COLOMBO, 22 June 2021, (TON):  Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Kazakhstan Prof. M.D. Lamawansa presented his Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a restricted ceremony held at Acorda Presidential Palace in Nur Sultan.

Addressing the audience, the President congratulated Ambassadors on the assumption of their noble duties in Kazakhstan, outlined position of Kazakhstan in the international arena developments and gave an overview of the status of bilateral relations with the four countries represented by the new Ambassadors including Sri Lanka, India, Japan and Cambodia. President Tokayev wished the diplomats success and conveyed warm greetings to the leaders of their states.

Describing cooperation with Sri Lanka, the President Tokayev drew attention to the fact that Sri Lanka being an island state is critical to maritime and regional stability.

The Head of State said “we believe that we have a lot of opportunities with regards to mutual cooperation with your country.”

In his press statement, Ambassador Lamawansa spoke on the enhancement of bilateral cooperation in different spheres including political, economic, trade, tourism, education and culture.

ISLAMABAD, 22 June 2021, (TON):  With foreign forces exiting Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran have agreed on expanding cooperation on stabilising the war-devastated neighbour.

Pakistan Foreign Ministers Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif reached the agreement during a meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.

AN Iranian media outlet quoted Zarif as referring to the results of the Iranian presidential election, hoping Tehran-Islamabad cooperation on regional issues would continue to grow under the new Iranian administration.

The Iran Front Page (IFP) reported the latest status of Vienna talks as well as regional issues, especially the situation in Afghanistan, also came up for discussion.

Speaking on the fragile situation in Afghanistan, Qureshi underlined the need for further cementing Iran-Pakistan cooperation on bringing stability to Afghanistan.

Separately, Qureshi called peace in the war-torn country a shared responsibility. Insisting: “You cannot pass the buck to Pakistan.”

In an interview with TRT World, the minister said Pakistan had been engaged constructively for peace and stability in Afghanistan and would continue to do so.

VIENNA, 22 June 2021, (TON): Further talks between Iran and global powers were planned Sunday to try to negotiate and restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was later abandoned by the Trump administration.

Senior diplomats from China, Germany, France, Russia, and Britain were due to meet at a hotel in the Austrian capital. They have been negotiating a possible return to the accord for weeks in the sixth round of talks in Vienna.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov wrote in a tweet that the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, “will decide on the way ahead at the Vienna talks. An agreement on restoration of the nuclear deal is within reach but is not finalized yet.”

Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs said that almost all JCPOA agreement documents had been readily negotiated and that the diplomats involved would shortly return to their home countries, not only for further consultations with their respective governments but also for final decision-making.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said in Vienna ahead of the meeting “we are now in a situation that we think almost all the agreement documents are ready.”

He added “of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are.”

The Iranian top negotiator in the Vienna talks said “we will stop the talks and return to the capitals for a few days not just for further consultations but for decision-making. But now, I can not say exactly for how many days.”

The U.S. does not have a representative at the table when the diplomats met in Vienna because former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the country out of the deal in 2018. Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

However, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has signaled willingness to rejoin the deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to 2015 nuclear commitments. A U.S. delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

KABUL, 22 June 2021, (TON): Head of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, has emphasized on the importance of Turkey’s presence at Kabul airport after foreign troops withdraw from the country.

Speaking in an interview with Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Abdullah said that US was discussing security of Kabul airport with Turkish government.

Abdullah said “it was raised also with the government of Pakistan, which had shown its consent with that issue. But meanwhile, the details of it has not been discussed between the government of Pakistan and Turkish government.”

He accused the Taliban of trying to take advantage of relative vacuum after the withdrawal of foreign troops in the country.

He said “the Taliban is trying to take advantage of that attacks, but also added that the Taliban’s gains were temporary.”

He went on to say that the Taliban’s surging attacks are a part of their strategy to use for the negotiation table or in search for a military solution, also noting that it will not work either way.

ISLAMABAD, 22 June 2021, (TON): Military said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa met Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Defence Minister Colonel General Hasanov Zakir Asgar in Baku.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement “Gen Qamar, who is on a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan, discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security situation including recent developments in Afghan peace process and bilateral defence and security cooperation in various fields during the meetings.”

