Diplomacy – MinBane

Ethiopia: TPLF – Statement by Getachew K. Reda – Advisor to the President of Tigray (16.03.2023)

Cambodia: Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva – “Being a political figure, whether or not bearing a political opposition tag, does entitle that person to act with impunity” (09.03.2023)

Palestine: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates – Press Statement (27.02.2023)

Israel-Palestine: Aqaba Joint Communique (26.02.2023)

Opinion: Will Sunak tear the GFA apart?

“Article 1: (vi) recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland” (The Belfast Agreement, 10.04.1998).

Today, we should be worried, the North Ireland Protocol, which is a part of the European Union Withdrawal Agreement is up for grabs. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is playing high and mighty. He also must play this game for his own gains and office. It is not like he has a massive mandate or power on his own. The PM needs to play the support of DUP and ERG within his own ranks. That’s why he got a buck-load of trouble and little strength in the days ahead.

Why am I worried, well he answered this in the PMQ today:

“As the right hon. and learned Gentleman knows, we are still in active discussions with the European Union, but he should know that I am a Conservative, a Brexiter and a Unionist, and any agreement that we reach needs to tick all three boxes. It needs to ensure sovereignty for Northern Ireland, it needs to safeguard Northern Ireland’s place in our Union, and it needs to find practical solutions to the problems faced by people and businesses. I will be resolute in fighting for what is best for Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom” (Sunak, 22.02.2023).

I find it troubling with the quote of the PM. His disregarding the Irish and the GFA by doing so. His only on the side of the Unionists and the ones who wants the Northern Irish to be British. That is indirectly disregarding a lot of people in NI. The PM might not consider this, but by what he said and how he stated it… he has violated and intends to not honour Article 1(vi) of the Belfast Agreement of 1998.

If he does what he might want to do… to appease DUP and ERG within his party. He is maybe without intention or purposes changing the status of Northern Ireland. In such a manner, that endangers the whole Good Friday Agreement.

It seems like the PM should consult with the North South Ministerial Council on the matter of NI Protocol as well. Even the GFA agreement states one vital part under the second stand, which says this: “(iii) in an appropriate format to consider institutional or cross-sectoral matters (including in relation to the EU) and to resolve disagreement” (The Belfast Agreement, 10.04.1998).

This here stipulates the acts of the Council and how it works in relations to the EU. That is vital in consideration the NI Protocol and the plans of the PM. If he wants to honour the GFA and such. He should consult himself with Council and be cautious, as he is trading waters and possibly eaten by sharks. They a sensing blood and coming for him. That’s why he should read the agreements and stipulations to ensure the right actions ahead.

Now his just spewing Tory rhetoric and it’s doing no good. There are no favours earned or statements which are making things better. The way he speaks at the PMQ make it seems like a way of only safeguarding the Union and the interests of allies of Great Britain. While his disregarding and dismissing the ones wanting a united Ireland. Which is also something the British Government promised to commit too in the GFA. That’s what is striking here, and we should be worried about. It shows a sentiment and attitude from London, which is forgetting old promises. That is clear… and Sunak isn’t a man who honour this agreement apparently. He got enough to hold his head above water and steer away from the sharks. Peace.

A brief look into President Putin’s speech yesterday

“We are not at war with the people of Ukraine. I have made that clear many times. The people of Ukraine have become hostages of the Kiev regime and its Western handlers, who have in fact occupied that country in the political, military and economic sense and have been destroying Ukrainian industry for decades now as they plundered its natural resources. This led to social degradation and an immeasurable increase in poverty and inequality. Recruiting resources for military operations in these circumstances was easy. Nobody was thinking about people, who were conditioned for slaughter and eventually became expendables. It is a sad and dreadful thing to say, but it is a fact” – President Vladimir Putin (21.02.2023)

Yesterday speech by the Russian President isn’t an insignificant one, but is in a row of shady tricks and ploys to legitimize an illegal invasion of a sovereign. He is trying to use words and mechanisms to devoid himself from the issue at hand. The President knows well he instigated and has issued the war on Ukraine.

President Putin has planned, escalated and ensured the war on Ukraine. That is all in his making and with his armies. He has supported “resistance” and “armed militias” within Ukrainian territories since the Maidan revolution. Putin has also with his might and power annexed Ukrainian territory of Crimea. Therefore, he knows perfectly well the gamble and the will to undermine Kyiv. That’s his busy doing and he does on the basis of military strength.

“Responsibility for inciting and escalating the Ukraine conflict as well as the sheer number of casualties lies entirely with the Western elites and, of course, today’s Kiev regime, for which the Ukrainian people are, in fact, not its own people. The current Ukrainian regime is serving not national interests, but the interests of third countries” (Putin, 21.02.2023).

Putin himself wants his own puppets and musketeers like he has in Minsk. That’s what is aiming for so he can control Ukraine by proxy. This is his mission and that’s why he uses this sort of rhetoric. Because he knows perfectly well that the government is elected and popular in Ukraine. A government, which by default just happens to Eurocentric and not Moscow bound. He wants a fella who loves Kremlin and wants to be associated with him. That’s all that matters and he can destroy his own armies to get there.

One last piece of his speech: “In early February, the North Atlantic alliance made a statement with actual demand to Russia, as they put it, to return to the implementation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, including admission of inspections to our nuclear defence facilities. I don’t even know what to call this. It is a kind of a theatre of the absurd. We know that the West is directly involved in the Kiev regime’s attempts to strike at our strategic aviation bases. The drones used for this purpose were equipped and updated with the assistance of NATO specialists. And now they also want to inspect our defence facilities? In the current conditions of confrontation, it simply sounds insane” (Putin, 21.02.2023).

He clearly see the world as a one-sided one and secondly also directly accepts that he can issue threats, but others has to silently look by. He is stressing the NATO and US is supporting Ukraine in its self-defence. Though the NATO and European allies are not on the ground or directly involved in the combats. Neither are the specialists or anyone else close to the battlefields. No, there is more Belarussian involvement in the war then what is happening from NATO. The Russians has used more of their allies and their connections to boost their war. While NATO and European allies has been cautious with their movements. Russians has used Iranian drones and others technical warfare to missile strike the Republic of Ukraine. Therefore, this sort of speech only shows how he favours himself and doesn’t take to account his invading forces and the war-crimes committed by itself.

We know Ukraine wants to defend itself and get rid of the threats of Russian air-forces. Who can blame them? When Russian armed forces are bombing and missile striking the nation. That just shows the tyranny and the entitlement of Putin. He can bomb nations asunder, but the defending nation cannot use force to defend itself. That’s bad and not in good fate. Seriously, how jaded is the man?

This speech isn’t a great one. Neither is it unique. It is a year of this nonsense, but the quotes have to saved. Because they are saying something. Peace.