegation from Washington in a follow-on meeting of the October 2021 launch of the U.S-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue hosted virtually by Mexican Foreign Secretary Ebrard.

National Security Council Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Juan Gonzalez also joined the U.S. delegation. 

The two governments approved bilateral objectives and agreed to undertake actions in support of the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework on Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities, including continuing to work toward developing indicators to jointly evaluate the impact of our cooperation.

OUAGADOUGOU, 02 February 2022, (TON): The January 23 coup in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou continues a recent trend in West Africa of soldiers mutinying against their leaders over governance-related grievances.

The international condemnation of the coup is providing an opportunity for Russia to gain influence in Burkina Faso, which seeks military support to combat jihadists, but without strings attached to human rights promotion.

Possible Russian collaboration with the new military leaders in Burkina Faso would follow growing Russian military influence in other West African countries, such as neighboring Mali and Central African Republic (CAR).

Although the coup was purportedly intended to increase Burkina Faso’s ability to combat jihadists, the lack of a viable counterinsurgency strategy casts serious doubt on whether the coup will achieve any of its purported goals.

On January 23, another coup rocked West Africa when soldiers in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, detained President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré at a military base and took control over the areas surrounding the president’s residence, the main radio station, and other facilities.

WASHINGTON, 02 February 2022, (TON): A senior US official said that time was running out for nuclear negotiations with Iran and urged Tehran to agree to direct talks to help forge a deal.

Speaking on background, the official said that Iran’s nuclear program was nearing breakout toward nuclear weapons capability, leaving just weeks to reach a deal that would put the program on hold and ease sanctions on the country.

The official said “I think we’re at the point where some of the most critical political decisions have to be made by all sides” in the talks to revive the 2015 deal involving Iran, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.”

The official said “if our goal is to reach an understanding quickly, the optimal way to do that, in any negotiation, is for the parties that have the most at stake to meet directly,” referring to the United States and Iran.

“That’s been our view from the outset: we’re prepared to meet with Iran if they’re prepared to meet with us.”

WASHINGTON, 02 February 2022, (TON): Thanks very much. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining the call. With a break in the talks in Vienna, we wanted to take an opportunity for you to hear from one of our colleagues regarding the current status of things as they stand in relation to a potential mutual return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

What you hear on this call can be attributed to a senior State Department official. We’ll embargo the contents of this call until its conclusion.

Just for your background and not for reporting purposes, we have with us today . But this will be on background, attributed to a senior State Department official and embargoed until its conclusion. So with that, I will turn it over to my colleague. Please, go ahead.

Senior State Department Official said thank you, and thanks again to all of you for joining us. It’s been a while.

The good news for us is that it means when we are back with you, it means the team is back in D.C., and I think this was it’s been such a long time, it’s good for everyone to be back home for even if it’s just for a short while.

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot recently about people saying that this is the endgame, time for political decisions, that we were one of my colleagues said that we are now in the ballpark. And I want to sort of deconstruct what all that means.

MOSCOW, 02 February 2022, (TON): The nuclear submarine “Knyaz Oleg” of the Borey-A project has arrived at the Northern Fleet, the Sevmash press service reported.

The report says “the nuclear submarine Knyaz Oleg, built at Sevmash (part of USC), has arrived at the Northern Fleet. This is a temporary base for the Borei-A project. It will serve in the Pacific Fleet.”

It is noted that the ship was examined by the commander of the Northern Fleet, Admiral Alexander Moiseev and the commission of the fleet.

The press service said “the commander assessed the state of the agro-industrial complex, noted the professionalism of the crew members and their desire to master the nuclear submarine as soon as possible.”

Sevmash noted that the personnel of the Northern Fleet will undergo a basic training complex and pass course tasks at sea.

The press service said “after the crew confirms their readiness for the inter-fleet transition, the Knyaz Oleg APK will go to its permanent duty station the Pacific Fleet. The nuclear-powered ship will be based in Vilyuchinsk.”

