Tag: peace

President Duterte reiterates need to change unitary type of gov’t; bats for con-com, con-ass for Charter change

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday reiterated what he said was the need to change the unitary type of government, saying  there would be “no peace” in Mindanao if this was not done. In his speech before the Philippine Development Forum: Sulong Pilipinas 2017 at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City, Duterte, however, thumbed down a constitutional convention (con-con) to make the needed amendments in the 1987 Constitution, or Charter Change (Cha-Cha), for […]

India’s illegal border crossing destroys peace, stability in China-India boundary: FM spokesman

BEIJING, China (CCTV) — China on Monday once again urged India to pull back its border troops to its own side of the border, said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing. Spokesman Geng Shuang reiterated the demand in response to quoted Indian media reports that the Indian border troops would stay on the Chinese side of the border for prolonged standoff. The spokesman said if the media reports were true to facts, they could […]

South Sudan’s refugees see little chance of peace

PAGIRINYA, Uganda (Reuters) – When government soldiers came to Pajok, a town in South Sudan close to the Uganda border in April this year, Maria Lalum was caught in crossfire as the soldiers pursued fought rebel forces allied to ousted vice president Riek Machar. She survived by hiding in the forest for five days before crossing into neighboring Uganda. Lalum, a 72-year-old grandmother says this is the third time she has had to flee the […]

Xi, Putin meet on bilateral ties, SCO development

KAZAKHSTAN (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, pledged in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Thursday to enhance bilateral ties and promote the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The two heads of state met ahead of the 17th SCO summit in Astana. Noting that the SCO is facing new opportunities and challenges for development, Xi said China and Russia should strengthen communication and coordination, firmly observe the […]

May and Macron discuss fight against terrorism at G7 summit

TAORMINA, Italy (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed leading the fight against terrorism on Friday (May 26) as they met at this year’s Group of Seven (G7) summit, hosted in the chic Sicilian resort town of Taormina. May is expected to leave a day early, following Monday’s (May 22) suicide bombing at a concert in northern England that killed 22 people and was allegedly carried out by a […]

Trump visits Jerusalem to seek paths to Israeli-Palestinian peace

by Mike Smith Agence France-Presse JERUSALEM, Israel (AFP) – US President Donald Trump visits Jerusalem Monday to seek ways to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, a goal that has eluded his predecessors but which he says could be easier than “people have thought”. Trump’s visit is part of his first trip abroad as president and follows an initial stop in Saudi Arabia, where he urged Islamic leaders to take a stand against violence committed in the name […]

Syrian army advances as rebels put peace talks on hold

by Layal Abou Rahal BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — Syria’s ceasefire appeared under threat as government forces intensified their attacks near Damascus and around 10 rebel groups said they were suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month. The talks are due to take place in the Kazakh capital Astana in late January but the rebels said they were pulling out of discussions due to “violations” by Damascus of a four-day old truce. The talks are […]

Putin says ambassador murder is ploy to wreck Syrian peace process

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) — Russian President Vladimir Putin held a special meeting in the Kremlin to discuss the murder of Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov on Monday (December 19). “The committed crime is obviously a provocation designed to spoil normalisation of Russia-Turkey relations and derailing peace process in Syria which is actively promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in reconcilement of inter-Syria conflict,” Putin said. Putin also said he had a […]

The Bangsamoro Transition Committee – Achieving peace in Mindanao

QUEZON City, Philippines (November 14) – Even before attaining the presidency, President Rodrigo Duterte already mentioned about achieving long-lasting peace in the southern Philippines as one of his priorities. Now, peace may be finally within reach as he signed an Executive Order for the establishment of a new Bangsamoro Transition Commission. The EO expanded the number of members composing the commission from 15 to 21. The aim of the expansion is to  give more representation in drafting the […]

Duterte arrives from Malaysia, Thailand; says Malaysia to help in trade, peace, maritime security

  (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte arrived early Friday morning from his successful two-day official visit in Malaysia and from his brief visit to Thailand where he paid his last respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadeh. The President said he was “glad to be back” from his visit to the two countries. Duterte met with Prime Minister Najib Razak in Putrajaya, Malaysia where they discussed cooperation to combat terrorism, piracy, and to strengthen […]

Misuari vows to help Duterte pursue peace in Mindanao, arrest warrant vs him lifted

  (Eagle News) – Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chair Nur Misuari vowed to help President Duterte to pursue peace in Mindanao, in a spirited speech in Malacanang delivered in a podium used by the President. To express his sincerity in pushing for peace in the usually war-torn Southern Philippines, President Duterte directed the lifting of the warrants of arrest against MNLF’s Misuari so the government could pursue peace talks with the MNLF. At the […]

Colombia FARC says committed to peace talks despite vote loss

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — Colombia’s FARC rebels vowed Sunday they were committed to continuing peace efforts despite voters having rejected an accord between the force and the government to end their half-century conflict. The FARC maintains “its willingness to use dialogue as the only weapon for building the future,” the group’s leader Timoleon Jimenez said in a speech in Havana, Cuba, where the accord was negotiated. © 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse