Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi faced rising global pressure Tuesday to solve the crisis for her nation&#39;s displaced Rohingya Muslim minority, meeting the UN chief and America&#39;s top diplomat in the Philippines.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Nobel laureate that hundreds of thousands of displaced Muslims who had fled to Bangladesh should be allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar.

&quot;The Secretary-General highlighted that strengthened efforts to ensure humanitarian access, safe, dignified, voluntary and sustained returns, as well as true reconciliation between communities, would be essential,&quot; a UN statement said, summarising comments to Suu Kyi.

Guterres&#39; comments came hours before Suu Kyi sat down with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Manila.

Washington has been cautious in its statements on the situation in Rakhine and has avoided outright criticism of Suu Kyi.

Supporters say she must navigate a path between outrage abroad and popular feeling in a majority Buddhist country where most people believe the Rohingya are interlopers.

At a photo opportunity at the top of her meeting with Tillerson, Suu Kyi ignored a journalist who asked if the Rohingya were citizens of Myanmar.

At a later appearance after the meeting, Tillerson-who is headed to Myanmar on Wednesday-was asked by reporters if he &quot;had a message for Burmese leaders&quot;.

He apparently ignored the question, replying only: &quot;Thank you&quot;, according to a pool report of the encounter.

A senior US State Department official later said the top diplomat would press Myanmar&#39;s powerful army chief on Wednesday to halt the violence in Rakhine and make it safe for Rohingya to return.

The official did not comment on whether Tillerson would raise the threat of military sanctions, which US lawmakers have pushed for.&nbsp;

Canada&#39;s Justin Trudeau said he had spoken to Myanmar&#39;s de facto leader.

&quot;I had an extended conversation with... Aung San Suu Kyi, about the plight of the Muslim refugees in Rakhine state,&quot; he told a press conference.

&quot;This is of tremendous concern to Canada and many, many other countries around the world.&nbsp;

&quot;We are always looking at... how we can help, how we can move forward in a way that reduces violence, that emphasises the rule of law and that ensures protection for all citizens,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;&#39;Ethnic cleansing&#39;

More than 600,000 Rohingya have flooded into Bangladesh since late August, and now live in the squalor of the world&#39;s biggest refugee camp.

The crisis erupted after Rohingya rebels attacked police posts in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state, triggering a military crackdown that saw hundreds of villages reduced to ashes and sparked a massive exodus.

The UN says the Myanmar military is engaged in a &quot;coordinated and systematic&quot; attempt to purge the region of Rohingya in what amounts to a &quot;textbook example of ethnic cleansing&quot;.

The stream of desperate refugees who escape across the riverine border bring with them stories of rape, murder and the torching of villages by soldiers and Buddhist mobs.

The Burmese government insists military action in Rakhine is a proportionate response to violence by militants.

Following its first official investigation into the crisis, the army published a report this week in which it cleared itself of any abuses.

However, it heavily restricts access to the region by independent journalists and aid groups, and verification of events on the ground is virtually impossible.

Suu Kyi, a former democracy activist, has been lambasted by rights groups for failing to speak up for the Rohingya or condemn festering anti-Muslim sentiment in the country.

Musician and campaigner Bob Geldof on Monday slammed Suu Kyi as a &quot;murderer&quot; and a &quot;handmaiden to genocide&quot;, becoming the latest in a growing line of global figures to disavow the one-time darling of the human rights community.

Supporters say she does not have the power to stop the powerful military, which ruled the country for decades until her party came to power following 2015 elections.

In a summit on Monday night with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a member, Guterres also voiced concern about the Rohingya.

He said the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya was a &quot;worrying escalation in a protracted tragedy,&quot; according to the UN statement.

He described the situation as a potential source of instability in the region, as well as radicalisation .

A senior US State Department official later said the top diplomat would press Myanmar's powerful army chief on Wednesday to halt the violence in Rakhine and make it safe for Rohingya to return

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi faced rising global pressure Tuesday to solve the crisis for her nation's displaced Rohingya Muslim minority, meeting the UN chief and America's top diplomat in the Philippines. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Nobel laureate that hundreds of thousands of displaced Muslims who had fled to Bangladesh should be allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar. "The Secretary-General highlighted that strengthened efforts to ensure humanitarian access, safe, dignified, voluntary and sustained returns, as well as true reconciliation between communities, would be essential," a UN statement said, summarising comments to Suu Kyi. Guterres' comments came hours before Suu Kyi sat down with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Manila. Washington has been cautious in its statements on the situation in Rakhine and has avoided outright criticism of Suu Kyi. Supporters say she must navigate a path between outrage abroad and popular feeling in a majority Buddhist country where most people believe the Rohingya are interlopers. At a photo opportunity at the top of her meeting with Tillerson, Suu Kyi ignored a journalist who asked if the Rohingya were citizens of Myanmar. At a later appearance after the meeting, Tillerson-who is headed to Myanmar on Wednesday-was asked by reporters if he "had a message for Burmese leaders". He apparently ignored the question, replying only: "Thank you", according to a pool report of the encounter. A senior US State Department official later said the top diplomat would press Myanmar's powerful army chief on Wednesday to halt the violence in Rakhine and make it safe for Rohingya to return. The official did not comment on whether Tillerson would raise the threat of military sanctions, which US lawmakers have pushed for. Canada's Justin Trudeau said he had spoken to Myanmar's de facto leader. "I had an extended conversation with... Aung San Suu Kyi, about the plight of the Muslim refugees in Rakhine state," he told a press conference. "This is of tremendous concern to Canada and many, many other countries around the world. "We are always looking at... how we can help, how we can move forward in a way that reduces violence, that emphasises the rule of law and that ensures protection for all citizens," he said. 'Ethnic cleansing' More than 600,000 Rohingya have flooded into Bangladesh since late August, and now live in the squalor of the world's biggest refugee camp. The crisis erupted after Rohingya rebels attacked police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state, triggering a military crackdown that saw hundreds of villages reduced to ashes and sparked a massive exodus. The UN says the Myanmar military is engaged in a "coordinated and systematic" attempt to purge the region of Rohingya in what amounts to a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing". The stream of desperate refugees who escape across the riverine border bring with them stories of rape, murder and the torching of villages by soldiers and Buddhist mobs. The Burmese government insists military action in Rakhine is a proportionate response to violence by militants. Following its first official investigation into the crisis, the army published a report this week in which it cleared itself of any abuses. However, it heavily restricts access to the region by independent journalists and aid groups, and verification of events on the ground is virtually impossible. Suu Kyi, a former democracy activist, has been lambasted by rights groups for failing to speak up for the Rohingya or condemn festering anti-Muslim sentiment in the country. Musician and campaigner Bob Geldof on Monday slammed Suu Kyi as a "murderer" and a "handmaiden to genocide", becoming the latest in a growing line of global figures to disavow the one-time darling of the human rights community. Supporters say she does not have the power to stop the powerful military, which ruled the country for decades until her party came to power following 2015 elections. In a summit on Monday night with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a member, Guterres also voiced concern about the Rohingya. He said the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya was a "worrying escalation in a protracted tragedy," according to the UN statement. He described the situation as a potential source of instability in the region, as well as radicalisation .

Myanmar's Suu Kyi meets Tillerson in Manila

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-holds-bilateral-talks-with-trump-in-manila-24102">US&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a> left the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-did-trumps-charm-offensive-work-in-the-philippines-24160"> Philippines</a> on Tuesday without attending an annual East Asia Summit, due to delays in the schedule of the programme of meetings.

Trump told reporters on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-air-force-to-get-58-black-hawk-helicopters-from-us-24044">Air Force One</a> that he delivered his prepared remarks during a lunch with the leaders instead.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would attend Tuesday&#39;s summit in his place, a senior <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-to-face-house-judiciary-panel-on-november-14-24132">White House</a> official said, adding the event was running too late.

The meetings in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/india-asean-summit-world-leaders-arrive-at-manila-6657">Manila</a> were approximately 90 minutes behind schedule.

U.S. President Donald Trump left the Philippines on Tuesday without attending an annual East Asia Summit, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would attend Tuesday's summit in his place

US President Donald Trump left the Philippines on Tuesday without attending an annual East Asia Summit, due to delays in the schedule of the programme of meetings. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he delivered his prepared remarks during a lunch with the leaders instead. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would attend Tuesday's summit in his place, a senior White House official said, adding the event was running too late. The meetings in Manila were approximately 90 minutes behind schedule.

Trump skips East Asia leaders summit, sends Tillerson

In the face of widespread &quot;atrocities&quot; against ethnic Rohingya people in Myanmar, the United States has been cautiously stepping up pressure on that country&#39;s army, while taking care to avoid endangering the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

As the US takes a more active role in the region-several American delegations have passed through in recent weeks-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to travel to Myanmar on Wednesday to meet Suu Kyi, the nation&#39;s leader, as well as army chief General Min Aung Hlaing.

Myanmar is the country formerly known as Burma.

Tillerson is expected to adopt a firm tone with military leaders there, whom he has deemed &quot;responsible&quot; for the crisis facing the Rohingya, an embattled Muslim minority that has seen more than 600,000 of its members flee to neighboring Bangladesh in two and a half months.

In the name of putting down a supposed Rohingya rebellion, the army has since late August waged a sweeping military campaign in the western state of Rakhine, burning villages and sending thousands into what has become the largest exodus in today&#39;s world.

The United Nations has denounced the campaign, including allegations of killings and mass rape, as &quot;ethnic cleansing.&quot;

Recently returned from Myanmar and the overflowing refugee camps in Bangladesh, Simon Henshaw, the State Department official responsible for refugee and migration issues, said the scene in the camps was &quot;shocking.&quot;

&quot;The scale of the refugee crisis is immense,&quot; he said, adding: &quot;The conditions are tough. People are suffering.&quot;

&quot;Many refugees told us, through tears, accounts of seeing their villages burned, their relatives killed in front of them,&quot; Henshaw said.

&quot;The world can&#39;t just stand by and be witness to the atrocities that are being reported in that area,&quot; Tillerson said last month.

But it is unclear what steps the United States might take. Up to now, the State Department has merely strengthened a few punitive measures aimed at Myanmar&#39;s army.

The initial condemnations were &quot;important,&quot; Sarah Margon of the organisation Human Rights Watch told AFP, &quot;but they stopped and there has been very little concrete action since then.&quot;

She called for targeted economic sanctions meant to bring an end to &quot;some of the most brutal and horrific atrocities that have been seen in years.&quot;

In the absence of more determined action from the White House or State Department, several members of the US Congress are calling for sanctions to limit military cooperation with Myanmar and ban its army members from US soil. A draft bill would also ban the importation of rubies or jade from the country.

&quot;The bill is an important, although belated, first step in pushing the Myanmar military to end the violence in Rakhine state,&quot; said Joshua Kurlantzick of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations.

Now, he said, other parts of the government &quot;should take action as well.&quot;

The State Department has not ruled out supporting further sanctions.

But the United States has been careful not to place blame on Aung San Suu Kyi, drawing a line between the military and the civilian government led by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to travel to Myanmar on Wednesday to meet Suu Kyi. He is expected to adopt a firm tone with military leaders there, whom he has deemed 'responsible' for the crisis facing the Rohingya

In the face of widespread "atrocities" against ethnic Rohingya people in Myanmar, the United States has been cautiously stepping up pressure on that country's army, while taking care to avoid endangering the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. As the US takes a more active role in the region-several American delegations have passed through in recent weeks-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to travel to Myanmar on Wednesday to meet Suu Kyi, the nation's leader, as well as army chief General Min Aung Hlaing. Myanmar is the country formerly known as Burma. Tillerson is expected to adopt a firm tone with military leaders there, whom he has deemed "responsible" for the crisis facing the Rohingya, an embattled Muslim minority that has seen more than 600,000 of its members flee to neighboring Bangladesh in two and a half months. In the name of putting down a supposed Rohingya rebellion, the army has since late August waged a sweeping military campaign in the western state of Rakhine, burning villages and sending thousands into what has become the largest exodus in today's world. The United Nations has denounced the campaign, including allegations of killings and mass rape, as "ethnic cleansing." Recently returned from Myanmar and the overflowing refugee camps in Bangladesh, Simon Henshaw, the State Department official responsible for refugee and migration issues, said the scene in the camps was "shocking." "The scale of the refugee crisis is immense," he said, adding: "The conditions are tough. People are suffering." "Many refugees told us, through tears, accounts of seeing their villages burned, their relatives killed in front of them," Henshaw said. "The world can't just stand by and be witness to the atrocities that are being reported in that area," Tillerson said last month. But it is unclear what steps the United States might take. Up to now, the State Department has merely strengthened a few punitive measures aimed at Myanmar's army. The initial condemnations were "important," Sarah Margon of the organisation Human Rights Watch told AFP, "but they stopped and there has been very little concrete action since then." She called for targeted economic sanctions meant to bring an end to "some of the most brutal and horrific atrocities that have been seen in years." In the absence of more determined action from the White House or State Department, several members of the US Congress are calling for sanctions to limit military cooperation with Myanmar and ban its army members from US soil. A draft bill would also ban the importation of rubies or jade from the country. "The bill is an important, although belated, first step in pushing the Myanmar military to end the violence in Rakhine state," said Joshua Kurlantzick of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations. Now, he said, other parts of the government "should take action as well." The State Department has not ruled out supporting further sanctions. But the United States has been careful not to place blame on Aung San Suu Kyi, drawing a line between the military and the civilian government led by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Tillerson to deliver warning in Myanmar over Rohingya crisis

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes.

Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern.

The United States warned against using the tiny country as a &quot;venue for proxy conflicts&quot; and the United Nations said it was &quot;essential no new conflict erupt in the region&quot;.

France called for Hariri to have &quot;all his freedom of movement&quot; amid rumours he was being held against his will.

&quot;The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now,&quot; Nasrallah said in a televised address.

Hariri`s situation was not completely clear but calls, including from his Lebanese political rivals, mounted for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the premier`s freedom of movement.

The 47-year-old announced his resignation on November 4 in a surprise move that coincided with a sweeping purge of the Saudi kingdom`s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations.

Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation.

In a statement issued on Friday after a meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat, Aoun insisted Hariri should return to Lebanon.&quot;President Aoun met Saudi charge d`affaires Walid Bukhari and informed him that the circumstances in which Mr. Hariri`s resignation took place were unacceptable,&quot; the statement said.

The president &quot;called for the return to Lebanon of the head of the government&quot;.

Aoun, whose political ally Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Riyadh, &quot;voiced his concern over what is being said&quot; about Hariri`s current status in Saudi Arabia and demanded a &quot;clarification&quot;.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as &quot;a strong partner&quot; and warned against &quot;any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country&quot;.

&quot;The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Lebanon and of its political institutions&quot; and opposes &quot;any actions that could threaten that stability,&quot; he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has close ties with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late Thursday after a trip to the United Arab Emirates.

On Friday, a spokesman for France`s foreign ministry said: &quot;We wish Mr. Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon.&quot;&nbsp;

Earlier French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French radio he thought Hariri was &quot;free to move around&quot;, despite most of the Lebanese political class implying he was de facto under house arrest.

&quot;He went to Abu Dhabi the day before President Macron`s visit (on Wednesday) so we think he`s free to move around,&quot; Le Drian said.

Nasrallah, whose party is the only organisation that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war and now has an arsenal that outstrips Lebanon`s own armed forces, accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to incite conflict.

&quot;The most dangerous thing is inciting Israel to strike Lebanon,&quot; he said. &quot;I`m talking about information that Saudi Arabia has asked Israel to strike Lebanon.&quot;

Nasrallah, whose movement Hariri has repeatedly said should lay down its arms, also warned that his movement, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, was stronger than ever.

&quot;We are stronger today, we warn them again misguided calculations, against any knee-jerk initiative,&quot; he said, adding however that his party saw any Israeli attack as being unlikely at this stage.

The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, also said: &quot;It is essential that no new conflict erupts in the region.&quot;

&quot;We are indeed very worried and we hope that we won`t see an escalation in the region that would have tragic consequences,&quot; he said.