DOHA, 02 February 2022, (TON): Qatar’s energy minister told the European Union that his country could not rescue Europe alone if Russia turned off gas supplies amid spiking tensions over Ukraine.

But the minister, Saad Al-Kaabi, told EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson that Qatar was ready to help Europe in times of need.

Officials said “the United States has raised the possibility of Qatar, one of the world’s leading gas producers, supplying Western European nations in talks.”

The Ukraine crisis was a key topic in a meeting on Monday between US President Joe Biden and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

In a video conference, Kaabi told the EU official that Qatar hoped the tensions in Europe could be resolved through diplomacy.

“Qatar stands ready to support our partners around the world in times of need,” he said.

BRUSSELS, 02 February 2022, (TON): High Repres-entative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell held a quadrilateral call with US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Zbigniew Rau.

They discussed latest developments and diplomatic activities related to Russia’s military build-up in and around Ukraine and Moscow’s demands for rearrangements in European security, including the letter by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of 31 January.

While replies are being prepared, they reaffirmed the need to uphold the fundamental principles of the European security architecture. They agreed to continue discussions to address the current security situation, including through bilateral and multilateral engagement and close coordination at all levels.

LONDON, 02 February 2022, (TON): The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt. Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP today announced the appointment of Marie Breen Smyth to the role of Independent Reviewer of National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland.

The appointment will take effect on 1 February 2022 and will last for one year.

The Independent Reviewer of National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland reviews annually the operation of the arrangements for national security matters.

Prior to her appointment Professor Breen Smyth was on the academic staff of the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she remains a Visiting Professor.

She was 2002-3 Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow in the United States Institute for Peace. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Surrey since 2015 and was previously Associate Dean. She has held academic positions at Aberystwyth University in Wales, Smith College in Massachusetts and Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

She founded and directed The Institute for Conflict Research in Belfast and initiated The Cost of the Troubles Study, a 30-month investigation into the effects of the Troubles on the population of Northern Ireland. She has held a range of public appointments; as Non-Executive Director of a Health Board; as Chair of the Research Ethics Committee overseeing clinical trials; and as universities representative on the British Council.

JEDDAH, 02 February 2022, (TON): The Council of Ministers has chosen Feb. 22 to commemorate the Founding Day of Saudi Arabia.

Annual celebrations will recognize the foundation of the first Saudi state in 1727 by Imam Mohammed bin Saud, a move that brought unity, peace, and stability to the Arabian Peninsula following centuries of fragmentation and dissension.

Cabinet members intend the day to be marked with pride and to focus on the history of the country and its leaders.

During the council meeting, ministers also discussed ways to further strengthen international relations and channels of communication and lauded the restoration of diplomatic ties between the Kingdom and Thailand in the wake of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s recent visit to Riyadh for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Minister of Media Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, told the Saudi Press Agency that the Cabinet had reviewed the outcome of a recent meeting of Arab foreign ministers, held in Kuwait, aimed at improving cooperation on regional development, peace, prosperity, and security issues.

WASHINGTON, 02 February 2022, (TON): Thank you for joining us here today. We know how important the work governors do is to the health of our people and our economy because in so much of our work at the Department of the Treasury, you are our most critical partners.

I’ve seen your great work firsthand, in my travels across the country from Connecticut to California, New York to Nevada, and elsewhere, where I’ve seen countless innovative ways American Rescue Plan funds are being used to meet immediate needs while also focusing on an equitable economic recovery for the long term.

For example, Maryland is investing $92 million in helping connect workers impacted by the pandemic connect to new employment through training, apprenticeships, transitional employment, and summer youth programs, while Connecticut has created an innovative program to use Emergency Rental Assistance funds to proactively help households pay their utilities bills and keep the lights on, as well as stay in their homes.

Much of this work has been driven by the $350 billion the American Rescue Plan provided for states and localities to ensure we did not repeat the mistakes of the last recession, where state budget and job cuts held back the recovery for far too long.