After winning Maritime disputes against it's neighbours Bangladesh has not been able to utilise their marine resources. So what is holding back the country? WION brings you a report.

Bangladesh unable to utilise its vast marine resources

Turkey's big push into the Mediterranean featuring controversial gas drilling, tough rhetoric and warships is rooted in a grand vision of a "Blue Homeland" that takes over waters claimed by EU neighbours.

Fearful of being denied a fair share of the region's bountiful natural gas wealth, Turkey sent a research vessel and a small navy armada into seas Greece views as its own, dramatically escalating tensions last week.

In a sign of the growing importance he assigns energy independence, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday announced that Turkey had made its biggest-ever discovery of natural gas in the Black Sea.

"My Lord has opened the door to unprecedented wealth for us," he enthused to applause from a hall filled with supportive officials.

But the new find has done little to abate Turkey's desire to expand ever deeper into the Mediterranean Sea, which has won Erdogan political points at home but infuriated Greece and drawn repeated warnings from the European Union.

France, already at odds with Turkey over Libya and parts of the Middle East, sent in its own ships into the region to help out Greece, prompting Erdogan to warn he would retaliate against any attack.

The issue was not just about "fighting for rights but for Turkey's future," Erdogan said.

- The 'Blue Homeland' doctrine -

Critics say the "Blue Homeland" doctrine ("Mavi Vatan" in Turkish) is the latest example of Turkey resorting to disruption to coerce others into achieving what it wants.

But Turkish officials and former admirals responsible for the policy argue Greece's demands based on a scattering of tiny islands are unfair since Turkey has larger mainland territory in the eastern part of the sea.

The doctrine's author is retired admiral Cem Gurdeniz, who first used the "Mavi Vatan" term in 2006 when he was head of the Turkish navy's plan and policy division.

His vision covers more than 460,000 square kilometres (175,000 square miles) of Turkey's maritime borders, including the water surrounding some Greek islands, and has grown in prominence in parallel with rising Turkish nationalism.

"Blue Homeland is a symbol of the 'maritimisation' of Turkey," Gurdeniz told AFP, a concept which "tries to define maritime jurisdiction areas surrounding Turkey."

Gurdeniz said Turkey needed to secure these areas for its welfare, defence, security, "even for its happiness".

- Bargaining chip -

The lack of agreed maritime borders between Turkey and Greece, or Turkey and Cyprus, turned into a much bigger problem with the discovery of major hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern Mediterranean in the past decade.

"The delimitation of exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Aegean and east Med is a matter that most governments of the region have deliberately neglected," said Muzaffer Senel, an associate professor at Istanbul's Sehir University.

"Because it is an issue more difficult to solve and its political costs are too high."

Mavi Vatan is "a bargaining chip for Ankara," he said.

"By serving this map, Ankara declares its position in the negotiations."

While countries with coastlines can claim an EEZ, so can islands.

Felicity Attard, an international maritime law specialist, said this "makes the Turkish-Greek position extremely complex, particularly because of the location of the islands and the longstanding rivalry between the two states."

She added that the dispute was compounded by the difference of policy between the two countries with respect to Cyprus, divided since 1974 between the Greek Cypriot-controlled south and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

There is particular anger over Greece's insistence that the tiny island of Kastellorizo, two kilometres (1.2 miles) from Antalya, should have the same rights as Turkey's entire coast.

- 'Volatile situation' -

Turkey is isolated in the region, which experts say is in part why Erdogan is lashing out and insisting on Turkey's rights against countries joining forces without Ankara.

Last year Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Italy and the Palestinian territories agreed to create the "East Mediterranean Gas Forum" without Turkey.

Greece and Turkey held "exploratory talks" between 2002 and 2016 related to the Aegean Sea but they came to an end at the request of Athens, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

Turkey says Erdogan made efforts to renew the talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and at the NATO summit in London last year.

"Greece didn't accept these offers and instead used the EU against Turkey. This isn't right," a Turkish official told AFP.

