U.S.& Iran Meet Ahead of Deadline for Atom Deal
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Iran's foreign minister and the European Union foreign policy chief in Oman on Nov. 9-10 to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue ahead of a looming deadline for a final agreement, the U.S. State Department said on Friday. Kerry's talks in Muscat, Oman with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the EU's Catherine Ashton are due to take place two weeks before a Nov. 24 deadline for Tehran and six major powers to reach a long-term agreement on Iran's nuclear program. The high-level gathering is one of series of meetings in the final weeks before the deadline. Before heading to Oman Ashton will meet senior foreign ministry officials from the six powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in Vienna on Nov.
U.S., Iran Says Nuclear Talks Big Differences Persist in Vienna
Secretary of State of the United States, John Kerry said Sunday that there are still large differences between Iran and six world powers negotiating over Tehran's nuclear program, comments echoed by the Islamic Republic, while the deadline approaches to reach an agreement. United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China want Iran to reduce its ability to produce nuclear fuel for denying any means to produce atomic bombs quickly. In return, the international sanctions that have hit the economy of OPEC member dependent on its oil exports gradually rise country. Iran says it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes related to power generation and wants sanctions are removed quickly.
Senior U.S., Iranian Officials To Meet In Geneva
The United States said on Saturday it will send its No. 2 diplomat to Geneva to meet senior Iranian officials on Monday and Tuesday in what appeared an effort to break a logjam in wider negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, who led secret U.S.-Iranian negotiations that helped bring about a Nov. 24 interim nuclear agreement between Iran and the major powers, will head a U.S. delegation. Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the primary U.S. negotiator with Iran, will accompany him on a team that will include senior White House national security staff. The most recent round of nuclear talks between Iran and six major powers in Vienna last month ran into difficulties…
EU gives Geneva deal a chance before adopting new Russia sanctions
The European Union is holding off imposing further sanctions on Russia for now over its actions in Ukraine until it sees if a deal reached in Geneva last week works, EU diplomats said on Tuesday. EU foreign ministers agreed on April 14 to step up sanctions by expanding their list of 33 people targeted with asset freezes and visa bans for their roles in Moscow's seizure and annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in February. But so far, although EU officials have been drawing up new names that could be added to the list, no decisions have been taken. EU diplomats said the reason was that the bloc wanted to allow time to see if an agreement reached in Geneva last week would work.
Ashton Hosts Maritime Security Event
Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, hosted a meeting on Tuesday in Brussels at the European External Action Service, with a number of African countries, to examine maritime threats to Africa and to discuss areas of future cooperation. "The European Union is the main supporter of African efforts to develop capacity to manage security across the continent. Maritime security off the coast of Africa is a key issue of shared concern for both the EU and Africa and we share an interest in urgently countering this threat which undermines the social, economic and security fabric of the African nations affected," said Catherine Ashton.
Arctic Sanctuary Sought Around North Pole
The European Parliament today passed a resolution calling for a protected area around the North Pole which could ban oil companies and industrial fishing fleets from the region. The text echoes the demands of an international campaign which has attracted the support of over five million people including Sir Paul McCartney and U.S. oceanographer, Sylvia Earle. The move represents a clear break from the current positions of ‘Arctic Council’ members such as Norway, Denmark, Canada and Russia who have resisted calls for permanent protection of the Arctic region.
EU to Lead International Counter Piracy Efforts in 2014
From the January 1, 2014 the European Union will assume for one year the chairmanship of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) with Maciej Popowski, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) as EU chairperson. The chairmanship of the Contact Group is a joint Endeavour of the EEAS and the European Commission and will continue the work carried out in 2013 under the chairmanship of the United States. While the number of hostages has gone down from more than 700 in 2011 to around 50 today, the European Union said it is strongly committed to bringing this number down to zero: zero ships and zero seafarers in the hands of Somali pirates.
EU Designates €124 Million for Security in Somalia
The EU has announced that it will provide additional support of more than €124 million to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). This new financial support by the EU will cover costs including troop allowances for all AMISOM soldiers, police and civilian components of the mission, as well as operational costs of the mission headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. This support will be critical in allowing AMISOM to continue to fulfill its United Nations Security Council mandate to carry out active peace support operations across Somalia. Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development said, “A safer and more secure environment in Somalia will benefit the Somali people and development of the country as a whole.
