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Europe

France to recognise Palestinian state if new peace effort fails

2016-02-01

France has issued an ultimatum to Israel, saying it will recognise a Palestinian state if a renewed push for a two-state solution fails. What's the point of diplomacy then? The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, announced on Friday that France was trying to convene an international peace summit to renew diplomatic efforts by Israel and the Palestinians. He said that if diplomacy failed, France would formally recognise a Palestinian state. Speaking at a conference of French diplomats in Paris, Fabius said: “Unfortunately, Israeli settlement construction continues. We must not let the two-state solution unravel. It is our responsibility as a permanent member of the UN security council.” The Palestinians have welcomed France’s renewed efforts to negotiate a two-state solution at talks that are expected to include leaders from the US, Europe and Arab nations. The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said any agreement would require full cessation of Israeli settlement activities within a “specified timeframe”. Israel has rejected the French drive toward a peace initiative. A senior official said Fabius’s threat to recognise a Palestine state was counter-productive. “There is no logic in a deadline for recognition of a Palestinian state, it will only encourage the Palestinians not to negotiate,” he said. In April 2014, efforts led by the US – particularly the secretary of state, John Kerry – to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinian territories collapsed. No serious plans to resume talks have been made since. In December 2014, France supported a UN security council resolution creating a framework for a final resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Those efforts failed due to opposition from Israel and the US on one hand, and an unwillingness by the Palestinians on the other to compromise on the wording of the decision. Last year France suggested creating an international support group for peace talks. The group met on the sidelines of the UN last year, but without Israelis of Palestinians. Since that meeting Fabius has pushed for the UN security council to condemn Israeli settlements, but this also failed.

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International-UN-NGOs

Syria’s Kurds not invited to Geneva peace talks

2016-01-28

[Rudaw] Syria's Kurds -- one of the forces fighting the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS) forces in that country -- will not be represented at peace talks scheduled for this Friday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed on Wednesday. He said that UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, had not invited the Democratic Union Party (PYD) to the Geneva peace talks. "The PYD group was causing the most problems, and Mr. de Mistura told me he had not sent them an invitation letter," Fabius said according to Rooters.The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire.... opposes the PYD having a presence at the talks since it perceives the group to be little more than the Syrian wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Russia has insisted that the PYD be represented in the talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went as far as arguing on Tuesday that it would be impossible to reach a peace agreement in Syria without including the Kurds in talks. While the PYD hasn't fought the regime of Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs... , it has fiercely combated the ISIS group.The opposition at Geneva is to be represented primarily by groups backed by Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... which, last December, gathered representatives in Riyadh for a summit. Riyadh did not invite the PYD back then, likely due to the fact that the PYD has not fought Assad to date.

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Africa North

Libya's rival parliaments sign unity government deal

2015-12-18

Members of Libya's rival parliaments on Thursday signed a landmark, UN-sponsored deal on forming a unity government that will strive to bring peace to the war-ravaged country. I think the over/under is 11 days... Supporters of the agreement hope that rival political factions and militias will embrace the deal and agree on a ceasefire, so that they can fend off the Daesh group, which is expanding its gains in the North African country. The document was signed in Morocco by Emhemed Shoaib, the deputy speaker of the internationally recognised Libyan parliament, and Salah Al Makhzoum, the second deputy of the Islamist-backed parliament based in the capital, Tripoli. "This is just the beginning of a long journey for Libya," said UN envoy Martin Kobler, who attended the Morocco ceremony. "Signing is only the first step on the road of putting Libya back on the right track." Al Makhzoum said while the deal is not perfect, it's a step to rescue Libya from collapsing and ensure its unity. The speakers of the two parliaments - Tripoli-based Nuri A.M. Abusahmain and Aguila Saleh Issa from the east - were not at the Morocco ceremony. The two, who are seen by analysts as hard-liners, held talks on Tuesday in Malta to forge a separate deal without UN involvement. Afterward, they issued a statement saying the representatives who travelled to Morocco were not mandated to represent the parliaments in the talks. Before the start of Thursday's ceremony, Al Makhzoum and Faraj Abu Hashem, the spokesman for the east-based parliament, said that 88 lawmakers from the two parliaments were present at the signing. The eastern parliament has 156 known members, while the rival parliament in Tripoli has 135. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Italy, Spain, Qatar, Tunisia, and Morocco also spoke at the ceremony in support of the deal. Among the first to welcome the deal was French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who praised the accord and promised to support efforts by a new unity government. "The priority should now go toward creating a national unity government," he said in a statement. "That's the condition for tackling terrorism and trafficking that threaten the security of the region and Europe." And to get the oil flowing again...