A maritime agreement Turkey signed with Libya in November exacerbated tensions after it set up sea boundaries that Greece said overlooked its island of Crete.

A Western diplomat called the situation "volatile", warning that "any miscalculation could have serious consequences."

But Erdogan "is pragmatic and knows that extended tensions would not be good," the diplomat told AFP, pointing to the risk of any Western sanctions hurting the already weak lira.

Yet retired admiral Gurdeniz sounded defiant.

"Even if Turkey is alone in this fight" and even if sanctions are imposed, he said, "Turkey will not give up."

Turkey's big push into the Mediterranean featuring controversial gas drilling, tough rhetoric and warships is rooted in a grand vision of a "Blue Homeland" that takes over waters claimed by EU neighbours.

Turkey's big push into the Mediterranean featuring controversial gas drilling, tough rhetoric and warships is rooted in a grand vision of a "Blue Homeland" that takes over waters claimed by EU neighbours. Fearful of being denied a fair share of the region's bountiful natural gas wealth, Turkey sent a research vessel and a small navy armada into seas Greece views as its own, dramatically escalating tensions last week. In a sign of the growing importance he assigns energy independence, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday announced that Turkey had made its biggest-ever discovery of natural gas in the Black Sea. "My Lord has opened the door to unprecedented wealth for us," he enthused to applause from a hall filled with supportive officials. But the new find has done little to abate Turkey's desire to expand ever deeper into the Mediterranean Sea, which has won Erdogan political points at home but infuriated Greece and drawn repeated warnings from the European Union. France, already at odds with Turkey over Libya and parts of the Middle East, sent in its own ships into the region to help out Greece, prompting Erdogan to warn he would retaliate against any attack. The issue was not just about "fighting for rights but for Turkey's future," Erdogan said. - The 'Blue Homeland' doctrine - Critics say the "Blue Homeland" doctrine ("Mavi Vatan" in Turkish) is the latest example of Turkey resorting to disruption to coerce others into achieving what it wants. But Turkish officials and former admirals responsible for the policy argue Greece's demands based on a scattering of tiny islands are unfair since Turkey has larger mainland territory in the eastern part of the sea. The doctrine's author is retired admiral Cem Gurdeniz, who first used the "Mavi Vatan" term in 2006 when he was head of the Turkish navy's plan and policy division. His vision covers more than 460,000 square kilometres (175,000 square miles) of Turkey's maritime borders, including the water surrounding some Greek islands, and has grown in prominence in parallel with rising Turkish nationalism. "Blue Homeland is a symbol of the 'maritimisation' of Turkey," Gurdeniz told AFP, a concept which "tries to define maritime jurisdiction areas surrounding Turkey." Gurdeniz said Turkey needed to secure these areas for its welfare, defence, security, "even for its happiness". - Bargaining chip - The lack of agreed maritime borders between Turkey and Greece, or Turkey and Cyprus, turned into a much bigger problem with the discovery of major hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern Mediterranean in the past decade. "The delimitation of exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Aegean and east Med is a matter that most governments of the region have deliberately neglected," said Muzaffer Senel, an associate professor at Istanbul's Sehir University. "Because it is an issue more difficult to solve and its political costs are too high." Mavi Vatan is "a bargaining chip for Ankara," he said. "By serving this map, Ankara declares its position in the negotiations." While countries with coastlines can claim an EEZ, so can islands. Felicity Attard, an international maritime law specialist, said this "makes the Turkish-Greek position extremely complex, particularly because of the location of the islands and the longstanding rivalry between the two states." She added that the dispute was compounded by the difference of policy between the two countries with respect to Cyprus, divided since 1974 between the Greek Cypriot-controlled south and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. There is particular anger over Greece's insistence that the tiny island of Kastellorizo, two kilometres (1.2 miles) from Antalya, should have the same rights as Turkey's entire coast. - 'Volatile situation' - Turkey is isolated in the region, which experts say is in part why Erdogan is lashing out and insisting on Turkey's rights against countries joining forces without Ankara. Last year Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Italy and the Palestinian territories agreed to create the "East Mediterranean Gas Forum" without Turkey. Greece and Turkey held "exploratory talks" between 2002 and 2016 related to the Aegean Sea but they came to an end at the request of Athens, a Turkish diplomatic source said. Turkey says Erdogan made efforts to renew the talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and at the NATO summit in London last year. "Greece didn't accept these offers and instead used the EU against Turkey. This isn't right," a Turkish official told AFP. A maritime agreement Turkey signed with Libya in November exacerbated tensions after it set up sea boundaries that Greece said overlooked its island of Crete. A Western diplomat called the situation "volatile", warning that "any miscalculation could have serious consequences." But Erdogan "is pragmatic and knows that extended tensions would not be good," the diplomat told AFP, pointing to the risk of any Western sanctions hurting the already weak lira. Yet retired admiral Gurdeniz sounded defiant. "Even if Turkey is alone in this fight" and even if sanctions are imposed, he said, "Turkey will not give up."