Pakistan and Azerbaijan share common values based on rich cultural, religious and historical affinities and have tremendous geo-strategic significance and potential for mutually beneficial and enhanced cooperation at all forums, the military’s media wing quoted the army chief as saying.

He also expressed Pakistan Army’s desire to further enhance bilateral military cooperation and regional partnership between the two countries.

The dignitaries thanked COAS for Pakistan’s support to Azerbaijan at all international forums.

KABUL, 22 June 2021, (TON): A delegation is expected to travel from Kabul to Doha for peace talks, but consultations are still underway and a date for the team’s departure is yet to be agreed, according to officials in contact with the matter.

Media sources in a report today, quoting unnamed sources, said that a seven-member team from the government would travel to Qatar in the next few days for negotiations with the Taliban and Qatari officials.

According to the report, the team is comprised of chairman of High Council of National Reconciliation (HCNR), Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former president Hamid Karzai, a member of Jamiat-i-Islami Party Younus Qanoni, an advisor to the president Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, head of Wahdat-i-Islami, Mohammad KarimKhalili, state minister in peace affairs, SayedMansor Sadat Naderi and deputy HCNR head, Babar Farahmand.

The source said that the team was expected to travel to Doha Saturday, but it was delayed due to lack of agenda for possible talks with the Taliban, and it would depart in the next few days.

KABUL, 21 June 2021, (TON):  The State Ministry of Peace and the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Ottawa, in collaboration with Canada’s Global Centre for Pluralism, hosted a virtual meeting of experts, the Canada Now reported.

The participants, Afghan, Canadian and Qatari officials attended the meeting and discussed the future of the Afghanistan peace process meeting.

Sayed Sadat Mansoor Naderi, State Minister for Peace of Afghanistan, said “for nearly five decades, violence has been the defining factor of life in Afghanistan. It has been the main political capital, the main driving force in the economic market and the foundation of social relationships at the grassroots level. This has to change and the peace process offers the opportunity to do just that.”

According to Naderi, the Taliban has not shown the slightest signs of compromise and flexibility towards the rest of the country, continue their wave of violence and still strongly push for a military takeover. “They have not shown any understanding of human and women’s rights, they have not projected any respect for the diversity and pluralism of Afghan society.”

The minister also added that number of educated young people had grown for the past 20 years, who are the real supporter of long-lasting peace in the country. Focus will be given to ensure the preservation of their achievements.

ISLAMABAD, 21 June 2021, (TON): The World Bank has approved a $442 million loan for improving access to water and sanitation services for the most vulnerable rural communities in Punjab, as the lender predicts sizable increase in poverty across the country.

The World Bank board of directors approved the Punjab Rural Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PRSWSSP) to upgrade water supply and sanitation infrastructure and services for sustainable access to drinking water and safe waste water management, a handout issued by the local office of the World Bank stated.

The project prioritises rural settlements, where water contamination and poor sanitation practices are more prevalent, causing high levels of illness and child stunting.

The World Bank approved the project the day the government decided to reverse its earlier decision of increasing tax incidence on the dairy products, which would have reduced their consumption. In the budget, the government has proposed to increase the sales tax rate on dairy products from 10% to 17%.

BERLIN, 21 June 2021, (TON): Germany said that it was ready to take in more local staff who have been working for its military in Afghanistan as NATO’s mission there winds down.

The decision follows calls for Berlin to accelerate the process by which hundreds of Afghans who worked for the German military can resettle in Germany because of fears for their security if they stay in Afghanistan.

Abandoning a plan to admit only Afghans who had been employed by Germany for the past two years.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said “all local staff who are at risk and have worked for the German military or security forces since 2013 will now be eligible to come to Germany.”

He said “The two-year deadline has been lifted,”.

Seehofer cited new findings on the security situation in Afghanistan for the decision. He said his ministry would not pay for any flights of former Afghan staff to Germany.

NATO is leaving behind tens of thousands of Afghans who worked as civilian employees for foreign militaries as it winds down a mission that began after the Taliban were forced from power following the 9/11 attacks on the United States in 2001.