Day: March 27, 2024

ANKARA: North Korea on Tuesday ruled out "any contact or negotiations" with Japan in the future after Tokyo rejected Pyongyang's claim regarding the resolution of a lingering abductees issue. In a statement carried by state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of the country's leader Kim Jong-un, accused Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of using bilateral ties for "political calculations." "This is proven by the attitude of Japan clinging to the unattainable issues which can never be settled and have nothing to be settled," said Kim. Japan, she added, has "no courage to change history, promote regional peace and stability and take the first step for the fresh DPRK-Japan relations," using the acronym for Pyongyang's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim, the vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, made the remarks a day after Kishida, according to her, expressed a willingness to hold a summit with her brother. She pointed to comments made by the Japanese government's top spokesman on Monday that Tokyo would not accept North Korea's assertion that the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s had already been resolved. "It was the Japanese side that knocked at the door first requesting 'the Japan-DPRK summit without preconditions,' and the DPRK only clarified its stance that it would welcome Japan if it is ready to make a new start, not being obsessed with the past," she said. Kishida declined to directly respond to Kim's comments, telling reporters late on Tuesday that Japan would continue its efforts to resolve issues with Pyongyang based on "existing policies." In 2002, North Korea admitted that it had sent agents to abduct 13 Japanese people in the 1970s and 1980s, pressing them into service training its spies in Japanese language and customs. This has since remained a major issue in Japan. Japan's former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi paid a landmark visit to Pyongyang in 2002 and met Kim's father Kim Jong-il. His visit led to the return of five Japanese nationals and a follow-up trip by Koizumi, but the diplomacy soon broke down, following Tokyo's claim that Pyongyang was not coming clean about the abduction victims. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye's 8th humanitarian aid ship to war-torn Gaza will set sail on Thursday, the country's disaster relief agency AFAD said in a statement. The ship prepared by AFAD in cooperation with the Directorate General of Foundations will depart from the Mersin port at 1 p.m. local time (GMT1000). The loading of supplies weighing 2,960 tons, including 125,000 food parcels and other materials, continues. Trkiye, under the coordination of AFAD and with the support of civil society organizations, has so far sent 13 planes and seven ships carrying humanitarian aid supplies to the Palestinian people. With the combined efforts of ship voyages, air bridge operations, local procurement, and cooperation with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the total humanitarian aid sent has reached 39,607 tons. To meet the water needs of civilians in the Gaza Strip, another project was launched in collaboration with the Egyptian Red Crescent to supply bottled water. So far, a total of 1,126 tons of water has b een delivered to the region through weekly shipments of five trucks. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) could decide to limit Germany's arms sales to Israel when it takes up Nicaragua's case against it for a preliminary hearing early next month, requesting that the top UN court order Berlin to cease its military support for Tel Aviv amid increasing pressure from human rights groups across Europe over allegations of genocide in Gaza, said a legal expert. Despite increasing pressure from human rights groups in Europe, Germany stands out as the country providing the most significant arms support to Israel, which is being tried for genocide in Gaza at the ICJ. According to a report from the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, the country's arms and military equipment sales to Israel increased tenfold last year, reaching pound 326.5 million (approximately $353.27 million) as compared to 2022. Nicaragua filed a lawsuit against Germany at the ICJ, alleging that Germany's support for Israel's attacks on Gaza facilitated "committing genocide." On April 8 and 9, the ICJ will hear a South African case requesting additional sanctions against Israel for its war in Gaza, while Nicaragua has also petitioned the top UN court to order Germany to cease providing military support for Israel. 'Germany feels certain responsibility for Israel's security' Commenting on the case, Professor at Bonn University and legal expert Stefan Talmon told Anadolu that his country's "unconditional" support and stance towards Israel are linked to the Holocaust. "Not only this government but also the previous government declared that Israel's security is Germany's responsibility. Germany feels a certain responsibility for Israel's security," Talman said. "While I am fully supportive of Israel's right to self-defense, I believe Germany has made the mistake of being rather unconditional in its support," he said, believing that this situation damages Germany's credibility internationally. Talmon said Germany refrains from criticizing Israel because it regards it as an "ally a nd friend." "Despite numerous reports from United Nations agencies and NGOs about the desperate situation of Palestinians, Germany has never really criticized Israel for what it has been doing. "Considering personal relationships, if you have good friends, sometimes you may tell your friends when they make a mistake. In fact, if you think a good friend has made a mistake, you criticize him," he said. 