Turkey's bid to become maritime powerhouse unsettles Mediterranean

The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday.

The disclosure raises questions over whether crew members, who told investigators they tried desperately to rescue the passengers in their below-decks sleeping quarters, were already too late to save them by the time they were alerted to the blaze.

Divers have so far recovered the burned remains of 33 victims, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference. Crews hoped to find the final body when the 75-foot (23-meter) Conception was raised from the floor of the Pacific Ocean as early as Friday.

"We will continue working tenaciously to recover all the victims, to determine how they died and investigate the cause of this terrible fire and loss of life with the hope that future such tragedies can be prevented," Brown said.

The Conception erupted in flames at about 3:15 am (1015 GMT) on Monday off Santa Cruz Island, killing 33 passengers and a crew member in one of California’s worst maritime disasters.

The five surviving crew members, who were above deck when the fire broke out, have told investigators the flames kept them from climbing down a narrow ladder into the bunk room or gaining access through a window.

A coroner's pathologist was "convinced" the victims died due to smoke inhalation, Brown said, but his analysis was considered preliminary pending toxicology tests.

The sheriff stopped short of saying the findings meant the crew's efforts would have been too late to save the victims, cautioning that more investigation was required.

Families in Singapore, Japan

Officials have decided against conducting autopsies on the victims, a move aimed at more quickly releasing the remains to family members, some of whom had travelled to California from as far away as India.

The coroner's office has identified 18 of the recovered bodies and officials released the names of nine victims, saying the rest awaited notifications of next of kin, who have been asked to provide DNA samples.

The FBI had been assisting in contacting loved ones of the dead. One victim's mother was notified in Japan and another family was found in Singapore, Brown said.

The passengers had signed up for a three-day scuba diving trip aboard the Conception and were sleeping below deck along with one crew member when the fire erupted. That crew member, who perished in the accident, was identified on Friday as 26-year-old Alexandra Kurtz.

The eight deceased passengers whose names were released on Friday were: Raymond "Scott" Chan, 59; Justin Carroll Dignam, 58; Daniel Garcia, 46; Marybeth Guiney, 51; Yulia Krashennaya, 40; Caroline McLaughlin, 35; Ted Strom, 62; and Wei Tan, 26.

The owner of the dive ship, Truth Aquatics, filed a petition in US District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday seeking to avoid liability in the incident by invoking a 19th-century law that has been used in such disasters as the 1915 sinking of the Titanic.

That action appears to be pre-emptive as no lawsuits have yet been filed against Truth Aquatics over the accident.

The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that investigators had already found safety issues on the Conception, including the lack of a night watchman who was assigned to be on duty while the rest of the crew and passengers were sleeping.

Officials declined to comment on that report at the news briefing, but US Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester confirmed that a night watchman or "rover" was stipulated by the boat's inspection certificate.

The Conception, which rests upside down on the ocean floor some 65 feet (20 meters) below the surface, could be raised as early as Friday depending on weather conditions, Rochester said

The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday.

