NEW DELHI, 24 July 2021, (TON): The external affairs ministry said “the situation in Afghanistan and cooperation at the UN will be part of the discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest.”

The rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and preparations for the first in-person Quad Summit are expected to figure in the agenda for US secretary of state Antony Blinken’s maiden visit to India next week.

Blinken, the third senior member of the Biden administration to travel to India after defense secretary Lloyd Austin in March and special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry in April, will meet external affairs minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on July 28.

The external affairs ministry said “the situation in Afghanistan and cooperation at the UN will be part of the discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest.”

India has watched with growing concern as the rapid drawdown of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan has coincided with a violent offensive by the Taliban in recent weeks to capture territory and crucial border crossings with Iran, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. Indian diplomats and security personnel were recently evacuated from the consulate in southern Kandahar city following a surge in clashes.

ISLAMABAD, 24 July 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Imran Khan rejected the opposition parties’ allegations that his government was mulling to make Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) a province of Pakistan.

While addressing a public gathering in AJK’s Tarar Khal area, the premier said “as per United Nations resolutions only Kashmiri people can decide their future through referendum.”

The PM was addressing a rally ahead of AJK assembly elections scheduled to be held on Sunday (June 25).

Over 3.2 million voters will elect a 53-member assembly for a five-year term. Out of 53 seats, 45 are general, while eight are reserved for women, technocrats and religious scholars.

PM Imran expressed hope that Kashmiris will get their right to self-determination in line with UN resolutions and their sacrifices for freedom will not go in vain.

He added that Pakistan will hold another referendum to let the Kashmiris decide whether they want to join Pakistan or stay independent.

KIEV, 24 July 2021, (TON): President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced the head of the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Alexander Litvinenko became the new head of the SVR, the relevant decrees were published on the website of the head of state.

The text of the decree said “to appoint Litvinenko Alexander Valerievich the chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.”

By another decree, the president dismissed Valery Kondratyuk from a similar position.

He worked as a chief specialist of the Main Directorate of Government Communications of the SBU.

He was deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies.

MALE, 24 July 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister and President-elect of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly Abdulla Shahid has paid a courtesy call to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of his official visit to the nation.

The meeting was held at India’s capital, New Delhi. During the meeting, Minister Shahid conveyed greetings and well wishes to Modi, the Government and people of India on behalf of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the Government and people of Maldives.

Additionally, Minister Shahid also thanked the support given by the Indian Government to the Maldives candidacy for the Presidency of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Following this, Minister Shahid has outlined his priorities during 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and the main themes of the Presidency of Hope

On this call, Minister Shahid was accompanied by High Commissioner of Maldives to India Dr Hussain Niyaaz and Chef-de-Cabinet-designate of the Office of the President of the 76th United Nations General Assembly Ambassador Nagaraj Naidu.

KABUL, 24 July 2021, (TON): A Taliban spokesman has said that they don’t want to monopolize power but insisted that there won’t be peace in Afghanistan until there is a new negotiated government in Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani is removed.

In an interview, Taliban spokesman and a member of the group’s negotiating team, said “the Taliban will lay down their weapons when a negotiated government acceptable to all sides in the conflict is installed in Kabul and Ghani’s government is gone.”

Shaheen said “I want to make it clear that we do not believe in the monopoly of power because any governments who (sought) to monopolize power in Afghanistan in the past, were not successful governments.”

“So we do not want to repeat that same formula.”

He called the talks a good beginning but said the government’s repeated demands for a ceasefire while Ghani stayed in power were tantamount to demanding a Taliban surrender.

He said “they don’t want reconciliation, but they want surrendering.”

Before any ceasefire, there must be an agreement on a new government acceptable to us and to other Afghans.

DHAKA, 24 July 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent special Bangladeshi Haribhanga mangoes to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha as a gesture of goodwill.

The mangoes, 1000kgs, were handed over by Bangladesh High Commission to the Pakistan Prime Minister's Protocol at his office. 

A statement of the Bangladesh High Commission in Pakistan said "the mangoes have been received by the highest recipient with much appreciation. It has also been expressed that the goodwill gesture of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh will remain symbolic in the relationship between the two South Asian nation."

Prime Minister Hasina has sent mangoes to the South Asian leaderships of India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal and now to Pakistan.

NAYPYITAW, 24 July 2021, (TON): A top defense cooperation official said that Russia is going ahead with plans to deliver Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to Myanmar's increasingly isolated military regime.

Moscow has continued to support Myanmar with arms deals and military delegation visits following the ouster of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint this year.

According to Deutsche Welle, Dmitry Shugayev, the chief of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said “Russia continues to implement plans toward delivering Su-30 jets and Yak-130 training aircraft to Myanmar.”

Russia had agreed to sell six Su-30 aircraft to Myanmar in 2018, when the army was in the middle of a military offensive against Rohingya militants that the United Nations called ethnic cleansing.

Shugayev added that Myanmar’s air force currently operates Russian-made Yak-130 and MiG-29 fighter jets.

MADRID, 23 July 2021, (TON): According to local authorities “more than 200 migrants and refugees have crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Melilla after climbing the high fence that separates it from Morocco.”

In total, more than 300 migrants attempted to scale the six-metre (20 foot) barrier early morning, the authorities said in a statement.

Three police officers were slightly injured when they tried to stop them from making the crossing, the statement added.

Migrants and refugees are typically held at such facilities until authorities can figure out if they can be returned to their countries or qualify for staying in Spain.

Melilla and Ceuta, a second Spanish enclave also on Africa’s Mediterranean coast, are popular crossing points for migrants and refugees seeking a better life in Europe.

The territories have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.

Both are protected by fences fortified with barbed wire, video cameras and watchtowers.

Since mid-May, more than 500 migrants and refugees have surmounted the Moroccan border fence to make it into Melilla.

MALE, 23 July 2021, (TON): President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has paid a courtesy call to the President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa during his ongoing unofficial private visit to Sri Lanka.

The courtesy call took place this morning at the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka, in Colombo.

In concluding the call, both the leaders reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further strengthen the bilateral relations between Maldives and Sri Lanka.

President Solih was accompanied at the meeting by the High Commissioner of Maldives to Sri Lanka Omar Abdul Razzak and the Maldives' Special Envoy for Climate Change Sabra Noordeen.

President Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed departed to Sri Lanka on an unofficial private visit last Tuesday. They are both due to return tomorrow.

ADDIS ABABA, 23 July 2021, (TON): Attacks by Tigrayan forces in Ethiopia’s Afar region have forced more than 54,000 people from their homes, an official said, as tens of thousands of people rallied in the capital to support the prime minister.

According to Afar regional spokesperson Ahmed Koloyta “Tigrayan fighters, who want the Ethiopian government to accept their terms before talks on a cease-fire could begin, have taken control of three districts in Afar this week.”

The region is of strategic importance because the main road and railway linking Addis Ababa, landlocked Ethiopia’s capital, to the sea port of Djibouti run through it.

Ahmed quoted some of the displaced people as saying Tigrayan fighters had burned houses, looted properties and killed civilians.

He provided no evidence and Reuters could not verify his claims independently.

Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigrayan forces, did not immediately return calls seeking comment on the accusations.