For some decades, China has been intimidating different nations and even its own countrymen in one or the other way. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Be it sea or land, the increasingly aggressive China has been flexing its muscles everywhere. The incursions through land, water or air by the country seems to have become common now. It is one of the big contributors in the disturbance of peace. &nbsp;

Around 17 countries have one or the other territorial disputes with the Asian giant. These include Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, India, South Korea, North Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, Mongolia and Myanmar. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The communist nation seems to have become a nightmare for several countries in regions, such as South China Sea, East China Sea, Indian Sub-continent and around whole of Asia. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-talks-fail-to-resolve-issues-at-lac-china-pins-blame-on-india-419801" hreflang="en">After talks fail to resolve issues at LAC, China pins blame on India</a>

In most cases, the country is making unfounded claims and has been persistent to pursue them with all its might in the name of safeguarding its sovereignty. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s rhetoric about some issues has become very common. It has also been indulging in war of words with the US, EU, Australia and other nations. Sanctions and trade wars have become common in its arsenal. &nbsp;

It has also been accused of stealing technology or using its infamous Belt and Road initiative to put nations in debt crisis. Several nations are still facing its brunt. &nbsp;

As if this was not enough, it has been using air shows, regional groupings and other platforms to pursue its veiled agenda. &nbsp;

Not just in the rest of the world, its ruling Chinese Communist Party has been making all-out efforts to ensure the citizens live under tight control of the regime. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Several guidelines, regarding playing games, cartoons, internet usage, etc have come up or are in the making. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It has also been hell-bent to crackdown on several big companies of the country in the name of different regulations.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-conducts-beach-landing-drills-near-taiwan-419963" hreflang="en">Chinese military conducts beach landing drills near Taiwan</a> &nbsp;

The worst affected due to the high-handedness are the people of Hong Kong as there has been no change in the situation even after so many protests in the city. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Several people of the city are either living in fear or making arrangements to leave the country. &nbsp;

In a nutshell, all of these actions of the Chinese Communist Party seem to be a way to tighten its grip on power. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Only time will tell, when the Chinese intimidation will stop in all corners of the world. &nbsp;

Let’s see when the country’s rulers learn to live in peace and work for the common god of the world, which is the very basis of communism. Well, the whole notion of communism seems to have been lost now.&nbsp;

For some decades, China has been intimidating different nations and even its own countrymen in one or the other way. Be it sea or land, the increasingly aggressive China has been flexing its muscles everywhere.

For some decades, China has been intimidating different nations and even its own countrymen in one or the other way. Be it sea or land, the increasingly aggressive China has been flexing its muscles everywhere. The incursions through land, water or air by the country seems to have become common now. It is one of the big contributors in the disturbance of peace. Around 17 countries have one or the other territorial disputes with the Asian giant. These include Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, India, South Korea, North Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, Mongolia and Myanmar. The communist nation seems to have become a nightmare for several countries in regions, such as South China Sea, East China Sea, Indian Sub-continent and around whole of Asia. Also Read: After talks fail to resolve issues at LAC, China pins blame on India In most cases, the country is making unfounded claims and has been persistent to pursue them with all its might in the name of safeguarding its sovereignty. It’s rhetoric about some issues has become very common. It has also been indulging in war of words with the US, EU, Australia and other nations. Sanctions and trade wars have become common in its arsenal. It has also been accused of stealing technology or using its infamous Belt and Road initiative to put nations in debt crisis. Several nations are still facing its brunt. As if this was not enough, it has been using air shows, regional groupings and other platforms to pursue its veiled agenda. Not just in the rest of the world, its ruling Chinese Communist Party has been making all-out efforts to ensure the citizens live under tight control of the regime. Several guidelines, regarding playing games, cartoons, internet usage, etc have come up or are in the making. It has also been hell-bent to crackdown on several big companies of the country in the name of different regulations. Also Read: Chinese military conducts beach landing drills near Taiwan The worst affected due to the high-handedness are the people of Hong Kong as there has been no change in the situation even after so many protests in the city. Several people of the city are either living in fear or making arrangements to leave the country. In a nutshell, all of these actions of the Chinese Communist Party seem to be a way to tighten its grip on power. Only time will tell, when the Chinese intimidation will stop in all corners of the world. Let’s see when the country’s rulers learn to live in peace and work for the common god of the world, which is the very basis of communism. Well, the whole notion of communism seems to have been lost now.

Filled with oppression, can China ever learn to live in peace?

Taiwan will continue to play its role as a member of the international community and ensure regional peace and stability, President Tsai Ing-wen told a visiting delegation of French senators on Thursday amid escalating tensions with China.

The four senators, lead by former defence minister Alain Richard, arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, despite the strong objections of China which views the island as its own territory and is always angered by visits of foreign officials.

The visit by the senators comes after four straight days, beginning last Friday, of massed Chinese air force missions into Taiwan's air defence zone, moves met with concern by Washington and its allies.

Speaking to the senators at the presidential office, Tsai thanked France for its concern about the situation in the Taiwan Strait and support for its international participation.

"We will continue to fulfil our responsibilities as members of the international community to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We also hope to make more contributions to the world along with France," she added.

Richard, head of the French Senate's Taiwan Friendship Group, was the country's defence minister from 1997 to 2002 under President Jacques Chirac. Richard has visited Taiwan twice before, in 2015 and 2018.

Tsai said Taiwan was "very moved" Richard decided to come, despite what she described as "pressure" - a reference to China.

In March, the Chinese embassy in Paris warned against lawmakers meeting Taiwanese officials, prompting a rebuff from the French foreign ministry, which said French senators are free to meet whomever they wish when they travel.

Tsai did not directly mention the recent Chinese air force activities.

The senators are not the only senior foreign visitors in Taiwan at the moment.

Later on Thursday, Tsai will meet the visiting former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott.

Neither France nor Australia have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, like most countries.

Taiwan has been keen to bolster its ties with other democracies as China steps up its pressure campaign, trying to force the island to accept Chinese sovereignty.

Taiwan's government has denounced China's moves, and says it will defend the island`s freedom and democracy, and that only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

Taiwan will continue to play its role as a member of the international community and ensure regional peace and stability, President Tsai Ing-wen told a visiting delegation of French senators on Thursday amid escalating tensions with China.

Taiwan will continue to play its role as a member of the international community and ensure regional peace and stability, President Tsai Ing-wen told a visiting delegation of French senators on Thursday amid escalating tensions with China. The four senators, lead by former defence minister Alain Richard, arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, despite the strong objections of China which views the island as its own territory and is always angered by visits of foreign officials. The visit by the senators comes after four straight days, beginning last Friday, of massed Chinese air force missions into Taiwan's air defence zone, moves met with concern by Washington and its allies. Speaking to the senators at the presidential office, Tsai thanked France for its concern about the situation in the Taiwan Strait and support for its international participation. "We will continue to fulfil our responsibilities as members of the international community to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We also hope to make more contributions to the world along with France," she added. Richard, head of the French Senate's Taiwan Friendship Group, was the country's defence minister from 1997 to 2002 under President Jacques Chirac. Richard has visited Taiwan twice before, in 2015 and 2018. Tsai said Taiwan was "very moved" Richard decided to come, despite what she described as "pressure" - a reference to China. In March, the Chinese embassy in Paris warned against lawmakers meeting Taiwanese officials, prompting a rebuff from the French foreign ministry, which said French senators are free to meet whomever they wish when they travel. Tsai did not directly mention the recent Chinese air force activities. The senators are not the only senior foreign visitors in Taiwan at the moment. Later on Thursday, Tsai will meet the visiting former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott. Neither France nor Australia have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, like most countries. Taiwan has been keen to bolster its ties with other democracies as China steps up its pressure campaign, trying to force the island to accept Chinese sovereignty. Taiwan's government has denounced China's moves, and says it will defend the island`s freedom and democracy, and that only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

Taiwan will ensure regional peace, president tells French senators

In police districts across Kabul, young fighters emerging fresh from the battlefields are now patrolling the streets of the Afghan capital. Some wear the uniforms left behind by the US-assisted Afghan forces they deposed.

Taliban fighters patrol the streets to keep peace

India has cornered Pakistan at the UNGA once again. Exercising the right to reply, India told the assembly that while Pakistani diplomats talk peace, PM Imran Khan glorifies Osama Bin-Laden. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Indian corners Pak at UNGA, again!

Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani,&nbsp;who was on a&nbsp;two-day India visit,&nbsp;has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process. On Saturday,&nbsp;he held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh&nbsp;Shringla&nbsp;during which,&nbsp;he agreed that the process should be inclusive to ensure its success.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the meetings, Joint Secretary (PAI), JP Singh was also present. In a tweet after the meet, EAM said,&nbsp;"Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter" and "peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected."&nbsp;

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Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected.
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The special envoy during the various meetings was concerned about external players as much as internal. The visit comes amid a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes territorial gains.&nbsp;

Last week,&nbsp;at a United Nations Security Council session on Afghanistan under India Afghan envoy to the United Nations Ghulam M&nbsp;Isaczai&nbsp;exposed Pakistani support to the Taliban's ongoing offensive. He said,&nbsp;"Taliban continue to enjoy a safe haven in and supply and logistics line extended to their war machine from Pakistan."&nbsp;

Qatar has played an important role when it comes to the US-Taliban pact and hosting the intra-Afghan talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Remember, Al-Qahtani&nbsp;is the same Qatari official,&nbsp;who earlier this year,&nbsp;confirmed that some kind of talks is happening between India and the Taliban.&nbsp;

Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, who was on a two-day India visit, has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process.

Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, who was on a two-day India visit, has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process. On Saturday, he held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla during which, he agreed that the process should be inclusive to ensure its success. During the meetings, Joint Secretary (PAI), JP Singh was also present. In a tweet after the meet, EAM said, "Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter" and "peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected." Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected. — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 7, 2021 × The special envoy during the various meetings was concerned about external players as much as internal. The visit comes amid a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes territorial gains. Last week, at a United Nations Security Council session on Afghanistan under India Afghan envoy to the United Nations Ghulam M Isaczai exposed Pakistani support to the Taliban's ongoing offensive. He said, "Taliban continue to enjoy a safe haven in and supply and logistics line extended to their war machine from Pakistan." Qatar has played an important role when it comes to the US-Taliban pact and hosting the intra-Afghan talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Remember, Al-Qahtani is the same Qatari official, who earlier this year, confirmed that some kind of talks is happening between India and the Taliban.

In India, Qatar special envoy agrees Afghan peace process should be inclusive for its success

UN secretary general's special representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons, while addressing the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) meeting at the Presidential Palace, said on Wednesday, if there is no progress in the peace talks the world will not work with the Taliban. &nbsp;

Lyons said, "If there is no movement at the negotiating table, and instead human rights abuses and worse, still atrocities occur in districts they control, the Taliban will not be seen as a viable partner for the international community."&nbsp;&nbsp;

With the occupation of the territory, the Taliban have also inherited its responsibilities. Lyons added, "The world is watching closely how they are acting, especially towards civilian populations, women and minorities.” &nbsp;

The meeting was taking place in extraordinary circumstances in order to preserve the gains, never more urgent or challenging. “The Taliban have gained a certain legitimacy in recent years through their negotiations in Doha, but this legitimacy is promised on their commitment to a political negotiation with the government of Afghanistan, a commitment which their battle-focused strategy casts into doubt," the representative added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

UN secretary general's special representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons, while addressing the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) meeting at the Presidential Palace, said on Wednesday, if there is no progress in the peace talks the world will not work with the Taliban.

UN secretary general's special representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons, while addressing the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) meeting at the Presidential Palace, said on Wednesday, if there is no progress in the peace talks the world will not work with the Taliban. Lyons said, "If there is no movement at the negotiating table, and instead human rights abuses and worse, still atrocities occur in districts they control, the Taliban will not be seen as a viable partner for the international community." With the occupation of the territory, the Taliban have also inherited its responsibilities. Lyons added, "The world is watching closely how they are acting, especially towards civilian populations, women and minorities.” The meeting was taking place in extraordinary circumstances in order to preserve the gains, never more urgent or challenging. “The Taliban have gained a certain legitimacy in recent years through their negotiations in Doha, but this legitimacy is promised on their commitment to a political negotiation with the government of Afghanistan, a commitment which their battle-focused strategy casts into doubt," the representative added. (With inputs from agencies)

World will not work with Taliban if no progress in talks, says UN representative to Afghanistan  

The Taliban plan to present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government side as soon as next month, a spokesman for the Islamist insurgents said even as they make major territorial gains in the breach left by departing foreign forces. 
 
Hundreds of Afghan security force members have fled into neighbouring Tajikistan in the face of Taliban advances since the United States vacated its main Afghan base, centrepiece of US&nbsp;and NATO might for almost two decades in the country, as part of a plan to withdraw all foreign troops by September&nbsp;11. 
 
While the transfer of Bagram Air Base to the Afghan army added momentum to a Taliban drive to seize control over new districts, Taliban leaders renewed the long stalled talks with Afghan government envoys in Qatar's capital Doha last week. 
 