The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday. The disclosure raises questions over whether crew members, who told investigators they tried desperately to rescue the passengers in their below-decks sleeping quarters, were already too late to save them by the time they were alerted to the blaze. Divers have so far recovered the burned remains of 33 victims, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference. Crews hoped to find the final body when the 75-foot (23-meter) Conception was raised from the floor of the Pacific Ocean as early as Friday. "We will continue working tenaciously to recover all the victims, to determine how they died and investigate the cause of this terrible fire and loss of life with the hope that future such tragedies can be prevented," Brown said. The Conception erupted in flames at about 3:15 am (1015 GMT) on Monday off Santa Cruz Island, killing 33 passengers and a crew member in one of California’s worst maritime disasters. The five surviving crew members, who were above deck when the fire broke out, have told investigators the flames kept them from climbing down a narrow ladder into the bunk room or gaining access through a window. A coroner's pathologist was "convinced" the victims died due to smoke inhalation, Brown said, but his analysis was considered preliminary pending toxicology tests. The sheriff stopped short of saying the findings meant the crew's efforts would have been too late to save the victims, cautioning that more investigation was required. Families in Singapore, Japan Officials have decided against conducting autopsies on the victims, a move aimed at more quickly releasing the remains to family members, some of whom had travelled to California from as far away as India. The coroner's office has identified 18 of the recovered bodies and officials released the names of nine victims, saying the rest awaited notifications of next of kin, who have been asked to provide DNA samples. The FBI had been assisting in contacting loved ones of the dead. One victim's mother was notified in Japan and another family was found in Singapore, Brown said. The passengers had signed up for a three-day scuba diving trip aboard the Conception and were sleeping below deck along with one crew member when the fire erupted. That crew member, who perished in the accident, was identified on Friday as 26-year-old Alexandra Kurtz. The eight deceased passengers whose names were released on Friday were: Raymond "Scott" Chan, 59; Justin Carroll Dignam, 58; Daniel Garcia, 46; Marybeth Guiney, 51; Yulia Krashennaya, 40; Caroline McLaughlin, 35; Ted Strom, 62; and Wei Tan, 26. The owner of the dive ship, Truth Aquatics, filed a petition in US District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday seeking to avoid liability in the incident by invoking a 19th-century law that has been used in such disasters as the 1915 sinking of the Titanic. That action appears to be pre-emptive as no lawsuits have yet been filed against Truth Aquatics over the accident. The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that investigators had already found safety issues on the Conception, including the lack of a night watchman who was assigned to be on duty while the rest of the crew and passengers were sleeping. Officials declined to comment on that report at the news briefing, but US Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester confirmed that a night watchman or "rover" was stipulated by the boat's inspection certificate. The Conception, which rests upside down on the ocean floor some 65 feet (20 meters) below the surface, could be raised as early as Friday depending on weather conditions, Rochester said

California boat fire victims likely died of smoke inhalation

India and the US discussed regional maritime security issues during the fourth round of the India-US Maritime Security Dialogue held on August 23, the External Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday.

A ministry release said that the meeting was held in Monterey, California.

The Indian delegation was led by Indra Mani Pandey, Additional Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the External Affairs Ministry, and Richa Misra, Joint Secretary (Navy), Ministry of Defence.

Ambassador Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Department of State, and Randall Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs led the US delegation.

"During the dialogue, the two sides discussed regional maritime security issues and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen bilateral maritime security cooperation," the release said.

The two sides also reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during the earlier three rounds of maritime security dialogue.

It was agreed to hold the next round of the dialogue in India on a mutually convenient date.&nbsp;

India and the US discussed regional maritime security issues during the fourth round of the India-US Maritime Security Dialogue held on August 23, the External Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday.