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

France's Fabius: Assad's Departure not Necessary before Political Transition

2015-12-06

[ALMANAR.LB] French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he no longer believes that Bashar al-Assad's departure is necessary before any political transition in Syria, in an interview published Saturday. "A united Syria implies a political transition. That does not mean that Bashar al-Assad must leave even before the transition, but there must be assurances for the future," he told the French regional newspaper Le Progres.

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Europe

France hosts conference on protecting Middle East minorities

2015-09-09

No doubt the food is exquisite, the service impeccable. Whether the discussions are equally at the finest level is similarly not in doubt. Though possibly I misunderestimate... [Rudaw] Gay Paree hosted a conference on protecting minority groups in the Middle East Tuesday, and the war against the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... was at the top of the agenda. Speaking to Rudaw, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said they wanted to find a resolution to end conflict and security issues in the Middle East. "Rights of all the religious elements and ethnic groups in the Middle East have to be protected. The fight against ISIS is not a concern for the Middle East alone, but an international issue," he told Rudaw. Fabius continued by emphasizing that a road map is necessary in order to send humanitarian aid for war zone areas in the Middle East. "We have a road map in terms of humanitarian aid and fighting radicals, but the international community should practically help us first so as to operate the road map we have," he said. Meanwhile, ...back at the wine tasting, Vince was about to start on his third quart... French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said at the conference, "A number of minorities are suffering persecution in the region." "Eastern Christians must be taken in but there are also Moslems who are being persecuted and there are other minorities who are with the same amount of barbarism," Cazeneuve continued. The Gay Paree conference, attended by representatives of around 60 countries, was to draw up an "action charter" to help members of minorities who have fled to return to the Middle East voluntarily, Fabius said before the conference's opening. More than 100 leading world figures, including foreign ministers, Moslem and Christian clergy, parliamentarians and media representatives attended the conference. The decision to hold the conference was made at a UN Security Council meeting in March, where Fabius raised the plight of Christians and Yezidis in Kurdish regions of Iraq, and Kurds in the Syrian town of Kobani.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

French Sources: Fabius Dissatisfied with Kerry's Negligence in Vienna N. Talks

2015-07-12

[ALMANAR.LB] Informed sources in Vienna announced that French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has grown angry with the approach of his US counterpart John F. I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat, conqueror of Cambodia, and current Secretary of State... and for the same reason he had a verbal dispute with Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Javad Zarif. Informed French sources, speaking on conditions of anonymity, told the Arabic-language Lebanese Al-Ahd news website that Fabius is discontent with the American team of negotiators, adding that he had a dispute with Zarif after he felt the negotiations were going too smooth, Fars news agency reported. "Fabius is angry with the US negligence towards La Belle France in the nuclear talks and that has resulted in his anger," the sources added. Late on Thursday night, diplomatic sources in Vienna cautioned that the western powers have toughened their stances after the US lost a self-imposed deadline for a deal with Iran and are raising even more demands from the Iranian team, Fars said. The source said the western parties to the talks with Iran, specially the US, have in the last few days raised excessive demands beyond earlier agreements, making the road to a draft final nuclear deal even more bumpy. The source said Iran is determined to clinch a deal and it has shown much flexibility on this path, but the US-led West has been raising excessive demands and shows "fading respect for its earlier agreements with Iran". "They have started psychological operations and are playing the blame game to make Iran surrender to their increasing demands or wait to be portrayed as the party to blame for the potential failure of the talks," the diplomat added. The source also strongly rejected the allegations made by certain western media outlets that the Iranian team is referring the opposite sides' proposals or the draft text to Tehran to ask for permission, reiterating that "the Iranian team of negotiators have been vested with full authority to strike a deal on behalf of the Islamic Theocratic Republic of Iran based on the country's specified redlines, and does not need to refer anything to Tehran." The diplomat strongly warned the western powers' approach in the last few days "is pushing the talks into a deadlock". Earlier on Thursday night, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif left a new post on his Twitter account, saying, "We're working hard, but not rushed, to get the job done. Mark my words; you can't change horses in the middle of a stream." Minutes later, US Secretary of State John Kerry also appeared in front of the cameras in Vienna, and said, "Despite all the agreements we have made so far, some tough issues have remained unresolved." "These issues should be resolved. And tough decisions should be made," he added, and continued, "We want a deal that stands the test of time." Kerry said the negotiations are not open-ended, but he didn't say how long the talks would last.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Britain, France Demand Iran Nuclear Inspections

