Day: June 18, 2021

The US should withdraw systematically from Afghanistan to prevent what happened in the 1990s there from recurring, in the wake of Soviet forces’ withdrawal, said the foreign minister of neighboring Pakistan on Friday.

“If [the US] withdrawal is not systematic, we are concerned that Afghanistan may get sucked into the situation that we experienced in the 1990s, when there was anarchy, civil war, instability,” Shah Mahmood Qureshi told Anadolu Agency at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Turkish Riviera city of Antalya.

Qureshi said that the withdrawal – currently set to be finished by this Sept. 11 – should be carried out in a “responsible way.”

“Afghans have paid the biggest price. Second to the Afghans are the Pakistanis. We lost 83,000 lives on account of terrorism. Our economy has suffered close to over $128 billion,” he said.

Noting that Pakistan has hosted nearly 3 million Afghan refugees for four decades, he said they do not want another influx of refugees.

“We think it’s time that they go back home with honor and dignity. And that can only happen if there’s peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.

Underlining that Pakistan facilitated the peace process between the Taliban and the US for the Doha Peace Agreement, he said: “As far as peace in Afghanistan is concerned, my point is, and my contention is that this is a shared responsibility. Pakistan is already in its role, but it’s basically the conciliation within Afghanistan.”

Stressing that the ownership and the responsibility lie on the Afghan leadership, he said they have to sit together and decide on their future.

Pakistan can only facilitate the process, he said, adding that they cannot tell Afghanistan what to do as Afghanistan is a sovereign and independent country.

On Turkish forces taking over a security role in Afghanistan as the US withdraws from the country, he said Pakistan has always been very comfortable with Turkey.

“Whether it’s Turkish forces, the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkish leadership. We have a very, very comfortable relationship,” he said.

“Turkey is part of NATO. But NATO has decided to withdraw. (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan made a statement at the summit… I might get an opportunity to have a word with him over there to find out what is on his mind,” he said.

Pointing out that an Istanbul conference to discuss the Afghan peace process has been canceled, he said: “I would like to know how Turkey is foreseeing the future. Turkey is an important regional power. We hold meetings regularly.”

About his meetings with the Turkish president and foreign minister, he said they would also discuss Islamophobia.

Underlining that Turkey and Pakistan have similar views on this issue, he said there is a rising trend of hate speech, discrimination, and targeting of Muslims in the West.

We collectively feel that we need to combat this growing menace, he said.

– Ties with Turkey

On bilateral relations with Turkey, Qureshi said the countries have “an excellent relationship based on trust and friendship, leading to an economic partnership in the future.”

“We cooperate for a number of platforms. Turkey and Pakistan are very closely associated and work in harmony in the international foras, particularly at the UN, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and other forums. We have a good defense cooperation understanding and it is deepening with the passage of time,” he said.

We need to increase our economic footprint, promote bilateral trade, and also encourage investments, he urged.

“We have a new economic framework that was put into place when President Erdogan visited Pakistan last time. We have now this high-level consultation mechanism and the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Imran Khan) will be visiting Turkey for this issue,” he added.

On the Gwadar port project in southern Pakistan, he said it will be the shortest route for landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian republics to reach the sea.

“There is a huge potential for Gwadar to become a hub of economic activity,” he said, inviting Turkish investors to invest in special economic zones that are being developed along the economic corridor.

The $64 billion mega-project signed in 2014 aims to connect China’s strategically important northwestern Xinjiang province to the Gwadar port through a network of roads, railways, and pipelines to transport cargo, oil, and gas.

The economic corridor will not only provide China with cheaper access to Africa and Middle East but will also earn Pakistan billions of dollars for providing transit facilities to the world’s second-largest economy.

– Palestine-Israeli conflict

As for the ongoing conflict in Palestine, Qureshi thanked Turkey and the OIC for their leadership in the face of Israel’s atrocities during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“There was a cease-fire announced, but that was the first step. What is required is initiating once again the peace process that has stalled for a long time,” he said, adding that lasting peace in the Mideast can be achieved by a two-state formula.

An Egyptian-brokered truce that took effect in the early hours of May 21 ended Israel’s 11-day bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Eleven days of Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank killed at least 289 people, including women and children, and left behind a trail of destruction.

Health centers and media offices, as well as schools, were among the structures targeted.

