NEW DELHI, 30 June 2021, (TON): The US has appointed Indian-American career diplomat Atul Keshap, an old India-hand at the state department, as the country's Charge'd Affairs in Delhi.

The US State Department said "Ambassador Keshap's appointment will reinforce the close US partnership with the Government and people of India, demonstrated by our collaboration to overcome global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.”

It said that Keshap, 50, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, wil be departing for New Delhi to serve as Charged' Affaires, ad interim, following the retirement of Ambassador Daniel  Smith.

ISLAMABAD, 30 June 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Imran Khan has said come what may Pakistan will not succumb to US pressure into downgrading its ties with China as relations between the two countries are very deep.

The premier categorically stated in an interview with CGTN, China's state media TV “If pressure is put on Pakistan to change its relations or downgrade its ties with China, it would not happen.”

PM Imran added that Pakistan and China have “very special relationship”, spanning over 70 years and nothing could change these time-tested ties.

To a query, the prime minister emphatically reiterated that, “Whatever will happen,  relationship between our two countries, no matter what pressure is put on us, is not going to change.”

“This could create problems. US formed a regional alliance called ‘Quad’ including India and couple of other countries.

He maintained “So, from that point of view, Pakistan thinks that it is very unfair of the US and other western power [to make] countries like Pakistan to take sides. Why should we take sides! We should have good relationship with everyone.”

He added “relationship between Pakistan and China is very deep, it’s not just the governments, but its people to people relationship.”

KABUL, 30 June 2021, (TON): The Ministry of Trade and Industry held a one day expo of Afghan products in Beijing in China, the ministry said.

The exhibition, titled Afghan Bazaar, showcased goods by a number of local companies including carpets, saffron and jewelry and handicrafts.

The expo was warmly welcomed by hundreds of visitors, including Chinese officials, ambassadors, foreign diplomats living in Beijing, representatives of Chinese chambers of commerce and trade unions, Chinese businessmen and a large number of Beijing citizens.

The ministry said “an estimated 800 people flocked to the expo.”

This expo provided a good opportunity to introduce and market Afghanistan’s goods and aimed to pave the way for stronger trade ties between the two countries, the ministry said.

ADDIS ABABA, 29 June 2021, (TON): Ethiopia’s government declared a unilateral ceasefire in its northern Tigray region after rebel fighters retook Mekelle, the regional capital, following nearly eight months of conflict that the United Nations says has pushed 350,000 people to the brink of famine.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the former governing party in the region, said “on Monday it was back in control of Mekelle, and residents reported seeing troops in Tigray regional uniforms in the city for the first time since November.”

Getachew Reda, spokesperson for the TPLF, said “The capital of Tigray, Mekelle, is under our control.”

The statement on the “immediate, unilateral” ceasefire carried by state media came shortly after the Tigray interim administration, appointed by the federal government after routing TPLF forces, fled Mekelle and called for a truce to allow desperately needed aid to be delivered.

“This unilateral ceasefire declaration starts from today June 28, 2021 and will stay until the farming season ends,” a statement released by the federal government late on Monday read. Ethiopia’s main planting season lasts from May to September.

YEREVAN, 29 June 2021, (TON): Armenia’s Central Election Commission says official results from snap parliamentary elections confirm a landslide victory for acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party while rejecting opposition demands to annul the results.

According to the final results, Pashinian’s party received 53.91 percent of the vote in the June 20 elections, while the Hayastan Alliance of former President Robert Kocharian and the Pativ Unem Alliance affiliated with former President Serzh Sarkisian got 21-.90 percent and 5.22 percent of the vote respectively.

Even though Pativ Unem failed to clear the 7 percent threshold set for alliances to enter parliament, it has been allowed representation since by law, there must be at least three parties present in the legislature.

According to the Central Election Commission, the results translate into 71 seats for Civil Contract, a constitutional majority, while Hayastan and Pativ Unem will control 29 and seven mandates in the 107-seat National Assembly.

The alliances of the two former presidents, as well as the Zartonk National-Christian Party, which also failed to clear the 5 percent threshold for political parties, had applied to the Central Election Commission for the election results to be ruled invalid due to alleged irregularities. They have claimed that Pashinian violated the constitution by continuing to act as prime minister after May 10 when parliament was dissolved, as well as alleging the use of administrative resources by the ruling party, as well as other alleged violations on election day that they claimed had an impact on the outcome of the vote.