India and the US discussed regional maritime security issues during the fourth round of the India-US Maritime Security Dialogue held on August 23, the External Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday. A ministry release said that the meeting was held in Monterey, California. The Indian delegation was led by Indra Mani Pandey, Additional Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the External Affairs Ministry, and Richa Misra, Joint Secretary (Navy), Ministry of Defence. Ambassador Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Department of State, and Randall Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs led the US delegation. "During the dialogue, the two sides discussed regional maritime security issues and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen bilateral maritime security cooperation," the release said. The two sides also reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during the earlier three rounds of maritime security dialogue. It was agreed to hold the next round of the dialogue in India on a mutually convenient date.

India, US discuss regional maritime security issues

The&nbsp;US maritime agency has told&nbsp;US flagged&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;vessels&nbsp;they should&nbsp;send&nbsp;transit&nbsp;plans&nbsp;in&nbsp;advance&nbsp;to American and British naval authorities if they intend to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/flags-of-inconvenience-noose-tightens-around-iranian-shipping-238568">sail in&nbsp;Gulf&nbsp;waters following several incidents over tankers involving Iran.</a>

The seizure of&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;vessels&nbsp;and attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz have&nbsp;unsettled shipping lanes that link Middle Eastern oil producers to global markets.

The United States, which has increased its military forces in the region, has blamed Iran for blasts on several tankers near the Strait, a charge Tehran denies.

Britain said on Monday it was joining the United States in a maritime security mission in the&nbsp;Gulf&nbsp;to protect&nbsp;vessels&nbsp;after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-put-your-life-in-danger-iran-publishes-exchange-with-british-warship-during-tanker-seizure-239211">Iran seized a British-flagged tanker</a>.

"Heightened military activity and increased political tensions in this region continue to pose serious threats to&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;vessels," the&nbsp;US Maritime Administration (MARAD) said in an advisory on Wednesday.

"Associated with these threats is a potential for miscalculation or misidentification that could lead to aggressive actions," it added.

Ships should also alert the&nbsp;US Navy's Fifth Fleet and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations in the event of any incident or suspicious activity. It warned they could face interference with their global positioning systems (GPS).

MARAD said in at least two incidents involving&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;vessels&nbsp;and Iran since May 2019 ships had reported interference with their GPS and "spoofed" communications from unknown entities falsely claiming to be&nbsp;US or other warships.

It advised crews to decline Iranian forces permission to board if the safety of the ship and crew would not be at risk but said they should not forcibly resist any boarding party.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-guards-say-confiscated-british-tanker-in-strait-of-hormuz-237205">Traffic through the Strait</a>, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes, has become the focus for a standoff between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump quit a 2015 nuclear pact and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Iran says the responsibility of securing these waters lies with Tehran and other countries in the region.

"The maritime coalition that&nbsp;US is trying to form will create more instability and insecurity," Iran's Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday during phone calls with his counterparts from Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

Washington is lobbying other nations to join the coalition along with Britain, which has the largest naval presence in the area after the United States.

Britain's P&amp;O Cruises said it had cancelled cruises around Dubai and the&nbsp;Gulf&nbsp;because of the increased tensions.

The US maritime agency has told US flagged commercial vessels they should send transit plans in advance to American and British naval authorities if they intend to sail in Gulf waters following several incidents over tankers involving Iran.

The US maritime agency has told US flagged commercial vessels they should send transit plans in advance to American and British naval authorities if they intend to sail in Gulf waters following several incidents over tankers involving Iran. The seizure of commercial vessels and attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz have unsettled shipping lanes that link Middle Eastern oil producers to global markets. The United States, which has increased its military forces in the region, has blamed Iran for blasts on several tankers near the Strait, a charge Tehran denies. Britain said on Monday it was joining the United States in a maritime security mission in the Gulf to protect vessels after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker. "Heightened military activity and increased political tensions in this region continue to pose serious threats to commercial vessels," the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) said in an advisory on Wednesday. "Associated with these threats is a potential for miscalculation or misidentification that could lead to aggressive actions," it added. Ships should also alert the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations in the event of any incident or suspicious activity. It warned they could face interference with their global positioning systems (GPS). MARAD said in at least two incidents involving commercial vessels and Iran since May 2019 ships had reported interference with their GPS and "spoofed" communications from unknown entities falsely claiming to be US or other warships. It advised crews to decline Iranian forces permission to board if the safety of the ship and crew would not be at risk but said they should not forcibly resist any boarding party. Traffic through the Strait, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes, has become the focus for a standoff between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump quit a 2015 nuclear pact and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Iran says the responsibility of securing these waters lies with Tehran and other countries in the region. "The maritime coalition that US is trying to form will create more instability and insecurity," Iran's Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday during phone calls with his counterparts from Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. Washington is lobbying other nations to join the coalition along with Britain, which has the largest naval presence in the area after the United States. Britain's P&O Cruises said it had cancelled cruises around Dubai and the Gulf because of the increased tensions.