– Jammu and Kashmir

Qureshi also decried India’s 2019 removal of the articles of the constitution that ensured the protection of the demographic structure and special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Stressing that with this decision India violated the UN Security Council resolutions, international law, and the Geneva Convention, he said Pakistan considered the act “unilateral and illegal.” Pakistan would go along with the wishes of the Kashmiri community, he said.

Stressing that the removed article 35A is related to the protection of the region’s demographic structure, he said: “We feel there is a design for demographic restructuring to convert this Muslim area, the only Muslim area in India, into a minority. India is under certain international obligations and India is violating those obligations.”

Jammu and Kashmir has been on the UN agenda since 1948, with several resolutions by the General Assembly and UN Security Council urging that the people of the disputed territory be given the right to self-determination to determine their political future.

In August 2019, India ended the minimal autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir under Articles 370 and 35A of its Constitution after putting the region of around 12 million people under military siege and cutting off communications with the outside world.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The international community fell short when faced by the test of coronavirus, Turkey’s president said on Friday.

The world at large “failed to give a good test” on the pandemic, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his opening speech at the three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum held on the Turkish Riviera.

The UN Security Council took 100 days after the outbreak erupted to put “the biggest health crisis in history” onto its agenda, he lamented.

Urging world leaders not to permit vaccine nationalism to take hold and not to repeat the same mistakes as the pandemic progresses, Erdogan underlined that the virus outbreak had “sharpened injustices” in the world.

“In the face of the pandemic, which has reached the world’s most remote places, from the tropical islands to Siberia, cooperation gave way to protectionist and competitive policies,” said Erdogan.

“While the burden of billions of people could only be lightened by solidarity, our African, Asian and Latin American brothers and sisters were abandoned to their fate,” the Turkish president said.

“The pandemic has further deepened the gap between the rich and the poor. The recurrence of social unrest in many countries, the revival of irregular migration routes, and the increase in deaths in the Mediterranean are the most striking examples of this,” he explained.

In this process, Turkey tried to come to the aid of its friends all over the world, he added.

– ‘Turkey will share its domestic vaccine with all humanity’

Erdogan reiterated that during the pandemic, Turkey sent medical supplies to 158 countries and 12 international organizations at their request.

Erdogan said that asylum seekers in Turkey are not kept separate from Turkish citizens and that they also enjoy access to the healthcare services provided by the country.

Erdogan said Turkey plans to finish efforts to produce a domestic COVID-19 vaccine, which have been carried out with a human-oriented universal approach, by the end of this year.

“When it is ready for use, we will hopefully share our domestic vaccine with all humanity,” he said.

Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 3.84 million lives in 192 countries and regions, with nearly 178 million cases reported worldwide, according to the US’ Johns Hopkins University.

– Energy sources in Eastern Med should lead to cooperation

On the issue of energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan said all parties involved must work to ensure that these “lead to cooperation instead of confrontation.”

This year, Turkey and Greece resumed consultative talks to resolve bilateral disputes in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing that their excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Last year Ankara sent out several drill ships to explore energy in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting its rights in the region as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Erdogan also underlined that in the coming days Turkey looks forward to boosting cooperation in all regions from Africa to Latin America and from the Pacific to Asia.

“I believe the Antalya Diplomacy Forum will turn into a ground where the heart of global diplomacy beats in time,” he said.

Erdogan said that the sphere of diplomacy has expanded with rising globalization and recent developments in the fields of communication technology, the internet, and social media.

“Today, when we say diplomacy, we’re not just talking about meetings held behind closed doors between state and government officials, rather this concept also refers to work carried out in a wide range from public diplomacy to cultural diplomacy, from tourism diplomacy to trade and digital diplomacy,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan stressed that the expansion of the field of diplomacy offers great opportunities to humanity in reducing tensions.

He urged countries to engage more with the subtleties of diplomacy for the peaceful resolution of problems.

Following his speech, Erdogan met with Milo Cukanovic, the president of Montenegro, for a closed-door meeting of about a half-hour.

The Turkish leader also held a separate meeting with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with Anadolu Agency as its global communication partner, is hosting 10 heads of state and government, 42 foreign ministers, three former heads of state and government, and more than 50 representatives of international organizations or former government officials, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Debates of global importance, including the Balkans, the future of Europe, trans-Atlantic relations, refugees and migrants, as well as the threat of terrorism, will be analyzed in depth during the three-day forum. There will also be a session on Turkey’s proposal for an Eastern Mediterranean conference.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) in its latest report claimed that 70 of the 500 cases of gender-based violence, including rape, was committed against girls under 18 years of age.