"The peace talks and process will be accelerated in the coming days ... and they are expected to enter an important stage,&nbsp;naturally it will be about peace plans," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters on Monday. 
 
"Possibly it will take a month to reach that stage when both sides will share their written peace plan," he said, adding that the latest round of talks were at a critical juncture. 
 
"Although we (Taliban) have the upper hand on the battlefield, we are very serious about talks and dialogue." 
 
The upsurge in fighting and the flight of thousands of members of the tattered Afghan security forces have raised grave doubt about the US-backed peace negotiations, which began last year under the then-President Donald Trump's administration. 
 
Responding to a request for comment on the Taliban representative's remarks, a spokesperson for the US&nbsp;State Department said a negotiated settlement was the only way to end 40 years of war in Afghanistan. 
 
"We urge the sides to engage in serious negotiations to determine a political roadmap for Afghanistan’s future that leads to a just and durable settlement, the official said. 
 
"The world will not accept the imposition by force of a government in Afghanistan," the official added. "Legitimacy and assistance for any Afghan government can only be possible if that government has a basic respect for human rights."

The Taliban plan to present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government side as soon as next month, a spokesman for the Islamist insurgents said even as they make major territorial gains in the breach left by departing foreign forces.

The Taliban plan to present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government side as soon as next month, a spokesman for the Islamist insurgents said even as they make major territorial gains in the breach left by departing foreign forces. Hundreds of Afghan security force members have fled into neighbouring Tajikistan in the face of Taliban advances since the United States vacated its main Afghan base, centrepiece of US and NATO might for almost two decades in the country, as part of a plan to withdraw all foreign troops by September 11. While the transfer of Bagram Air Base to the Afghan army added momentum to a Taliban drive to seize control over new districts, Taliban leaders renewed the long stalled talks with Afghan government envoys in Qatar's capital Doha last week. "The peace talks and process will be accelerated in the coming days ... and they are expected to enter an important stage, naturally it will be about peace plans," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters on Monday. "Possibly it will take a month to reach that stage when both sides will share their written peace plan," he said, adding that the latest round of talks were at a critical juncture. "Although we (Taliban) have the upper hand on the battlefield, we are very serious about talks and dialogue." The upsurge in fighting and the flight of thousands of members of the tattered Afghan security forces have raised grave doubt about the US-backed peace negotiations, which began last year under the then-President Donald Trump's administration. Responding to a request for comment on the Taliban representative's remarks, a spokesperson for the US State Department said a negotiated settlement was the only way to end 40 years of war in Afghanistan. "We urge the sides to engage in serious negotiations to determine a political roadmap for Afghanistan’s future that leads to a just and durable settlement, the official said. "The world will not accept the imposition by force of a government in Afghanistan," the official added. "Legitimacy and assistance for any Afghan government can only be possible if that government has a basic respect for human rights."

Taliban aim to present written peace plan at talks as soon as next month

China, which has stepped up its diplomacy between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the wake of the US troops withdrawal from the war-torn country, has offered to host peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.&nbsp;

Significantly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who in the last two-days held telephone talks with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts, said that China will back the Afghan government headed by Ashraf Ghani in playing a leading role.&nbsp;

The offer to facilitate peace talks was made during Wang's phone talks with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Haneef Atmar on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Asked to elaborate, Zhao said, "China is ready to facilitate intra-Afghan talks and will provide necessary conditions for negotiation in China."&nbsp;

The US had announced its plans to withdraw its troops completely from Afghanistan by September.&nbsp;

The US troop pull-out has raised concerns in Beijing that it may lead to the regrouping of Xinjiang province's Uygur Muslim militants in Afghanistan, which shares borders with China.&nbsp;

During their telephonic conversation, Wang told Atmar that "China will continue to support the Afghan government in playing a leading role in the country's peace and reconciliation process," state-run Xinhua news agency reported.&nbsp;

Wang also called on all parties to support and implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions to promote a smooth transition of the Afghanistan situation, to avoid in particular a resurgence of terrorist forces, it said.&nbsp;

In a comment that may not go down well with the Taliban, Wang, according to the report, expressed his hope that Afghanistan's future leadership will pursue a moderate Muslim policy, promote a foreign policy of peace, maintain friendship with neighbouring countries, and firmly combat all forms of terrorism.&nbsp;

Wang's talks with Atmar came a day after he held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi during which he called on the UN to play its 'due role' to fill the void being left by the US troops withdrawal.&nbsp;

Wang told Qureshi that the 'hasty withdrawal' of the US troops from Afghanistan has severely impacted the Afghan domestic peace process and negatively affected regional stability.&nbsp;

China, which has stepped up its diplomacy between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the wake of the US troops withdrawal from the war-torn country, has offered to host peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

China, which has stepped up its diplomacy between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the wake of the US troops withdrawal from the war-torn country, has offered to host peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Significantly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who in the last two-days held telephone talks with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts, said that China will back the Afghan government headed by Ashraf Ghani in playing a leading role. The offer to facilitate peace talks was made during Wang's phone talks with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Haneef Atmar on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on Tuesday. Asked to elaborate, Zhao said, "China is ready to facilitate intra-Afghan talks and will provide necessary conditions for negotiation in China." The US had announced its plans to withdraw its troops completely from Afghanistan by September. The US troop pull-out has raised concerns in Beijing that it may lead to the regrouping of Xinjiang province's Uygur Muslim militants in Afghanistan, which shares borders with China. During their telephonic conversation, Wang told Atmar that "China will continue to support the Afghan government in playing a leading role in the country's peace and reconciliation process," state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Wang also called on all parties to support and implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions to promote a smooth transition of the Afghanistan situation, to avoid in particular a resurgence of terrorist forces, it said. In a comment that may not go down well with the Taliban, Wang, according to the report, expressed his hope that Afghanistan's future leadership will pursue a moderate Muslim policy, promote a foreign policy of peace, maintain friendship with neighbouring countries, and firmly combat all forms of terrorism. Wang's talks with Atmar came a day after he held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi during which he called on the UN to play its 'due role' to fill the void being left by the US troops withdrawal. Wang told Qureshi that the 'hasty withdrawal' of the US troops from Afghanistan has severely impacted the Afghan domestic peace process and negatively affected regional stability.

China offers to host Afghan peace talks, backs leading role for Ghani-led govt  

Amid the final drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani has emphasised the need for a decision on peace by the regional players, and for Europe's much-needed role to 'get Pakistan on board' on the ongoing peace talks with Taliban.&nbsp;

"Peace will primarily be decided upon regionally, and I believe we are at a crucial moment of rethinking. It is first and foremost a matter of getting Pakistan on board. The US now plays only a minor role. The question of peace or hostility is now in Pakistani hands," Ghani told the German news website, Der Spiegel, in an interview.&nbsp;

Over Pakistan's influence on the Taliban, Ghani said, "Pakistan operates an organised system of support. The Taliban receive logistics there, their finances are there and recruitment is there."&nbsp;

"The names of the various decision-making bodies of the Taliban are Quetta Shura, Miramshah Shura, and Peshawar Shura - named after the Pakistani cities where they are located. There is a deep relationship with the state," he added.&nbsp;

These remarks come as Ghani met Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa earlier this week and discussed Pakistan's role in the peace process and the escalation of violence in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"President Ashraf Ghani attached great importance to the role of the regional countries particularly Pakistan in establishing peace in Afghanistan and the country's influence on the Taliban," the Afghan Presidential Palace said in a statement on Monday.&nbsp;

Afghanistan and Pakistan have no choice but to opt for mutual respect, good neighbourliness, and economic cooperation, Ghani had said. &nbsp;

Ghani further said that there is no military solution for the ongoing war in Afghanistan and that the Taliban's insistence to stick to a military solution is unacceptable for the people of Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Afghanistan has seen a spike in the incidents of violence in recent weeks, leading to casualties of Afghan security forces and civilians. US withdrawal from Afghanistan is underway and set to complete by September 11. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Amid the final drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani has emphasised the need for a decision on peace by the regional players, and for Europe's much-needed role to 'get Pakistan on board' on the ongoing peace talks with Taliban.

Amid the final drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani has emphasised the need for a decision on peace by the regional players, and for Europe's much-needed role to 'get Pakistan on board' on the ongoing peace talks with Taliban. "Peace will primarily be decided upon regionally, and I believe we are at a crucial moment of rethinking. It is first and foremost a matter of getting Pakistan on board. The US now plays only a minor role. The question of peace or hostility is now in Pakistani hands," Ghani told the German news website, Der Spiegel, in an interview. Over Pakistan's influence on the Taliban, Ghani said, "Pakistan operates an organised system of support. The Taliban receive logistics there, their finances are there and recruitment is there." "The names of the various decision-making bodies of the Taliban are Quetta Shura, Miramshah Shura, and Peshawar Shura - named after the Pakistani cities where they are located. There is a deep relationship with the state," he added. These remarks come as Ghani met Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa earlier this week and discussed Pakistan's role in the peace process and the escalation of violence in Afghanistan. "President Ashraf Ghani attached great importance to the role of the regional countries particularly Pakistan in establishing peace in Afghanistan and the country's influence on the Taliban," the Afghan Presidential Palace said in a statement on Monday. Afghanistan and Pakistan have no choice but to opt for mutual respect, good neighbourliness, and economic cooperation, Ghani had said. Ghani further said that there is no military solution for the ongoing war in Afghanistan and that the Taliban's insistence to stick to a military solution is unacceptable for the people of Afghanistan. Afghanistan has seen a spike in the incidents of violence in recent weeks, leading to casualties of Afghan security forces and civilians. US withdrawal from Afghanistan is underway and set to complete by September 11. (With inputs from agencies)

Question of peace or hostility in Afghanistan in Pakistani hands, says President Ghani 

Saudi Arabia has emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve their outstanding matters, including the Kashmir issue.&nbsp;

Pakistan Foreign Office on Saturday night released a joint statement agreed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Imran Khan held high-level talks with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.&nbsp;

Khan is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7 to May 9.&nbsp;

"The two sides emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially Jammu and Kashmir issue, to ensure peace and stability in the region," according to the joint statement.&nbsp;

The Crown Prince welcomed the recent understanding reached between the military authorities of Pakistan and India regarding ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC), which is based on a 2003 understanding between Pakistan and India.&nbsp;

The militaries of India and Pakistan, in a surprise announcement on February 25, said that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors.&nbsp;

India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with it in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. &nbsp;

During Khan's Saudi visit, the two sides also reviewed all facets of bilateral cooperation and discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest and agreed to further strengthen the relationship in diverse fields.&nbsp;

They signed an agreement on the establishment of the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC). An MoU on combating illicit traffic in narcotics, drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals was also signed.&nbsp;

They also inked a framework MoU between Saudi Fund for Development and Pakistan for financing projects in energy, hydropower generation, Infrastructure, transport communication and water resource development.&nbsp;

Cooperation agreements in the field of combating crimes and on the transfer of convicted prisoners were also signed.&nbsp;

The two leaders also stressed the need for concerted efforts by the Muslim countries to confront extremism and violence, reject sectarianism, and strive to achieve international peace and security.&nbsp;

They called for joint efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia has emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve their outstanding matters, including the Kashmir issue. Pakistan Foreign Office on Saturday night released a joint statement agreed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Imran Khan held high-level talks with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia has emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve their outstanding matters, including the Kashmir issue. Pakistan Foreign Office on Saturday night released a joint statement agreed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Imran Khan held high-level talks with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Khan is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7 to May 9. "The two sides emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially Jammu and Kashmir issue, to ensure peace and stability in the region," according to the joint statement. The Crown Prince welcomed the recent understanding reached between the military authorities of Pakistan and India regarding ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC), which is based on a 2003 understanding between Pakistan and India. The militaries of India and Pakistan, in a surprise announcement on February 25, said that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with it in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. During Khan's Saudi visit, the two sides also reviewed all facets of bilateral cooperation and discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest and agreed to further strengthen the relationship in diverse fields. They signed an agreement on the establishment of the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC). An MoU on combating illicit traffic in narcotics, drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals was also signed. They also inked a framework MoU between Saudi Fund for Development and Pakistan for financing projects in energy, hydropower generation, Infrastructure, transport communication and water resource development. Cooperation agreements in the field of combating crimes and on the transfer of convicted prisoners were also signed. The two leaders also stressed the need for concerted efforts by the Muslim countries to confront extremism and violence, reject sectarianism, and strive to achieve international peace and security. They called for joint efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia calls for dialogue between India, Pak to resolve issues

Pakistan on Monday urged the Taliban to remain engaged in the Afghan peace process after the armed group said it would now shun summits about Afghanistan until all foreign forces leave.&nbsp;

The decision was taken after the United States said last week it would withdraw all troops by September 11 this year, later than a May 1 deadline set out by the previous administration.&nbsp;

"They take their own decisions but we will do whatever we can to convince them that it is in their national interest to remain engaged," Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said of the Taliban in an interview with Reuters in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;

The refusal has thrown the peace process into disarray with Turkey scheduled for Saturday to host a summit that diplomats had hoped could create new momentum towards a political settlement between the Taliban and Afghan government.&nbsp;

The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 when they were ousted by US-led forces, but they still control wide areas.&nbsp;

Qureshi said withdrawal delays were always a possibility due to logistics but that the Taliban had largely succeeded in their objective for foreign troops to withdraw and so should show flexibility towards the new September 11 deadline.&nbsp;

"The troops will be out and a date has been given and the process starts on the 1st of May and goes on until the 11th of September so there is a definite time frame," Qureshi said.&nbsp;

Sources have told Reuters, Pakistan was putting pressure on the militants to come back to the table.&nbsp;

Qureshi said he believed the Taliban would benefit from staying involved but said, he had no contact with the group.&nbsp;

Pakistan, which helped facilitate US-Taliban negotiations in Doha that resulted in the initial May 1 withdrawal deal, wields considerable influence with the Taliban.&nbsp;

The insurgents have sanctuaries in Pakistan, whose main military-run intelligence service gives them support, according to US and Afghan officials. Pakistan denies the allegation.&nbsp;

Qureshi said he feared violence could escalate if the peace process remains deadlocked, plunging Afghanistan into civil war and leading to an exodus of Afghans. &nbsp;

Pakistan on Monday urged the Taliban to remain engaged in the Afghan peace process after the armed group said it would now shun summits about Afghanistan until all foreign forces leave.