'Ignoring violations undermines credibility in terms of international law' Germany, despite having a Holocaust past, has to speak out about Israel's mistakes publicly, Talmon stressed, adding, "Ignoring (Tel Aviv's) clear violations undermines its own credibility in terms of international law.' "We cannot accuse Russia or Belarus or China or other countries of violating international law while looking the other way when our friends or allies do the same." He noted that Germany has recently become "more outspoken" about Israel's actions in Gaza, but added, "I think Germany should have spoken up or out much e arlier. "Now, already in October 2023, when Israel declared that it would impose a total blockade on Gaza when some Israeli politician said there is no food, no water, no electricity going into Gaza anymore... Germany should already have spoken out about this." He said Nicaragua's lawsuit against Germany has not gained widespread attention in the country, as 'I don't think this has become a general issue in the German public." 'Nicaragua will point to Germany's arms shipments to Israel' Talmon said the court's jurisdiction and admissibility of Nicaragua's lawsuit against Germany for facilitating genocide will be determined during the hearing scheduled for April 8 and 9. He pointed out that Nicaragua needs to overcome these obstacles to present its claims, saying: "Nicaragua will point to Germany's outspoken support for Israel in the political sphere, supporting Israel's right to self-defense. "It's a temporary halting of new funding to UNRWA - the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. And, of course, it w ill point to the weapons deliveries from Germany to Israel." The legal expert described the case's procedural difficulty as "if you claim that Germany is complicit in genocide, then it would either be instigating genocide or aiding and abetting genocide.' The first step in determining this would be to establish that there has been genocide. Now, Israel is accused of genocide. So the court cannot rule on complicity without first deciding on the main act, namely genocide, he explained. 'Respect for international humanitarian law must be ensured' The expert noted that Nicaragua's accusations against Germany include not only violating the Genocide Convention but also violating international humanitarian law, stating: "Nicaragua also claims that Germany is not complying with visits obligation to ensure respect for international humanitarian law (under the Geneva Conventions)." He said some argue that the obligation to ensure respect for international humanitarian law can only be fulfilled in case of a violati on. "I don't think that that is true. Because, of course, people or states have to ensure respect for international humanitarian law even before breaches actually happen," he underlined. Talmon concluded by saying: "If you know that someone is always breaching international humanitarian law, then there is a probability there is a risk that that state will also now violate international humanitarian law. "So, the court could order that Germany shall not provide Israel with any weapons that may be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law.' But again, the issue here is that Nicaragua would have to prove first, that Germany has supplied weapons used in Gaza, he said. Germany could argue in court that it was unaware that the arms sold to Israel were being used against civilians, he added. The expert said Nicaragua would have to prove that Germany had information about who the weapons were being used against, adding, "The law is sometimes very procedural, and it is sometimes very difficult to prove things." Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye continues to strike PKK and cornered terror group now rages its terrorism in countries that tolerated its activities for years, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday. 'Now that terrorist organizations cannot find a safe haven in Trkiye, they are seeking refuge abroad. Some of our neighbors and other countries have become preoccupied with solidifying their positions,' Fidan said during an Iftar dinner program in Istanbul. Trkiye will never allow the establishment of a terrorist corridor stretching from Iraq to Syria, no matter who stands behind it, Fidan said, adding that the country has taken all necessary measures on every issue concerning national security and will continue to do so. "We will not wait for permission from anyone for this. In the new era, in solidarity with our neighbors, with a spirit of regional awareness, we are determined to completely eradicate the scourge of terrorism,' he added. Fidan also condemned PKK terror group attacks Sunday on Turkish nation als in two Belgium cities. Saying that Trkiye demanded rapid action from Belgian authorities, Fidan said: 'I personally called my Belgian counterpart that same night, emphasizing our sensitivity and expectations." Diplomatic efforts were swiftly mobilized, with Turkish diplomats traveling to the region to assist affected nationals. The minister credited the common sense of citizens and the intervention of Belgian authorities for bringing the situation under control before it could escalate further. Highlighting similar provocative attempts in France and a recent attack on the Turkish Consulate General in Hanover, Germany, the minister emphasized the need for swift action and justice. 'We took immediate action in Ankara and Berlin, stating that we expect the perpetrators to be brought to justice," said Fidan. On Tuesday evening, following a pro-PKK demonstration in Hannover, around a dozen PKK followers tried to break the windows of Trkiye's Consulate General building in the city center. No one was injur ed in the attack, but the building's windows and main entrance door were damaged. The attack on the consulate followed acts of violence by PKK supporters in recent days in Belgium where shops and cultural centers of the Turkish community were targeted. In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Trkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people. Source: Anadolu Agency