2015-06-23

[AnNahar] Britannia and La Belle France insisted Monday that any deal on Iran's contested nuclear program must include a comprehensive verification regime to ensure Tehran sticks to its commitments, as the clock ticks down to an end-of-month deadline. But if President Obama is determined to have his treaty, do their objections matter? After years of tortuous negotiations, both sides are racing to agree a deal by June 30 that would see Iran open up its nuclear program to allay concerns it is seeking atomic weapons, in return for the West lifting punishing economic sanctions. But suspicions run deep and both British foreign secretary Philip Hammond and his French counterpart Laurent Fabius were adamant that Iran, which says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, should have no wriggle room. "Britannia wants a robust and verifiable deal with Iran that ensures that its nuclear program in the future is exclusively civil," Hammond said after talks in Luxembourg with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, Fabius, Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier and EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini. "We cannot compromise on the absolute red lines we have. If we do a deal, it has to be verifiable," Hammond said. "There is a lack of trust on both sides and only full verification... to confirm that both sides are in compliance with their agreements is going to regenerate that trust in the future." Fabius had already warned Sunday that any deal with Iran had to be verifiable and on Monday spelled out La Belle France's demands again. "A robust agreement is one which includes an extensive verification element, including if necessary visits to military sites and automatic re-introduction of sanctions if Iran violates the accord," Fabius told news hounds. Just before the talks, Zarif had said that "all sides should avoid excessive demands ... so as to allow us to reach an accord" and afterwards he appeared confident of progress. "There is a political commitment on the part of everybody to move forward," Zarif said on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg. "There is the possibility that we can finish this by the deadline or a few days after the deadline." Mogherini, who as European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... foreign affairs head has been brokering the negotiations, said she had "a useful meeting with Zarif." Whatever that means. Iran and the P5+1 powers -- Britannia, China, La Belle France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- agreed in April on the main outlines of what would be a historic deal scaling down Tehran's nuclear program. In return, they agreed that punishing western sanctions against Iran would be progressively lifted if regular inspections confirm that Tehran is sticking to the accord. The two sides, having missed a March 31 deadline, agreed in early April a new date of June 30 to finalize the accord and negotiators have been meeting regularly in Vienna and elsewhere since then to hammer out a deal.

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Africa North

Three Mauritanians Jailed for IS Links

2015-06-18

[AnNahar] Mauritania has tossed in the slammer Please don't kill me! three men for between five and 10 years for links with the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... group, a judicial source said on Wednesday. A court in the capital Nouakchott handed down the sentences late on Tuesday after a trial lasting just one day, the source said on condition of anonymity. The men, whose ages were not specified, were convicted of "belonging to a terrorist organization and possession of terrorist propaganda" following their arrest in October last year. They denied the charge but the court was shown a video in which all three pledged allegiance to IS, the source said. The group ringleader received 10 years while the other two received five and seven year sentences. The convictions were the first for links to IS in Mauritania, although the country is holding 30 prisoners for involvement with al-Qaeda, 10 of them on death row. The spotlight has been thrown on the growing threat of Islamist extremism across Africa's vast Sahel region ... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas... since a French-led military intervention drove al-Qaeda-linked groups out of the towns of Mali's desert north in 2013. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has referred to the lawless, arid hinterland, stretching from Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... in the west to Somalia in the east, as "Sahelistan" -- the new front in the global fight against terrorism. Kidnappings and attacks by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were frequent when Mauritania's President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz came to power in 2008. But he boasts that he has turned his nation into a regional haven of peace thanks to his reorganization of the military and security forces. The mainly Moslem republic, sandwiched between the west coast of Africa and the Sahara desert, is seen by Western leaders as a bulwark against al-Qaeda-linked groups. In 2010 and 2011, Mauritanian troops carried out successful "preventative" raids on AQIM bases in neighboring Mali, before the armed fundamentalists could carry out planned attacks on Mauritania.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