Pakistan on Monday urged the Taliban to remain engaged in the Afghan peace process after the armed group said it would now shun summits about Afghanistan until all foreign forces leave. The decision was taken after the United States said last week it would withdraw all troops by September 11 this year, later than a May 1 deadline set out by the previous administration. "They take their own decisions but we will do whatever we can to convince them that it is in their national interest to remain engaged," Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said of the Taliban in an interview with Reuters in Abu Dhabi. The refusal has thrown the peace process into disarray with Turkey scheduled for Saturday to host a summit that diplomats had hoped could create new momentum towards a political settlement between the Taliban and Afghan government. The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 when they were ousted by US-led forces, but they still control wide areas. Qureshi said withdrawal delays were always a possibility due to logistics but that the Taliban had largely succeeded in their objective for foreign troops to withdraw and so should show flexibility towards the new September 11 deadline. "The troops will be out and a date has been given and the process starts on the 1st of May and goes on until the 11th of September so there is a definite time frame," Qureshi said. Sources have told Reuters, Pakistan was putting pressure on the militants to come back to the table. Qureshi said he believed the Taliban would benefit from staying involved but said, he had no contact with the group. Pakistan, which helped facilitate US-Taliban negotiations in Doha that resulted in the initial May 1 withdrawal deal, wields considerable influence with the Taliban. The insurgents have sanctuaries in Pakistan, whose main military-run intelligence service gives them support, according to US and Afghan officials. Pakistan denies the allegation. Qureshi said he feared violence could escalate if the peace process remains deadlocked, plunging Afghanistan into civil war and leading to an exodus of Afghans.

Pakistan urges Taliban to stay engaged in Afghan peace process 

The Taliban and Afghanistan's government will attend peace talks in Istanbul from April 24 to May 4 meant to jump-start a peace process and sketch out a possible political settlement, host Turkey said on Tuesday. &nbsp;

The 10-day summit includes the United Nations and Qatar as part of a US-backed push to jump-start talks ahead of a May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. &nbsp;

On Monday, the Taliban said it was unwilling, based on timing, to attend talks in Turkey initially scheduled for April 16. &nbsp;

"Participation in the conference and its agenda have been the subject of extensive consultations with the Afghan parties," Turkey's foreign ministry said. &nbsp;

The talks are meant to end the conflict, pave the way to a 'just a durable' political settlement and 'accelerate and complement' ongoing intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha, it said. &nbsp;

It is an "opportunity for all partners to reiterate support for the people of Afghanistan on their path toward inclusive peace, stability, and prosperity," the ministry added in a statement.&nbsp;

Officials worry that violence in the country will surge if an agreement is not reached soon.&nbsp;

The US envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has been travelling the region to drum up support for a ceasefire and peace settlement that could include an interim government ahead of the May 1 deadline.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden has said it would be 'hard' to withdraw troops by then, but that it was unlikely they would remain in Afghanistan next year.&nbsp;

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has held a series of calls with counterparts including the United States and some Gulf Arab nations over the past week to invite them to the talks and drum up support. &nbsp;

The Taliban and Afghanistan's government will attend peace talks in Istanbul from April 24 to May 4 meant to jump-start a peace process and sketch out a possible political settlement, host Turkey said on Tuesday.

The Taliban and Afghanistan's government will attend peace talks in Istanbul from April 24 to May 4 meant to jump-start a peace process and sketch out a possible political settlement, host Turkey said on Tuesday. The 10-day summit includes the United Nations and Qatar as part of a US-backed push to jump-start talks ahead of a May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. On Monday, the Taliban said it was unwilling, based on timing, to attend talks in Turkey initially scheduled for April 16. "Participation in the conference and its agenda have been the subject of extensive consultations with the Afghan parties," Turkey's foreign ministry said. The talks are meant to end the conflict, pave the way to a 'just a durable' political settlement and 'accelerate and complement' ongoing intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha, it said. It is an "opportunity for all partners to reiterate support for the people of Afghanistan on their path toward inclusive peace, stability, and prosperity," the ministry added in a statement. Officials worry that violence in the country will surge if an agreement is not reached soon. The US envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has been travelling the region to drum up support for a ceasefire and peace settlement that could include an interim government ahead of the May 1 deadline. US President Joe Biden has said it would be 'hard' to withdraw troops by then, but that it was unlikely they would remain in Afghanistan next year. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has held a series of calls with counterparts including the United States and some Gulf Arab nations over the past week to invite them to the talks and drum up support.

Turkey says Taliban, Afghan govt to attend peace talks on April 24 

U.S. diplomats are trying to build on parts of the peace deal made with the Taliban last year, specifically the classified portions that outlined what military actions — on both sides — were supposed to be prohibited under the signed agreement, according to American, Afghan and Taliban officials.

The negotiations, which have been quietly underway for months, have morphed into the Biden administration’s last-ditch diplomatic effort to achieve a reduction in violence, which could enable the United States to still exit the country should broader peace talks fail to yield progress in the coming weeks.

If these discussions and the separate talks between the Afghan government and Taliban falter, the United States will likely find itself with thousands of troops in Afghanistan beyond May 1. That is the deadline by which all U.S. military forces are meant to withdraw from the country under the 2020 agreement with the Taliban and would come at a time when the insurgent group likely will have begun its spring offensive against the beleaguered Afghan security forces.

Both of these conditions would almost certainly set back any progress made in the past months toward a political settlement, despite both the Trump and the Biden administrations’ fervent attempts to end the U.S.’ longest-running war.

“Time is really running out for the Biden administration,” said Asfandyar Mir, an analyst at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. “If there is no breakthrough in the next two to three weeks, Biden will have scored his first major foreign policy failure.”

The proposed agreement specific to two annexes of the 2020 deal, which were deemed classified by the Trump administration, is intended to stave off an insurgent victory on the battlefield during the peace talks by limiting Taliban military operations against Afghan forces, according to U.S. officials and others familiar with the negotiations. In return, the United States would push for the release of all Taliban prisoners still imprisoned by the Afghan government and the lifting of United Nations sanctions against the Taliban — two goals outlined in the original deal.

These new negotiations, which exclude representatives from the Afghan government, are being carried out amid a contentious logjam between the Taliban and the Afghans, despite pressure from international and regional actors on both sides to commit to some form of a path forward.

With May 1 just a few weeks away, there is a growing sense of urgency and uncertainty looming over all sides.

The United States currently has around 3,500 troops in the country, alongside thousands of contractors and international forces still on the ground. Withdrawing those forces and all their equipment by May 1 is, at this point, almost logistically impossible, experts and officials said.

The U.S.’ unilateral negotiations with the Taliban have drawn ire from Afghan negotiators, who see the side discussions as a distraction from the broader peace talks. Even if the United States and the Taliban reach a deal to reduce violence, it is not likely to result in a full cease-fire, said one of the Afghan government negotiators, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Specifically, the United States is pushing for three months of reduced violence and has been for some time — though U.S. diplomats hope that timeline could be extended.

But in recent months, the Taliban submitted their own proposal, first reported by Tolo News, with requests that were not fully accepted by the U.S. negotiators and included severe restrictions on U.S. air power.

Many of the delays in securing a new deal to reduce violence stem from the original February 2020 agreement.

That deal loosely called for the Taliban to stop suicide attacks and large-scale offensives in exchange for the U.S. forces scaling back drone strikes and raids, among other types of military assaults. But both sides interpreted those terms differently, officials said, and both have accused one another of violating the deal. The Taliban are also supposed to cut ties with al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, but the U.S. intelligence community has seen little movement toward that goal.

Under the current arrangement, U.S. forces can defend their Afghan allies if they are being attacked, but the Taliban said U.S. airstrikes have been carried out against their fighters who were not attacking Afghan forces.

Digital spreadsheets maintained by the Taliban and viewed by The New York Times detail hundreds of purported U.S. violations. They record in detail the group’s wounded and killed, along with civilian casualties and property damage. However, the Taliban often do not distinguish between offensive operations carried out by Afghan security forces from those by U.S. forces, and several of the events the Times was able to independently verify from June 2020 did not involve U.S. troops.

The new terms for a reduction in violence have been a serious point of contention during the past several months, during meetings frequently held at the Sharq Village and Spa, a luxurious resort in Doha, Qatar.

Meetings between U.S. officials and the Taliban in Doha — including with high-level officials like then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in November and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, in December — attempted to scale back Taliban attacks and stop the bloody assassination campaign wreaking havoc across the country but made little headway.

With time running out, the Biden administration is hoping for more success, though these discussions continue to hit roadblocks.

Negotiations between the Afghans and the Taliban, which began in September, have practically come to a halt as the insurgent group has remained reluctant to discuss any future government or power-sharing deal while the United States remains noncommittal about whether it will withdraw from Afghanistan by May 1.

The Biden administration’s recent push for talks in Turkey could be promising, officials and experts said, but the Taliban have yet to agree to attend.

The insurgent group thinks Biden’s negotiators are manipulating the proposed agreement to reduce violence by asking for “extreme” measures, such as halting the use of roadside bombs and pausing attacks on checkpoints, according to people close to the negotiations.

Taliban negotiators say they believe the U.S.' requests equate to a cease-fire, while U.S. military officials say that if certain parameters are not clearly outlined, then the Taliban will shift their tactics to exploit any loopholes they can find — like they have done in the past.

Some of the more striking episodes happened in the past week when CIA-backed militia forces were accused of killing more than a dozen civilians in a Taliban-controlled village in Khost province in southeastern Afghanistan.

In retaliation, the Taliban authorized their fighters to attack the U.S. military and CIA base there and publicly took responsibility for the rocket attack that followed: a first for the insurgent group since it has mostly stopped, or refused to acknowledge, attacks against U.S. bases and troops, per the terms of the 2020 deal.

Some Taliban officials believe the CIA-backed forces should be disbanded and their operations stopped if the insurgent group agrees to any further reduction in violence, according to people close to the negotiations, but it is unclear if the insurgent group has raised those concerns directly. Regardless, any such request is likely to fall on deaf ears, as the U.S. military and intelligence community views these forces as some of the Afghans’ most effective, despite the litany of human rights abuses leveled against them.

The Khost incident highlights the difficulty of reaching an understanding when it comes to decreasing the intensity of the war, and the need for an international third-party monitoring body, such as the United Nations, in any future cease-fires or agreements to reduce violence, experts said.

It is unlikely the United States and Taliban will reach a new deal before May 1, analysts say, unless U.S. officials are willing to make serious concessions to prevent a violent offensive this spring, one that seems to already have started given the series of large attacks and assassinations by the Taliban in recent days.

Some experts have criticized the U.S.’ narrow focus on a short-term reduction of violence as a distraction from the larger effort of reaching a political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

“I am hard-pressed to see what payoff there’s been for the amount of effort that has been put into trying to get limited violence reduction front-loaded in the peace process,” said Laurel Miller, a former top State Department official who worked on Afghanistan and Pakistan diplomacy under the previous two administrations. “It might be helpful for political optics in covering for an American withdrawal. But what’s going to make this stick afterward if there isn’t a real settlement? Nothing.”

U.S. diplomats are trying to build on parts of the peace deal made with the Taliban last year, specifically the classified portions that outlined what military actions — on both sides — were supposed to be prohibited under the signed agreement, according to American, Afghan and Taliban officials.

