Syrian rebels fail to achieve Russia’s support against President Assad

Moscow seems unmoved from Syrian protesters’ call for endorsing their fight against President Bashar al-Assad.

Burhan Ghalion, the chief of Syrian National Council [SNC], and who is also leader the protesters demanding Assad’s resignation, stated that he failed to convince Russia to support their struggle. Ghalion was in Moscow for a talk with Russian diplomats.

Instead, Russian leaders asked SNC leader to negotiate with President Assad and stop violent demonstrations. Clashes between Syrian government forces and protesters have caused hundreds of deaths so far.

Last Monday, around 70 people lost their lives in another conflict. Human right activists are strongly opposing violence in Russia.

However, the claims of deaths of civilians can not be verified even as the Syrian government has restricted access to country for foreign media.

According to the United Nations, around 3500 people have died since demonstrations started in Syria calling  President Assad to resign. However, the Syrian government claims the deaths were caused by violence by militant groups.

The Russian government does not support UN Security Council’s criticism against Syria and also flayed the Arab League for suspending Syria’s membership. There was no agreement on any issue between the Syrian opposition leader and Kremlin, revealed Ghalion in Moscow. He further revealed that he felt President Assad’s oppressive government enjoyed full support from the Russian government.

Israel denies financial aid to UNESCO to oppose Palestinian membership

Israel denies financial aid to UNESCO to oppose Palestinian membership

Benjamin Netanyahu ,After the United State, it was Israel’s turn to show anger over UN decision to give recognition to Palestine as a sovereign independent state and full membership. Israeli Prime Minister  called on to stop giving financial aid to UN cultural wing—UNESCO.

Netanyahu  stated that  Israel would discontinue its contribution to UNESCO’s annual budget as the United Nations has accepted Palestine as a member. Israel’s contributions to UN cultural wing accounts for $2 million.

“The prime minister also declared that instead of contributing to UNESCO, Isreal would prefer spending this money  for cooperative initiatives in its region to fulfill similar goals.

Netanyahu’s declaration comes following the United States’ fierce reaction to UNESCO’s voting to accept Palestine as a member of UN. Israel also joined hands with the United States and opposed UN decision.  Israel’s decision of taking back its financial support from UNESCO has been severely criticized by countries across the globe.

He stated that accepting Palestine as its member, UN has pushed peace process back.  Real peace can not be achieved by negotiations with conditions, he added.

The United States pulled its hands back from helping UNESCO. The UNESCO has been receiving 22 percent of its annual budget from the United States.

South Sudan protesters call on Warrap State to evacuate

Protesters in South Sudan threatened to overthrow the local government of Warrap state and appealed to the international bodies and civilians to vacate the area.

The South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) asked UN staffs to vacate Warrap state within 3 days after the army attaked Mayom Town. The SSLA stated that people of Warrap state will be free from poverty and corruption after they dismiss the local government.

The army also clarified that they had asked residents of Warrap State to evacuate in order to keep them safe. The United Nations did not take any action, however, and did not remove its volunteers who are engaged in humanitarian works in South Sudan and providing food to people there.

South Sudan became an  independent nation following a peace deal with Khartoum government this year in July. This also ended the many decade-long civil war in united Sudan. Hoever, Northern Sudan is still facing tribal conflicts within its border that has taken thousands of lives so far.

According to officials of South Sudan, the SSLA attacked on Mayom Town killing many civilians and soldiers.

Philip Aguer, spokesperson of South Sudan military criticized the attack by the SSLA because it led to civilian deaths. He stated that Mayom was back under the control of government which the SSLA rejected. The SSLA also claimed to have captured Tomor Town and were now moving toward Bentiu too.

US vested interests exposed again

Recent incidents have exposed the dual faces of US diplomat once again. The disgusting game of death and destruction, which the United States of America has been playing with rest of the world in the name of promoting democracy and anti-terrorism campaigns is not hidden from anybody.