Lebanon`s interior ministry said in a statement Friday that a Saudi national had been kidnapped in Lebanon in circumstances that remained unclear.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia had urged all its citizens in Lebanon this week to leave the country but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk told AFP that the kidnapping was &quot;in no way related&quot; to the Hariri crisis or politics.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had announced his resignation on November 4 from Riyadh

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes. Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern. The United States warned against using the tiny country as a "venue for proxy conflicts" and the United Nations said it was "essential no new conflict erupt in the region". France called for Hariri to have "all his freedom of movement" amid rumours he was being held against his will. "The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now," Nasrallah said in a televised address. Hariri`s situation was not completely clear but calls, including from his Lebanese political rivals, mounted for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the premier`s freedom of movement. The 47-year-old announced his resignation on November 4 in a surprise move that coincided with a sweeping purge of the Saudi kingdom`s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations. Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation. In a statement issued on Friday after a meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat, Aoun insisted Hariri should return to Lebanon."President Aoun met Saudi charge d`affaires Walid Bukhari and informed him that the circumstances in which Mr. Hariri`s resignation took place were unacceptable," the statement said. The president "called for the return to Lebanon of the head of the government". Aoun, whose political ally Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Riyadh, "voiced his concern over what is being said" about Hariri`s current status in Saudi Arabia and demanded a "clarification". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as "a strong partner" and warned against "any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country". "The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Lebanon and of its political institutions" and opposes "any actions that could threaten that stability," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has close ties with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late Thursday after a trip to the United Arab Emirates. On Friday, a spokesman for France`s foreign ministry said: "We wish Mr. Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon." Earlier French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French radio he thought Hariri was "free to move around", despite most of the Lebanese political class implying he was de facto under house arrest. "He went to Abu Dhabi the day before President Macron`s visit (on Wednesday) so we think he`s free to move around," Le Drian said. Nasrallah, whose party is the only organisation that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war and now has an arsenal that outstrips Lebanon`s own armed forces, accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to incite conflict. "The most dangerous thing is inciting Israel to strike Lebanon," he said. "I`m talking about information that Saudi Arabia has asked Israel to strike Lebanon." Nasrallah, whose movement Hariri has repeatedly said should lay down its arms, also warned that his movement, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, was stronger than ever. "We are stronger today, we warn them again misguided calculations, against any knee-jerk initiative," he said, adding however that his party saw any Israeli attack as being unlikely at this stage. The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, also said: "It is essential that no new conflict erupts in the region." "We are indeed very worried and we hope that we won`t see an escalation in the region that would have tragic consequences," he said. Lebanon`s interior ministry said in a statement Friday that a Saudi national had been kidnapped in Lebanon in circumstances that remained unclear. Saudi Arabia had urged all its citizens in Lebanon this week to leave the country but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk told AFP that the kidnapping was "in no way related" to the Hariri crisis or politics.

Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson spoke on Thursday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/considering-sanctions-on-myanmar-over-treatment-of-rohingyas-us-22787">with Myanmar&#39;s army chief and expressed concern over reported atrocities </a>against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, the US&nbsp;State Department said in a statement.

Tillerson urged the army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to support the Myanmar government in ending the violence and allowing the safe return of ethnic Rohingya who has fled the area, the statement said.

More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine state in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, mostly to neighbouring Bangladesh, since security forces responded to Rohingya militants&#39; attacks on August 25 by launching a crackdown.

The State Department is considering formally declaring the crackdown on Rohingya Muslims to be ethnic cleansing.

In his call with Min Aung Hlaing, Tillerson also urged the Myanmar military to facilitate humanitarian aid for displaced people, allow media access and cooperate with a U.N. investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, the State Department said.

Pressure has mounted for a tougher US&nbsp;response to the Rohingya crisis ahead of President Donald Trump&rsquo;s maiden visit to Asia next month when he will attend a summit of Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, in Manila.

&nbsp;

Tillerson urged the army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to support the Myanmar government in ending the violence and allowing the safe return of ethnic Rohingya who have fled the area, the statement said.

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson spoke on Thursday with Myanmar's army chief and expressed concern over reported atrocities against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, the US State Department said in a statement. Tillerson urged the army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to support the Myanmar government in ending the violence and allowing the safe return of ethnic Rohingya who has fled the area, the statement said. More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine state in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, mostly to neighbouring Bangladesh, since security forces responded to Rohingya militants' attacks on August 25 by launching a crackdown. The State Department is considering formally declaring the crackdown on Rohingya Muslims to be ethnic cleansing. In his call with Min Aung Hlaing, Tillerson also urged the Myanmar military to facilitate humanitarian aid for displaced people, allow media access and cooperate with a U.N. investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, the State Department said. Pressure has mounted for a tougher US response to the Rohingya crisis ahead of President Donald Trump’s maiden visit to Asia next month when he will attend a summit of Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, in Manila.

US concerned about atrocities against Rohingyas: Tillerson to Myanmar army chief

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that too many terror groups were finding safe haven in Pakistan -- which is now threatening the stability of the Pakistani government.&nbsp;

Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were making a joint press statement in New Delhi.&nbsp;

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Too many terror groups find safe haven in Pakistan which is now threatening stability of the Pak govt: Rex Tillerson,US Secy of State
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Terrorist safe havens will not be tolerated: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
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Tillerson added that he had had a &quot;very open, frank exchange&quot; with Pakistan&#39;s leaders in Islamabad on Tuesday, and that he had conveyed to them the US&#39;s expectations.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-tells-tillerson-it-has-produced-results-in-fighting-terrorism-22846" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan PM tells Tillerson it has &#39;produced results&#39; in fighting terrorism</a>

&quot;Terrorist safe havens will not be tolerated,&quot; Tillerson said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

But he added that the US wanted to work with Pakistan &quot;in a positive way as we think this is&nbsp;in their interest in the long term&quot;.&nbsp;

Tillerson was, on the contrary, full of praise for India.&nbsp;

India and the US, he said, were &quot;natural allies&quot;. And that they stand &quot;shoulder-to-shoulder against terror&quot;.&nbsp;

He added that India was crucial to the US strategy in Afghanistan and that they &quot;back India as a leader in the region&quot;.&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she was happy &quot;our defence and strategic relations have deepened&quot; after Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s US visit.&nbsp;

And that &quot;recent attacks in Afghanistan are proof that safe havens and supporters of terrorism are active. Pakistan needs to act on this&quot;.&nbsp;

She added that President Trump&#39;s policy on terrorism can only succeed when Pakistan takes action against terror groups.&nbsp;

Swaraj also added that an India-US-Afghanistan trilateral meeting will be held in December: EAM Swaraj

Swaraj said she had also discussed the H1B visa issue -- and the &quot;important contribution of Indians working in the US on the visa -- with Tillerson.&nbsp;

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We also discussed the important contribution of Indians working in the USA on H1B visa: EAM Swaraj after meeting with Rex Tillerson
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US President Donald Trump has clamped down on the visa. Most Indians in the US are there on the H1B.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-will-not-allow-h1b-visa-holders-to-replace-us-workers-9979" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Trump says will not allow H1B visa holders to replace US workers</a>

Swaraj also indicated that India was toeing the US line on North Korea.&nbsp;

&quot;Our trade with North Korea has reduced a lot and our embassy there is very small,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

The US had recently decreed that firms that do business with North Korea will not be allowed to do business with the US.&nbsp;

Swaraj did add however that she had told Tillerson that some nations friendly with the US must have an embassy in North Korea, making at least some communication possible.&nbsp;

Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were making a joint press statement in New Delhi

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that too many terror groups were finding safe haven in Pakistan -- which is now threatening the stability of the Pakistani government. Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were making a joint press statement in New Delhi. Too many terror groups find safe haven in Pakistan which is now threatening stability of the Pak govt: Rex Tillerson,US Secy of State — ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017 × Terrorist safe havens will not be tolerated: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson — ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017 × Tillerson added that he had had a "very open, frank exchange" with Pakistan's leaders in Islamabad on Tuesday, and that he had conveyed to them the US's expectations. Also read: Pakistan PM tells Tillerson it has 'produced results' in fighting terrorism "Terrorist safe havens will not be tolerated," Tillerson said on Wednesday. But he added that the US wanted to work with Pakistan "in a positive way as we think this is in their interest in the long term". Tillerson was, on the contrary, full of praise for India. India and the US, he said, were "natural allies". And that they stand "shoulder-to-shoulder against terror". He added that India was crucial to the US strategy in Afghanistan and that they "back India as a leader in the region". External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she was happy "our defence and strategic relations have deepened" after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit. And that "recent attacks in Afghanistan are proof that safe havens and supporters of terrorism are active. Pakistan needs to act on this". She added that President Trump's policy on terrorism can only succeed when Pakistan takes action against terror groups. Swaraj also added that an India-US-Afghanistan trilateral meeting will be held in December: EAM Swaraj Swaraj said she had also discussed the H1B visa issue -- and the "important contribution of Indians working in the US on the visa -- with Tillerson. We also discussed the important contribution of Indians working in the USA on H1B visa: EAM Swaraj after meeting with Rex Tillerson — ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017 × US President Donald Trump has clamped down on the visa. Most Indians in the US are there on the H1B. Also read: Trump says will not allow H1B visa holders to replace US workers Swaraj also indicated that India was toeing the US line on North Korea. "Our trade with North Korea has reduced a lot and our embassy there is very small," she said. The US had recently decreed that firms that do business with North Korea will not be allowed to do business with the US. Swaraj did add however that she had told Tillerson that some nations friendly with the US must have an embassy in North Korea, making at least some communication possible.

Too many terror groups finding safe haven in Pak: Tillerson

China today asked the international community to recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter terrorism, amid mounting pressure on its all-weather ally to take action against terror groups and dismantle their safe havens.

Reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson&#39;s remarks in New Delhi that terror safe havens in Pakistan will not be tolerated, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said for many years Islamabad has made positive efforts and &quot;great sacrifices&quot; on counter-terrorism front.

&quot;Pakistan has made important contributions to world peace and maintaining regional stability. We believe that the international community should recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism,&quot; he said.

Geng, however, said the Chinese side supports the international community in the fight against terrorism.

Referring to Tillerson&#39;s visit to Islamabad, Geng said, &quot;We welcome Pakistan and the US to conduct counter-terrorism cooperation based on mutual respect and jointly committed regional and world peace and stability.&quot;

Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a joint statement after their comprehensive talks on a range of key issues yesterday asked Pakistan to take action against terror groups, which the US said are now threatening the stability of the Pakistani government as well.

&quot;Terror safe havens will not be tolerated,&quot; Tillerson has said while assuring full support to India in fighting terrorism.

Speaking of Indo-US ties, Geng said, &quot;We welcome India and Pakistan and all other countries in the world to develop friendly cooperation. We believe this relationship is conducive the regional stability besides regional development and prosperity.

Reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks in New Delhi that terror safe havens in Pakistan will not be tolerated, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said for many years Islamabad has made positive efforts and "great sacrifices" on counter-terrorism front.

China today asked the international community to recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter terrorism, amid mounting pressure on its all-weather ally to take action against terror groups and dismantle their safe havens. Reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks in New Delhi that terror safe havens in Pakistan will not be tolerated, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said for many years Islamabad has made positive efforts and "great sacrifices" on counter-terrorism front. "Pakistan has made important contributions to world peace and maintaining regional stability. We believe that the international community should recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism," he said. Geng, however, said the Chinese side supports the international community in the fight against terrorism. Referring to Tillerson's visit to Islamabad, Geng said, "We welcome Pakistan and the US to conduct counter-terrorism cooperation based on mutual respect and jointly committed regional and world peace and stability." Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a joint statement after their comprehensive talks on a range of key issues yesterday asked Pakistan to take action against terror groups, which the US said are now threatening the stability of the Pakistani government as well. "Terror safe havens will not be tolerated," Tillerson has said while assuring full support to India in fighting terrorism. Speaking of Indo-US ties, Geng said, "We welcome India and Pakistan and all other countries in the world to develop friendly cooperation. We believe this relationship is conducive the regional stability besides regional development and prosperity.

Global community should recognise Pak's efforts in fighting terrorism: China

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U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives in Delhi. He will be meeting PM Narendra Modi and EAM Sushma Swaraj tomorrow. <a href="https://t.co/uD1VxaAz6l">pic.twitter.com/uD1VxaAz6l</a>
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US secretary of state <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-tells-tillerson-it-has-produced-results-in-fighting-terrorism-22846">Rex Tillerson arrived in India late last night on a</a> three-day visit after a stopover in Pakistan on Tuesday.

Tillerson is set to meet<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/tillerson-gets-frosty-welcome-in-pak-after-warning-over-taliban-safe-havens-22843"> India&#39;s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj</a> and PM Narendra Modi later today.

Ahead of his visit to India, speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington last week Tillerson&nbsp;had said India must &quot;take leadership role in regional security&quot;, a move which was hailed by the ministry of external affairs.

Tillerson is set to meet senior Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of strategic partnership between India and the US and collaboration on security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Tillerson met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday amid reports of frayed relations between the two countries with the US openly reiterating the existence of &quot;terrorist havens&quot;&nbsp;in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told Tillerson during their meeting that his country had &quot;produced results&quot; fighting terrorists in the region. Pakistan&#39;s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present during the meeting.

On Monday, during an unannounced visit to Kabul, Tillerson had urged Pakistan to act against &quot;safe havens&quot; on its soil.

Tillerson, in the first major foreign policy speech on October 18 had said the US is India&#39;s &quot;reliable partner&quot; at the world stage in this period of uncertainty and angst, sending a strong signal to side with India amidst China&#39;s &quot;provocative actions&quot; in the region.

In the speech, he said the emerging Delhi-Washington strategic partnership stands upon a shared commitment upholding the rule of law, freedom of navigation, universal values and free trade.

Tillerson will be meeting senior Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of strategic partnership between India and the US

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives in Delhi. He will be meeting PM Narendra Modi and EAM Sushma Swaraj tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/uD1VxaAz6l — ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2017 × US secretary of state Rex Tillerson arrived in India late last night on a three-day visit after a stopover in Pakistan on Tuesday. Tillerson is set to meet India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and PM Narendra Modi later today. Ahead of his visit to India, speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington last week Tillerson had said India must "take leadership role in regional security", a move which was hailed by the ministry of external affairs. Tillerson is set to meet senior Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of strategic partnership between India and the US and collaboration on security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Tillerson met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday amid reports of frayed relations between the two countries with the US openly reiterating the existence of "terrorist havens" in Pakistan. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told Tillerson during their meeting that his country had "produced results" fighting terrorists in the region. Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present during the meeting. On Monday, during an unannounced visit to Kabul, Tillerson had urged Pakistan to act against "safe havens" on its soil. Tillerson, in the first major foreign policy speech on October 18 had said the US is India's "reliable partner" at the world stage in this period of uncertainty and angst, sending a strong signal to side with India amidst China's "provocative actions" in the region. In the speech, he said the emerging Delhi-Washington strategic partnership stands upon a shared commitment upholding the rule of law, freedom of navigation, universal values and free trade.

Rex Tillerson arrives in India, set to meet  Sushma Swaraj, PM Modi today

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson got a frosty welcome to Pakistan Tuesday after Washington turned up the heat on Islamabad for allegedly providing &quot;safe havens&quot; for Taliban militants.

America&#39;s top diplomat was quietly greeted by a mid-level Pakistani Foreign Office official at the military airport in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, an AFP photographer saw -- a welcome devoid of the pomp that usually marks high-level visits.