As a joint investigation by the UN and Ethiopian human rights bodies continues, Ethiopia admitted that 25 soldiers suspected of involvement in rape cases were being court martialed.

On Nov. 3 last year, the now defunct Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks against the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defense Forces stationed in the northernmost region of Tigray, killing and maiming soldiers and looting sizable military hardware.

On Nov. 4, the Horn of Africa country launched a sweeping law enforcement operation against the TPLF forces.

More than seven months into the conflict, sporadic fighting is still being reported in a few places in the region where more than a million people are reported to have been displaced, while more than 60,000 people fled to neighboring Sudan.

“The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification [IPC] shows that over 350,000 people are already facing catastrophic conditions,” OCHA said, adding that since the Northern Ethiopia response plan on May 1, over 2.3 million people out of the targeted 5.2 million were reached with food aid.

It said: “Partners [humanitarian] continue to access previously hard-to-reach areas, particularly remote rural areas, mapping dozens of locations with unexploded ordnances and remnants of war.”

The Ethiopian government earlier said it provided humanitarian assistance to more than 3.4 million people in coordination with partners and the contribution from the international humanitarian partners amounted to 35% of the total assistance provided.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Edwin Poots, the leader of Northern Ireland’s largest party, announced his resignation Thursday after less than a month in the position.

“I have asked the party chairman to commence an electoral process within the party to allow for a new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to be elected,” he said in a statement.

“The party has asked me to remain in post until my successor is elected.

“This has been a difficult period for the party and the country, and I have conveyed to the chairman my determination to do everything I can to ensure both unionism and Northern Ireland is able to move forward to a stronger place,” he added.

His decision came after a bruising meeting with DUP members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) and members of parliament (MPs) – the former being representatives in the Northern Irish devolved legislature and the latter representatives in the national Westminster parliament.

A large majority of them voted against his decision to resume power sharing with their rivals Sinn Fein, a republican nationalist party that is the second-largest in Northern Ireland.

They opposed his nomination of a first minister for Northern Ireland.

The decision to nominate a first minister and resume devolved governance was only possible after the process was saved following a crisis over laws on Irish language rights, with the British government offering to agree to Sinn Fein’s demands to legislate for it from Westminster, a move bitterly opposed by the unionist DUP.

Northern Ireland in general, and the unionist community in particular, is facing severe turbulence after the British government’s Brexit deal with the European Union included a Northern Ireland protocol that placed a trade barrier down the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern Ireland – a move that was anathema to the unionist community.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Five new countries including the US were added on Friday to the EU’s travel list, lifting entry restrictions against the coronavirus for international arrivals.

EU governments agreed to add the US, North Macedonia, Serbia, Lebanon, and Albania to the list, their representative Council of the EU announced.

The list also included Taiwan, which China considers a “breakaway province,” while Taipei insists on its independence since 1949 and currently maintains independent diplomatic relations with at least 16 nations.

Restrictions for travelers from two of China’s special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macao, were also lifted with the condition of reciprocity.

The decision updated the list already featuring Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Israel, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China in case of reciprocity.

Residents of these countries can visit the EU for non-essential purposes regardless of their vaccination status.

The free travel list is considered a recommendation for EU members, whose governments are allowed to make exceptions and allow visitors from other non-EU countries.

The bloc decided to restrict the entry of non-EU nationals to its territory last March in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey National Women’s Basketball Team lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina 64-54 in the second match of 2021 FIBA ​​European Championship Group C.

Turkey could not start the match well and had only 2 points in the first 5 minutes.

Bosnia and Herzegovina were ahead 7-2 in the 5th minute with baskets from behind the three-point line and free throws.

Bosnia increased the lead to 10 points (4-14) in the 7th minute with Matea Tavic’s three-pointer. Turkey finished the first period behind 17-8.

Benefiting from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s turnovers with Melis Gulcan in the second period, Turkey caught up. Thanks to Pelin Bilgic and Bahar Caglar Okten’s contribution to the score, they made a 12-0 run.

Although the teams reached the equality of 22-22 in the 18th minute, they went to the locker room with Bosnia and Herzegovina leading 27-26.

Effective with fast attacks at the beginning of the third quarter, the Turkish national team took the lead 37-30 in the 24th minute.