U.S. diplomats are trying to build on parts of the peace deal made with the Taliban last year, specifically the classified portions that outlined what military actions — on both sides — were supposed to be prohibited under the signed agreement, according to American, Afghan and Taliban officials. The negotiations, which have been quietly underway for months, have morphed into the Biden administration’s last-ditch diplomatic effort to achieve a reduction in violence, which could enable the United States to still exit the country should broader peace talks fail to yield progress in the coming weeks. If these discussions and the separate talks between the Afghan government and Taliban falter, the United States will likely find itself with thousands of troops in Afghanistan beyond May 1. That is the deadline by which all U.S. military forces are meant to withdraw from the country under the 2020 agreement with the Taliban and would come at a time when the insurgent group likely will have begun its spring offensive against the beleaguered Afghan security forces. Both of these conditions would almost certainly set back any progress made in the past months toward a political settlement, despite both the Trump and the Biden administrations’ fervent attempts to end the U.S.’ longest-running war. “Time is really running out for the Biden administration,” said Asfandyar Mir, an analyst at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. “If there is no breakthrough in the next two to three weeks, Biden will have scored his first major foreign policy failure.” The proposed agreement specific to two annexes of the 2020 deal, which were deemed classified by the Trump administration, is intended to stave off an insurgent victory on the battlefield during the peace talks by limiting Taliban military operations against Afghan forces, according to U.S. officials and others familiar with the negotiations. In return, the United States would push for the release of all Taliban prisoners still imprisoned by the Afghan government and the lifting of United Nations sanctions against the Taliban — two goals outlined in the original deal. These new negotiations, which exclude representatives from the Afghan government, are being carried out amid a contentious logjam between the Taliban and the Afghans, despite pressure from international and regional actors on both sides to commit to some form of a path forward. With May 1 just a few weeks away, there is a growing sense of urgency and uncertainty looming over all sides. The United States currently has around 3,500 troops in the country, alongside thousands of contractors and international forces still on the ground. Withdrawing those forces and all their equipment by May 1 is, at this point, almost logistically impossible, experts and officials said. The U.S.’ unilateral negotiations with the Taliban have drawn ire from Afghan negotiators, who see the side discussions as a distraction from the broader peace talks. Even if the United States and the Taliban reach a deal to reduce violence, it is not likely to result in a full cease-fire, said one of the Afghan government negotiators, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Specifically, the United States is pushing for three months of reduced violence and has been for some time — though U.S. diplomats hope that timeline could be extended. But in recent months, the Taliban submitted their own proposal, first reported by Tolo News, with requests that were not fully accepted by the U.S. negotiators and included severe restrictions on U.S. air power. Many of the delays in securing a new deal to reduce violence stem from the original February 2020 agreement. That deal loosely called for the Taliban to stop suicide attacks and large-scale offensives in exchange for the U.S. forces scaling back drone strikes and raids, among other types of military assaults. But both sides interpreted those terms differently, officials said, and both have accused one another of violating the deal. The Taliban are also supposed to cut ties with al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, but the U.S. intelligence community has seen little movement toward that goal. Under the current arrangement, U.S. forces can defend their Afghan allies if they are being attacked, but the Taliban said U.S. airstrikes have been carried out against their fighters who were not attacking Afghan forces. Digital spreadsheets maintained by the Taliban and viewed by The New York Times detail hundreds of purported U.S. violations. They record in detail the group’s wounded and killed, along with civilian casualties and property damage. However, the Taliban often do not distinguish between offensive operations carried out by Afghan security forces from those by U.S. forces, and several of the events the Times was able to independently verify from June 2020 did not involve U.S. troops. The new terms for a reduction in violence have been a serious point of contention during the past several months, during meetings frequently held at the Sharq Village and Spa, a luxurious resort in Doha, Qatar. Meetings between U.S. officials and the Taliban in Doha — including with high-level officials like then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in November and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, in December — attempted to scale back Taliban attacks and stop the bloody assassination campaign wreaking havoc across the country but made little headway. With time running out, the Biden administration is hoping for more success, though these discussions continue to hit roadblocks. Negotiations between the Afghans and the Taliban, which began in September, have practically come to a halt as the insurgent group has remained reluctant to discuss any future government or power-sharing deal while the United States remains noncommittal about whether it will withdraw from Afghanistan by May 1. The Biden administration’s recent push for talks in Turkey could be promising, officials and experts said, but the Taliban have yet to agree to attend. The insurgent group thinks Biden’s negotiators are manipulating the proposed agreement to reduce violence by asking for “extreme” measures, such as halting the use of roadside bombs and pausing attacks on checkpoints, according to people close to the negotiations. Taliban negotiators say they believe the U.S.' requests equate to a cease-fire, while U.S. military officials say that if certain parameters are not clearly outlined, then the Taliban will shift their tactics to exploit any loopholes they can find — like they have done in the past. Some of the more striking episodes happened in the past week when CIA-backed militia forces were accused of killing more than a dozen civilians in a Taliban-controlled village in Khost province in southeastern Afghanistan. In retaliation, the Taliban authorized their fighters to attack the U.S. military and CIA base there and publicly took responsibility for the rocket attack that followed: a first for the insurgent group since it has mostly stopped, or refused to acknowledge, attacks against U.S. bases and troops, per the terms of the 2020 deal. Some Taliban officials believe the CIA-backed forces should be disbanded and their operations stopped if the insurgent group agrees to any further reduction in violence, according to people close to the negotiations, but it is unclear if the insurgent group has raised those concerns directly. Regardless, any such request is likely to fall on deaf ears, as the U.S. military and intelligence community views these forces as some of the Afghans’ most effective, despite the litany of human rights abuses leveled against them. The Khost incident highlights the difficulty of reaching an understanding when it comes to decreasing the intensity of the war, and the need for an international third-party monitoring body, such as the United Nations, in any future cease-fires or agreements to reduce violence, experts said. It is unlikely the United States and Taliban will reach a new deal before May 1, analysts say, unless U.S. officials are willing to make serious concessions to prevent a violent offensive this spring, one that seems to already have started given the series of large attacks and assassinations by the Taliban in recent days. Some experts have criticized the U.S.’ narrow focus on a short-term reduction of violence as a distraction from the larger effort of reaching a political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. “I am hard-pressed to see what payoff there’s been for the amount of effort that has been put into trying to get limited violence reduction front-loaded in the peace process,” said Laurel Miller, a former top State Department official who worked on Afghanistan and Pakistan diplomacy under the previous two administrations. “It might be helpful for political optics in covering for an American withdrawal. But what’s going to make this stick afterward if there isn’t a real settlement? Nothing.”

U.S. looks to build on secret portions of Taliban deal to reduce violence

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows.

Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of all foreign troops.

Ghani’s plan will be presented as a counter to proposals put forward by Washington, rejected by the Afghan government, that envisage immediately drawing up a new legal system for an interim administration to include Taliban representatives.&nbsp;

The document shows Ghani’s ‘Reaching an Endstate’ proposal will include, in the first phase, a consensus on a political settlement and an internationally monitored ceasefire.

The second phase will be holding a presidential election and the establishment of a ‘government of peace’ and implementation arrangements for moving towards the new political system.

The third phase will involve building a ‘constitutional framework, reintegration of refugees and development’ for Afghanistan moving forward.

A senior government official said Ghani has already shared his roadmap with foreign capitals.&nbsp;

A date for the Turkey meeting is yet to be decided, but multiple sources said it could take place in two weeks’ time.

The Afghan government and a number of politicians said they would have to agree on an agenda with the Taliban before the meeting.

In a statement last month, the Taliban threatened to resume hostilities against foreign troops in Afghanistan if they did not meet the May 1 deadline envisaged in an agreement between the insurgents and the Trump administration last year.

US President Joe Biden said this month it would be ‘hard’ to withdraw the last US troops from Afghanistan by May 1 ‘just in terms of tactical reasons’, but he said he did not think they still would be there next year.

A senior government official said the Taliban was willing to extend the May 1 dateline and would not resume attacks against foreign forces in exchange for the release of thousands of their prisoners held by the Kabul authorities.&nbsp;

Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesman in Qatar, said no such offer had been made.

(With inputs from agencies)

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document shows. Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. Ghani’s plan will be presented as a counter to proposals put forward by Washington, rejected by the Afghan government, that envisage immediately drawing up a new legal system for an interim administration to include Taliban representatives. The document shows Ghani’s ‘Reaching an Endstate’ proposal will include, in the first phase, a consensus on a political settlement and an internationally monitored ceasefire. The second phase will be holding a presidential election and the establishment of a ‘government of peace’ and implementation arrangements for moving towards the new political system. The third phase will involve building a ‘constitutional framework, reintegration of refugees and development’ for Afghanistan moving forward. A senior government official said Ghani has already shared his roadmap with foreign capitals. A date for the Turkey meeting is yet to be decided, but multiple sources said it could take place in two weeks’ time. The Afghan government and a number of politicians said they would have to agree on an agenda with the Taliban before the meeting. In a statement last month, the Taliban threatened to resume hostilities against foreign troops in Afghanistan if they did not meet the May 1 deadline envisaged in an agreement between the insurgents and the Trump administration last year. US President Joe Biden said this month it would be ‘hard’ to withdraw the last US troops from Afghanistan by May 1 ‘just in terms of tactical reasons’, but he said he did not think they still would be there next year. A senior government official said the Taliban was willing to extend the May 1 dateline and would not resume attacks against foreign forces in exchange for the release of thousands of their prisoners held by the Kabul authorities. Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesman in Qatar, said no such offer had been made. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan President proposes peace roadmap in three phases, says document

The 'Peace Cup' Karate competition in Afghanistan urges the Taliban and the Government to lay down arms and pursue peace. Mariam Wardak brings you the story of these defiant Karate fighters.

South Asia Diary: Afghan Karate tournament for peace

The Taliban’s swagger is unmistakable. From the recent bellicose speech of their deputy leader, boasting of “conquests,” to sneering references to the “foreign masters” of the “illegitimate” Kabul government, to the Taliban’s own website tally of “puppets” killed — Afghan soldiers — they are promoting a bold message:

We have already won the war.

And that belief, grounded in military and political reality, is shaping Afghanistan’s volatile present. On the eve of talks in Turkey next month over the country’s future, it is the elephant in the room: the half-acknowledged truth that the Taliban have the upper hand and are thus showing little outward interest in compromise, or of going along with the dominant American idea, power-sharing.

While the Taliban’s current rhetoric is also propaganda, the grim sense of Taliban supremacy is dictating the response of a desperate Afghan government and influencing Afghanistan’s anxious foreign interlocutors. It contributes to the abandonment of dozens of checkpoints and falling morale among the Afghan security forces, already hammered by a “not sustainable” casualty rate of perhaps 3,000 a month, a senior Western diplomat in Kabul said.

The group doesn’t hide its pride at having compelled its principal adversary for 20 years, the United States, to negotiate with the Taliban and, last year, to sign an agreement to completely withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. In exchange, the Taliban agreed to stop attacking foreign forces and to sever ties with international terrorist groups such as al-Qaida.

The Biden administration has yet to definitively say whether it will meet that deadline, just weeks away.

“No mujahed ever thought that one day we would face such an improved state, or that we will crush the arrogance of the rebellious emperors, and force them to admit their defeat at our hands,” the Taliban’s deputy leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, said in a recent speech. “Fortunately, today, we and you are experiencing better circumstances.”

Nearly every day, the Taliban’s website features reports of purported defections to its side, though the details are likely exaggerated, just as both the Taliban and the Afghan government exaggerate each other’s casualties. “59 enemy personnel switch sides to Islamic Emirate,” read one recent headline.

Having outlasted the all-powerful Americans, the rest is child’s play, in the Taliban’s view. The game is essentially over.

“They think they have beaten the Americans, so they can beat the other Afghan forces as well, and get control over the country,” said Jawed Kohistani, an Afghan analyst and former security official in Kabul.

The Taliban, who governed most of the country from 1996 to 2001, are not interested in true sharing-power, Kohistani said. “They are planning to restore their Islamic emirate,” he added, “and they will punish all those involved in corruption and land grabbing.”

Antonio Giustozzi, a leading Taliban expert, disputed the idea that the Taliban are necessarily bent on reimposing a similarly hard-line Islamic regime. “As long as they can get to power through a political agreement, between establishing the emirate and democracy, there are options,” he said. “The aim would be to become the dominant power.”

The Taliban know that Afghanistan, an aid-dependent state, 80% of whose expenditures are funded from international donors, cannot afford the isolation of that era, analysts say.

Just as the Taliban have become increasingly sophisticated in their use of social media, online propaganda and a pugnacious English-language website — though they still often ban smartphones in areas they control — so has their language evolved to reflect the current moment.

With the decisive shift in their military fortunes, their words have become assertive and victorious, a posture that would have been impossible a mere three years ago, analysts say.

The corollary to such posturing is the Afghan government’s insistence that it expects a deadly endgame with the insurgency. Government officials rarely claim that &lt;em&gt;they &lt;/em&gt;and not the Taliban are the victors, because they can’t. Evidence of Taliban ascendancy, in the insurgents’ steady offensive in the countryside, their systematic encroachment on cities and their overrunning of military bases, is too prevalent.

U.S. negotiators are pushing ideas of compromise and power-sharing, but government officials are largely resistant to them — in part because any interim government would most likely require Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, to step down. He has steadfastly refused to even consider it.

Instead, the government employs back-to-the-wall language indicating that the bloody struggle will only intensify. Earlier this month, a senior official told reporters inside the intensively guarded presidential palace complex that a compromise, coalition government — recently proposed to both sides by Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. peace envoy — would merely be used by the Taliban as a “Trojan horse” for the seizure of power.

It was “totally unrealistic” to think the insurgents would agree to it, “knowing their psychology,” the official said. “I am not promising a better situation in the future. But we will continue fighting.”

Ghani sounded a largely pessimistic note in remarks to the Aspen Institute in January. “In their eschatology, Afghanistan is the place where the final battle takes place,” he said of the Taliban.

We “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” he said.

The Ghani administration’s bleak outlook also reflects the insurgent group’s territorial gains. In December, nearly 200 checkpoints in Kandahar, the Taliban’s historic stronghold, were abandoned by Afghan security forces, according to the U.S. government’s Afghanistan watchdog.

“I think they are 90% right,” said Giustozzi, of the insurgent group’s claims of victory. “Clearly the war has been lost. Clearly things have gone in the wrong direction. Things have worsened under Ghani. The trend is in their favor.”

Some analysts caution that while the Taliban may think they have won, other armed actors in the Afghan equation will make a forced takeover difficult. That was the experience 25 years ago, when the Taliban were forced to battle warlords principally in the north and east, and failed to gain total control over the entire country.

A militia in central Afghanistan led by Abdul Ghani Alipur, a local warlord, has already inflamed hostility with the government in recent months. And longtime power brokers in the country’s west and north have rallied fighters to defend against the Taliban, if necessary.

Meanwhile, the Taliban rely on fear to keep local populations in rural areas quiescent. An effective tool is the insurgents’ hidden network of ad hoc underground prisons where torture and punishment are meted out to those suspected of working for, or with, the government.

But the Taliban are also viewed by some as being less corrupt than Afghan officials. The group’s judges adjudicate civil and property disputes, perhaps more efficiently than the government’s faltering institutions.

In some areas under Taliban control, they have permitted schools for girls to continue operating, Thomas Ruttig, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, pointed out in a recent paper — though, he notes, this may be driven more by political imperative than a softening of ideology.

Elsewhere, the Taliban’s increasingly confident messaging has penetrated deep into its rank-and-file, in large part because events have borne it out.

People said that it is not possible to fire on U.S. forces,” said Muslim Mohabat, a former Taliban fighter from Watapor District in Kunar province. “They would say the barrel of the rifle would bend if you open fire on them, but we attacked them, and nothing happened.”

“Then we kept attacking them and forced them to leave the valley,” said Mohabat, who fought in some of the most violent battles of the war with the United States.

In the insurgents’ view, their advances will inexorably lead to the end of the Kabul government.

“On the battlefield there is a sense that, ‘We’re stronger than ever,’ ’’ said Ashley Jackson, a Taliban expert at the Overseas Development Institute. “Power-sharing and democracy, these are anathema to their political culture.”

The Taliban’s swagger is unmistakable. From the recent bellicose speech of their deputy leader, boasting of “conquests,” to sneering references to the “foreign masters” of the “illegitimate” Kabul government, to the Taliban’s own website tally of “puppets” killed — Afghan soldiers — they are promoting a bold message: We have already won the war.

The Taliban’s swagger is unmistakable. From the recent bellicose speech of their deputy leader, boasting of “conquests,” to sneering references to the “foreign masters” of the “illegitimate” Kabul government, to the Taliban’s own website tally of “puppets” killed — Afghan soldiers — they are promoting a bold message: We have already won the war. And that belief, grounded in military and political reality, is shaping Afghanistan’s volatile present. On the eve of talks in Turkey next month over the country’s future, it is the elephant in the room: the half-acknowledged truth that the Taliban have the upper hand and are thus showing little outward interest in compromise, or of going along with the dominant American idea, power-sharing. While the Taliban’s current rhetoric is also propaganda, the grim sense of Taliban supremacy is dictating the response of a desperate Afghan government and influencing Afghanistan’s anxious foreign interlocutors. It contributes to the abandonment of dozens of checkpoints and falling morale among the Afghan security forces, already hammered by a “not sustainable” casualty rate of perhaps 3,000 a month, a senior Western diplomat in Kabul said. The group doesn’t hide its pride at having compelled its principal adversary for 20 years, the United States, to negotiate with the Taliban and, last year, to sign an agreement to completely withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. In exchange, the Taliban agreed to stop attacking foreign forces and to sever ties with international terrorist groups such as al-Qaida. The Biden administration has yet to definitively say whether it will meet that deadline, just weeks away. “No mujahed ever thought that one day we would face such an improved state, or that we will crush the arrogance of the rebellious emperors, and force them to admit their defeat at our hands,” the Taliban’s deputy leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, said in a recent speech. “Fortunately, today, we and you are experiencing better circumstances.” Nearly every day, the Taliban’s website features reports of purported defections to its side, though the details are likely exaggerated, just as both the Taliban and the Afghan government exaggerate each other’s casualties. “59 enemy personnel switch sides to Islamic Emirate,” read one recent headline. Having outlasted the all-powerful Americans, the rest is child’s play, in the Taliban’s view. The game is essentially over. “They think they have beaten the Americans, so they can beat the other Afghan forces as well, and get control over the country,” said Jawed Kohistani, an Afghan analyst and former security official in Kabul. The Taliban, who governed most of the country from 1996 to 2001, are not interested in true sharing-power, Kohistani said. “They are planning to restore their Islamic emirate,” he added, “and they will punish all those involved in corruption and land grabbing.” Antonio Giustozzi, a leading Taliban expert, disputed the idea that the Taliban are necessarily bent on reimposing a similarly hard-line Islamic regime. “As long as they can get to power through a political agreement, between establishing the emirate and democracy, there are options,” he said. “The aim would be to become the dominant power.” The Taliban know that Afghanistan, an aid-dependent state, 80% of whose expenditures are funded from international donors, cannot afford the isolation of that era, analysts say. Just as the Taliban have become increasingly sophisticated in their use of social media, online propaganda and a pugnacious English-language website — though they still often ban smartphones in areas they control — so has their language evolved to reflect the current moment. With the decisive shift in their military fortunes, their words have become assertive and victorious, a posture that would have been impossible a mere three years ago, analysts say. The corollary to such posturing is the Afghan government’s insistence that it expects a deadly endgame with the insurgency. Government officials rarely claim that they and not the Taliban are the victors, because they can’t. Evidence of Taliban ascendancy, in the insurgents’ steady offensive in the countryside, their systematic encroachment on cities and their overrunning of military bases, is too prevalent. U.S. negotiators are pushing ideas of compromise and power-sharing, but government officials are largely resistant to them — in part because any interim government would most likely require Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, to step down. He has steadfastly refused to even consider it. Instead, the government employs back-to-the-wall language indicating that the bloody struggle will only intensify. Earlier this month, a senior official told reporters inside the intensively guarded presidential palace complex that a compromise, coalition government — recently proposed to both sides by Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. peace envoy — would merely be used by the Taliban as a “Trojan horse” for the seizure of power. It was “totally unrealistic” to think the insurgents would agree to it, “knowing their psychology,” the official said. “I am not promising a better situation in the future. But we will continue fighting.” Ghani sounded a largely pessimistic note in remarks to the Aspen Institute in January. “In their eschatology, Afghanistan is the place where the final battle takes place,” he said of the Taliban. We “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” he said. The Ghani administration’s bleak outlook also reflects the insurgent group’s territorial gains. In December, nearly 200 checkpoints in Kandahar, the Taliban’s historic stronghold, were abandoned by Afghan security forces, according to the U.S. government’s Afghanistan watchdog. “I think they are 90% right,” said Giustozzi, of the insurgent group’s claims of victory. “Clearly the war has been lost. Clearly things have gone in the wrong direction. Things have worsened under Ghani. The trend is in their favor.” Some analysts caution that while the Taliban may think they have won, other armed actors in the Afghan equation will make a forced takeover difficult. That was the experience 25 years ago, when the Taliban were forced to battle warlords principally in the north and east, and failed to gain total control over the entire country. A militia in central Afghanistan led by Abdul Ghani Alipur, a local warlord, has already inflamed hostility with the government in recent months. And longtime power brokers in the country’s west and north have rallied fighters to defend against the Taliban, if necessary. Meanwhile, the Taliban rely on fear to keep local populations in rural areas quiescent. An effective tool is the insurgents’ hidden network of ad hoc underground prisons where torture and punishment are meted out to those suspected of working for, or with, the government. But the Taliban are also viewed by some as being less corrupt than Afghan officials. The group’s judges adjudicate civil and property disputes, perhaps more efficiently than the government’s faltering institutions. In some areas under Taliban control, they have permitted schools for girls to continue operating, Thomas Ruttig, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, pointed out in a recent paper — though, he notes, this may be driven more by political imperative than a softening of ideology. Elsewhere, the Taliban’s increasingly confident messaging has penetrated deep into its rank-and-file, in large part because events have borne it out. People said that it is not possible to fire on U.S. forces,” said Muslim Mohabat, a former Taliban fighter from Watapor District in Kunar province. “They would say the barrel of the rifle would bend if you open fire on them, but we attacked them, and nothing happened.” “Then we kept attacking them and forced them to leave the valley,” said Mohabat, who fought in some of the most violent battles of the war with the United States. In the insurgents’ view, their advances will inexorably lead to the end of the Kabul government. “On the battlefield there is a sense that, ‘We’re stronger than ever,’ ’’ said Ashley Jackson, a Taliban expert at the Overseas Development Institute. “Power-sharing and democracy, these are anathema to their political culture.”

The Taliban think they have already won, peace deal or not

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that both India and Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, and love instead of instability, terror and unrest in the entire world.&nbsp;

Addressing the Matua community after visiting the Orakandi Temple, PM Modi, said, "Both India and Bangladesh want to see the world progressing through their own progress. Both the nations want to see stability, love, and peace in the world instead of instability, terror and unrest."&nbsp;

"During the coronavirus pandemic, India and Bangladesh have proven their capabilities. Today, both nations are facing this pandemic strongly and fighting it together. India is working by considering it its duty that 'Made in India' vaccine reaches the citizens of Bangladesh," he said.&nbsp;

Speaking about Harichand Thakur, also known as Sri Sri Harichand Thakur, who formed the Matua sect of Hindus, PM Modi said, "The life of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur has given the message of divine love, but also made us realise our duties. He told us that the struggle against oppression and misery is also cultivation." &nbsp;

"His successor, Sri Sri Guruchand Thakur has a huge role in bringing the teachings of Harichand Thakur to the people, uniting the Dalit-afflicted society. Guruchand ji gave us the formula of devotion, deed, and knowledge," he added.&nbsp;

"Our siblings of Matua community celebrate 'Baruni Snan Utsav' every year on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur. A large number of devotees from India come to Orakandi to participate in this festival," he added.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at the Orakandi Temple located at Kashiani Upazila in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. &nbsp;

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi offered prayers at the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Ishwaripur, a village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, scattered across India and neighbouring countries.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also informed that the Indian government will undertake the construction work of a multi-purpose community hall at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple.&nbsp;

After that, he paid tribute to Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. He signed the visitors' book and also planted samples at the complex. PM Modi was accompanied by his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his visit to the complex. &nbsp;

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Sheikh Hasina and they are likely to sign few key pacts. Thereafter, he will call on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. This is Prime Minister Modi's first foreign trip since the Covid-19 outbreak last year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that both India and Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, and love instead of instability, terror and unrest in the entire world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that both India and Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, and love instead of instability, terror and unrest in the entire world. Addressing the Matua community after visiting the Orakandi Temple, PM Modi, said, "Both India and Bangladesh want to see the world progressing through their own progress. Both the nations want to see stability, love, and peace in the world instead of instability, terror and unrest." "During the coronavirus pandemic, India and Bangladesh have proven their capabilities. Today, both nations are facing this pandemic strongly and fighting it together. India is working by considering it its duty that 'Made in India' vaccine reaches the citizens of Bangladesh," he said. Speaking about Harichand Thakur, also known as Sri Sri Harichand Thakur, who formed the Matua sect of Hindus, PM Modi said, "The life of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur has given the message of divine love, but also made us realise our duties. He told us that the struggle against oppression and misery is also cultivation." "His successor, Sri Sri Guruchand Thakur has a huge role in bringing the teachings of Harichand Thakur to the people, uniting the Dalit-afflicted society. Guruchand ji gave us the formula of devotion, deed, and knowledge," he added. "Our siblings of Matua community celebrate 'Baruni Snan Utsav' every year on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur. A large number of devotees from India come to Orakandi to participate in this festival," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at the Orakandi Temple located at Kashiani Upazila in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi offered prayers at the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Ishwaripur, a village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, scattered across India and neighbouring countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also informed that the Indian government will undertake the construction work of a multi-purpose community hall at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. After that, he paid tribute to Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. He signed the visitors' book and also planted samples at the complex. PM Modi was accompanied by his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his visit to the complex. Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Sheikh Hasina and they are likely to sign few key pacts. Thereafter, he will call on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. This is Prime Minister Modi's first foreign trip since the Covid-19 outbreak last year. (With inputs from agencies)

India, Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, love in entire world: Modi 

Hinting at the possibility of Israel signing more peace accords with other nations, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, said, "There is a lot of talk about different countries. I would guesstimate Oman, who also has a young leader interested in peaceful relations with Israel."&nbsp;

Speaking at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, she said there have been "incredible overtures" and "'under the radar cooperation'' in the context of normalisation with Indonesia, which has one of the largest Muslim population in the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The countries doing under the radar normalisation with Israel will be the countries who will be going for official normalisation in a year or so, according to the politician. "About 200 Israeli companies were trading with UAE under the radar for years before official normalisation of ties,” added Hassan-Nahoum.&nbsp;

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Israel also wants normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia. "There is a desire to begin under the radar engagement with Saudi Arabia in the form of exchange in innovation through Bahrain," she revealed.&nbsp; 
The deputy mayor expressed hope that these initiatives will continue to accelerate and said Israel has always been ready for peace with all the neighbours, including Palestinians with open hands.&nbsp;

"Israel wants peace and is always ready to make painful compromises to get it. Every parent has to send their sons to army at the age of 18. I am sending my son in six months. No parent would want to if there is a choice." &nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Hassan-Nahoum, there is only one way forward, which is peace and co-existence. &nbsp;Israel looks to bring peace to the whole region and wants a peaceful Palestine, she added. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hinting at the possibility of Israel signing more peace accords with other nations, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, said, "There is a lot of talk about different countries.

Hinting at the possibility of Israel signing more peace accords with other nations, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, said, "There is a lot of talk about different countries. I would guesstimate Oman, who also has a young leader interested in peaceful relations with Israel." Speaking at the WION Global summit in Dubai on Wednesday, she said there have been "incredible overtures" and "'under the radar cooperation'' in the context of normalisation with Indonesia, which has one of the largest Muslim population in the world. The countries doing under the radar normalisation with Israel will be the countries who will be going for official normalisation in a year or so, according to the politician. "About 200 Israeli companies were trading with UAE under the radar for years before official normalisation of ties,” added Hassan-Nahoum. Speaking at #WIONGlobalSummit in Dubai, Israeli politician @FleurHassanN shed light on what Abraham Accords meant for Israelis on the groundhttps://t.co/vHVsUAkxzx — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × Israel also wants normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia. "There is a desire to begin under the radar engagement with Saudi Arabia in the form of exchange in innovation through Bahrain," she revealed. The deputy mayor expressed hope that these initiatives will continue to accelerate and said Israel has always been ready for peace with all the neighbours, including Palestinians with open hands. "Israel wants peace and is always ready to make painful compromises to get it. Every parent has to send their sons to army at the age of 18. I am sending my son in six months. No parent would want to if there is a choice." According to Hassan-Nahoum, there is only one way forward, which is peace and co-existence. Israel looks to bring peace to the whole region and wants a peaceful Palestine, she added.

Israeli politician hints at peace accords with Oman, Indonesia at WION Global Summit

Pakistan is aggressively pushing for talks with India. Imran Khan says peace with Pakistan will give India direct access to Central Asia. General Bajwa wants India to 'bury the past'. Where does India stand? WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Pakistan makes another peace offer to India

Why does Pakistan suddenly want to talk peace with India? Is it because Islamabad wants to exit the FATF grey list or because it wants new friends? WION's Palki Sharma has the answers.

Gravitas: Why Pakistan wants to talk peace with India

India & Pakistan have tried to make peace several times in the past, but all attempts have faltered. As Islamabad extends the olive branch once again, what's the guarantee that it will keep its promise? WION's Palki Sharma gets you this report.

Gravitas: Is peace with Pakistan sustainable?

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate US- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks.&nbsp;

The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the US-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said.&nbsp;

Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha have largely stalled.&nbsp;

"The Afghan government will take part in both the Moscow and Turkey conferences," Hamdullah Mohib, the country's national security council advisor told reporters in Kabul.&nbsp;

Mohammed Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, said it had received an invitation from Moscow, but had not yet decided whether to attend or not. The Taliban has not made any comment about the proposed meeting in Turkey.&nbsp;

It comes at a crunch time for the peace process as a May 1 deadline for foreign troops to withdraw from Afghanistan looms and the United States reviews its military commitments.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani earlier this month made a new urgent push for a United Nations-led peace effort and asked Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of 'both sides in the coming weeks to finalise a peace agreement'.&nbsp;

Blinken wrote to Afghan leaders that the United States is 'considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1 as we consider other options'.&nbsp;

Russia plans to hold a conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18 and has invited several regional players, including Afghan government and politicians to jumpstart the peace process as Washington's diplomacy ramps up.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate US- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks. The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the US-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said.

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate US- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks. The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the US-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said. Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha have largely stalled. "The Afghan government will take part in both the Moscow and Turkey conferences," Hamdullah Mohib, the country's national security council advisor told reporters in Kabul. Mohammed Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, said it had received an invitation from Moscow, but had not yet decided whether to attend or not. The Taliban has not made any comment about the proposed meeting in Turkey. It comes at a crunch time for the peace process as a May 1 deadline for foreign troops to withdraw from Afghanistan looms and the United States reviews its military commitments. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani earlier this month made a new urgent push for a United Nations-led peace effort and asked Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of 'both sides in the coming weeks to finalise a peace agreement'. Blinken wrote to Afghan leaders that the United States is 'considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1 as we consider other options'. Russia plans to hold a conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18 and has invited several regional players, including Afghan government and politicians to jumpstart the peace process as Washington's diplomacy ramps up. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan government to attend both US, Russia-backed peace conferences 

US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday met with Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other officials to discuss the Afghan peace process, US State Department said.&nbsp;

"US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Khalilzad visited Islamabad today, he met Pakistani officials including Chief of Army Staff. Ambassador Khalilzad thanked Pakistani counterparts for their assistance and asked for Pakistan's continued commitment to the peace process," the US State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price said.&nbsp;

The development comes ahead of the deadline for the planned withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan this May. Price said that Khalilzad will stay in Doha for a period of time to work on the Afghan peace process. &nbsp;

"Ambassador Khalilzad remains in the region. I understand that he had a relatively quick trip to Pakistan and I understand that he will be based in Doha for some time," Price said. &nbsp;

"I wouldn't want to prejudge how things may unfold in coming hours and in coming days." A statement from the US Embassy in Islamabad said Khalilzad had 'stressed the need to accelerate progress towards a just and durable peace in Afghanistan' during the meetings with Bajwa and with government officials.&nbsp;

"Ambassador Khalilzad emphasised Pakistan's continued important role in the peace process, especially to help Afghans achieve a political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire,'' the statement added.&nbsp;

The US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has earlier this week visited Kabul and Doha in the last week. The Afghan government on Monday said Islamabad is a direct party to the Afghanistan conflict and treating it as a 'normal neighbour' would not help the peace process in the war-torn country.&nbsp;

"Pakistan is a direct party to the Afghan conflict and crisis. Treating them as normal neighbour won't help the peace process. Defining their role in war and peace must be part of the discussion. Silence, sugar coating, appeasement or simply ignoring it won't help. Taliban leaders are in Pakistan," Afghanistan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday met with Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other officials to discuss the Afghan peace process, US State Department said.

US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday met with Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other officials to discuss the Afghan peace process, US State Department said. "US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Khalilzad visited Islamabad today, he met Pakistani officials including Chief of Army Staff. Ambassador Khalilzad thanked Pakistani counterparts for their assistance and asked for Pakistan's continued commitment to the peace process," the US State Department Spokesperson, Ned Price said. The development comes ahead of the deadline for the planned withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan this May. Price said that Khalilzad will stay in Doha for a period of time to work on the Afghan peace process. "Ambassador Khalilzad remains in the region. I understand that he had a relatively quick trip to Pakistan and I understand that he will be based in Doha for some time," Price said. "I wouldn't want to prejudge how things may unfold in coming hours and in coming days." A statement from the US Embassy in Islamabad said Khalilzad had 'stressed the need to accelerate progress towards a just and durable peace in Afghanistan' during the meetings with Bajwa and with government officials. "Ambassador Khalilzad emphasised Pakistan's continued important role in the peace process, especially to help Afghans achieve a political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire,'' the statement added. The US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has earlier this week visited Kabul and Doha in the last week. The Afghan government on Monday said Islamabad is a direct party to the Afghanistan conflict and treating it as a 'normal neighbour' would not help the peace process in the war-torn country. "Pakistan is a direct party to the Afghan conflict and crisis. Treating them as normal neighbour won't help the peace process. Defining their role in war and peace must be part of the discussion. Silence, sugar coating, appeasement or simply ignoring it won't help. Taliban leaders are in Pakistan," Afghanistan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh said. (With inputs from agencies)

US envoy Khalilzad meets Pak Army chief to discuss Afghan peace 

Yemen's warring factions declared their readiness to act after US President Joe Biden called for renewed efforts to end their conflict, but experts said on Friday that a real solution appears out of reach.&nbsp;

The grinding six-year war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian disaster.&nbsp;

In his first major foreign policy speech since replacing Donald Trump last month, Biden appointed an envoy to push for peace and said the US would end all support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen.&nbsp;

"This war has to end," Biden said.&nbsp;

"To underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arm sales."&nbsp;

Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, welcomed his remarks and stressed the "importance of supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis".&nbsp;

It hailed Timothy Lenderking's appointment as US envoy, describing it as "another important step" taken by the US to "end the war caused by the Iran-backed Huthis".&nbsp;

The Huthi rebels, who control much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, said they supported the approach of the new US administration.&nbsp;

"The real proof to achieve peace in Yemen is an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade," Huthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel Salam in a tweet.&nbsp;

"Yemen's missiles are for the defence of Yemen and stopping them comes when an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade are totally achieved," he added.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia reacted by reasserting its commitment to a political solution in Yemen.&nbsp;

The kingdom also welcomed Biden's "commitment to cooperate with the kingdom to defend its sovereignty and counter threats against it," according to the official Saudi Press Agency.&nbsp;

But like the Yemeni government, it did not address Biden's decision to end military support to the war in Yemen.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Yemen's warring factions declared their readiness to act after US President Joe Biden called for renewed efforts to end their conflict, but experts said on Friday that a real solution appears out of reach.

Yemen's warring factions declared their readiness to act after US President Joe Biden called for renewed efforts to end their conflict, but experts said on Friday that a real solution appears out of reach. The grinding six-year war in Yemen has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian disaster. In his first major foreign policy speech since replacing Donald Trump last month, Biden appointed an envoy to push for peace and said the US would end all support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. "This war has to end," Biden said. "To underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arm sales." Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, welcomed his remarks and stressed the "importance of supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis". It hailed Timothy Lenderking's appointment as US envoy, describing it as "another important step" taken by the US to "end the war caused by the Iran-backed Huthis". The Huthi rebels, who control much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, said they supported the approach of the new US administration. "The real proof to achieve peace in Yemen is an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade," Huthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel Salam in a tweet. "Yemen's missiles are for the defence of Yemen and stopping them comes when an end to the aggression and a lifting of the blockade are totally achieved," he added. Saudi Arabia reacted by reasserting its commitment to a political solution in Yemen. The kingdom also welcomed Biden's "commitment to cooperate with the kingdom to defend its sovereignty and counter threats against it," according to the official Saudi Press Agency. But like the Yemeni government, it did not address Biden's decision to end military support to the war in Yemen.

Warring factions welcome Biden peace push in Yemen

Increased Taliban attacks are jeopardising the peace process, the Afghan government said on Tuesday after hundreds of security force personnel were killed over the past week by the Islamist insurgents.&nbsp;

The Taliban, fighting to reintroduce strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster from power, signed a troop withdrawal agreement with the United States in February designed to pave the way for peace talks with the Afghan government.

“Recent attacks by terrorist groups and the Taliban have hurt the peace process and it is condemnable," Afghan Presidential Palace spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told a news conference.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-killed-291-afghan-security-personnel-in-past-week-307669" hreflang="en">Taliban killed 291 Afghan security personnel in past week</a>

There was a sharp reduction in violence following the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr last month, which officials hoped would pave the way for talks.

However, the past week has been alarming for Afghan officials with more than 400 Taliban attacks nationwide killing 291 security force members, Javid Faisal, spokesman for the government’s National Security Council, said on Monday.

“The Taliban's actions are inconsistent with their rhetoric on peace,” he said.

The main hurdle remaining for the launch of peace talks is disagreement over the release of few hundred Taliban prisoners involved in high-profile attacks against civilians.&nbsp;

Afghan officials say they believe the upsurge in violence is because the Taliban want to push the government to release those prisoners and have the upper hand in future talks.

The Taliban deny that they have stepped up attacks.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-releases-14-hostages-amid-prisoner-release-agreement-307671" hreflang="en">Taliban releases 14 hostages amid prisoner-release agreement</a>

A senior government official said talks which could have started this month were likely to be delayed once again because of the spike in attacks.&nbsp;

The northeastern province of Takhar had been hit particularly hard by violence in the last few days, with attacks on security checkpoints and an explosion at a religious school in which seven students died.

Nevertheless, peacemaking efforts were continuing. The U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, met in recent days with the Taliban’s deputy leader Mullah Baradar in the Qatari capital Doha.

Increased Taliban attacks are jeopardising the peace process, the Afghan government said on Tuesday after hundreds of security force personnel were killed over the past week by the Islamist insurgents.

Increased Taliban attacks are jeopardising the peace process, the Afghan government said on Tuesday after hundreds of security force personnel were killed over the past week by the Islamist insurgents. The Taliban, fighting to reintroduce strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster from power, signed a troop withdrawal agreement with the United States in February designed to pave the way for peace talks with the Afghan government. “Recent attacks by terrorist groups and the Taliban have hurt the peace process and it is condemnable," Afghan Presidential Palace spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told a news conference. Also read: Taliban killed 291 Afghan security personnel in past week There was a sharp reduction in violence following the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr last month, which officials hoped would pave the way for talks. However, the past week has been alarming for Afghan officials with more than 400 Taliban attacks nationwide killing 291 security force members, Javid Faisal, spokesman for the government’s National Security Council, said on Monday. “The Taliban's actions are inconsistent with their rhetoric on peace,” he said. The main hurdle remaining for the launch of peace talks is disagreement over the release of few hundred Taliban prisoners involved in high-profile attacks against civilians. Afghan officials say they believe the upsurge in violence is because the Taliban want to push the government to release those prisoners and have the upper hand in future talks. The Taliban deny that they have stepped up attacks. Also read: Taliban releases 14 hostages amid prisoner-release agreement A senior government official said talks which could have started this month were likely to be delayed once again because of the spike in attacks. The northeastern province of Takhar had been hit particularly hard by violence in the last few days, with attacks on security checkpoints and an explosion at a religious school in which seven students died. Nevertheless, peacemaking efforts were continuing. The U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, met in recent days with the Taliban’s deputy leader Mullah Baradar in the Qatari capital Doha.

Hundreds killed in further Taliban attacks with peace talks ahead

The world order is in great flux and fluidity. Major geopolitical shifts, redistribution of power and shifts, along with a more unilateralist the United States are all conspiring together to create patterns of the disorder. The impact is perhaps felt on multilateralism and the institutional matrix that supported it. The overall shift is not merely confined to one region but is almost global. 
 
For example, Brexit and its consequences and implications on the EU might be a case in point here. The arena where multilateralism appears to be most weakened is in the use of force- a prerogative of states kept in check and hedged by norms and institutions of multilateralism. All this is overlaid by an evolving but intense geopolitical competition whose main axes are the China United States Faultline (held by some to be a metaphor for the ‘East’-West’ conflict).

Against this backdrop, questions of searing resonance are: should multilateralism be jettisoned? Does it have value under the current fluid conditions? Is there an alternative to multilateralism?

In varying permutations and combinations, the concept and practice of multilateralism kept the peace, to indifferent and varying degrees after World War II. But it must be noted here that multilateralism was never perfect; states ceded some power to organisations like the United Nations for their own purposes and interests. However, even in this perfect form, multilateralism held peace- albeit tenuously and in relative terms. It was the pre-emptive war launched by the United States in 2002 that could be said to have broken the back of multilateralism. The United States, in its unipolar moment, signalled that it was the only game in town, so to speak and no one could place a check on its power and its use. Thus, was the norm on the use of force weakened considerably.

This momentous development was followed or even complemented by power diffusion, and thereby, power transitions that empowered states like China and Russia. Allied to other structural trends like globalisation, and the weakening of multilateralism, states increasingly began to flex their muscles- China in what it holds to be ‘its sphere of influence’ and Russia what it holds to be ‘its near abroad’- Ukraine and Georgia. These developments were coeval with the rise of populism and nativism in the West of which Brexit was a casualty.

If the drift of events continues then there is a noticeably clear and present danger of the world sliding into an ‘anarchic’ zone where there will be no restraints on states even to go to war. Complemented by intense geopolitical rivalries that are growing by the day, this presents a danger to world peace and security. By themselves, states being states will not be and remain at peace with each other, especially when national interest is defined in narrow terms. The only hedge against war and conflict then lies in multilateralism. The caveat here is that the norms undergirding multilateralism must be revitalized and strengthened. The question of jettisoning it then does not arise.

It may even be that under current conditions of fluidity, volatility and geopolitical competition, it is revitalised multilateralism that can salvage peace and world order. Consider a contrapuntal here. In the absence of norms and other restraints, the world and its major states will revert to a pure balance of power competition. While it is not entirely known what configuration of power will emerge, bipolar or multipolar, but what appears to be certain is that the main axis of conflict will be China and the United States, with China being the challenger power. If the Thucydides trap which states that when one great power challenges another, war inevitably results, holds, then China and the US are destined to go to war with each other. 
 
This war, if it ensues will be a catastrophic one that will throw the world backward by decades and will exact a human toll and suffering that will be immense. What would the antidote to this ugly eventuality? Revitalized multilateralism that speaks to the needs of the times is the answer.

The alternatives to multilateralism are too bleak to even countenance. One other alternative could have been leadership provided by the United States. But, post 2016, the country has been on a disruptive insurgent path paradoxically also into a curious kind of quasi isolationism. Moreover, the United States even if it had an appetite for providing leadership, this would be resisted by others. (The opportunity provided by the COVID 19 for ‘shared leadership’ between China and the United States has been adroitly squandered).

This then, by elimination, leaves room and scope open only for revitalised multilateralism. But, as happened in its 20th-century avatar, where leaders and great powers saw eye to eye on major issues and the need for norms and multilateralism thereof, will the leaders and great powers of the 21st century do the same? This is a billion-dollar question whose answer even though it looks bleak now lies in the mists of the future. 
 
&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The world order is in great flux and fluidity. Major geopolitical shifts, redistribution of power and shifts, along with a more unilateralist the United States are all conspiring together to create patterns of the disorder.

The world order is in great flux and fluidity. Major geopolitical shifts, redistribution of power and shifts, along with a more unilateralist the United States are all conspiring together to create patterns of the disorder. The impact is perhaps felt on multilateralism and the institutional matrix that supported it. The overall shift is not merely confined to one region but is almost global. For example, Brexit and its consequences and implications on the EU might be a case in point here. The arena where multilateralism appears to be most weakened is in the use of force- a prerogative of states kept in check and hedged by norms and institutions of multilateralism. All this is overlaid by an evolving but intense geopolitical competition whose main axes are the China United States Faultline (held by some to be a metaphor for the ‘East’-West’ conflict). Against this backdrop, questions of searing resonance are: should multilateralism be jettisoned? Does it have value under the current fluid conditions? Is there an alternative to multilateralism? In varying permutations and combinations, the concept and practice of multilateralism kept the peace, to indifferent and varying degrees after World War II. But it must be noted here that multilateralism was never perfect; states ceded some power to organisations like the United Nations for their own purposes and interests. However, even in this perfect form, multilateralism held peace- albeit tenuously and in relative terms. It was the pre-emptive war launched by the United States in 2002 that could be said to have broken the back of multilateralism. The United States, in its unipolar moment, signalled that it was the only game in town, so to speak and no one could place a check on its power and its use. Thus, was the norm on the use of force weakened considerably. This momentous development was followed or even complemented by power diffusion, and thereby, power transitions that empowered states like China and Russia. Allied to other structural trends like globalisation, and the weakening of multilateralism, states increasingly began to flex their muscles- China in what it holds to be ‘its sphere of influence’ and Russia what it holds to be ‘its near abroad’- Ukraine and Georgia. These developments were coeval with the rise of populism and nativism in the West of which Brexit was a casualty. If the drift of events continues then there is a noticeably clear and present danger of the world sliding into an ‘anarchic’ zone where there will be no restraints on states even to go to war. Complemented by intense geopolitical rivalries that are growing by the day, this presents a danger to world peace and security. By themselves, states being states will not be and remain at peace with each other, especially when national interest is defined in narrow terms. The only hedge against war and conflict then lies in multilateralism. The caveat here is that the norms undergirding multilateralism must be revitalized and strengthened. The question of jettisoning it then does not arise. It may even be that under current conditions of fluidity, volatility and geopolitical competition, it is revitalised multilateralism that can salvage peace and world order. Consider a contrapuntal here. In the absence of norms and other restraints, the world and its major states will revert to a pure balance of power competition. While it is not entirely known what configuration of power will emerge, bipolar or multipolar, but what appears to be certain is that the main axis of conflict will be China and the United States, with China being the challenger power. If the Thucydides trap which states that when one great power challenges another, war inevitably results, holds, then China and the US are destined to go to war with each other. This war, if it ensues will be a catastrophic one that will throw the world backward by decades and will exact a human toll and suffering that will be immense. What would the antidote to this ugly eventuality? Revitalized multilateralism that speaks to the needs of the times is the answer. The alternatives to multilateralism are too bleak to even countenance. One other alternative could have been leadership provided by the United States. But, post 2016, the country has been on a disruptive insurgent path paradoxically also into a curious kind of quasi isolationism. Moreover, the United States even if it had an appetite for providing leadership, this would be resisted by others. (The opportunity provided by the COVID 19 for ‘shared leadership’ between China and the United States has been adroitly squandered). This then, by elimination, leaves room and scope open only for revitalised multilateralism. But, as happened in its 20th-century avatar, where leaders and great powers saw eye to eye on major issues and the need for norms and multilateralism thereof, will the leaders and great powers of the 21st century do the same? This is a billion-dollar question whose answer even though it looks bleak now lies in the mists of the future. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

In multilateralism, lies the hope of world order, peace and security

Take a lead in ensuring peace, unity and harmony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told BJP Parliamentarians and asserted 'development is our mantra'.

The Prime Minister told party MPs that we are here for the national interest. He said the country is supreme and national interest is above all. He said development is our mantra. Prime Minister Modi said that peace, unity, and harmony are prerequisites of development.

He urged MPs that they should take lead in ensuring peace, unity, and harmony," Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi told reporters quoting Modi who had spoken at the BJP`s Parliamentary party meet on Tuesday.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-news-its-a-chance-for-women-to-take-over-pm-narendra-modis-social-media-accounts-283916">&nbsp;It's a chance for women to take over PM Narendra Modi's social media accounts</a>

The comments of the Prime Minister assume significance as they came days after the violence in North-East Delhi which has claimed 47 lives.

The Prime Minister also attacked the opposition stating that "even today some parties are putting their interest above the national interest".

The Prime Minister said that "the national interest and party interest also came in the freedom struggle. Even today some parties are putting their party interest above the national interest. But BJP people should consider national interest at the top," Joshi said quoting Modi.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/thinking-of-giving-up-my-social-media-accounts-tweets-pm-modi-nosir-says-twitter-283824">Thinking of giving up my social media accounts, tweets PM Modi; #NoSir says Twitter</a>

Joshi quoted the Prime Minister as saying that "while during the independence struggle an issue was created over Vande Mataram, similar attempts are being made against Bharat Mata ki Jai".

"The Prime Minister said that the national interest is supreme and `Bharati Mata ki Jai` should be our slogan," Joshi said. Asked about notices given to Congress MPs, Joshi said: "Our MPs have written to the Speaker about their (Congress) MPs behaviour. No decision has been taken regarding this."Congress MP Ramya Haridas had lodged a complaint with the Lok Sabha Speaker alleging physical assault on her by BJP member Jaskaur Meena.

The Minister also stated that there was no discussion on Prime Minister`s tweet through which the PM said that he may be giving up his social media accounts on coming Sunday. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to hold an interaction, via video conferencing, with beneficiaries of Jana Aushadi centres on March 7.

Take a lead in ensuring peace, unity and harmony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told BJP Parliamentarians and asserted 'development is our mantra'. The Prime Minister told party MPs that we are here for the national interest.

