Tag Archives: diplomats
Afghans, diplomats surprised by report of Trump plan to pull out troops
Although there has been increasing acceptance in Kabul that U.S. President Donald Trump was impatient for progress in ending the 17-year war, comment from a U.S. official that he was planning to withdraw at least 5,000 troops, coupled with the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, came as a surprise. Mattis has been widely seen in Afghanistan as a guarantor of U.S. engagement, and his departure would inevitability raise worries in the minds of many Afghan officials. The news followed a two-day meeting in Abu Dhabi between U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives at which the two sides discussed the withdrawal of international forces and a ceasefire in 2019.
Police called on diplomats as APEC summit tensions boil over
Police were called when Chinese officials attempted to “barge” into the office of Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister, it emerged Sunday, as APEC summit tensions boiled over. The Chinese delegates “tried to barge in” to Rimbink Pato’s Port Moresby office Saturday, in an eleventh-hour bid to influence a summit draft communique, but were denied entry, three sources with knowledge of the situation told AFP. “Police were posted outside the minister’s office after they tried to barge in,” one source privy to summit negotiations told AFP, requesting anonymity.
Russia expels U.S. diplomats and closes a consulate
The Latest: Australia expels 2 Russian diplomats
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The Latest on the diplomatic fallout over the nerve agent attack on an ex-Russian spy in Britain (all times local):
The Latest: Russian diplomats expelled by UK arrive home
MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy and his daughter in Britain (all times local):
Russia expels British diplomats amid growing tension after former spy poisoning
UN diplomats locked in talks on Syria ceasefire
A UN Security Council meeting to vote on a 30-day ceasefire in Syria failed to start as scheduled at 1700 GMT on Saturday as negotiations continued in an effort to avert a Russian veto, diplomats said. It was not immediately known if the vote would be postponed on a draft resolution demanding a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of the sick and wounded. Russia is supporting the Syrian government, and the UN negotiations have stumbled over Russian demands that rebel groups fighting government forces comply with the truce.
19 U.S. Travelers To Cuba Reported Symptoms Similar To Those Of Diplomats
U.S. probing if 'viral' attack sickened diplomats in Cuba: official
By Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. investigators are looking at a range of theories, including the possibility of a “viral” attack, to explain what may have sickened some American diplomats who were stationed in Havana, the State Department said on Tuesday. U.S. experts have yet to determine who or what was behind the mysterious illnesses that began occurring in late 2016 and heightened tensions between the old Cold War foes. State Department officials testified that it was “incomprehensible” Cuba’s Communist government would not have been aware of what happened or who was responsible, though they stopped short of assigning direct blame to Havana.
Saudi, Lebanon diplomats caught in diplomatic tussle
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's ambassador to Saudi Arabia and his Saudi counterpart are caught in what appears to be a diplomatic tussle over representation, with each country delaying accreditation of the other's diplomat, though both were named months ago.