He was then driven in a convoy of Land Cruisers amid tight security to the US embassy in Islamabad&#39;s diplomatic enclave, before scheduled meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the powerful military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The secretary&#39;s visit, the first to nuclear-armed Pakistan by a senior Trump administration official, comes months after the US President angrily accused Islamabad of harbouring &quot;agents of chaos&quot; who could attack US-led NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.&nbsp;

It follows on the heels of an unannounced stop in Afghanistan Monday, where Tillerson reiterated America&#39;s commitment to the country and warned that Washington has made &quot;very specific requests&quot; of Pakistan seeking to &quot;undermine the support that the Taliban receives&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ahead-of-islamabad-visit-today-tillerson-talks-tough-on-paks-safe-haven-to-terrorists-22786" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Tillerson talks tough on Pak&#39;s &#39;safe haven to terrorists&#39;</a>

Washington and Kabul have long accused Islamabad of supporting Afghan militant groups including the Taliban. They are believed to have links to Pakistan&#39;s shadowy military establishment, which aims to use them as a regional bulwark against arch-nemesis India.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied the charge, insisting it maintains contacts only to try to bring the militants to peace talks.

During his brief visit to Afghanistan&#39;s Bagram air base Monday, Tillerson told reporters Pakistan needs to &quot;take a clear-eyed view of the situation that they are confronted with in terms of the number of terrorist organisations that find safe haven inside&quot; the country.

US and Pakistani sources say his visit to Islamabad will be followed later in the year by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis as Trump seeks to send a tough message to the wayward Cold War ally.

No pleasing the US? 
The US-Pakistan relationship has waxed and waned dramatically since Trump took office in January.

Pakistan said the President had praised its then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif as &quot;terrific&quot; in an effusive phone call when Trump took office in January.

But Trump&#39;s blistering speech in August accusing Pakistan of harbouring militants saw Islamabad angrily hit back at the claims, insisting the US took no account of the thousands of lives lost and billions spent in fighting extremism.

Following the August speech, Tillerson cautioned Pakistan that it could lose its status as a privileged military ally if it continued providing support to Afghan militant groups.

As one of 16 &quot;Non-NATO Major Allies&quot;, Pakistan benefits from billions of dollars in aid and has access to advanced US military technology banned from other countries.

However political analyst Zahid Hussain said there may be little Islamabad can do at this point to convince the US that it had prevented militants from using its territory to target forces in Afghanistan.

&quot;I think they would like to assure to the Americans that they are sincere and they are taking action against some of the groups,&quot; Hussain told AFP.

&quot;The perception here is whatever they do, it is not going to please the Americans.&quot;

Earlier this month Pakistani forces acting on American intelligence rescued a US-Canadian family which had been in Taliban captivity for five years, sparking hopes that ties were on the mend.&nbsp;

The rescue was followed by a series of drone strikes on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border targeting long-time foes of both Washington and Islamabad.

The US has vowed to send more than 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, on top of the 11,000 already deployed there, to train and advise Afghan troops and police as part of a new strategy outlined by the administration.

Tillerson had warned on Monday that Washington has made 'very specific requests' of Pakistan seeking to 'undermine the support that the Taliban receives'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson got a frosty welcome to Pakistan Tuesday after Washington turned up the heat on Islamabad for allegedly providing "safe havens" for Taliban militants. America's top diplomat was quietly greeted by a mid-level Pakistani Foreign Office official at the military airport in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, an AFP photographer saw -- a welcome devoid of the pomp that usually marks high-level visits. He was then driven in a convoy of Land Cruisers amid tight security to the US embassy in Islamabad's diplomatic enclave, before scheduled meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the powerful military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. The secretary's visit, the first to nuclear-armed Pakistan by a senior Trump administration official, comes months after the US President angrily accused Islamabad of harbouring "agents of chaos" who could attack US-led NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan. It follows on the heels of an unannounced stop in Afghanistan Monday, where Tillerson reiterated America's commitment to the country and warned that Washington has made "very specific requests" of Pakistan seeking to "undermine the support that the Taliban receives". Also read: Tillerson talks tough on Pak's 'safe haven to terrorists' Washington and Kabul have long accused Islamabad of supporting Afghan militant groups including the Taliban. They are believed to have links to Pakistan's shadowy military establishment, which aims to use them as a regional bulwark against arch-nemesis India. Pakistan has repeatedly denied the charge, insisting it maintains contacts only to try to bring the militants to peace talks. During his brief visit to Afghanistan's Bagram air base Monday, Tillerson told reporters Pakistan needs to "take a clear-eyed view of the situation that they are confronted with in terms of the number of terrorist organisations that find safe haven inside" the country. US and Pakistani sources say his visit to Islamabad will be followed later in the year by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis as Trump seeks to send a tough message to the wayward Cold War ally. No pleasing the US? The US-Pakistan relationship has waxed and waned dramatically since Trump took office in January. Pakistan said the President had praised its then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif as "terrific" in an effusive phone call when Trump took office in January. But Trump's blistering speech in August accusing Pakistan of harbouring militants saw Islamabad angrily hit back at the claims, insisting the US took no account of the thousands of lives lost and billions spent in fighting extremism. Following the August speech, Tillerson cautioned Pakistan that it could lose its status as a privileged military ally if it continued providing support to Afghan militant groups. As one of 16 "Non-NATO Major Allies", Pakistan benefits from billions of dollars in aid and has access to advanced US military technology banned from other countries. However political analyst Zahid Hussain said there may be little Islamabad can do at this point to convince the US that it had prevented militants from using its territory to target forces in Afghanistan. "I think they would like to assure to the Americans that they are sincere and they are taking action against some of the groups," Hussain told AFP. "The perception here is whatever they do, it is not going to please the Americans." Earlier this month Pakistani forces acting on American intelligence rescued a US-Canadian family which had been in Taliban captivity for five years, sparking hopes that ties were on the mend. The rescue was followed by a series of drone strikes on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border targeting long-time foes of both Washington and Islamabad. The US has vowed to send more than 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, on top of the 11,000 already deployed there, to train and advise Afghan troops and police as part of a new strategy outlined by the administration.

Tillerson gets frosty welcome in Pak after warning over Taliban safe havens

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday that that he had made specific requests to Pakistan for them to act to undermine the support Taliban and other terror organisations receive in Pakistan.

The US Secretary of State, who arrived in Afghan capital Kabul on a surprise visit, said, &quot;Pakistan needs to take a clear view of the situation they are confronted with in terms of number of terror organisations that find safe haven inside Pakistan.&quot;

&quot;We want to work closely with Pakistan to create a more stable and secure Pakistan as well,&quot; he added.

Rex Tillerson warned Pakistan that the country&#39;s relationship with Pakistan would be &quot;conditions-based and whether they took the action that US felt was necessary.

&quot;Our relation with Pakistan will also be conditions based, it will be based upon whether they take action that we feel as necessary to move the process forward for both creating opportunity for reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan but also ensuring a stable future for Pakistan,&quot; he said.

The US Secretary of State said he would be flying to Pakistan on Tuesday to reinforce the Trump administration&rsquo;s demand that Islamabad move against the Taliban and other extremists based inside its borders or face the consequences.

&ldquo;We have made some very specific requests of Pakistan in order for them to take action to undermine the support the Taliban receives and other terrorist organisations receive,&rdquo; he said.

Tillerson said he would then travel to India to discuss a request that it expand its economic and development assistance to Afghanistan.

The US Secretary of State discussed with Afghan leaders the US strategy for ending America&rsquo;s longest war, in a brief visit that underscored the challenge of quelling the country&rsquo;s insurgency, Reuters reported.

Tillerson spent almost three hours in a heavily guarded building in the main US military facility in Afghanistan, most of the time in talks with President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and other US and Afghan officials. 
&nbsp;

The US Secretary of State, who arrived in Afghan capital Kabul on a surprise visit, said, 'Pakistan needs to take a clear view of the situation they are confronted with in terms of number of terror organisations that find safe haven inside Pakistan'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday that that he had made specific requests to Pakistan for them to act to undermine the support Taliban and other terror organisations receive in Pakistan. The US Secretary of State, who arrived in Afghan capital Kabul on a surprise visit, said, "Pakistan needs to take a clear view of the situation they are confronted with in terms of number of terror organisations that find safe haven inside Pakistan." "We want to work closely with Pakistan to create a more stable and secure Pakistan as well," he added. Rex Tillerson warned Pakistan that the country's relationship with Pakistan would be "conditions-based and whether they took the action that US felt was necessary. "Our relation with Pakistan will also be conditions based, it will be based upon whether they take action that we feel as necessary to move the process forward for both creating opportunity for reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan but also ensuring a stable future for Pakistan," he said. The US Secretary of State said he would be flying to Pakistan on Tuesday to reinforce the Trump administration’s demand that Islamabad move against the Taliban and other extremists based inside its borders or face the consequences. “We have made some very specific requests of Pakistan in order for them to take action to undermine the support the Taliban receives and other terrorist organisations receive,” he said. Tillerson said he would then travel to India to discuss a request that it expand its economic and development assistance to Afghanistan. The US Secretary of State discussed with Afghan leaders the US strategy for ending America’s longest war, in a brief visit that underscored the challenge of quelling the country’s insurgency, Reuters reported. Tillerson spent almost three hours in a heavily guarded building in the main US military facility in Afghanistan, most of the time in talks with President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and other US and Afghan officials.

US relationship with Pakistan will be conditions-based: Rex Tillerson

India has welcomed US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson&rsquo;s statement where he called upon India to &quot;take leadership role in regional security&quot;.

Speaking at&nbsp;the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Wednesday, Tillerson had said, &quot;Security and stability is important for economic growth.&nbsp;India and the US are working towards shared security goals.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;India must take leadership role in regional security,&quot; he added.

&quot;US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made a significant policy statement on India-US relations and its future. He brought out its various strengths and highlighted our shared commitment to a rule-based international order,&quot; the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

We appreciate Tillerson&#39;s positive evaluation of the relationship and share his optimism about its future directions, it added.

Tillerson made the remarks ahead of his&nbsp;week-long five-nation tour beginning Saturday which will take him to Pakistan,&nbsp;Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Switzerland apart from India.

Tillerson is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi next week, where he will meet with senior Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of strategic partnership between India and the US and collaboration on security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

&quot;The Secretary&#39;s visit to India will advance the ambitious agenda laid out by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Prime Minister&#39;s visit to the White House in June,&quot;&nbsp;State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

Tillerson, in the first major foreign policy speech on October 18, said the US is India&#39;s &quot;reliable partner&quot; at the world stage in this period of uncertainty and angst, sending a strong signal to side with India amidst China&#39;s &quot;provocative actions&quot; in the region.

In the speech, he said the emerging Delhi-Washington strategic partnership stands upon a shared commitment upholding the rule of law, freedom of navigation, universal values and free trade.

(With inputs from PTI)

India has welcomed US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson?s statement where he called upon India to "take leadership role in regional security".

India has welcomed US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s statement where he called upon India to "take leadership role in regional security". Speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Wednesday, Tillerson had said, "Security and stability is important for economic growth. India and the US are working towards shared security goals." "India must take leadership role in regional security," he added. "US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made a significant policy statement on India-US relations and its future. He brought out its various strengths and highlighted our shared commitment to a rule-based international order," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Friday. We appreciate Tillerson's positive evaluation of the relationship and share his optimism about its future directions, it added. Tillerson made the remarks ahead of his week-long five-nation tour beginning Saturday which will take him to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Switzerland apart from India. Tillerson is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi next week, where he will meet with senior Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of strategic partnership between India and the US and collaboration on security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. "The Secretary's visit to India will advance the ambitious agenda laid out by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Prime Minister's visit to the White House in June," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said. Tillerson, in the first major foreign policy speech on October 18, said the US is India's "reliable partner" at the world stage in this period of uncertainty and angst, sending a strong signal to side with India amidst China's "provocative actions" in the region. In the speech, he said the emerging Delhi-Washington strategic partnership stands upon a shared commitment upholding the rule of law, freedom of navigation, universal values and free trade. (With inputs from PTI)

Tillerson's statement significant, we share the same optimism about Indo-US ties: MEA

China said Thursday the United States should &quot;abandon its biased <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/india-must-take-leadership-role-in-regional-security-tillerson-22611">views&quot; towards the country, as it hit back at cutting remarks made</a> by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Ahead of his visit to India next week, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-xi-pledges-to-build-modern-socialist-country-ruled-by-party-but-open-to-world-22592">President Donald Trump&#39;s top diplomat stated the US preference</a> to work with New Delhi over Beijing during the next century to promote a &quot;free and open&quot; Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies.

The speech was perceived as a warning to the world&#39;s second-largest economy that Washington will build regional alliances to counter Beijing&#39;s ever-growing power.

Tillerson also took the opportunity to compare China with its giant neighbour and criticised Beijing for its &quot;provocative actions&quot; in the South China Sea.

&quot;China, while rising alongside India, has done so less responsibly, at times undermining the international, rules-based order,&quot; the US diplomat said.

Beijing responded Thursday by saying that America was biased.

&quot;We hope the US side can look at China&#39;s development and role in the international community in an objective way, and abandon its biased views of China,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing.

&quot;Based on the purposes and principles of the UN charter, we will firmly uphold multilateralism, yet we will also firmly safeguard our own rights and interests.&quot;

Tillerson&#39;s comments were seen as particularly provocative as they came the same day that China&#39;s ruling Communist Party opened its 19th National Congress -- a twice-a-decade meeting of party delegates expected to give President Xi Jinping a second five-year term and consolidate his already formidable power.

They also followed a months-long military standoff between China and India in a disputed Himalayan border area in the summer.

Tillerson did not directly address the stand-off but vowed that Washington &quot;won&#39;t shrink from China&#39;s challenges to the rules-based order, or where China subverts the sovereignty of neighbouring countries&quot;.

Trump is due to visit Beijing next month.

 
&nbsp;

Ahead of his visit to India next week, President Donald Trump's top diplomat stated the US preference to work with New Delhi over Beijing during the next century to promote a "free and open" Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies.

China said Thursday the United States should "abandon its biased views" towards the country, as it hit back at cutting remarks made by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Ahead of his visit to India next week, President Donald Trump's top diplomat stated the US preference to work with New Delhi over Beijing during the next century to promote a "free and open" Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies. The speech was perceived as a warning to the world's second-largest economy that Washington will build regional alliances to counter Beijing's ever-growing power. Tillerson also took the opportunity to compare China with its giant neighbour and criticised Beijing for its "provocative actions" in the South China Sea. "China, while rising alongside India, has done so less responsibly, at times undermining the international, rules-based order," the US diplomat said. Beijing responded Thursday by saying that America was biased. "We hope the US side can look at China's development and role in the international community in an objective way, and abandon its biased views of China," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing. "Based on the purposes and principles of the UN charter, we will firmly uphold multilateralism, yet we will also firmly safeguard our own rights and interests." Tillerson's comments were seen as particularly provocative as they came the same day that China's ruling Communist Party opened its 19th National Congress -- a twice-a-decade meeting of party delegates expected to give President Xi Jinping a second five-year term and consolidate his already formidable power. They also followed a months-long military standoff between China and India in a disputed Himalayan border area in the summer. Tillerson did not directly address the stand-off but vowed that Washington "won't shrink from China's challenges to the rules-based order, or where China subverts the sovereignty of neighbouring countries". Trump is due to visit Beijing next month.

China hits back at US over Rex Tillerson's remark

As the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-gives-255-million-aid-to-pakistan-on-conditions-of-cracking-down-on-terror-outfits-19710">Trump administration tightens its grip over events in Afganistan</a>, Pakistan has indicated it is ready to restart the quadrilateral peace process for ending the Afghan war, a report said.

Pakistan&#39;s Dawn <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-suspends-talks-with-us-in-protest-against-trumps-fiery-comment-19632">newspaper said today foreign minister Khawaja Asif has</a> told VOA Urdu in Washington that he intends to bring the Taliban and the Afghan government to the negotiating table through the quadrilateral peace process.

Afghanistan, the United States, China and Pakistan are members of the group.

The Quadrilateral Cooperation Group hopes to meet in Muscat, Oman next Monday.

There is no mention of India in playing any part in bringing peace in the region.

President Trump had recently announced a new South Asia policy which severely condemned Pakistan. Trump called for more troop deployment in Afghanistan and spoke about India&#39;s role in the country.