What the United States justifies its actions with is all to establish peace and democracy, but behind curtains its foreign policy is dictated by oil diplomacy and on ways to seek for reasons to exploit other nations’ resources.

If the Bigg Boss and Uncle Sam today declares Pakistan among suspects of terrorism sponsoring nations and says it would attack the later getting evidence of the accusation, it does not surprise anybody. Be it Afghanistan or Iraq, Cuba or Indo-China, US ambitions have always come up naked.

Recently Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI has been declared a terrorists’ ally and blamed for having a hand behind attack on US Embassy in Kabul.

Experts of politics are in doubt regarding the notion that this declaration is the beginning of US war against Pakistan. Annoyed by Russia and China’s support to Palestinians’ demand for statehood in the UN General Assembly, US gets no excuse to hide its real intentions.

Israel has always been a problem state since its inception. Palestinians were pushed toward margins and suppressed in their own homeland for many decades.

However, even after 20 years of continuous killing of civilians, Palestinians are yet begging for peace. though the United States has always posed to be negotiating with Israel on its behalf for settlement.

However, now the real intentions of the superpower are clear with its strong protest, against Palestinian demand for UN membership as a sovereign state. Palestinian should now better seek for a bilateral solution with Israel rather than looking at the United States or its puppet UN for achieving peace and sovereignty.

France not to support Palestinians in bidding for UN membership

Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian is going to feel the heat of pressure from France and the United States for giving up his bid for UN membership. The two countries are trying to discourage Palestine from seeking for global recognition.

Nicolas Sarkozy, French president is going to express his disapproval of Palestinian desire in the whereas US president Obama will also argue against Palestine, both in the UN general assembly.

U.S. officials revealed that officially both countries had no authority of stopping Abbas from demanding for UN membership but Obama and Sarkozy would try to persuade the Palestinian leader to drop his demand for statehood for Palestine.

Abbas would make a formal request for Palestine’sstatus as an independent country in the UN General Assembly. However it will take a long time for the United Nations to actually proceed with Palestine’s request for statehood and decide on it.

Even if the United States fails to make Abbas not to proceed with demand for UN approval for Palestine’s statehood, Obama will certainly use veto power finally to stop the move.

If the United Nations takes months to proceed with Paqlestinian demand for statehood, it will open a chance for reopening of peace talsk between Israel and Palestine.

Bomb Blast in Lebanon Targets UN convoy

Bomb blast along the streets of Beirut targeted a convoy of Italian peace keepers who are in the country under the mandate of the UN.
It is reported that the attack injured six of the soldiers. It was the first time since 2008 that such an incidence is to happen in the country.

An Italian general who spoke to the press after the attack said that the bomb was planned specifically against the Italian peace keepers. General Santi Bonfanti who was the second in command of the UN peace keepers in Lebanon said that one of the wounded soldiers had undergone surgical operation and that another soldier is to go for a surgical operation.

He said that the other soldiers were in good conditions. The general was speaking to the Italian television. The explosion was planted for the soldiers along the Sidon highway. The explosion made a severe mark on the road.
Italy was one of the countries that contributed soldiers for peace keeping in Lebanon. The soldiers have maintained a relative peace in the country until the recent attack. So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. This was the first time that an incident like this has happened in the country since 2008. It would be recalled that a similar attack killed the former prime minister of the country.

Libyan crisis lingers

It was the famous British author Agatha Christie who warns more than a decade ago that war never settles anything but brings agony to both the victor and the vanquished.

The scenario could be said to be the situation that is currently taking place in Libya where the rebels in that country are lucked in war with the government of Colonel Moamar Gadhafi. The international community tried to intervene in the crisis through the UN resolution that seeks to protect the civilian populations in Libya.

NATO took up the campaign to enforce the UN resolution against Libya. For more than 40 days that NATO had intervened in the war Col Gadhafi still holds to power. The rebels are unable to push much despite the support from the NATO. While the two sides in the conflict are punching their fists over who will carry the day, it is the Libyan civilians that are at the receiving end of the entire crises. The intervention of NATO in the war was to protect the civilians whom the government of Libya has turned its weapons against.