US tells commercial vessels to send Gulf transit plans in advance

Venezuela has reopened its border with Brazil and restored maritime and air connections with the island of Aruba after barring entry from those countries for more than two months, Vice President Tareck El Aissami said.

"The borders with Brazil and Aruba have been re-established, but not those with the rest of the countries surrounding our territory, until they end the positions of hostility, of siege, of facilitation of paramilitary groups," he told reporters.

In February, leftist President Nicolas Maduro ordered the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelas-guaido-says-intelligence-agents-have-detained-his-deputy-217135">closure of Venezuela's borders</a> with Colombia and Brazil and cut off sea and air links with the nearby Dutch islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

The move was aimed at thwarting attempts by supporters of self-proclaimed acting head of state<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelas-guaido-blasts-maduro-over-opposition-crackdown-217494"> Juan Guaido to bring in US</a> aid stockpiled in Colombia, Brazil and the ABC Islands.

Guaido, who is backed by Washington, said the aid was needed to address a pressing humanitarian crisis in oil-rich Venezuela.

But Maduro, whose government has accepted help from the International Red Cross and from allies such as a Cuba, China and Russia, denounced the aid initiative as a Trojan horse for a US-led military intervention.

El Aissami, accompanied by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, said that while Maduro's government has "received from the authorities of Aruba a commitment of respect, of solidarity, of working together," such commitments have not been forthcoming from other countries.

The governor of the northwestern state of Falcon, Victor Clark, has been ordered to "initiate the working committees for the gradual re-establishment of all communication, trade and commercial channels with Aruba," the vice president said.

Before the travel ban, there were 48 flights a week between Aruba and Venezuela, El Aissami said, adding that Caracas would like to see the number of flights surpass the previous level.

"We want to establish fair-trade mechanisms. We want to increase our oil and fuel investments in the Caribbean. We hope that the authorities in the other islands come to their senses and avoid being instruments for aggression against the territory of Venezuela," he said.

Regarding Brazil, Venezuela plans to resume the normal trade in goods and services with the Brazilian border state of Roraima, the vice president said.

El Aissami also extended to Venezuela's neighbours an invitation to "sincere dialogue."

"We won't meddle in the affairs of other countries, but we demand that they leave the Venezuelan people alone. We will solve our problems, as President Maduro has said," the vice president said.

Venezuela has reopened its border with Brazil and restored maritime and air connections with the island of Aruba after barring entry from those countries for more than two months, Vice President Tareck El Aissami said.