In his speech, Trump attacked Pakistan and accused the country of offering a safe haven to &quot;agents of chaos&quot;.

Pakistan foreign minister Asif was in the US last week to assure Trump government officials about his country&#39;s intent in Afganistan.

In fact, US defense secretary James Mattis had warned Pakistan to address the problem of terrorism but if it failed then the &quot;US president would be prepared to take whatever steps necessary&quot;.&nbsp;

The quadrilateral&nbsp;group has met four times in the past but has achieved little, it last met in May last year in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan has tried to use its influence with China in order to coax the Afganistan government and the Taliban to come to the table and use it as a leverage against influence of India in the region.

However, Taliban&#39;s internal differences and its relationship with the Pakistan government has been on the boil lately which has ensured no real results have been achieved.

As the US sends more troops in the region and pressures Pakistan to do more, the members within the Quadrilateral Cooperation Group are now hard-pressed to show concrete results.

The Quadrilateral Cooperation Group hopes to meet in Muscat, Oman next Monday.

As the Trump administration tightens its grip over events in Afganistan, Pakistan has indicated it is ready to restart the quadrilateral peace process for ending the Afghan war, a report said. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper said today foreign minister Khawaja Asif has told VOA Urdu in Washington that he intends to bring the Taliban and the Afghan government to the negotiating table through the quadrilateral peace process. Afghanistan, the United States, China and Pakistan are members of the group. The Quadrilateral Cooperation Group hopes to meet in Muscat, Oman next Monday. There is no mention of India in playing any part in bringing peace in the region. President Trump had recently announced a new South Asia policy which severely condemned Pakistan. Trump called for more troop deployment in Afghanistan and spoke about India's role in the country. In his speech, Trump attacked Pakistan and accused the country of offering a safe haven to "agents of chaos". Pakistan foreign minister Asif was in the US last week to assure Trump government officials about his country's intent in Afganistan. In fact, US defense secretary James Mattis had warned Pakistan to address the problem of terrorism but if it failed then the "US president would be prepared to take whatever steps necessary". The quadrilateral group has met four times in the past but has achieved little, it last met in May last year in Rawalpindi. Pakistan has tried to use its influence with China in order to coax the Afganistan government and the Taliban to come to the table and use it as a leverage against influence of India in the region. However, Taliban's internal differences and its relationship with the Pakistan government has been on the boil lately which has ensured no real results have been achieved. As the US sends more troops in the region and pressures Pakistan to do more, the members within the Quadrilateral Cooperation Group are now hard-pressed to show concrete results.

Pakistan set to restart Afghan peace process without India

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is likely to visit India later this month, the fourth top American official to drop in on New Delhi since Donald Trump took over as President. 
&nbsp;

The change in guard in the US has seen tough statements by officials of the Trump administration against Islamabad. They have been lauded by New Delhi. But this time, Tillerson might club his India visit with Pakistan, an old habit adopted by most western high-profile visitors and one that has annoyed New Delhi to no end. 
&nbsp; 
Time and again, India has expressed its displeasure over being hyphenated with Pakistan. Various leaders - including Ms Sushma Swaraj at the UN recently - have vehemently decried all comparisons between the two countries.

Some of the differences they list are - India is a democracy, while Pakistan is caught in the throes of its deadly dalliance with home-grown terrorists who have spread their doctrine of murder and intolerance around the world; India is among the world&rsquo;s five fastest-growing economies, whereas Pakistan is nowhere near there; India is the world&rsquo;s second-biggest consumer market, and Pakistan has never really featured in that list. 
&nbsp; 
So why has the West stuck with this old habit of bunching the two countries together? Here is an explainer. 
&nbsp; 
If most US Secretaries of State hyphenated India and Pakistan since Independence right up to 1989, there was a plausible reason - India was allied to the Soviet Bloc whereas Pakistan was a US ally. But India began liberalizing its economy by introducing market reforms in the early nineties.

And after the end of the Cold War, also began re-calibrating its global alliances. This still didn&#39;t change much about the West&#39;s approach to trips to the subcontinent.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Out of the three Secretaries of State during this period, two &ndash; James Baker and Warren Christopher &ndash; never came to India. Madeleine Albright, who took over in 1997, made two trips to the sub-continent &ndash; in 1997 and 2000 &ndash; but both itineraries included Islamabad and New Delhi.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The devastating terror attacks on 9/11 were a turning point. From this day onward, the trails of many acts of international terrorism were found to lead back to Pakistan. Because of 9/11, travel to Pakistan intensified but -always in tandem with visits to India. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Secretary of State Colin Powell, who made four trips to the sub-continent in his eight-year-long tenure, always visited Pakistan along with other South Asian countries. His successor Condoleezza Rice also made four trips to the subcontinent, but only one was without a visit to Pakistan. 
&nbsp; 
On a May day in 2011, terrorist Osama bin Laden was traced to the heart of a high-security Pakistani cantonment and killed by US Navy Seals.

In other words, he had enjoyed the protection of the very Pakistan army that the United States had been nurturing, training and arming to assist in its hunt for the world&rsquo;s most wanted man who had masterminded 9/11 and a series of other terror attacks around the world.

Yet, and as far as US visitors went, India and Pakistan were merely quarrelsome twins, both &#39;&#39;irresponsible&quot; nuclear states and needed to be engaged always in one go. And given that some terror trails also led back to Dhaka under a hardline government, western travellers discovered a third subcontinental &quot;sibling&#39;&#39; - Bangladesh.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Hillary Clinton, who was the Secretary of State during Obama administration, from 2009 to 2013, visited the sub-continent twice during her tenure and touched down in Bangladesh too. John Kerry too visited the region four times, but only once did he touch down in India alone.&nbsp;

(The writer is senior foreign editor, WION) 
&nbsp;

Time and again, India has expressed its displeasure over being hyphenated with Pakistan.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is likely to visit India later this month, the fourth top American official to drop in on New Delhi since Donald Trump took over as President. The change in guard in the US has seen tough statements by officials of the Trump administration against Islamabad. They have been lauded by New Delhi. But this time, Tillerson might club his India visit with Pakistan, an old habit adopted by most western high-profile visitors and one that has annoyed New Delhi to no end. Time and again, India has expressed its displeasure over being hyphenated with Pakistan. Various leaders - including Ms Sushma Swaraj at the UN recently - have vehemently decried all comparisons between the two countries. Some of the differences they list are - India is a democracy, while Pakistan is caught in the throes of its deadly dalliance with home-grown terrorists who have spread their doctrine of murder and intolerance around the world; India is among the world’s five fastest-growing economies, whereas Pakistan is nowhere near there; India is the world’s second-biggest consumer market, and Pakistan has never really featured in that list. So why has the West stuck with this old habit of bunching the two countries together? Here is an explainer. If most US Secretaries of State hyphenated India and Pakistan since Independence right up to 1989, there was a plausible reason - India was allied to the Soviet Bloc whereas Pakistan was a US ally. But India began liberalizing its economy by introducing market reforms in the early nineties. And after the end of the Cold War, also began re-calibrating its global alliances. This still didn't change much about the West's approach to trips to the subcontinent. Out of the three Secretaries of State during this period, two – James Baker and Warren Christopher – never came to India. Madeleine Albright, who took over in 1997, made two trips to the sub-continent – in 1997 and 2000 – but both itineraries included Islamabad and New Delhi. The devastating terror attacks on 9/11 were a turning point. From this day onward, the trails of many acts of international terrorism were found to lead back to Pakistan. Because of 9/11, travel to Pakistan intensified but -always in tandem with visits to India. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who made four trips to the sub-continent in his eight-year-long tenure, always visited Pakistan along with other South Asian countries. His successor Condoleezza Rice also made four trips to the subcontinent, but only one was without a visit to Pakistan. On a May day in 2011, terrorist Osama bin Laden was traced to the heart of a high-security Pakistani cantonment and killed by US Navy Seals. In other words, he had enjoyed the protection of the very Pakistan army that the United States had been nurturing, training and arming to assist in its hunt for the world’s most wanted man who had masterminded 9/11 and a series of other terror attacks around the world. Yet, and as far as US visitors went, India and Pakistan were merely quarrelsome twins, both ''irresponsible" nuclear states and needed to be engaged always in one go. And given that some terror trails also led back to Dhaka under a hardline government, western travellers discovered a third subcontinental "sibling'' - Bangladesh. Hillary Clinton, who was the Secretary of State during Obama administration, from 2009 to 2013, visited the sub-continent twice during her tenure and touched down in Bangladesh too. John Kerry too visited the region four times, but only once did he touch down in India alone. (The writer is senior foreign editor, WION)

Tillerson comes clubbing to Indian subcontinent

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-resumes-premium-processing-of-all-h-1b-visa-categories-20984" target="_blank">US President Donald Trump</a> today said he has &quot;total confidence&quot; in his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after the latter denied having offered to resign from his cabinet and dismissed as &quot;petty nonsense&quot; a media report that he had called the president a &quot;moron&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-pursuing-zero-tolerance-on-terror-pak-foreign-minister-to-tillerson-21015" target="_blank">The NBC News had reported that Tillerson came close to resigning this summer </a>but was requested to stay on the job until the end of the year. The White House and the State Department denied the story.

&quot;Total confidence in Rex. I have total confidence,&quot; Trump told reporters travelling with him in Las Vegas.

&quot;I&#39;m very honoured by his comments. It was fake news. It was a totally phoney story,&quot; Trump said as he slammed media reports about writing a story which was inaccurate.

&quot;It was made up. It was made up by NBC. They just made it up,&quot; he alleged and in another tweet, the president sought an apology from NBC news.

Heather Nauert, the State Department Spokesperson, said Tillerson never used that word.

&quot;The Secretary does not use that type of language. That Secretary (Tillerson) did not use that type of language to speak about the President of the United States. He does not use that language to speak about anyone,&quot; she told reporters at her daily news conference.

Earlier, Tillerson in an impromptu statement to the press said that he never offered to resign. He described such reports as erroneous.

&quot;I have never considered leaving this post,&quot; he said. Later he spoke with Trump over the phone.

News reports said that Vice President Mike Pence convinced him not to resign. His office denied this.

&quot;The Vice President can confirm that...The Secretary of State made clear, at no time did he and the Secretary ever discuss the prospect of the Secretary&#39;s resignation from the administration. Any reporting to the contrary is categorically false,&quot; his office said.

Tillerson, Nauert said, is clear, direct, and pulls no punches. He is not a politician who seeks the spotlight, and many in foreign policy and media circles simply don&#39;t understand that she added.

&quot;The Secretary has never considered resigning from his post. And for those who want him to do so, go ahead and keep pushing, because that will only strengthen his resolve,&quot; she said.

NBC News, however, stood by its story. NBC News spoke with a dozen current and former senior administration officials for this article, as well as others who are close to the president, it said.

Tillerson, who was in Texas for his son&#39;s wedding in late July when Trump addressed the Boy Scouts, had threatened not to return to Washington, according to three people with direct knowledge of the threats, the news channel said.

His discussions with retired Gen. John Kelly, who would soon be named Trump&#39;s second chief of staff, and Defence Secretary James Mattis, helped initially to reassure him, four people with direct knowledge of the exchanges said, according to NBC.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump today said he has 'total confidence' in his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after the latter denied having offered to resign from his cabinet and dismissed as 'petty nonsense' a media report that he had called the president a 'moron'

US President Donald Trump today said he has "total confidence" in his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after the latter denied having offered to resign from his cabinet and dismissed as "petty nonsense" a media report that he had called the president a "moron". The NBC News had reported that Tillerson came close to resigning this summer but was requested to stay on the job until the end of the year. The White House and the State Department denied the story. "Total confidence in Rex. I have total confidence," Trump told reporters travelling with him in Las Vegas. "I'm very honoured by his comments. It was fake news. It was a totally phoney story," Trump said as he slammed media reports about writing a story which was inaccurate. "It was made up. It was made up by NBC. They just made it up," he alleged and in another tweet, the president sought an apology from NBC news. Heather Nauert, the State Department Spokesperson, said Tillerson never used that word. "The Secretary does not use that type of language. That Secretary (Tillerson) did not use that type of language to speak about the President of the United States. He does not use that language to speak about anyone," she told reporters at her daily news conference. Earlier, Tillerson in an impromptu statement to the press said that he never offered to resign. He described such reports as erroneous. "I have never considered leaving this post," he said. Later he spoke with Trump over the phone. News reports said that Vice President Mike Pence convinced him not to resign. His office denied this. "The Vice President can confirm that...The Secretary of State made clear, at no time did he and the Secretary ever discuss the prospect of the Secretary's resignation from the administration. Any reporting to the contrary is categorically false," his office said. Tillerson, Nauert said, is clear, direct, and pulls no punches. He is not a politician who seeks the spotlight, and many in foreign policy and media circles simply don't understand that she added. "The Secretary has never considered resigning from his post. And for those who want him to do so, go ahead and keep pushing, because that will only strengthen his resolve," she said. NBC News, however, stood by its story. NBC News spoke with a dozen current and former senior administration officials for this article, as well as others who are close to the president, it said. Tillerson, who was in Texas for his son's wedding in late July when Trump addressed the Boy Scouts, had threatened not to return to Washington, according to three people with direct knowledge of the threats, the news channel said. His discussions with retired Gen. John Kelly, who would soon be named Trump's second chief of staff, and Defence Secretary James Mattis, helped initially to reassure him, four people with direct knowledge of the exchanges said, according to NBC.

I have total confidence in Tillerson, says Trump over resignation row

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that it is looking for support from its allies to persuade Iran to re-open talks on the nuclear deal.

The US diplomat-in-chief&#39;s statement comes ahead of his first meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and foreign ministers from the five other signatories of the 2015 nuclear accord - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.

&quot;We do need the support of our allies, our European allies and others, to make the case as well to Iran that this deal really needs to be revisited,&quot; Rex Tillerson told the Fox News television channel

Under the nuclear deal, Iran surrendered much of its enriched uranium, dismantled a reactor and submitted nuclear sites to UN inspection, while Washington and Europe lifted some sanctions.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian this week floated the idea of opening talks on provisions that set 2025 as the date for some restrictions on Iranian uranium enrichment to be lifted.

Drawing a parallel with North Korea with which an agreement on dismantling its nuclear program collapsed in 2002, Tillerson said that the &quot;sunset provision&quot; was &quot;the most glaring flaw&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s not a stiff enough agreement. It doesn&#39;t slow their program enough,&quot; said Tillerson.

&quot;We can almost start the countdown clock as to when they will resume their nuclear weapons capability.&quot;

In his first address to the UN General Assembly, President Trump called the nuclear deal &quot;an embarrassment to the United States&quot; and indicated that he was ready to kill it. 
&nbsp;

The United States is looking for support from its allies to persuade Iran to re-open talks on the nuclear deal, the US Secretary of State said

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that it is looking for support from its allies to persuade Iran to re-open talks on the nuclear deal. The US diplomat-in-chief's statement comes ahead of his first meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and foreign ministers from the five other signatories of the 2015 nuclear accord - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia. "We do need the support of our allies, our European allies and others, to make the case as well to Iran that this deal really needs to be revisited," Rex Tillerson told the Fox News television channel Under the nuclear deal, Iran surrendered much of its enriched uranium, dismantled a reactor and submitted nuclear sites to UN inspection, while Washington and Europe lifted some sanctions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian this week floated the idea of opening talks on provisions that set 2025 as the date for some restrictions on Iranian uranium enrichment to be lifted. Drawing a parallel with North Korea with which an agreement on dismantling its nuclear program collapsed in 2002, Tillerson said that the "sunset provision" was "the most glaring flaw". "It's not a stiff enough agreement. It doesn't slow their program enough," said Tillerson. "We can almost start the countdown clock as to when they will resume their nuclear weapons capability." In his first address to the UN General Assembly, President Trump called the nuclear deal "an embarrassment to the United States" and indicated that he was ready to kill it.

US says Iran nuclear deal must be 'revisited', looks for support from allies

In a response to Russia cutting down American diplomatic presence in Moscow, the United States has asked Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco.

It has also ordered the closure of buildings that houses Russia&#39;s trade missions.

The move signals worsening of ties between the two countries which have reached a new low in the post-Cold War era.&nbsp;

Russia had ordered the cutting down of US diplomatic staff by half in retaliation to US Congress approving a set of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-signs-russia-sanctions-bill-into-law-18515" target="_blank">new sanctions against Moscow</a>.

The sanctions were imposed for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/no-doubt-russia-meddled-in-us-election-nikki-haley-14100" target="_blank">Russia&#39;s interference in the US Presidential elections</a> and its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, informed him of the move to close the consulate, Reuters quoted a senior Trump administration official as saying.

&quot;Moscow will closely study the new measures announced by the Americans, after which our reaction will be conveyed,&quot; said the &nbsp;the Russian foreign ministry.

In December, the Obama administration had expelled 35 Russian diplomats for Russia&#39;s meddling in the 2016 US Prseidential electioons.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The move comes after Russia ordered pruning of US diplomatic staff in Moscow

In a response to Russia cutting down American diplomatic presence in Moscow, the United States has asked Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco. It has also ordered the closure of buildings that houses Russia's trade missions. The move signals worsening of ties between the two countries which have reached a new low in the post-Cold War era. Russia had ordered the cutting down of US diplomatic staff by half in retaliation to US Congress approving a set of new sanctions against Moscow. The sanctions were imposed for Russia's interference in the US Presidential elections and its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, informed him of the move to close the consulate, Reuters quoted a senior Trump administration official as saying. "Moscow will closely study the new measures announced by the Americans, after which our reaction will be conveyed," said the the Russian foreign ministry. In December, the Obama administration had expelled 35 Russian diplomats for Russia's meddling in the 2016 US Prseidential electioons. (With inputs from Reuters)

In tit-for-tat response, US orders closure of Russian consulate in San Francisco

The United States must value Pakistan&#39;s role in Afghanistan and respect its security concerns, China&#39;s top diplomat Yang Jiechi told US secretary of state Rex Tillerson in a phone call, according to Chinese state media.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry defended its ally Pakistan earlier this week after President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about militants using safe havens on Pakistani soil.

On Monday, Trump committed the United States to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan, signalling he would send more troops to America&#39;s longest war and vowing &quot;a fight to win&quot;.

He insisted that others - the Afghan government, Pakistan, India and NATO allies - step up their own commitment to resolving the 16-year conflict, but he saved his sharpest words for Pakistan.

Yang, who outranks China&#39;s foreign minister, told Tillerson on Wednesday that China was willing to coordinate with the United States on Afghanistan and make joint efforts to realise peace and stability there and in the region, according to a Chinese statement issued late that night.

&quot;We must value Pakistan&#39;s important role on the Afghanistan issue, and respect Pakistan&#39;s sovereignty and reasonable security concerns,&quot; Yang told Tillerson.

Pakistan has been battling home-grown Islamists for years. It sees Afghanistan as a vital strategic interest and a bulwark against old rival, India. Islamabad denies harbouring militants, who move across the porous border with Afghanistan.&nbsp;

China and Pakistan consider each other &quot;all-weather friends&quot; and have close diplomatic, economic and security ties.

Beijing has its own security concerns in the region, in particular any links between militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Islamist groups China blames for violence in its far western region of Xinjiang.

Foreign minister Wang Yi met Pakistani foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua in Beijing on Tuesday, according to a statement on Thursday.

He praised Pakistan&#39;s efforts to combat extremism and to secure the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a development initiative central to President Xi Jinping&#39;s global Belt and Road development plan.

&quot;Given the current complicated and changing international and regional situation, the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations is even more prominent,&quot; Wang said.

&nbsp;

China's top diplomat told US?secretary of state Rex Tillerson that the country is willing to coordinate with the US on Afghanistan and make joint efforts to realise peace and stability there and in the region

The United States must value Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and respect its security concerns, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi told US secretary of state Rex Tillerson in a phone call, according to Chinese state media. China's Foreign Ministry defended its ally Pakistan earlier this week after President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about militants using safe havens on Pakistani soil. On Monday, Trump committed the United States to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan, signalling he would send more troops to America's longest war and vowing "a fight to win". He insisted that others - the Afghan government, Pakistan, India and NATO allies - step up their own commitment to resolving the 16-year conflict, but he saved his sharpest words for Pakistan. Yang, who outranks China's foreign minister, told Tillerson on Wednesday that China was willing to coordinate with the United States on Afghanistan and make joint efforts to realise peace and stability there and in the region, according to a Chinese statement issued late that night. "We must value Pakistan's important role on the Afghanistan issue, and respect Pakistan's sovereignty and reasonable security concerns," Yang told Tillerson. Pakistan has been battling home-grown Islamists for years. It sees Afghanistan as a vital strategic interest and a bulwark against old rival, India. Islamabad denies harbouring militants, who move across the porous border with Afghanistan. China and Pakistan consider each other "all-weather friends" and have close diplomatic, economic and security ties. Beijing has its own security concerns in the region, in particular any links between militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Islamist groups China blames for violence in its far western region of Xinjiang. Foreign minister Wang Yi met Pakistani foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua in Beijing on Tuesday, according to a statement on Thursday. He praised Pakistan's efforts to combat extremism and to secure the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a development initiative central to President Xi Jinping's global Belt and Road development plan. "Given the current complicated and changing international and regional situation, the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations is even more prominent," Wang said.

China asks US to respect Pakistan's security concerns

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has refused to rule out the use of military action, involving air strikes, on terror groups in Pakistan and cutting off its status as a privileged military ally if Islamabad doesn&#39;t crack down on the Taliban and other extremist groups.

&quot;We are going to attack terrorists wherever they live, and we have put people on notice that if you are harboring or providing safe haven to terrorists, be warned, be forewarned,&quot; Washington Examiner quoted Tillerson as saying.

&quot;All those things... are on the table for discussion, if, in fact, they are unwilling to change their posture or change their approach to how they&#39;re dealing with the numerous terrorist organisations that find safe haven in Pakistan,&quot; he added.

&quot;Pakistan must adopt a different approach, and we are ready to work with them to help them protect themselves against these terrorist organisations. We are going to be conditioning our support for Pakistan and our relationship with them on them delivering results in this area.&quot;

&quot;We have some leverage in terms of aid, their status as a non-NATO alliance partner -- all of that can be put on the table,&quot; he further said.

Reinforcing US President Donald Trump&#39;s warning issued to Pakistan over its alleged support to extremist groups in the region, the US Secretary of State said, &quot;There&#39;s been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organisations being given safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against US servicemen, US officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan.&quot;

Meanwhile, US&nbsp;National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Michael Anton has warned that President Donald Trump is planning to impose sanctions on terrorists including the Haqqani network having links to the&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Governemnt and has outrightly dismissed its allegations against India&#39;s encirclement through Afghanistan.

While announcing US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia, President Trump has vowed to win the war in Afghanistan by committing more US troops as he called on Nato allies such as Britain to increase troop numbers &quot;in line with our own&quot;.

&quot;We will ask our Nato allies and global partners to support our new strategy with additional troop and funding increases in line without own - we are confident they will,&quot; Trump said.

'There's been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organisations being given safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against US servicemen, US officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan', Rex Tillerson said

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has refused to rule out the use of military action, involving air strikes, on terror groups in Pakistan and cutting off its status as a privileged military ally if Islamabad doesn't crack down on the Taliban and other extremist groups. "We are going to attack terrorists wherever they live, and we have put people on notice that if you are harboring or providing safe haven to terrorists, be warned, be forewarned," Washington Examiner quoted Tillerson as saying. "All those things... are on the table for discussion, if, in fact, they are unwilling to change their posture or change their approach to how they're dealing with the numerous terrorist organisations that find safe haven in Pakistan," he added. "Pakistan must adopt a different approach, and we are ready to work with them to help them protect themselves against these terrorist organisations. We are going to be conditioning our support for Pakistan and our relationship with them on them delivering results in this area." "We have some leverage in terms of aid, their status as a non-NATO alliance partner -- all of that can be put on the table," he further said. Reinforcing US President Donald Trump's warning issued to Pakistan over its alleged support to extremist groups in the region, the US Secretary of State said, "There's been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organisations being given safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against US servicemen, US officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan." Meanwhile, US National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Michael Anton has warned that President Donald Trump is planning to impose sanctions on terrorists including the Haqqani network having links to the Pakistan Governemnt and has outrightly dismissed its allegations against India's encirclement through Afghanistan. While announcing US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia, President Trump has vowed to win the war in Afghanistan by committing more US troops as he called on Nato allies such as Britain to increase troop numbers "in line with our own". "We will ask our Nato allies and global partners to support our new strategy with additional troop and funding increases in line without own - we are confident they will," Trump said.

Air strikes on terror groups in Pakistan on table: US secretary of state

The United States said Tuesday that talks with North Korea may be possible &quot;in the near future&quot; after Pyongyang reacted to tough new UN sanctions with a level of restraint.

But, in keeping with a &quot;dual track&quot; strategy of reaching out to the North diplomatically while increasing economic pressure, Washington also imposed new sanctions on Chinese and Russian firms suspected of doing business with Pyongyang.

Briefing reporters, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a point of acknowledging that Kim Jong-Un&#39;s regime has not carried out any new nuclear or ballistic missile tests since the UN Security Council imposed a new round of tougher sanctions last month.

&quot;I am pleased to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we&#39;ve not seen in the past,&quot; Tillerson said.

&quot;We need to see more on their part, but I want to acknowledge the steps they&#39;ve taken thus far. I think it&#39;s important to take note of that.&quot;

US officials told AFP that Tillerson was not thanking Pyongyang, nor making any concession on Washington&#39;s determination to halt Kim&#39;s missile program and negotiate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

But they said he did want to note what the US administration sees as a lowering in immediate tensions, in the hope that the isolated authoritarian regime will see an opening that could lead to dialogue.

&nbsp;&#39;Ready to restrain&#39;?&nbsp;

Tensions between North Korea and the United States and its allies soared last month after Pyongyang tested two long-range missiles that appeared to bring US cities within its range.

US President Donald Trump vowed to respond with &quot;fire and fury,&quot; raising fears of a devastating regional conflict, and the UN Security Council scrambled to impose new punitive measures on the North.

Kim&#39;s regime later postponed a threat to fire missiles towards the US Pacific island territory of Guam, and Washington said it would be open to dialogue if Pyongyang were to take steps to calm tensions.

On Tuesday, Tillerson suggested that progress can now be made.

&quot;I think it is worth noting that we have had no missile launches or provocative acts on the part of North Korea since the unanimous adoption of the UN Security Council resolution,&quot; he said.

&quot;And I want to take note of that. I want to acknowledge it.&quot;

&quot;We hope that this is the beginning of this signal that we&#39;ve been looking for -- that they are ready to restrain their level of tensions, they&#39;re ready to restrain their provocative acts and that perhaps we are seeing our pathway to sometime in the near future having some dialogue.&quot;

Just before Tillerson alluded to the existence of a carrot to tempt North Korea, however, the US Treasury brandished its stick.

The agency slapped sanctions on 16 Chinese and Russian individuals and companies, accusing them of supporting North Korea&#39;s nuclear program and attempting to evade US sanctions.

The sanctions are part of a broader US effort to disrupt the funding of North Korea&#39;s weapons programs through its export of natural resources such as coal and minerals and foreign-based financial transactions undertaken for North Korean interests.

&quot;It is unacceptable for individuals and companies in China, Russia, and elsewhere to enable North Korea to generate income used to develop weapons of mass destruction and destabilize the region,&quot; Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

Trump has urged Beijing, North Korea&#39;s only major ally, to bring greater pressure to bear in reining in its neighbor&#39;s nuclear efforts, suggesting that the United States may offer concessions on trade in return.

But a spokesperson at the Chinese embassy in Washington told AFP &quot;we strongly urge the US to immediately correct its mistake, so as not to impact bilateral cooperation on relevant issues.&quot;

&quot;China opposes unilateral sanctions out of the UN Security Council framework, especially the &#39;long-arm jurisdiction&#39; over Chinese entities and individuals exercised by any country in accordance with its domestic laws.&quot;

Targets of sanctions

The sanctions block those targeted from accessing much of the global financial system and freeze any assets they might hold in areas under US jurisdiction.

Among those hit was Russian national Ruben Kirakosyan and his Moscow-based company Gefest-M LLC, which the Treasury accuses of procuring metals for a company involved in North Korea&#39;s nuclear weapons program known as Korean Tangun Trading Corp.

Also targeted is China&#39;s Dandong Rich Earth Trading, which the United States says has acted on behalf of North Korea&#39;s General Bureau of Atomic Energy -- responsible for the North&#39;s nuclear program -- and has facilitated prohibited North Korean exports of vanadium ore.

A third company, Mingzheng International Trading Limited, which maintains offices in Hong Kong and mainland China, is in fact a front for Foreign Trade Bank, North Korea&#39;s main foreign exchange bank, the Treasury said.

The Treasury also alleged that three Chinese companies -- Dandong Zhicheng Metallic Materials, JinHou International Holding and Dandong Tianfu Trade -- had collectively imported nearly a half billion dollars&#39; worth of North Korean coal between 2013 and 2016.

Tensions between North Korea and the United States and its allies soared last month after Pyongyang tested two long-range missiles that appeared to bring US cities within its range

The United States said Tuesday that talks with North Korea may be possible "in the near future" after Pyongyang reacted to tough new UN sanctions with a level of restraint. But, in keeping with a "dual track" strategy of reaching out to the North diplomatically while increasing economic pressure, Washington also imposed new sanctions on Chinese and Russian firms suspected of doing business with Pyongyang. Briefing reporters, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a point of acknowledging that Kim Jong-Un's regime has not carried out any new nuclear or ballistic missile tests since the UN Security Council imposed a new round of tougher sanctions last month. "I am pleased to see that the regime in Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we've not seen in the past," Tillerson said. "We need to see more on their part, but I want to acknowledge the steps they've taken thus far. I think it's important to take note of that." US officials told AFP that Tillerson was not thanking Pyongyang, nor making any concession on Washington's determination to halt Kim's missile program and negotiate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But they said he did want to note what the US administration sees as a lowering in immediate tensions, in the hope that the isolated authoritarian regime will see an opening that could lead to dialogue. 'Ready to restrain'? Tensions between North Korea and the United States and its allies soared last month after Pyongyang tested two long-range missiles that appeared to bring US cities within its range. US President Donald Trump vowed to respond with "fire and fury," raising fears of a devastating regional conflict, and the UN Security Council scrambled to impose new punitive measures on the North. Kim's regime later postponed a threat to fire missiles towards the US Pacific island territory of Guam, and Washington said it would be open to dialogue if Pyongyang were to take steps to calm tensions. On Tuesday, Tillerson suggested that progress can now be made. "I think it is worth noting that we have had no missile launches or provocative acts on the part of North Korea since the unanimous adoption of the UN Security Council resolution," he said. "And I want to take note of that. I want to acknowledge it." "We hope that this is the beginning of this signal that we've been looking for -- that they are ready to restrain their level of tensions, they're ready to restrain their provocative acts and that perhaps we are seeing our pathway to sometime in the near future having some dialogue." Just before Tillerson alluded to the existence of a carrot to tempt North Korea, however, the US Treasury brandished its stick. The agency slapped sanctions on 16 Chinese and Russian individuals and companies, accusing them of supporting North Korea's nuclear program and attempting to evade US sanctions. The sanctions are part of a broader US effort to disrupt the funding of North Korea's weapons programs through its export of natural resources such as coal and minerals and foreign-based financial transactions undertaken for North Korean interests. "It is unacceptable for individuals and companies in China, Russia, and elsewhere to enable North Korea to generate income used to develop weapons of mass destruction and destabilize the region," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. Trump has urged Beijing, North Korea's only major ally, to bring greater pressure to bear in reining in its neighbor's nuclear efforts, suggesting that the United States may offer concessions on trade in return. But a spokesperson at the Chinese embassy in Washington told AFP "we strongly urge the US to immediately correct its mistake, so as not to impact bilateral cooperation on relevant issues." "China opposes unilateral sanctions out of the UN Security Council framework, especially the 'long-arm jurisdiction' over Chinese entities and individuals exercised by any country in accordance with its domestic laws." Targets of sanctions The sanctions block those targeted from accessing much of the global financial system and freeze any assets they might hold in areas under US jurisdiction. Among those hit was Russian national Ruben Kirakosyan and his Moscow-based company Gefest-M LLC, which the Treasury accuses of procuring metals for a company involved in North Korea's nuclear weapons program known as Korean Tangun Trading Corp. Also targeted is China's Dandong Rich Earth Trading, which the United States says has acted on behalf of North Korea's General Bureau of Atomic Energy -- responsible for the North's nuclear program -- and has facilitated prohibited North Korean exports of vanadium ore. A third company, Mingzheng International Trading Limited, which maintains offices in Hong Kong and mainland China, is in fact a front for Foreign Trade Bank, North Korea's main foreign exchange bank, the Treasury said. The Treasury also alleged that three Chinese companies -- Dandong Zhicheng Metallic Materials, JinHou International Holding and Dandong Tianfu Trade -- had collectively imported nearly a half billion dollars' worth of North Korean coal between 2013 and 2016.

Talks with North Korea may be close, says Tillerson

Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a speech while releasing the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report.&nbsp;

&quot;Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, where more than two dozen are on death row or serving a life imprisonment for blasphemy,&quot; Tillerson said.

The report said that religious minorities are concerned about the &ldquo;inadequate&rdquo; action on part of the government to address &ldquo;coerced conversions&rdquo; to Islam.&nbsp;

&quot;Religious minorities said they remained concerned that government action to address coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam was inadequate,&quot; the report, first under the Trump administration, said.

The report added that religious minority leaders continue to say that the government has failed to take proper action to protect minorities from bonded labour in the brick-making and agricultural sectors, a practice which is illegal and in which the victims were disproportionately Christians and Hindus.

The report said that according to Hindu and Sikh leaders, women from their communities face difficulties in obtaining inheritances, accessing health services, voting, obtaining a passport and buying or selling property because of the legal uncertainty surrounding the process of registering marriages for their communities.&nbsp;

The report also said that the government marginalises Ahmadiyya Muslims.

&quot;It is my hope that the new prime minister (Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) and his government will promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of religious minorities,&quot; Tillerson said after releasing the report.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Religious minorities are concerned about the 'inadequate' action on part of the government to address 'coerced conversions' to Islam, the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report said

Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a speech while releasing the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report. "Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, where more than two dozen are on death row or serving a life imprisonment for blasphemy," Tillerson said. The report said that religious minorities are concerned about the “inadequate” action on part of the government to address “coerced conversions” to Islam. "Religious minorities said they remained concerned that government action to address coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam was inadequate," the report, first under the Trump administration, said. The report added that religious minority leaders continue to say that the government has failed to take proper action to protect minorities from bonded labour in the brick-making and agricultural sectors, a practice which is illegal and in which the victims were disproportionately Christians and Hindus. The report said that according to Hindu and Sikh leaders, women from their communities face difficulties in obtaining inheritances, accessing health services, voting, obtaining a passport and buying or selling property because of the legal uncertainty surrounding the process of registering marriages for their communities. The report also said that the government marginalises Ahmadiyya Muslims. "It is my hope that the new prime minister (Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) and his government will promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of religious minorities," Tillerson said after releasing the report.

Religious freedom under threat in Pakistan: US

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told US counterpart Rex Tillerson Friday that Moscow remained ready to work with Washington despite striking back at new sanctions being readied approved by Congress.&nbsp;

&quot;Lavrov confirmed that our country is still ready to normalise bilateral relations with the US and to cooperate on the most important international issues,&quot; Russia&#39;s foreign ministry said after a phone call between the two top diplomats.

&quot;However this is possible only on the basis of equality, mutual respect and a balancing interests,&quot; the ministry said.&nbsp;

Russia's foreign ministry said after a phone call between the two diplomats that the cooperation is 'possible only on the basis of equality, mutual respect'

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told US counterpart Rex Tillerson Friday that Moscow remained ready to work with Washington despite striking back at new sanctions being readied approved by Congress. "Lavrov confirmed that our country is still ready to normalise bilateral relations with the US and to cooperate on the most important international issues," Russia's foreign ministry said after a phone call between the two top diplomats. "However this is possible only on the basis of equality, mutual respect and a balancing interests," the ministry said.

Russia 'still ready' to cooperate with US: Lavrov to Tillerson

The United States and&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;signed an agreement on Tuesday aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Doha to try to end a month-long rift between Western-allied Arab states.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed sanctions on&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states&#39; arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies.

Tillerson said the agreement signed with his&nbsp;Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, had been under discussion for weeks.

&quot;The agreement which we both have signed on behalf of our governments represents weeks of intensive discussions between experts and reinvigorates the spirit of the Riyadh summit,&quot; Tillerson said at a joint news conference with Sheikh Mohammed.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump met representatives of Arab states during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May.

&quot;The memorandum lays out a series of steps that each country will take in coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter terrorism activities globally,&quot; Tillerson added.

The four Arab states boycotting&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;said later on Tuesday that sanctions would remain in place until it met their demands and that they would keep a close eye on the tiny Gulf monarchy&#39;s efforts to fight terrorism funding.

In a joint statement released in their state media, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said they appreciated US&nbsp;efforts in fighting terrorism but that they would closely monitor&nbsp;Qatar&#39;s behaviour.

Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement was not linked to the crisis with the four Arab countries, which the United States fears could impact its military and counter-terrorism operations and increase Iran&#39;s influence in the region.

Tehran has sent food supplies to&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;and allows the country&#39;s carrier to fly through its airspace.

Qatar&nbsp;denies it supports militant organisations and says the boycott is part of a campaign to rein in its independent foreign policy.

&quot;Today, the state of&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;was the first to sign the executive programme with the United States to fight terrorism financing,&quot; Sheikh Mohammed told the news conference.

Tillerson said the agreement includes milestones to ensure both countries are accountable through their commitments.

&quot;Together the United States and&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information and will do more to keep the region ... safe,&quot; Tillerson said.

Egypt later said at a meeting of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Washington that the coalition should not include member states that supported terrorism, like&nbsp;Qatar.

A US&nbsp;official who had knowledge of the deliberations at the meeting later said &quot;the other working group countries dismissed the Egyptian demand&quot;.

&quot;Terrorism is a global problem that requires a global response - and we all have work to do,&rdquo; the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Diplomacy

Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries.

On Monday, he and British National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill met with officials from Kuwait in order to patch up the row among the Western-allied countries.

Following those discussions, the United States, Britain and Kuwait urged all parties to resolve their dispute quickly through dialogue, Kuwait state news agency KUNA reported.

Kuwait&#39;s ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, expressed &quot;bitterness&quot; on Tuesday over what he described as an unprecedented rift in the Gulf, but said he intended to push ahead with mediation efforts.

Foreign ministers from the four Arab states leading the boycott of&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;will meet with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Wednesday.

Coming from some of the most influential powers in the dispute, the plea for a negotiated solution may be aimed at an earlier refusal by&nbsp;Qatar&#39;s adversaries to discuss renewing ties with Doha until it first acquiesced to a list of demands. They include closing the Al Jazeera TV channel, shutting a Turkish military base in&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;and downgrading ties with Iran.

Qatar&nbsp;hosts Udeid Air Base, the largest US&nbsp;military facility in the Middle East, from which US-led coalition aircraft stage sorties against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Saudi Arabia in the dispute.

Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries

The United States and Qatar signed an agreement on Tuesday aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Doha to try to end a month-long rift between Western-allied Arab states. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states' arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies. Tillerson said the agreement signed with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, had been under discussion for weeks. "The agreement which we both have signed on behalf of our governments represents weeks of intensive discussions between experts and reinvigorates the spirit of the Riyadh summit," Tillerson said at a joint news conference with Sheikh Mohammed. US President Donald Trump met representatives of Arab states during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May. "The memorandum lays out a series of steps that each country will take in coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter terrorism activities globally," Tillerson added. The four Arab states boycotting Qatar said later on Tuesday that sanctions would remain in place until it met their demands and that they would keep a close eye on the tiny Gulf monarchy's efforts to fight terrorism funding. In a joint statement released in their state media, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said they appreciated US efforts in fighting terrorism but that they would closely monitor Qatar's behaviour. Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement was not linked to the crisis with the four Arab countries, which the United States fears could impact its military and counter-terrorism operations and increase Iran's influence in the region. Tehran has sent food supplies to Qatar and allows the country's carrier to fly through its airspace. Qatar denies it supports militant organisations and says the boycott is part of a campaign to rein in its independent foreign policy. "Today, the state of Qatar was the first to sign the executive programme with the United States to fight terrorism financing," Sheikh Mohammed told the news conference. Tillerson said the agreement includes milestones to ensure both countries are accountable through their commitments. "Together the United States and Qatar will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information and will do more to keep the region ... safe," Tillerson said. Egypt later said at a meeting of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Washington that the coalition should not include member states that supported terrorism, like Qatar. A US official who had knowledge of the deliberations at the meeting later said "the other working group countries dismissed the Egyptian demand". "Terrorism is a global problem that requires a global response - and we all have work to do,” the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. Diplomacy Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries. On Monday, he and British National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill met with officials from Kuwait in order to patch up the row among the Western-allied countries. Following those discussions, the United States, Britain and Kuwait urged all parties to resolve their dispute quickly through dialogue, Kuwait state news agency KUNA reported. Kuwait's ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, expressed "bitterness" on Tuesday over what he described as an unprecedented rift in the Gulf, but said he intended to push ahead with mediation efforts. Foreign ministers from the four Arab states leading the boycott of Qatar will meet with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Wednesday. Coming from some of the most influential powers in the dispute, the plea for a negotiated solution may be aimed at an earlier refusal by Qatar's adversaries to discuss renewing ties with Doha until it first acquiesced to a list of demands. They include closing the Al Jazeera TV channel, shutting a Turkish military base in Qatar and downgrading ties with Iran. Qatar hosts Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East, from which US-led coalition aircraft stage sorties against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Saudi Arabia in the dispute.

US, Qatar sign accord on combating terrorism financing

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed developments in Syria and in the row between Qatar and its fellow Arab states on a phone call late on Saturday, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.

The call, held at Tillerson&#39;s request, came after Tillerson on Friday urged Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to ease their blockade of Qatar, saying it was causing unintended humanitarian consequences and affecting the US-led fight against Islamic State.

No further details of the call were immediately available.

Referring to Tillerson&#39;s comments on the blockade, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner in Istanbul on Friday: &quot;I say it should be lifted completely&quot;.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severed relations with Qatar on Monday, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and their adversary Iran - allegations Qatar says are baseless. Several countries followed suit.

Erdogan vowed to keep supporting Qatar after his rapid approval of legislation on deploying Turkish troops there. On Saturday, he told Bahrain&#39;s foreign minister that the dispute should be resolved by the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Erdogan on Thursday also approved an accord between Turkey and Qatar on military training cooperation. Both bills were drawn up before the dispute between Qatar and others erupted. Turkey has also pledged to provide food and water supplies to Qatar.

Turkey has maintained good relations with Qatar as well as several of its Gulf Arab neighbours. Turkey and Qatar have both provided support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and backed rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey and fellow NATO member the United States have also been at loggerheads regarding US&nbsp;support the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade-long insurgency on its soil.

The United States said last week it had started supplying arms to the YPG for an assault on the Syrian town of Raqqa, deepening Turkey&#39;s anger. The YPG&#39;s role in the Raqqa campaign has strained ties between the United States and Turkey, which fears growing Kurdish ascendancy along its border.

(Reuters)

The call, held at Tillerson's request, came after he on Friday urged Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to ease their blockade of Qatar

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed developments in Syria and in the row between Qatar and its fellow Arab states on a phone call late on Saturday, Turkish foreign ministry sources said. The call, held at Tillerson's request, came after Tillerson on Friday urged Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to ease their blockade of Qatar, saying it was causing unintended humanitarian consequences and affecting the US-led fight against Islamic State. No further details of the call were immediately available. Referring to Tillerson's comments on the blockade, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner in Istanbul on Friday: "I say it should be lifted completely". Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severed relations with Qatar on Monday, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and their adversary Iran - allegations Qatar says are baseless. Several countries followed suit. Erdogan vowed to keep supporting Qatar after his rapid approval of legislation on deploying Turkish troops there. On Saturday, he told Bahrain's foreign minister that the dispute should be resolved by the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Erdogan on Thursday also approved an accord between Turkey and Qatar on military training cooperation. Both bills were drawn up before the dispute between Qatar and others erupted. Turkey has also pledged to provide food and water supplies to Qatar. Turkey has maintained good relations with Qatar as well as several of its Gulf Arab neighbours. Turkey and Qatar have both provided support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and backed rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Turkey and fellow NATO member the United States have also been at loggerheads regarding US support the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade-long insurgency on its soil. The United States said last week it had started supplying arms to the YPG for an assault on the Syrian town of Raqqa, deepening Turkey's anger. The YPG's role in the Raqqa campaign has strained ties between the United States and Turkey, which fears growing Kurdish ascendancy along its border. (Reuters)

US, Turkey discuss Qatar row, Syria on phone call: Sources

President Donald Trump declared Friday that the time has come for Qatar to halt all funding of terrorism, as a diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbors escalated.

Trump&#39;s stern warning overshadowed an earlier declaration from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- who had also urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their land and sea &quot;blockade&quot; of Qatar.

But US officials insisted that both men were sending the same message that the countries of the region should not allow their differences to hinder the fight against extremism.

The gas-rich emirate is home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East and thus a key ally in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

But it has fallen out with its Arab neighbors, who accuse it of sponsoring extremist groups, some of them allegedly linked to arch Saudi foe Iran, fomenting trouble across the region.

The neighbors also resent Qatar&#39;s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and its sponsorship of pan-Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera, which has given opposition figures a platform.

Qatar has denounced the allegations of terror funding as baseless and has received the support of close ally Turkey, which has approved the deployment of troops to defend the emirate.

&#39;High-level terror funding&#39;&nbsp;

Having apparently been caught on the hop by the speed with which the dispute has spiralled -- despite meeting all of the leaders&#39; concerned in Riyadh last month -- Trump has asked Tillerson to mediate.

The US president&#39;s rhetoric on Friday, however, did not appear likely to calm spirits in Doha. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,&quot; Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden, as Tillerson looked on.

&quot;I decided, along with secretary of state Rex Tillerson, our great generals and military people, the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding,&quot; he declared.&nbsp;

&quot;They have to end that funding and its extremist ideology in terms of funding,&quot; he said, lumping Qatar in with other nations which he said must &quot;stop teaching people to kill other people.&quot;

Less than two hours earlier, Tillerson had approached the crisis from a different direction -- warning that the stand-off between the former Gulf allies was undermining the anti-terror fight.

He did urge Qatar to be &quot;responsive to the concerns of its neighbors&quot; and to immediately crack down on extremist funding.

&quot;The emir of Qatar has made progress in halting financial support and expelling terrorists from his country, but he must do more and he must do it more quickly,&quot; he said.

But he also warned the response -- Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties on Monday and are trying to blockade Qatar by air and sea -- could be counterproductive.

&quot;The blockade is hindering US military actions in the region and the campaign against ISIS,&quot; Tillerson warned.

Previously, US officers had denied the blockade was a problem, but Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the &quot;evolving situation is hindering our ability to plan for longer-term military operations.&quot;

Families separated

But Tillerson also noted that other countries must do more -- and he urged Riyadh and its allies to soften their embargo.

&quot;There are humanitarian consequences to this blockade. We are seeing shortages of food. Families are being forcibly separated and children pulled out of school,&quot; he said.

&quot;We believe these are unintended consequences, especially during this holy month of Ramadan. But they can be addressed immediately.&quot;

Tillerson said he had spoken to many leaders in the Gulf region in recent days and supported&nbsp;efforts by the emir of Kuwait to resolve the stand-off.

The tough US line was a rebuff for Qatar&#39;s efforts to reach out for support from abroad.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to Tillerson and was due in Moscow on Saturday.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain released a joint statement listing 59 entities and individuals, including members of Qatar&#39;s royal family as involved in &quot;terrorist&quot; activities.&nbsp;

Also named were Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Qatari-funded charities.&nbsp;

A statement said the list shows that Qatar &quot;announces fighting terrorism on one hand and finances and supports and hosts different terrorist organizations on the other hand.&quot;&nbsp;

The Qatari government said the list &quot;once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact&quot; and boasted: &quot;We lead the region in attacking the roots of terrorism.&quot;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the crisis is drawing in more countries.

Turkey&#39;s parliament has approved deploying troops to a base in Qatar and Iran has offered to send food.&nbsp;

Bahrain&#39;s foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, is expected in Turkey on Saturday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.&nbsp;

The moves taken against Doha include banning Qatar Airways from airspace and closing Qatar&#39;s only land border with Saudi Arabia. The Arab states have also ordered Qataris out within 14 days.

Analysts say the crisis is partly an extension of a 2014 dispute, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain temporarily recalled their ambassadors over Qatari support for Egypt&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood.&nbsp;

Doha has for years forged its own alliances in the region, often diverging from GCC policies and taking in leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian Hamas and members of the Afghan Taliban.

US President Donald Trump said that the time has come for Qatar to halt all funding of terrorism

President Donald Trump declared Friday that the time has come for Qatar to halt all funding of terrorism, as a diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbors escalated. Trump's stern warning overshadowed an earlier declaration from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- who had also urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their land and sea "blockade" of Qatar. But US officials insisted that both men were sending the same message that the countries of the region should not allow their differences to hinder the fight against extremism. The gas-rich emirate is home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East and thus a key ally in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. But it has fallen out with its Arab neighbors, who accuse it of sponsoring extremist groups, some of them allegedly linked to arch Saudi foe Iran, fomenting trouble across the region. The neighbors also resent Qatar's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and its sponsorship of pan-Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera, which has given opposition figures a platform. Qatar has denounced the allegations of terror funding as baseless and has received the support of close ally Turkey, which has approved the deployment of troops to defend the emirate. 'High-level terror funding' Having apparently been caught on the hop by the speed with which the dispute has spiralled -- despite meeting all of the leaders' concerned in Riyadh last month -- Trump has asked Tillerson to mediate. The US president's rhetoric on Friday, however, did not appear likely to calm spirits in Doha. "The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden, as Tillerson looked on. "I decided, along with secretary of state Rex Tillerson, our great generals and military people, the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding," he declared. "They have to end that funding and its extremist ideology in terms of funding," he said, lumping Qatar in with other nations which he said must "stop teaching people to kill other people." Less than two hours earlier, Tillerson had approached the crisis from a different direction -- warning that the stand-off between the former Gulf allies was undermining the anti-terror fight. He did urge Qatar to be "responsive to the concerns of its neighbors" and to immediately crack down on extremist funding. "The emir of Qatar has made progress in halting financial support and expelling terrorists from his country, but he must do more and he must do it more quickly," he said. But he also warned the response -- Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties on Monday and are trying to blockade Qatar by air and sea -- could be counterproductive. "The blockade is hindering US military actions in the region and the campaign against ISIS," Tillerson warned. Previously, US officers had denied the blockade was a problem, but Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the "evolving situation is hindering our ability to plan for longer-term military operations." Families separated But Tillerson also noted that other countries must do more -- and he urged Riyadh and its allies to soften their embargo. "There are humanitarian consequences to this blockade. We are seeing shortages of food. Families are being forcibly separated and children pulled out of school," he said. "We believe these are unintended consequences, especially during this holy month of Ramadan. But they can be addressed immediately." Tillerson said he had spoken to many leaders in the Gulf region in recent days and supported efforts by the emir of Kuwait to resolve the stand-off. The tough US line was a rebuff for Qatar's efforts to reach out for support from abroad. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to Tillerson and was due in Moscow on Saturday. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain released a joint statement listing 59 entities and individuals, including members of Qatar's royal family as involved in "terrorist" activities. Also named were Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Qatari-funded charities. A statement said the list shows that Qatar "announces fighting terrorism on one hand and finances and supports and hosts different terrorist organizations on the other hand." The Qatari government said the list "once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact" and boasted: "We lead the region in attacking the roots of terrorism." Meanwhile, the crisis is drawing in more countries. Turkey's parliament has approved deploying troops to a base in Qatar and Iran has offered to send food. Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, is expected in Turkey on Saturday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The moves taken against Doha include banning Qatar Airways from airspace and closing Qatar's only land border with Saudi Arabia. The Arab states have also ordered Qataris out within 14 days. Analysts say the crisis is partly an extension of a 2014 dispute, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain temporarily recalled their ambassadors over Qatari support for Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. Doha has for years forged its own alliances in the region, often diverging from GCC policies and taking in leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian Hamas and members of the Afghan Taliban.

Trump rebukes Qatar as Gulf stand-off escalates

The United States is not ruling out a direct dialogue with North Korea on its nuclear program, secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in an interview with National Public Radio.

&quot;Obviously, that would be the way we would like to solve this,&quot; he said, according to the transcript published Friday, when asked whether Washington seeks talks with Pyongyang.

&quot;But North Korea has to decide they&#39;re ready to talk to us about the right agenda -- and the right agenda is not simply stopping where they are for a few more months or a few more years and then resuming things.

Later,&nbsp;Rex Tillerson speaking at the UN Security Council said the threat of an attack by Pyongyang against Japan and South Korea is real and urged the UN&nbsp;Security Council to act &quot;before North Korea does.&quot;

In remarks to the UN&nbsp;Security Council, Tillerson called on the international community to fully implement UN&nbsp;sanctions and to suspend or downgrade diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.

&quot;With each successive detonation and missile test North Korea pushes northeast Asia and the world closer to instability and broader conflict,&quot; Tillerson told the 15-member council. &quot;The threat of a North Korean attack on Seoul or Tokyo is real.&quot;

Meanwhile, Russia warned that mounting rhetoric and &quot;reckless muscle-flexing&quot; over North Korea could lead to missteps that would have &quot;frightening consequences.&quot;

In comments apparently directed at the United States and Pyongyang, Russian deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov told the UN Security Council the &quot;rhetoric coupled with reckless muscle-flexing has led to a situation where the whole world is seriously wondering whether there is going to be a war or not.&quot;

Gennady Gatilov told the Security Council that China&#39;s proposals to re-start talks with North Korea should be seriously examined and that sanctions alone would not work.

North Korea &quot;is conducting itself in an inappropriate way,&quot; Gatilov told the UN.&nbsp;&quot;At the same time, the option&nbsp;of using force are completely unacceptable and could lead to catastrophic consequences.&quot;

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had called on North Korea and other countries to avoid behaviour or rhetoric that could increase tensions around Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear programme.

&quot;In my opinion, and in the opinion of the prime minister, the situation on the Korean peninsula has unfortunately got a lot worse,&quot; said Putin.

&quot;We call on all governments involved in regional matters to refrain from using belligerent rhetoric and to strive for peaceful constructive dialogue,&quot;

Abe told the same news conference that he wanted Pyongyang to refrain from taking any actions that could be perceived as provocative by other countries.

(WION with agency inputs)

US foreign secretary Rex Tillerson speaking at the UN Security Council said the threat of an attack by Pyongyang against Japan and South Korea is real.

The United States is not ruling out a direct dialogue with North Korea on its nuclear program, secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in an interview with National Public Radio. "Obviously, that would be the way we would like to solve this," he said, according to the transcript published Friday, when asked whether Washington seeks talks with Pyongyang. "But North Korea has to decide they're ready to talk to us about the right agenda -- and the right agenda is not simply stopping where they are for a few more months or a few more years and then resuming things. Later, Rex Tillerson speaking at the UN Security Council said the threat of an attack by Pyongyang against Japan and South Korea is real and urged the UN Security Council to act "before North Korea does." In remarks to the UN Security Council, Tillerson called on the international community to fully implement UN sanctions and to suspend or downgrade diplomatic relations with Pyongyang. "With each successive detonation and missile test North Korea pushes northeast Asia and the world closer to instability and broader conflict," Tillerson told the 15-member council. "The threat of a North Korean attack on Seoul or Tokyo is real." Meanwhile, Russia warned that mounting rhetoric and "reckless muscle-flexing" over North Korea could lead to missteps that would have "frightening consequences." In comments apparently directed at the United States and Pyongyang, Russian deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov told the UN Security Council the "rhetoric coupled with reckless muscle-flexing has led to a situation where the whole world is seriously wondering whether there is going to be a war or not." Gennady Gatilov told the Security Council that China's proposals to re-start talks with North Korea should be seriously examined and that sanctions alone would not work. North Korea "is conducting itself in an inappropriate way," Gatilov told the UN. "At the same time, the option of using force are completely unacceptable and could lead to catastrophic consequences." On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had called on North Korea and other countries to avoid behaviour or rhetoric that could increase tensions around Pyongyang's nuclear programme. "In my opinion, and in the opinion of the prime minister, the situation on the Korean peninsula has unfortunately got a lot worse," said Putin. "We call on all governments involved in regional matters to refrain from using belligerent rhetoric and to strive for peaceful constructive dialogue," Abe told the same news conference that he wanted Pyongyang to refrain from taking any actions that could be perceived as provocative by other countries. (WION with agency inputs)

Reckless muscle-flexing could lead to frightening consequences over North Korea, warns Russia

Nuclear-armed North Korea on Tuesday marked a military anniversary with a massive conventional firing drill, Seoul said, as a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea amid tensions over Pyongyang&#39;s weapons ambitions.

Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark 85 years since the founding of its army.

But no such event -- which usually happens in the morning -- had taken place by the evening, and instead Seoul&#39;s defence ministry said Pyongyang was conducting a &quot;massive fire drill&quot; in the eastern port city of Wonsan.

The South&#39;s Yonhap news agency cited a government source as saying the exercise was the North&#39;s &quot;largest ever&quot; and was presumed to have been overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un.

Washington has sent the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula, where it is expected to arrive -- after a derision-provoking delay -- later this week.

Confusion had clouded the carrier&#39;s whereabouts earlier this month after US officials indicated it was sailing towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south.

The vessel will take part in joint naval drills with the South&#39;s forces to &quot;demonstrate Seoul and Washington&#39;s strong determination to punish North Korean provocations&quot;, the South Korean Navy said in a statement.

They will take place in the East Sea, the South&#39;s name for the Sea of Japan, it said, and the two allies will also begin joint naval exercises in the West Sea -- what it calls the Yellow Sea -- on Tuesday &quot;in relation to the current security situation&quot;.

The nuclear-powered US submarine USS Michigan also made a port call at Busan in the South on Tuesday in another show of force, while US navy destroyers carried out separate joint exercises with Japanese and South Korean vessels.

President Donald Trump has said the US was sending an &quot;armada&quot; to the Korean peninsula, including submarines.

According to the US Navy&#39;s Submarine Force Pacific website, the USS Michigan carries more than 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles.

They are capable of precision strikes against the North&#39;s nuclear facilities, but the South Korean Navy called the visit &quot;routine&quot; and said the submarine would not take part in any joint exercises.

&nbsp;

&#39;Brutal punishment&#39;

North Korea has ambitions to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the US mainland. Tensions have soared in recent months as it carried out a string of missile tests that sparked tit-for-tat sabre-rattling between it and Washington.

Pyongyang&#39;s rhetoric always intensifies in the spring, when Seoul and Washington hold joint military drills which it sees as rehearsals for an invasion.

The North&#39;s Rodong Sinmun -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers&#39; Party of Korea -- warned Tuesday of dire consequences in the event of a US-led pre-emptive strike.

It promised &quot;the most brutal punishment... in the sky and land as well as at sea and from underwater without any warning or prior notice&quot;.

North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that &quot;all options are on the table&quot; against Pyongyang, including military action.

Trump on Monday urged UN Security Council ambassadors to consider stronger sanctions against Pyongyang, and US senators will be briefed on North Korea at the White House on Wednesday.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to chair a ministerial-level Security Council meeting on the North on Friday.

The North says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against invasion. A spokesman for its foreign ministry on Tuesday claimed the meetings -- coupled with Trump&#39;s fresh policy of &quot;maximum pressure and engagement&quot; on Pyongyang -- showed the threat it faced from the US.

&quot;They are explicitly advocating pressure on us, which is as dangerous as lighting the fuse on an all-out war,&quot; he said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency.

Top nuclear envoys from Japan, South Korea and the United States met Tuesday in Tokyo and vowed &quot;stern action&quot; against any fresh North Korean provocations.

US special representative Joseph Yun said he discussed American policy to &quot;enhance pressure&quot; on Pyongyang &quot;because we really do not believe that North Korea is ready to engage us towards denuclearisation&quot;.

The trio also agreed that China and Russia should play a bigger role in reining in the North, said Kim Hong-Kyun, South Korea&#39;s chief envoy on the issue.

&quot;Cooperation with China and Russia is the most important for effective pressure on North Korea,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

A government source said the exercise was the North's 'largest ever' and presumably was watched by Kim Jung Un

Nuclear-armed North Korea on Tuesday marked a military anniversary with a massive conventional firing drill, Seoul said, as a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea amid tensions over Pyongyang's weapons ambitions. Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark 85 years since the founding of its army. But no such event -- which usually happens in the morning -- had taken place by the evening, and instead Seoul's defence ministry said Pyongyang was conducting a "massive fire drill" in the eastern port city of Wonsan. The South's Yonhap news agency cited a government source as saying the exercise was the North's "largest ever" and was presumed to have been overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un. Washington has sent the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula, where it is expected to arrive -- after a derision-provoking delay -- later this week. Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts earlier this month after US officials indicated it was sailing towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south. The vessel will take part in joint naval drills with the South's forces to "demonstrate Seoul and Washington's strong determination to punish North Korean provocations", the South Korean Navy said in a statement. They will take place in the East Sea, the South's name for the Sea of Japan, it said, and the two allies will also begin joint naval exercises in the West Sea -- what it calls the Yellow Sea -- on Tuesday "in relation to the current security situation". The nuclear-powered US submarine USS Michigan also made a port call at Busan in the South on Tuesday in another show of force, while US navy destroyers carried out separate joint exercises with Japanese and South Korean vessels. President Donald Trump has said the US was sending an "armada" to the Korean peninsula, including submarines. According to the US Navy's Submarine Force Pacific website, the USS Michigan carries more than 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles. They are capable of precision strikes against the North's nuclear facilities, but the South Korean Navy called the visit "routine" and said the submarine would not take part in any joint exercises. 'Brutal punishment' North Korea has ambitions to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the US mainland. Tensions have soared in recent months as it carried out a string of missile tests that sparked tit-for-tat sabre-rattling between it and Washington. Pyongyang's rhetoric always intensifies in the spring, when Seoul and Washington hold joint military drills which it sees as rehearsals for an invasion. The North's Rodong Sinmun -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea -- warned Tuesday of dire consequences in the event of a US-led pre-emptive strike. It promised "the most brutal punishment... in the sky and land as well as at sea and from underwater without any warning or prior notice". North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that "all options are on the table" against Pyongyang, including military action. Trump on Monday urged UN Security Council ambassadors to consider stronger sanctions against Pyongyang, and US senators will be briefed on North Korea at the White House on Wednesday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to chair a ministerial-level Security Council meeting on the North on Friday. The North says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against invasion. A spokesman for its foreign ministry on Tuesday claimed the meetings -- coupled with Trump's fresh policy of "maximum pressure and engagement" on Pyongyang -- showed the threat it faced from the US. "They are explicitly advocating pressure on us, which is as dangerous as lighting the fuse on an all-out war," he said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency. Top nuclear envoys from Japan, South Korea and the United States met Tuesday in Tokyo and vowed "stern action" against any fresh North Korean provocations. US special representative Joseph Yun said he discussed American policy to "enhance pressure" on Pyongyang "because we really do not believe that North Korea is ready to engage us towards denuclearisation". The trio also agreed that China and Russia should play a bigger role in reining in the North, said Kim Hong-Kyun, South Korea's chief envoy on the issue. "Cooperation with China and Russia is the most important for effective pressure on North Korea," he said. (AFP)

North Korea marks military anniversary with firing drill

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday accused Iran of &#39;alarming ongoing provocations&#39; to destabilise countries in the Middle East as the Trump administration launched a review of its policy towards Tehran.

