by Elizabeth Law Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Thursday derided the “irresponsible and absurd logic” of the United States after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of making Washington’s relationship with North Korea more difficult. Trump doubled down on his suggestion that China was not helping to rein in its Cold War-era ally — a charge he first levelled when he cancelled a trip to North Korea by Secretary of State […]
Tag: diplomacy
Mexico president-elect wants Canada in new NAFTA
TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico (AFP) — Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called Monday for a three-way trade deal with the United States and Canada, saying a two-way agreement reached with the US was just a first step. “It’s important that Canada also be included,” said the leftist president-elect after the US and Mexico announced a bilateral deal to update the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “We’re very interested in it remaining a three-country […]
Seoul may delay N. Korea office plans
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea said Monday it may delay the imminent opening of a liaison office in North Korea, after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s trip to Pyongyang was abruptly cancelled by Donald Trump. Trump on Friday pulled the plug on the visit, blaming a lack of progress in denuclearisation efforts since his historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June. The sudden cancellation has put the brakes […]
Korean family reunion brings no end to heartache
by Jung Hawon Agence France-Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The first reunions in years of families divided by the Korean War evoke bittersweet memories for Kim Jong-gyu, whose few hours with her brother in 2014 -– under the watchful eyes of the North’s agents -– were probably their last ever together. “I felt so lucky and so happy to see that my brother was alive,” said the 83-year-old. “But seeing him for only a […]
Arms, investment and ‘instructors’: Russia boosts Africa role
by Maxime Popov with AFP bureaus in Africa © Agence France-Presse MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Touting military cooperation and “instructors,” arms deals and investment, Russia is making a comeback in Africa after years of inactivity and now aims to rival European countries and even China, analysts say. Moscow has worked hard over the last three years to strengthen its position in Africa, a pace that seems to have accelerated in recent months, they say. Its […]
Koreas hold high-level talks on third leaders’ summit
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The two Koreas opened high-level talks Monday to prepare for a third summit between the South’s President Moon Jae-in and the North’s leader Kim Jong Un, amid the diplomatic thaw on the peninsula. The exact date and location of their next meeting have yet to be decided, but at their historic April summit in Panmunjom they agreed Moon would visit Kim in Pyongyang during the autumn. Monday’s high-level talks, taking […]
Canada PM does not back down on rights defense in Saudi spat
by Michel Comte / with Anuj Chopra in Riyadh Agence France-Presse OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday refused to apologize for calling out Saudi Arabia on its human rights record, after Riyadh said it was considering further punitive measures against Ottawa over its criticisms of the kingdom. Tensions have been high between the two countries since Monday, when Riyadh expelled Canada’s ambassador, recalled its own envoy and froze all new […]
Saudi-Canada row leaves US in tight diplomatic spot
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The sharp diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Canada has left Washington — partners and allies of both — in a bind, but the State Department on Tuesday nevertheless urged Riyadh to respect due process for detained activists. Saudi Arabia has expelled Canada’s ambassador, recalled its own envoy and cut off trade ties with Ottawa after the US neighbor denounced a crackdown on rights activists in the kingdom. “Both sides […]
Colombia’s new leader plans changes to FARC peace deal
by Hector Velasco / Rodrigo Almonacid Agence France-Presse BOGOTA, Colombia (AFP) — Colombia’s new President Ivan Duque took office Tuesday, with no shortage of tough issues to tackle, from heightened tensions with neighboring Venezuela to the lingering difficulties of peace-building with the nation’s rebel groups. The right-wing Duque, who is just 42 years old, succeeds Juan Manuel Santos — and could work to undo the deal his predecessor reached with leftist FARC guerrillas to […]
Trump: reining in Iran
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — From the time of his electoral campaign, Donald Trump was one of the biggest opponents of Iran and the hard-won nuclear agreement, which he tore up in May. His stated aim is to stop Iran’s ballistic program and its influence in the Middle East. ‘Nuclear holocaust’ On August 16, 2015, the American billionnaire and Republican presidential frontrunner says that the nuclear accord with world powers will not prevent Iran from […]
Iran, US trade warnings as sanctions on Tehran set to take effect
by Eric Randolph with Thomas Watkins in Washington Agence France-Presse TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — The leaders of Iran and the United States traded accusations Monday as the clock ticked down to Washington’s reimposition of sweeping sanctions on Tehran, which dismissed Donald Trump’s offer of talks on a new nuclear deal. After Trump told Iran to change its “destabilizing” behavior or risk further economic isolation — while leaving the door open to negotiation — Iranian President […]
Mexico’s new leader: ‘Nobody will threaten us’ with wall
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexico’s President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador vowed Monday his country would not be threatened by a wall, in a thinly veiled rebuke to US President Donald Trump’s jabs across the border. “Mexico is going to become a power — and will change the balance of power. Nobody will threaten us that our borders will be closed or militarized,” warned Lopez Obrador, who takes office December 1. “This will be possible […]