The truth is that whether we accept it or not the war in Libyan is taken its toll on the Libyan civilians and the more it rages the more the people suffer for it.

EU to support US sanctions on Syria

US Treasury will provide the names of the Syrian most powerful man and other officials against whom the financial and other sanctions will be imposed following death of 453 civilians in clashes between govt. backed army and anti-govt. protesters, special UN HRC session on Syria.

The statement issued by an EU executive confirms that EU members will discuss the possibility of slapping sanctions against Syria; other options will also be discussed in a meeting being held on Friday 29 Apr 2011.

Michael Mann, at European commission briefing also confirmed the scheduled meeting. In case EU members agreed for sanctions, there is a great possibility of imposing travel restrictions on key Syrian officials and freezing heir financial assets in foreign countries. The Syrian observatory for Human Rights confirmed having the names of 453 citizens killed in clashes.

In further developments against Syria, Germany supported the imposing of sanctions on Syria and demand that Damascus to punish those who are responsible for the human loss in clashes.

Steffen Seibert, German Government Spokes man stated at a news briefing. He further asserted that the sanctions would include travel restrictions on Syrian leader and officials, freezing of their financial assets in other countries and stopping all the economic aid being provided by the European countries.

UK premier criticizes UN resolution on Libya

UK prime minister disagrees with the UN resolution on Libya calling it a restriction against the global community’s mission to protect civilians in the country.

David Cameron stated that it would constrain the NATO-led coalition power in protecting civilians against the atrocities by the Pro-Gaddafi security forces in Libya. However, he justified the restrictions at the same time.

According to the Libyan rebellions, more than 6 people have been killed on Sunday during a clash between security forces and rebellions in Misrata. The opposition members are continuously protesting against the autocratic leader Colonel Gaddafi and asking him to resign. The pro-government security forces fiercely suppressed the rebels and regained control over their stronghold recently, despite international efforts to protect the civilians.

The British premier further stated that despite the fact that the coalition forces were there to protect civilians’ lives, he could not say it was wrong to implement new UN Resolution on Libya, however it was certainly restricting them.

Cameron also stated that the resolution would block the mission that was began to take over control from pro-Gaddafi Libyan forces who were making the life of people miserable in Misrata and coastal areas of Libya.

Camerron emphasized on putting continuous pressure over Libyan ruler to agree for a peaceful settlement, which could also include giving some relief to Gaddafi.

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Ouattara’s supporters surround president Gbagbo’s home in Ivory Coast

Anti-government protesters who support Alassane Ouattara surrounded Gbagbo’s house following violent clashes between opposite sides. Ouattara’s supporters attacked over Gbagbo’s bunker, pro-Gbagbo troops forced them to surrender.

French airplanes rushed to save Japan’s envoy to Ivory Coast, who was trapped there due to ongoing clashes in the country.

Alain Juppe, French Foreign Minister stated that Israel called on France to help in evacuate its nationals from Ivory Coast. On Wednesday, Gbagbo ‘s refusal to accept his defeat in the elections and step down from his post agitated Ouattara’s supporters and they surrounded Gbagbo’s house to capture him alive.

The current political crisis in Ivory Coast is a reflux of what has been happening in many countries of the Middle East region. It started in December when President Gbagbo rejected the election results and did not leave the post of President. Most of the Ivoirians today support Ouattara, Gbagbo’s political opponent leader and winner of the recent elections.

There have been tremendous efforts from the global community to convince and pressurize Gbagbo to resign and hand over power to Ouattara but in vain.  Anti-government protesters in Ivory Coast turned into rebellions seizing cities and pushing pro-president security forces back to Abidjan.

There have been numerous deaths due to continuous violent conflicts between the pro-Gbagbo forces and the protesters. Around 1 million Ivorians have been forced to flee away from their homes and out of them 100,000 have taken shelter in Liberia.