Tillerson told reporters the review, which he announced on Tuesday, would not only look at Tehran&#39;s compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal but also its behaviour in the region which he said undermined US interests in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.

His tough words matched those of US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who said in a visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that Iran&#39;s destabilising influence would have to be overcome to end the conflict in Yemen.

President Donald Trump ordered the review to evaluate whether suspension of sanctions related to the nuclear deal was &quot;vital to the national security interests of the United States,&quot; Tillerson said

Though there was no sign the Trump administration intended to walk away from the deal, Tillerson twice cautioned that if left unchecked Tehran could become a threat like North Korea, which is also under pressure over its nuclear ambitions.

In a letter to US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan released late on Tuesday, Tillerson declared that Iran was meeting its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal but there were concerns about Tehran&#39;s role as a state sponsor of terrorism.

&quot;A comprehensive Iran policy requires we address all of the threats posed by Iran and it is clear there are many,&quot; Tillerson told reporters at the State Department.

Tillerson said the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers failed &quot;to achieve the objective of a non-nuclear Iran and only delays their goal of becoming a nuclear state.&quot;

Failed approach

Iran has yet to comment on the Trump administration&#39;s review, but Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned in November that Tehran would retaliate if the United States breached the nuclear agreement.

Tillerson said one of the mistakes in the way the agreement was put together was that it ignored all the other serious threats Iran posed outside of its nuclear programme.

&quot;That is why we have to look at Iran in a very comprehensive way in terms of the threat it poses in all areas of the region and the world,&quot; he added.

&quot;This deal represents the same failed approach of the past that brought us to the current imminent threat we face from North Korea,&quot; Tillerson said of the nuclear deal.

The nuclear agreement, negotiated during Barack Obama&#39;s presidency, placed limitations on Iran&#39;s nuclear programme in exchange for lifting economic sanctions against Iran.

Tillerson&#39;s notice to Congress was part of a 90-day process in which the president has to certify that Iran is complying with the nuclear accord. It is the first update under the Trump administration.

The next test of Trump&#39;s attitude towards the nuclear deal will be in May when he must decide whether to extend sanctions waivers for Iran first signed by President Barack Obama.

During his presidential campaign, Trump called the agreement &quot;the worst deal ever negotiated&quot; and said he would review it once he reached office.

The European Union&#39;s foreign policy chief, Frederica Mogherini, said last month after meetings with senior Trump administration officials she was reassured in the talks that the US&nbsp;was committed to fully implementing the deal.

(Reuters)

Tillerson said that the review will not only look at Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal but also at its behaviour in the region

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday accused Iran of 'alarming ongoing provocations' to destabilise countries in the Middle East as the Trump administration launched a review of its policy towards Tehran. Tillerson told reporters the review, which he announced on Tuesday, would not only look at Tehran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal but also its behaviour in the region which he said undermined US interests in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. His tough words matched those of US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who said in a visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that Iran's destabilising influence would have to be overcome to end the conflict in Yemen. President Donald Trump ordered the review to evaluate whether suspension of sanctions related to the nuclear deal was "vital to the national security interests of the United States," Tillerson said Though there was no sign the Trump administration intended to walk away from the deal, Tillerson twice cautioned that if left unchecked Tehran could become a threat like North Korea, which is also under pressure over its nuclear ambitions. In a letter to US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan released late on Tuesday, Tillerson declared that Iran was meeting its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal but there were concerns about Tehran's role as a state sponsor of terrorism. "A comprehensive Iran policy requires we address all of the threats posed by Iran and it is clear there are many," Tillerson told reporters at the State Department. Tillerson said the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers failed "to achieve the objective of a non-nuclear Iran and only delays their goal of becoming a nuclear state." Failed approach Iran has yet to comment on the Trump administration's review, but Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned in November that Tehran would retaliate if the United States breached the nuclear agreement. Tillerson said one of the mistakes in the way the agreement was put together was that it ignored all the other serious threats Iran posed outside of its nuclear programme. "That is why we have to look at Iran in a very comprehensive way in terms of the threat it poses in all areas of the region and the world," he added. "This deal represents the same failed approach of the past that brought us to the current imminent threat we face from North Korea," Tillerson said of the nuclear deal. The nuclear agreement, negotiated during Barack Obama's presidency, placed limitations on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting economic sanctions against Iran. Tillerson's notice to Congress was part of a 90-day process in which the president has to certify that Iran is complying with the nuclear accord. It is the first update under the Trump administration. The next test of Trump's attitude towards the nuclear deal will be in May when he must decide whether to extend sanctions waivers for Iran first signed by President Barack Obama. During his presidential campaign, Trump called the agreement "the worst deal ever negotiated" and said he would review it once he reached office. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Frederica Mogherini, said last month after meetings with senior Trump administration officials she was reassured in the talks that the US was committed to fully implementing the deal. (Reuters)

Tillerson accuses Iran of 'alarming provocations' amid review of nuclear deal

Iran is &quot;not living up to the spirit&quot; of the nuclear deal struck with world powers in 2015, US President Donald Trump said Thursday, warning America would set out its position on that soon.

Trump`s administration has been publicly tightening the noose on Iran over the deal, which was negotiated by the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany to roll back Tehran`s nuclear program in return for the easing of sanctions.

&quot;It was a terrible agreement,&quot; said Trump, who has regularly blamed his predecessor Barack Obama for securing it. &quot;That was a bad one, as bad as I`ve ever seen negotiated.&quot;

&quot;Iran has not lived up to the spirit of the agreement, and they have to do that,&quot; Trump said in a joint news conference in the White House with Italy`s visiting Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

&quot;We`re analyzing it very, very carefully and will have something to say about it in the not-too-distant future.&quot;

Trump on Tuesday ordered a review of the deal led by his National Security Council, which will decide whether suspending sanctions &quot;is vital to the national security interests of the United States.&quot;

Although the State Department admits Iran has so far stuck to its side of the bargain, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday called the pact a failure and warned Iran risked becoming another North Korea: a hostile, nuclear-armed state.

He said Iran is &quot;the world`s leading state sponsor of terrorism&quot; and highlighted its military support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Huthi rebels in Yemen and militias in Iraq and in Lebanon.

&quot;Iran`s provocative actions threaten the United States, the region, and the world,&quot; Tillerson said.

On Thursday, the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, called Iran the &quot;chief culprit&quot; in Middle East conflicts and urged the UN Security Council to make handling the country a &quot;priority.&quot;

Iran`s ambassador to the UN, Gholamali Khoshroo, hit back by accusing the United States of waging a &quot;misleading propaganda campaign&quot; against his country.

Tehran has given no indication of wanting to ditch the deal.&nbsp;

But Iranians in their day-to-day lives have not seen as much advantage from the eased sanctions as they had hoped.

Disappointment over their continued economic stagnation has created an opening for conservative candidates in May 19 elections who are opposed to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who helped oversee the nuclear deal`s conclusion.

(AFP)

'It was a terrible agreement,' said Trump, who has regularly blamed his predecessor Barack Obama for securing it

Iran is "not living up to the spirit" of the nuclear deal struck with world powers in 2015, US President Donald Trump said Thursday, warning America would set out its position on that soon. Trump`s administration has been publicly tightening the noose on Iran over the deal, which was negotiated by the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany to roll back Tehran`s nuclear program in return for the easing of sanctions. "It was a terrible agreement," said Trump, who has regularly blamed his predecessor Barack Obama for securing it. "That was a bad one, as bad as I`ve ever seen negotiated." "Iran has not lived up to the spirit of the agreement, and they have to do that," Trump said in a joint news conference in the White House with Italy`s visiting Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. "We`re analyzing it very, very carefully and will have something to say about it in the not-too-distant future." Trump on Tuesday ordered a review of the deal led by his National Security Council, which will decide whether suspending sanctions "is vital to the national security interests of the United States." Although the State Department admits Iran has so far stuck to its side of the bargain, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday called the pact a failure and warned Iran risked becoming another North Korea: a hostile, nuclear-armed state. He said Iran is "the world`s leading state sponsor of terrorism" and highlighted its military support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Huthi rebels in Yemen and militias in Iraq and in Lebanon. "Iran`s provocative actions threaten the United States, the region, and the world," Tillerson said. On Thursday, the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, called Iran the "chief culprit" in Middle East conflicts and urged the UN Security Council to make handling the country a "priority." Iran`s ambassador to the UN, Gholamali Khoshroo, hit back by accusing the United States of waging a "misleading propaganda campaign" against his country. Tehran has given no indication of wanting to ditch the deal. But Iranians in their day-to-day lives have not seen as much advantage from the eased sanctions as they had hoped. Disappointment over their continued economic stagnation has created an opening for conservative candidates in May 19 elections who are opposed to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who helped oversee the nuclear deal`s conclusion. (AFP)

Iran 'not living up to the spirit' of the nuclear deal: Trump

The US&nbsp;position on Syria remains a mystery to Moscow and Washington&#39;s rhetoric tends to be primitive and loutish, Russian news agencies quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Wednesday.

Ryabkov&#39;s remarks were released minutes before US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the highest level representative of the Trump administration to visit Russia, was due to start talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Reuters reports.

Ryabkov said that at the talks Russia expected to discuss no-fly zones in Syria, and that North Korea and Ukraine would also be on the agenda.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Lavrov&nbsp;on Wednesday that he wanted to use talks in Moscow to understand why Russia and Washington had sharp differences and find a way to bridge those differences.

&nbsp;

Ultimatums

Moscow said Wednesday, prior to the meeting, that it was useless to give Russia an ultimatum, in response to the United States&#39; top diplomat urging it to stop supporting the Syrian government regime. 
 
&quot;It seems to me that everyone has already understood that it is useless to travel to us with ultimatums, it is simply counterproductive,&quot; said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. 
 
It was uncertain whether Tillerson would be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as it was not part of the agenda but the Kremlin had not ruled out the possibility. 
 
Tillerson&#39;s Moscow visit made him the first senior American official to visit Russia since US President Donald Trump came to power. 
 
In a statement published on the Department of State&#39;s website, Tillerson suggested Russia choose between supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and an alliance with the West. 
 
&quot;Is that a long-term alliance that serves Russia&#39;s interest, or would Russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis?&quot; Tillerson said ahead of his trip to Moscow. 
 
Since a suspected chemical attack on April&nbsp;4 in the northern Syrian province of Idlib, the US has accused Russia of being morally responsible for the deaths of almost 100 Syrian civilians. 
 
The US last week launched air strikes on a regime airbase in response to the alleged chemical attack.

(Agencies)

Moscow said it was useless to give Russia an ultimatum between supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or allying with the West

The US position on Syria remains a mystery to Moscow and Washington's rhetoric tends to be primitive and loutish, Russian news agencies quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Wednesday. Ryabkov's remarks were released minutes before US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the highest level representative of the Trump administration to visit Russia, was due to start talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Reuters reports. Ryabkov said that at the talks Russia expected to discuss no-fly zones in Syria, and that North Korea and Ukraine would also be on the agenda. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Lavrov on Wednesday that he wanted to use talks in Moscow to understand why Russia and Washington had sharp differences and find a way to bridge those differences. Ultimatums Moscow said Wednesday, prior to the meeting, that it was useless to give Russia an ultimatum, in response to the United States' top diplomat urging it to stop supporting the Syrian government regime. "It seems to me that everyone has already understood that it is useless to travel to us with ultimatums, it is simply counterproductive," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. It was uncertain whether Tillerson would be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as it was not part of the agenda but the Kremlin had not ruled out the possibility. Tillerson's Moscow visit made him the first senior American official to visit Russia since US President Donald Trump came to power. In a statement published on the Department of State's website, Tillerson suggested Russia choose between supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and an alliance with the West. "Is that a long-term alliance that serves Russia's interest, or would Russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis?" Tillerson said ahead of his trip to Moscow. Since a suspected chemical attack on April 4 in the northern Syrian province of Idlib, the US has accused Russia of being morally responsible for the deaths of almost 100 Syrian civilians. The US last week launched air strikes on a regime airbase in response to the alleged chemical attack. (Agencies)

Moscow says US position on Syria remains a 'mystery', rhetoric tends to be 'primitive', 'loutish'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson battled to overcome differences with his Russian opposite number Wednesday, but they remained split over an alleged chemical attack in Syria after talks in Moscow.&nbsp;

&quot;Despite the quantity of existing problems... there are considerable prospects for joint work,&quot; Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference after talks with Tillerson and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

&quot;Russia is open to this, open to dialogue with the US in all different areas, not only to dialogue but to joint action aimed at results in the areas where this corresponds to the interests of both countries.&quot;

Tillerson, who met with Putin earlier Wednesday, deplored the &quot;low level of trust&quot; between the countries, whose relations have dropped to a post-Cold War low over Ukraine and Syria.

&quot;The world&#39;s two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship,&quot; Tillerson said.

Lavrov said both sides were set on leading an &quot;uncompromising fight against international terrorism&quot;.

He said Moscow was ready to resume a deal with Washington to avoid incidents in Syrian airspace as the two countries lead separate bombing campaigns.&nbsp;

&quot;Today the president confirmed our readiness to return to its implementation on the understanding that the original aims of the air forces of the American coalition are reaffirmed, namely the fight with IS and Al-Nusra,&quot; Lavrov said.

The deal was suspended after US strikes against a Syrian airbase following last week`s suspected chemical attack in Idlib province, in an act Moscow labelled &quot;aggression against a sovereign state&quot;.

Lavrov, however, said that the two sides still &quot;diverge&quot; over their evaluation of the alleged chemical attack, which Washington has blamed squarely on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under President Donald Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun and the retaliatory US strike against the forces Kremlin ally Assad.&nbsp;

Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.

(AFP)

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said there is 'low level of trust' between the two countries

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson battled to overcome differences with his Russian opposite number Wednesday, but they remained split over an alleged chemical attack in Syria after talks in Moscow. "Despite the quantity of existing problems... there are considerable prospects for joint work," Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference after talks with Tillerson and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Russia is open to this, open to dialogue with the US in all different areas, not only to dialogue but to joint action aimed at results in the areas where this corresponds to the interests of both countries." Tillerson, who met with Putin earlier Wednesday, deplored the "low level of trust" between the countries, whose relations have dropped to a post-Cold War low over Ukraine and Syria. "The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson said. Lavrov said both sides were set on leading an "uncompromising fight against international terrorism". He said Moscow was ready to resume a deal with Washington to avoid incidents in Syrian airspace as the two countries lead separate bombing campaigns. "Today the president confirmed our readiness to return to its implementation on the understanding that the original aims of the air forces of the American coalition are reaffirmed, namely the fight with IS and Al-Nusra," Lavrov said. The deal was suspended after US strikes against a Syrian airbase following last week`s suspected chemical attack in Idlib province, in an act Moscow labelled "aggression against a sovereign state". Lavrov, however, said that the two sides still "diverge" over their evaluation of the alleged chemical attack, which Washington has blamed squarely on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under President Donald Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun and the retaliatory US strike against the forces Kremlin ally Assad. Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office. (AFP)

US, Russia struggle to overcome rifts in Moscow

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