France Opposes Iran Nuclear Deal without Military Site Checks

2015-05-28

[ALMANAR.LB] French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday that La Belle France would oppose a nuclear deal with Iran if it did not allow inspections of military sites. An agreement "will not be accepted by La Belle France if it is not clear that verifications can be made at all Iranian facilities, including military sites," Fabius told parliament. Iran's Supreme Leader Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei last week ruled out inspections at military sites. Iran and the World powers sides signed a framework agreement on April 2 and began meeting in Vienna Wednesday to start finalizing the nuclear deal which is due by June 30.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syria regime says wants more Iraqi coordination in ISIS fight

2015-05-28

[EN.ZAMANALWSL.NET] Damascus wants more coordination with Baghdad to combat ISIS fighters who control land in both countries, Syria's foreign minister said on Wednesday, days after the group seized a border crossing and overran a central Syrian city. ISIS seized al-Tanf border crossing with Iraq last week and has taken over the desert city of Palmyra, the first time the group has captured a large population center directly from the Syrian military. Though Damascus and Baghdad share a close relationship with Shiite Islamist Iran, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem's comments indicated Damascus was not happy with the level of Iraqi cooperation in the fight against ISIS. Both countries realized they had to fight together, he said. "But the coordination has not reached the threat level we are facing," he told a joint news conference in Damascus with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian, who also met Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Lord of the Baath... . Baghdad is coordinating with U.S. forces to combat ISIS, which has taken territory from government forces in the north and west of the country. In Syria, U.S.-led warplanes are carrying out an aerial campaign which they say is not coordinated with the Syrian military and has focused on areas outside of government control. However Syria says it has been informed of attacks ahead of time and has criticized the U.S.-led raids as ineffective, but has not opposed them. Moallem also said support from Syria's main allies Russia and Iran remained strong and that they would not hold back on helping Syria to remain "steadfast." Nalbandian is the third foreign minister to visit Damascus this year after trips by ministers from Iran and Belarus. Syria hosts an Armenian population mainly in the north of the country and is also home to several Armenian churches. Both countries are hostile towards The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire.... . Syria blames its northern neighbor for funding and arming bully boys. Turkey has denied arming rebels or helping hardline Islamists. Armenia condemns Ankara for not recognizing what it says was a genocide by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago. Moallem criticized Turkey for what he said were acts of aggression and for violating Syrian airspace. He also dismissed comments by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Tuesday in which he warned Iraq and Syria risked further division if international efforts to tackle ISIS were not stepped up quickly. "Our people are able to repel any attack and prevent any attempt to partition Syria," he said. He said La Belle France, which supports the four-year uprising against Assad, had supported terrorism and was conspiring against Syria.

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-Short Attention Span Theater-

Euro Socialists For Hillary? French, German FMs Praise Clinton Announcement

2015-04-16

[Breitbart] The foreign ministers of both Germany and France offered strong praise for Hillary Clinton after she announced her presidential campaign. Laurent Fabius, who serves as Foreign Minister of France under its Socialist Party leadership, praised Clinton as "an exceptional woman for a job that requires exceptional qualities." Fabius has met with Clinton several times before, reports The Guardian. In a July reception to honor Clinton in Paris, he praised the former Secretary of State for her "leadership" and "natural authority." Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy added to the chorus of compliments, wishing the former first lady good luck on Twitter. "Good luck @Hillary Clinton! I know how strong your passion is for the United States," Sarkozy wrote. Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany offered similar remarks, in an op-ed that read, "Hillary Clinton... has profiled herself not only as a reliable partner for Europe and as friend of Germany, but she has also proven she has sure instincts in world crises -- from Afghanistan to the Middle East." They enthusiastically backed our last socialist, wealth redistribution candidate, why would they not back this one as well? Little new here, other than a clear confirmation. Well, maybe all these leaders have copies of her email, and they're hoping to cash in after the election. They'll have to get behind Russia, Iran and China, of course...

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Arabia

KSA not at war with Iran: Prince Saud

2015-04-13

[ARABNEWS] Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... is not at war with Iran, said Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal during a joint presser with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius. He also expressed hope that Tehran's nuclear deal with the US and other Western powers would reinforce regional peace. Prince Saud said King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman ...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Cutodian of the Two Holy Mosquesand Lord of Most of the Arabians.... had discussed a number of major regional and international issues with the visiting French minister, adding that Gay Paree has voiced its support for the Kingdom's efforts to restore legitimacy in Yemen. "Saudi Arabia is not at war with Iran and we hope Tehran would stop supporting the Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews ... militias in Yemen. The Iranian intervention has worsened the problem and increased violence in Yemen," the Saudi chief diplomat said, adding that Tehran never had any role in Yemen's development.

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