Having a good rhythm and increasing the lead to 8 points (44-36) with Goksen Fitik’s three-pointer in the 28th minute, the National Team finished the third period ahead 44-38.

Bosnia and Herzegovina started the final period with a 17-0 run and took back the lead with 55-44 against Turkey.

Losing 64-54 to its opponent, Turkey lost their second match in the group.

Turkey will face Belgium in the third match of Group C at 1300GMT in Strasbourg, Rhenus Sport, on Sunday, June 20.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Israeli warplanes launched several airstrikes late Thursday on sites belonging to the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Warplanes bombed a site in the town of Beit Lahia and another site in Khan Yunis.

The Palestinian Health Ministry did not announce any injuries as a result of the bombings, while there was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.

Earlier Thursday, Israel conveyed a message to Hamas that if the launching of incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip does not stop, there will be new military action.

Israel’s Channel 13 News outlet reported that an Israeli delegation currently in Egypt sent the message through the Egyptian intelligence service.

The delegation from the Israeli National Security Council arrived in Cairo on Thursday, where it will hold talks on a long-term truce with Hamas in Gaza.

On May 10, Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, which lasted 11 days and resulted in the deaths and injuries of thousands of Palestinians.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Several Somali soldiers were killed while others were wounded on Friday when a suicide car bombing targeted an army base in southern province of Middle Shabelle.

A military official in the region confirmed the attack to Anadolu Agency but could not “mention numbers” on casualties, while local media reported that at least three soldiers were killed several others wounded including a senior military commander.

The Somali military released a brief statement after the attack, claiming that its forces foiled an “attempted” suicide attack.

It said security forces had shot the terrorist driver of explosive-laden vehicle before reaching the army base.

Four soldiers sustained injuries in the attack, Somali State media reported, quoting the military as saying.

The camp is located in the vicinity of Biyo-Ade on the outskirts of the town of Mahaday, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu.

Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack that it said killed more than 10 soldiers.

The attack comes days after a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of an army camp in the capital Mogadishu, killing at least 25 and wounding more than 40 others. Al-Shabaab claimed that attack as well.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey offers a table of abundant resources for sustainable gastronomy tourism, according to a Turkish culinary expert who says authenticity should be preserved to maintain it.

“To make the most of this potential, we should make the preservation of the local gastronomic heritage our focus,” Zeynep Kakinc, chair of the Istanbul-based Gastronomic Society of Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.

“It is essential to preserve authenticity both in product production and in transferring local dishes to the future,” she said.

Kakinc’s remarks came as June 18 marks Sustainable Gastronomy Day. Called by many as “the art of food,” gastronomy can also “refer to a style of cooking from a particular region as well as local food and cuisine,” according to the UN.

“Sustainable gastronomy, therefore, means cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates,” the UN says.

According to Kakinc, sustainable gastronomy also draws attention to the importance of people consuming local foods.

“It is extremely necessary for us to pay attention to the seasonality principle and to prefer local products to increase the production potential of local producers and to continue their existence,” she said.

The expert also stressed the importance of a national awareness campaign on the contribution of sustainable gastronomy to regional and rural development, adding: “In fact, this is a process in which all dynamics are important, from public authorities to farmers, chefs, tourism professionals, and non-governmental organizations.”

According to Kakinc, in international promotional activities, communication messages based on sustainable gastronomy should be determined and brought together with the global public through the right channels.

– Deep culinary culture

Highlighting the importance of Turkish cities such as Hatay, Gaziantep and Afyon that are recognized by UNESCO as Creative Cities of Gastronomy, Kakinc said that these cities have earned this title by using the resources they have in the most accurate way.

“In fact, many cities of our country have a deep culinary culture and an enormous product richness,” she said.

According to Kakinc, these cities have some obligations that come with participating in the UNESCO creative cities network. “The foremost of these is to preserve the local culinary culture.”

“In addition, increasing the gastronomic potential of the city further, increasing the number of events and the participation of local people in those events, and improving cooperation with other cities belonging to the network in international organizations are the activities that cities have to implement, as specified by UNESCO,” she added.

“The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development,” the agency says on its website.

“The 246 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.”

Gastronomic Society of Turkey was founded in 2008 and according to its website, the main objectives of the society “are to reveal and develop our richness of cuisine and beverages and food presentation manners through scientific research to promote our cuisine both here in Turkey and also abroad.”

Source: Anadolu Agency