Venezuela has reopened its border with Brazil and restored maritime and air connections with the island of Aruba after barring entry from those countries for more than two months, Vice President Tareck El Aissami said. "The borders with Brazil and Aruba have been re-established, but not those with the rest of the countries surrounding our territory, until they end the positions of hostility, of siege, of facilitation of paramilitary groups," he told reporters. In February, leftist President Nicolas Maduro ordered the closure of Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil and cut off sea and air links with the nearby Dutch islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. The move was aimed at thwarting attempts by supporters of self-proclaimed acting head of state Juan Guaido to bring in US aid stockpiled in Colombia, Brazil and the ABC Islands. Guaido, who is backed by Washington, said the aid was needed to address a pressing humanitarian crisis in oil-rich Venezuela. But Maduro, whose government has accepted help from the International Red Cross and from allies such as a Cuba, China and Russia, denounced the aid initiative as a Trojan horse for a US-led military intervention. El Aissami, accompanied by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, said that while Maduro's government has "received from the authorities of Aruba a commitment of respect, of solidarity, of working together," such commitments have not been forthcoming from other countries. The governor of the northwestern state of Falcon, Victor Clark, has been ordered to "initiate the working committees for the gradual re-establishment of all communication, trade and commercial channels with Aruba," the vice president said. Before the travel ban, there were 48 flights a week between Aruba and Venezuela, El Aissami said, adding that Caracas would like to see the number of flights surpass the previous level. "We want to establish fair-trade mechanisms. We want to increase our oil and fuel investments in the Caribbean. We hope that the authorities in the other islands come to their senses and avoid being instruments for aggression against the territory of Venezuela," he said. Regarding Brazil, Venezuela plans to resume the normal trade in goods and services with the Brazilian border state of Roraima, the vice president said. El Aissami also extended to Venezuela's neighbours an invitation to "sincere dialogue." "We won't meddle in the affairs of other countries, but we demand that they leave the Venezuelan people alone. We will solve our problems, as President Maduro has said," the vice president said.

Venezuela re-opens border with Brazil, renews travel links to Aruba

Dog rescued by helicopter in Scotland

JIMEX-18, a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Japan, began in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships Kaga, an Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, and Inazuma, a guided missile destroyer, arrived here to mark the commencement of JIMEX.

The Japanese ships would be participating in the third edition of JIMEX under the command of Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukada, commander of Escort Flotilla-4 (CCF-4).

The Indian Navy would be represented by three indigenously-designed warships and a fleet tanker. The participating ships are INS Satpura, a multi-purpose stealth frigate, INS Kadmatt, an anti-submarine warfare corvette, missile corvette and INS Shakti, the fleet tanker.

In addition, one submarine, P8I long range maritime patrol aircraft and a number of integral helicopters would be participating in the exercise, the Navy said.

The nine-day event is aimed at enhancing inter-operability, improving understanding and imbibing the best practices of each other, a Navy release said.

The Indian ships would be commanded by Rear Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet.

JIMEX-18 will comprise a harbour phase and a sea phase of four days each.

The harbour phase of the exercise, scheduled from October 7 to 10, would include professional and social interactions between ships' crews, sports fixtures and operational planning for the sea phase.

The sea phase would include anti-submarine warfare exercises, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) drills, gun firings, cross deck helo operations and coordinated operations in anti-submarine and anti-air threat scenarios.

The last edition of JIMEX was held in December 2013 off the Chennai coast.

The conduct of JIMEX-18 after five years is indicative of an upswing in the Indo-Japanese defence relations and the continued efforts of both governments to work closely to enhance safety and security of the global commons in keeping with 'rule-based order,' the Navy said.

The ships of the two Navies have been working in close coordination in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden (GoA) for the past few years.

JMSDF has been a regular participant in the Malabar series of exercises between Indian and US Navies.

JMSDF ships participated in the recently concluded MALABAR-18 off Guam (along with Indian and US Navy units) in the Pacific Ocean in June and biennial multilateral exercise RIMPAC-18 off Hawaii, USA, the Navy release added.

JIMEX-18, a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Japan, began in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships Kaga, an Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, and Inazuma, a guided missile destroyer, arrived here to mark the commencement of JIMEX.