The Central Election Commission rejected the demands by opposition groups to annul the results, instead reaffirming them.

KATHMANDU, 29 June 2021, (TON): The Canadian government has provided a consignment of critical medical support to Nepal to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Canada, in a response to a request of Nepal government, delivered 27 ventilators and related consumables, 15048 face shields and 1,890 disposable gowns in a charter flight.

Dr Buddha Basnyat, Honorary Consul of Canada to Nepal handed over the medical supplies to Dr Roshan Pokhrel, Chief Specialist at the Ministry of Health and Population amid a brief ceremony held at Tribhuvan International Airport.

The government of Nepal has expressed sincere gratitude to the government and friendly people of Canada for the timely cooperation .

WASHINGTON, 29 June 2021, (TON): The Ministers and representatives of the United States, Italy, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and representatives of the League of Arab States and European Union, met on the margins of the Defeat ISIS Coalition Ministerial to discuss the crisis in Syria.

They stressed the critical importance of meeting humanitarian needs, including life-saving assistance and COVID-19 response for all Syrians in need through all modalities, including through the provision and expansion of the UN cross-border mechanism to which there is no adequate alternative.  They also underlined the importance of continued support to Syrian refugees and host countries until Syrians can voluntarily return home with safety and dignity in line with UNHCR standards.

They welcomed UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen’s briefing and reaffirmed strong support for UN-led efforts to implement all aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, including continued support for an immediate nation-wide ceasefire, the unimpeded and safe delivery of aid, and the Constitutional Committee, as well as fighting against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Reaffirming the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, we remain committed to continue working actively to reach a credible, sustainable, and inclusive political solution based on Resolution 2254.  This is the only solution that will bring an end to Syria’s decade long conflict and guarantee the security of the Syrian people and fulfill their aspirations.

MINSK, 29 June 2021, (TON): The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said in a statement “Belarus has recalled its envoy to the EU and advised Brussels to do the same, as well as prohibited all EU officials involved in the introduction of the latest sanctions against Minsk from entering the country.”

The Foreign Ministry said “Belarus’s permanent representative to the EU is recalled to Minsk for consultations. The head of the EU mission in the Republic of Belarus, too, has been asked to leave for Brussels for consultations to brief the superiors on Belarus’ intolerance towards pressure and sanctions.”

It added “alongside this, in a retaliatory move all representatives of EU structures and persons from the EU, who contributed to the introduction of restrictions, will be prohibited from entering the country.”

NEW DELHI, 29 June 2021, (TON): Officials said “an Indian Navy warship carried out a military drill with a South Korean vessel in the East China Sea amid China's growing assertiveness in the region.

They said the partnership exercise was aimed at enhancing interoperability and facilitating the exchange of best practices between the two navies.

A spokesperson of the Indian Navy said "Indian Navy's indigenous ASW Corvette INS Kiltan deployed in the Far East undertook Navy Partnership Exercise in East China Sea with Republic of Korea's Ship ROKS Gyeongnam, a Daegu-class frigate, on Jun 28.”

KABUL, 29 June 2021, (TON): Five districts have fallen to the Taliban in the last 24 hours, including Shor Tapa in Balkh, Chak and Sayed Abad in Maidan Wardak, Rustaq in Takhar and Arghistan in Kandahar, adding another layer of complexity to the alarming situation that has emerged following the fall of territory to theTaliban.

Takhar lawmakers in Parliament said Rustaq is the 13th district in the northeastern province that has fallen to the Taliban in recent weeks.

Hamiduddin Yuldash, an MP from Takhar said“The Shirkhan border town is fully under Taliban control. Reports indicate that Aqina border town has also collapsed and Ai Khanum town, that shares a border with Tajikistan in Dasht-e-Qala district, is also under threat.”

The fall of strategic districts in the north, south and west has created concerns over the possible infiltration of Taliban into the income-generating territory in the country, including the Shirkhan town in Kunduz on the border with Tajikistan. Kunduz’s provincial council and a private sector entity said that they are concerned about the loss of Shirkhan’s incomes to the Taliban and warned of threats posed to other border towns, the Aqina border town in Faryab and Ai Khanum in Takhar.