Take a lead in ensuring peace, unity and harmony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told BJP Parliamentarians and asserted 'development is our mantra'. The Prime Minister told party MPs that we are here for the national interest. He said the country is supreme and national interest is above all. He said development is our mantra. Prime Minister Modi said that peace, unity, and harmony are prerequisites of development. He urged MPs that they should take lead in ensuring peace, unity, and harmony," Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi told reporters quoting Modi who had spoken at the BJP`s Parliamentary party meet on Tuesday. Also read: It's a chance for women to take over PM Narendra Modi's social media accounts The comments of the Prime Minister assume significance as they came days after the violence in North-East Delhi which has claimed 47 lives. The Prime Minister also attacked the opposition stating that "even today some parties are putting their interest above the national interest". The Prime Minister said that "the national interest and party interest also came in the freedom struggle. Even today some parties are putting their party interest above the national interest. But BJP people should consider national interest at the top," Joshi said quoting Modi. Also see: Thinking of giving up my social media accounts, tweets PM Modi; #NoSir says Twitter Joshi quoted the Prime Minister as saying that "while during the independence struggle an issue was created over Vande Mataram, similar attempts are being made against Bharat Mata ki Jai". "The Prime Minister said that the national interest is supreme and `Bharati Mata ki Jai` should be our slogan," Joshi said. Asked about notices given to Congress MPs, Joshi said: "Our MPs have written to the Speaker about their (Congress) MPs behaviour. No decision has been taken regarding this."Congress MP Ramya Haridas had lodged a complaint with the Lok Sabha Speaker alleging physical assault on her by BJP member Jaskaur Meena. The Minister also stated that there was no discussion on Prime Minister`s tweet through which the PM said that he may be giving up his social media accounts on coming Sunday. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to hold an interaction, via video conferencing, with beneficiaries of Jana Aushadi centres on March 7.

Development is our mantra, take lead in ensuring peace, unity and harmony: PM Modi tells BJP MPs

More than two decades after Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, a long border fence still threads between mainland China and the city.

Tranquil borderlands of Hong Kong caught in timewarp as China booms

BSP supremo <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/mayawati-holds-the-key-to-2019-194234">Mayawati</a> on Wednesday extended greetings on New Year and said that peace and harmony should be maintained in the country.

"Some parties who are playing politics for their personal gains should not forget that India is a secular country and we should respect all religions. Peace and harmony should be maintained in the country," Mayawati said.

Mayawati further stated that 2019 was mostly divisive and one that weakened the principles of the Constitution because of BJP`s and its government`s "communal and narrow-minded thinking", She said that we should respect all religions.

BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday extended greetings on New Year and said that peace and harmony should be maintained in the country. "Some parties who are playing politics for their personal gains should not forget that India is a secular country and we should respect all religions.

BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday extended greetings on New Year and said that peace and harmony should be maintained in the country. "Some parties who are playing politics for their personal gains should not forget that India is a secular country and we should respect all religions. Peace and harmony should be maintained in the country," Mayawati said. Mayawati further stated that 2019 was mostly divisive and one that weakened the principles of the Constitution because of BJP`s and its government`s "communal and narrow-minded thinking", She said that we should respect all religions.

Respect all religions: Mayawati extends New Year greeting

A&nbsp;Saudi-led&nbsp;military&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;said Tuesday it will release&nbsp;200&nbsp;Yemeni&nbsp;rebels&nbsp;and permit some flights from the insurgent-held capital Sanaa, as efforts to end the nearly five-year conflict gain momentum.

The initiatives coincide with a lull in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-led-coalition-says-yemens-houthis-seize-ship-in-red-sea-263056">Huthi attacks</a> on Saudi Arabia and come after a senior official in Riyadh this month said it had an "open channel" with the Iran-aligned&nbsp;rebels.

Patients needing medical care will be allowed to be flown out of Sanaa airport, which has been closed to commercial flights since 2016,&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;has decided "to release&nbsp;200&nbsp;prisoners of the Huthi militia" and will facilitate flights from Sanaa for "people in need of medical care" in cooperation with the World Health Organisation, the statement added.

The decision was hailed by the Huthis, with senior leader Mohammed Ali al-Huthi calling for a "mass reception" to welcome the released&nbsp;rebels. &nbsp;

"We welcome the&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;decision... (and) call for them to end torture and abuse until all detainees and prisoners are freed," al-Huthi, a senior figure in the&nbsp;rebels' political leadership, said on Twitter.

The&nbsp;Saudi-led&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;launched a military intervention in&nbsp;Yemen&nbsp;in 2015 in support of the country's internationally recognised government.&nbsp;

It reportedly hoped for a quick win against the&nbsp;Huthis, but instead waded into a quagmire that has cost it billions of dollars and sparked a humanitarian catastrophe that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Riyadh now appears buoyed by a power-sharing agreement it brokered earlier this month in a separate conflict between&nbsp;Yemen's internationally recognised government and southern separatists, which observers said could pave the way for a wider&nbsp;peace&nbsp;deal in the multi-faceted war.

Further raising hopes, a senior official in Riyadh subsequently said the Saudis have established an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/houthis-deceptive-over-najran-attack-claims-saudi-led-coalition-252901">"open channel" with the Huthi&nbsp;rebels</a>.

"We don't close our doors with the Huthis," the official, who declined to be named, told reporters.

'Something is changing'

Yemen, in the grip of what the UN has termed the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/attacked-saudi-border-frontline-captured-troops-houthis-252644">world's worst humanitarian crisis</a>, is widely seen as a proxy battlefront between Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and its Shiite rival Iran.

Tuesday's development "is positive proof that the Saudi-Huthi talks are real and having at least a limited tangible impact," Hussein Ibish, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, told AFP.

"This is more bad news for the&nbsp;rebels' Iranian backers."

The development follows a lull in recent weeks after a spike in rebel missile and drone attacks over the summer launched from Yemeni territory on Saudi cities.

Last Friday, UN envoy Martin Griffiths said the rate of&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;airstrikes had sharply fallen over the past two weeks, in an apparent sign that "something is changing in&nbsp;Yemen".

In a sign of the limits to the new mood, however, air raids on Monday by the&nbsp;Saudi-led&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;killed eight Huthi&nbsp;rebels&nbsp;near the key western port of Hodeidah, according to local officials.

Yemen's warring parties agreed under a deal brokered in Sweden last December to exchange 15,000 prisoners, but the accord has not been fully implemented.

The&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;freed seven Huthi prisoners in January, and the&nbsp;rebels&nbsp;released 290&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;fighters in September.

The Huthis hold Sanaa while the&nbsp;Saudi led-military&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;controls&nbsp;Yemen's maritime borders and airspace.

Last year, wounded&nbsp;rebels&nbsp;were flown out of Sanaa for treatment, in what was seen as a key step ahead of the December&nbsp;peace&nbsp;talks.

A Saudi-led military coalition said Tuesday it will release 200 Yemeni rebels and permit some flights from the insurgent-held capital Sanaa, as efforts to end the nearly five-year conflict gain momentum.

A Saudi-led military coalition said Tuesday it will release 200 Yemeni rebels and permit some flights from the insurgent-held capital Sanaa, as efforts to end the nearly five-year conflict gain momentum. The initiatives coincide with a lull in Huthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and come after a senior official in Riyadh this month said it had an "open channel" with the Iran-aligned rebels. Patients needing medical care will be allowed to be flown out of Sanaa airport, which has been closed to commercial flights since 2016, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. The coalition has decided "to release 200 prisoners of the Huthi militia" and will facilitate flights from Sanaa for "people in need of medical care" in cooperation with the World Health Organisation, the statement added. The decision was hailed by the Huthis, with senior leader Mohammed Ali al-Huthi calling for a "mass reception" to welcome the released rebels. "We welcome the coalition decision... (and) call for them to end torture and abuse until all detainees and prisoners are freed," al-Huthi, a senior figure in the rebels' political leadership, said on Twitter. The Saudi-led coalition launched a military intervention in Yemen in 2015 in support of the country's internationally recognised government. It reportedly hoped for a quick win against the Huthis, but instead waded into a quagmire that has cost it billions of dollars and sparked a humanitarian catastrophe that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Riyadh now appears buoyed by a power-sharing agreement it brokered earlier this month in a separate conflict between Yemen's internationally recognised government and southern separatists, which observers said could pave the way for a wider peace deal in the multi-faceted war. Further raising hopes, a senior official in Riyadh subsequently said the Saudis have established an "open channel" with the Huthi rebels. "We don't close our doors with the Huthis," the official, who declined to be named, told reporters. 'Something is changing' Yemen, in the grip of what the UN has termed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, is widely seen as a proxy battlefront between Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and its Shiite rival Iran. Tuesday's development "is positive proof that the Saudi-Huthi talks are real and having at least a limited tangible impact," Hussein Ibish, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, told AFP. "This is more bad news for the rebels' Iranian backers." The development follows a lull in recent weeks after a spike in rebel missile and drone attacks over the summer launched from Yemeni territory on Saudi cities. Last Friday, UN envoy Martin Griffiths said the rate of coalition airstrikes had sharply fallen over the past two weeks, in an apparent sign that "something is changing in Yemen". In a sign of the limits to the new mood, however, air raids on Monday by the Saudi-led coalition killed eight Huthi rebels near the key western port of Hodeidah, according to local officials. Yemen's warring parties agreed under a deal brokered in Sweden last December to exchange 15,000 prisoners, but the accord has not been fully implemented. The coalition freed seven Huthi prisoners in January, and the rebels released 290 coalition fighters in September. The Huthis hold Sanaa while the Saudi led-military coalition controls Yemen's maritime borders and airspace. Last year, wounded rebels were flown out of Sanaa for treatment, in what was seen as a key step ahead of the December peace talks.

200 Yemen rebels to be freed amid peace push: Saudi-led coalition

The Hong Kong police said on Wednesday that they intend to stick to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-house-passes-hong-kong-rights-bill-president-trump-expected-to-sign-263483">peaceful solutions</a> to the standoff at&nbsp;the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).

Ho Yeung-sing, Chief Superintendent and Commander of Yau Tsim District of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, made the statement outside the PolyU campus, calling protesters to drop their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner.

Additionally, Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, said Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will uphold the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and will work to rebuild its image, during a press conference inside the Chinese embassy in London Wednesday.

The chief superintendent said the police that they had names of around 300 people under the age of 18 who had left the university. He added that while 700 protesters&nbsp;had been arrested, there was still a small group which was refusing to come out.

He said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-students-sewer-escape-thwarted-as-rows-with-uk-us-grow-263389">efforts are being made to clear obstructions</a> and police are keeping maintaining communication with the leaders of different groups. He noted ambulances and first-aid staff are allowed to do their work, and police are now waiting for the remaining protesters to leave the campus voluntarily.

Watch: US House passes Hong Kong rights bill

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-passes-hong-kong-rights-bills-263487/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

''Apart from peaceful means, we also adopt a feasible approach to solve the problem. In this regard, we made a special arrangement for underage people. As long as they give up their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner, we do our best in this regard, but we'll record their personal details and then let them go. But, of course, we will reserve the rights to pursue a case later," said Ho.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-university-protest-fizzling-out-as-over-1000-arrested-by-authorities-263246">protesters gathered at the PolyU campus</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;November 11, committing violent acts such as hurling gasoline bombs and shooting arrows at police and government supporters.

"Increasing violence in Hong Kong has continuously affected our core values and the international community's confidence in Hong Kong. This impacts Hong Kong's rule of law. Only through fortifying the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle by ourselves and rebuild our home, can we see the Hong Kong that we know once again," said Cheng.

Initially, the protests were triggered by a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition to China, but eventually morphed into a full-fledged movement asking for democracy in Hong Kong.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Hong Kong police said on Wednesday that they intend to stick to peaceful solutions to the standoff at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Ho Yeung-sing, Chief Superintendent and Commander of Yau Tsim District of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, made the statement outside the PolyU campus, calling protesters to drop their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner.

The Hong Kong police said on Wednesday that they intend to stick to peaceful solutions to the standoff at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Ho Yeung-sing, Chief Superintendent and Commander of Yau Tsim District of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, made the statement outside the PolyU campus, calling protesters to drop their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner. Additionally, Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, said Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will uphold the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and will work to rebuild its image, during a press conference inside the Chinese embassy in London Wednesday. The chief superintendent said the police that they had names of around 300 people under the age of 18 who had left the university. He added that while 700 protesters had been arrested, there was still a small group which was refusing to come out. He said efforts are being made to clear obstructions and police are keeping maintaining communication with the leaders of different groups. He noted ambulances and first-aid staff are allowed to do their work, and police are now waiting for the remaining protesters to leave the campus voluntarily. Watch: US House passes Hong Kong rights bill ''Apart from peaceful means, we also adopt a feasible approach to solve the problem. In this regard, we made a special arrangement for underage people. As long as they give up their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner, we do our best in this regard, but we'll record their personal details and then let them go. But, of course, we will reserve the rights to pursue a case later," said Ho. The protesters gathered at the PolyU campus on November 11, committing violent acts such as hurling gasoline bombs and shooting arrows at police and government supporters. "Increasing violence in Hong Kong has continuously affected our core values and the international community's confidence in Hong Kong. This impacts Hong Kong's rule of law. Only through fortifying the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle by ourselves and rebuild our home, can we see the Hong Kong that we know once again," said Cheng. Initially, the protests were triggered by a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition to China, but eventually morphed into a full-fledged movement asking for democracy in Hong Kong. (With inputs from Reuters)

Give up weapons and leave campus peacefully, Hong Kong police chief appeals to students

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