JIMEX-18, a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Japan, began in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships Kaga, an Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, and Inazuma, a guided missile destroyer, arrived here to mark the commencement of JIMEX. The Japanese ships would be participating in the third edition of JIMEX under the command of Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukada, commander of Escort Flotilla-4 (CCF-4). The Indian Navy would be represented by three indigenously-designed warships and a fleet tanker. The participating ships are INS Satpura, a multi-purpose stealth frigate, INS Kadmatt, an anti-submarine warfare corvette, missile corvette and INS Shakti, the fleet tanker. In addition, one submarine, P8I long range maritime patrol aircraft and a number of integral helicopters would be participating in the exercise, the Navy said. The nine-day event is aimed at enhancing inter-operability, improving understanding and imbibing the best practices of each other, a Navy release said. The Indian ships would be commanded by Rear Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet. JIMEX-18 will comprise a harbour phase and a sea phase of four days each. The harbour phase of the exercise, scheduled from October 7 to 10, would include professional and social interactions between ships' crews, sports fixtures and operational planning for the sea phase. The sea phase would include anti-submarine warfare exercises, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) drills, gun firings, cross deck helo operations and coordinated operations in anti-submarine and anti-air threat scenarios. The last edition of JIMEX was held in December 2013 off the Chennai coast. The conduct of JIMEX-18 after five years is indicative of an upswing in the Indo-Japanese defence relations and the continued efforts of both governments to work closely to enhance safety and security of the global commons in keeping with 'rule-based order,' the Navy said. The ships of the two Navies have been working in close coordination in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden (GoA) for the past few years. JMSDF has been a regular participant in the Malabar series of exercises between Indian and US Navies. JMSDF ships participated in the recently concluded MALABAR-18 off Guam (along with Indian and US Navy units) in the Pacific Ocean in June and biennial multilateral exercise RIMPAC-18 off Hawaii, USA, the Navy release added.

India, Japan begin bilateral maritime exercises in Visakhapatnam

China will &quot;pressure&quot; the United States on maritime issues at key talks in Beijing next week because of Chinese concerns over the increased U.S. military presence in the disputed South China Sea, a major state-run newspaper said today.&nbsp;

China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. Washington says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation in the region.

&quot;Beijing will pressure Washington over maritime issues during the upcoming Strategic and Economic Dialogue, as the United States&#39; increasing military presence in the South China Sea is among China&#39;s major concerns,&quot; the official China Daily said, citing unidentified officials.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims.

Earlier this month Beijing demanded an end to U.S. surveillance near China after two of its fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an &quot;unsafe&quot; intercept of a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.

China will also bring up the issue of self-ruled Taiwan - claimed by Beijing but which elected a pro-independence party to power in January - as well as the situation on the Korean peninsula, the newspaper added.

&quot;The two countries have differing pursuits on major issues at the strategic level. However, the two still have many common interests,&quot; the report said.

&quot;Whether it is on the South China Sea issue or on the Korean Peninsula issue, the two countries have a shared security goal to maintain regional stability,&quot; it added.

China is reclusive North Korea&#39;s only major ally but has been angered by Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile tests and has hence&nbsp;signed up to tough UN sanctions against the reclusive country.

The United States and China are in a disagreement over the South China Sea, with the U.S voicing its concern to a free access to the sea, and China denying the same.

China will "pressure" the United States on maritime issues at key talks in Beijing next week because of Chinese concerns over the increased U.S. military presence in the disputed South China Sea, a major state-run newspaper said today. China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. Washington says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation in the region. "Beijing will pressure Washington over maritime issues during the upcoming Strategic and Economic Dialogue, as the United States' increasing military presence in the South China Sea is among China's major concerns," the official China Daily said, citing unidentified officials. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims. Earlier this month Beijing demanded an end to U.S. surveillance near China after two of its fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an "unsafe" intercept of a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. China will also bring up the issue of self-ruled Taiwan - claimed by Beijing but which elected a pro-independence party to power in January - as well as the situation on the Korean peninsula, the newspaper added. "The two countries have differing pursuits on major issues at the strategic level. However, the two still have many common interests," the report said. "Whether it is on the South China Sea issue or on the Korean Peninsula issue, the two countries have a shared security goal to maintain regional stability," it added. China is reclusive North Korea's only major ally but has been angered by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests and has hence signed up to tough UN sanctions against the reclusive country.

China to 'pressure' U.S. on maritime issues: China Daily

maritime

Maritime, News on Maritime, stories on Maritime, articles on Maritime, Maritime stories at Wion, Maritime news, Maritime latest news