position:foreign affairs minister

US congressmen confirm unchanged support to Latvia’s security
On Wednesday, 24 August, Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Edgars Rinkevics met with a delegation of US congressmen that arrived in Latvia with U.S. Congressional Armed Services Committee member Chris Gibson.

During the conversation, Rinkevics emphasized that Latvia highly values the visits regularly carried out by members of the US administration and Congress to the region and especially Latvia, because those visits hold a practical and symbolic meaning. Gibson noted that the main goal of the US Congress delegation’s visit is to demonstrate the support of US Republicans and Democrats to the statements made by US Vice-President Joe Biden about USA’s unchanged stance in regards to NATO principles and commitment to fulfil Article 5, as reported by Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
▻http://bnn-news.com/us-congressmen-confirm-unchanged-support-to-latvia-s-security-149776

#Latvia #Latvija #Foreign_affairs #USA #NATO #Joe_Biden

U.S.-Canada Joint Statement on Climate, Energy, and Arctic Leadership | whitehouse.gov

▻https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/10/us-canada-joint-statement-climate-energy-and-arctic-leadership

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau share a common vision of a prosperous and sustainable North American economy, and the opportunities afforded by advancing clean growth. They emphasize and embrace the special relationship between the two countries and their history of close collaboration on energy development, environmental protection, and Arctic leadership. The two leaders regard the Paris Agreement as a turning point in global efforts to combat climate change and anchor economic growth in clean development. They resolve that the United States and Canada must and will play a leadership role internationally in the low carbon global economy over the coming decades, including through science-based steps to protect the Arctic and its peoples. Canada and the U.S. will continue to respect and promote the rights of Indigenous peoples in all climate change decision making. Furthermore, the leaders emphasize the importance of the U.S. and Canada continuing to cooperate closely with Mexico on climate and energy action and commit to strengthen a comprehensive and enduring North American climate and energy partnership.

–—
Trudeau-Obama to link economy, environment at state dinner, says Dion | CTV News
▻http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/trade-climate-and-arctic-to-dominate-discussion-between-trudeau-and-obama-1.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.2665395.1447941078!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpg

Thursday’s state dinner in Washington will allow Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama to make a strong statement linking the environment and the economy, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion says.

#arctique #états-unis #canada

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Norway issues asylum rejection letters 2 Syrians, rejected bc came from ’safe’ Russia, deportations ongoing.

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Al-Akhbar’s unchanging stances
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/al-akhbars-unchanging-stances

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Lebanese counterpart Michel Sleimane (L) looks on as French President Francois Hollande (2nd) speaks with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov (C), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R), and French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (2nd R), at the Elysee presidential palace during the joint Meeting of the International Support Group for #Lebanon at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on March 5, 2014. (Photo: AFP-Pool/Alain Jocard) Lebanese counterpart Michel Sleimane (L) looks on as French President Francois Hollande (2nd) speaks with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov (C), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R), and French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (2nd R), at the Elysee presidential palace during (...)

#Opinion #Articles #Ashraf_Rifi #Court_of_Publications #Hezbollah #Michel_Suleiman #Roukoz_Rizk

Palestinian development conference focuses on peace talks
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/palestinian-development-conference-focuses-peace-talks

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Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (at podium) delivers his speech as Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Fumio Kishida, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and South African Minister of International Relations Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (front row in front of podium), pay attention during the opening of the second Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) in Jakarta on March 1, 2014. (Photo: AFP - Bay Ismoyo)

Representatives of 22 nations met in Jakarta on Saturday to discuss Palestinian development, with co-chairs Japan and Indonesia reiterating their support for a two-state solution. The second Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for (...)

#CEAPAD #Israel #Palestine #Top_News

Russian FM meets with Syrian opposition over peace talks
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/russian-fm-meets-syrian-opposition-over-peace-talks

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A handout picture released by the Cypriot Press and Information Office (PIO) shows Cypriot Foreign Affairs Minister, Ioannis Kasoulides visiting the Danish support vessel L17 “Esbern Snare”, one of the vessels deployed to bring #syria’s chemical agents to destruction, on February 3, 2014, outside the southern Cypriot coastal town of Larnaca. Danish and Norwegian vessels left the Cypriot port of Limassol on January 31, 2014 and headed towards Syria to escort a delayed shipment of chemical weapons for destruction, a spokesman said. (Photo: AFP / PIO - Stavros Ioannides)

Syria’s opposition leader met #Russia's top diplomat on Tuesday in a bid to persuade Moscow to push its ally Damascus to agree to a transitional government for the war-scarred nation. Meanwhile, (...)

#Top_News

Grenada, Haiti recognize the State of Palestine | Maan News Agency
▻http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=633996

NEW YORK (Ma’an) — Grenada and Haiti have officially recognized the State of Palestine in a ceremony held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Friday, Palestinian Authority Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad al-Maliki said.

Al-Malki signed separate agreements to establish diplomatic relations with his Grenadian and Haitian counterparts. The agreement means that the states will exchange ambassadors.

“This recognition highlights the collective international approval of Palestinian rights,” said al-Maliki.

“It is a new success for Palestinian diplomacy,” he added.

Grenada and Haiti join more than 130 states worldwide that maintain diplomatic relations and recognize the state of Palestine.

Le Canada punira les Palestiniens s’il leur venait l’idée de faire respecter les Droits de l’Homme par Israël :
▻http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/06/pol-cp-baird-fantino-palestinian-speech.html

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has told a powerful pro-Israel lobby that Palestinians will feel “consequences” from Canada if they pursue the Jewish state at the International Criminal Court.

#wag_the_dog

Tunisian party threatens to quit government
▻http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/02/201323153021219856.html

The Tunisian president’s secular party has threatened to withdraw from the Islamic-led government unless it drops two religiously-conservative ministers.

[…]

Coalition discussions on a cabinet reshuffle have broken down after Congress for the Republic asked for the replacement of Foreign Affairs Minister Rafik Abdessalem, who is son-in-law of Ennahda head Rached Gannouchi, and Justice Minister Nouridine Bhiri, saying their performances had been weak.

SYRIA’S top diplomat in Australia, Jawdat Ali, was today expelled by the Gillard Government in protest about the massacre of an estimated 100 people in his country, many of them children.
Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr said the Syrian Charge D’Affairs has 72 hours to leave the country.
Senator Carr said Australia condemned the atrocities perpetrated against civilians in the village of Haoula.
Mr Ali was summoned to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra today and told he was being expelled.
On Monday, Mr Ali was told Australia expected the Syrian Government to cease military operations and abide by the ceasefire brokered by special Envoy Kofi Annan.
“This massacre of civilians in Haoula is a hideous and brutal crime,” Senator Carr said.
The United Nations has condemned Syria for the slaughter.
Australia, the European Union and the United States have imposed sanctions on Syria. Australia has put travel and financial restrictions on 106 individuals and 28 entities and imposed an arms embargo.

Message to Libyan rebels casts doubt on Canada’s role
►http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/message+libyan+rebels+casts+doubt+canada+role/6533333/story.html

During a trip to eastern Libya last June, at a time when rebel forces were locked in a stalemate with troops loyal to dictator Moammar Gadhafi and many countries were calling for a ceasefire, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird actively encouraged the rebels to keep fighting.

The revelation opens a new window onto the role Canada played in the civil war - while raising questions about whether this country violated the spirit of the United Nations Security Council resolution that authorized international involvement in the conflict.