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GLOBSEC 2023 : Macron says Putin has jolted NATO awake at Bratislava summit

Mikey Peres
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GLOBSEC 2023 : Macron says Putin has jolted NATO awake at Bratislava summit

GLOBSEC 2023 : Macron says Putin has jolted NATO awake at Bratislava summit

Bratislava, SLOVAKIA – French President Emmanuel Macron said at the GLOBSEC 2023 security conference in the Slovakian capital on Wednesday that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had jolted NATO awake by invading Ukraine last year. Watch Macron’s speech in full above.

“I had a harsh word for NATO in December 2019,” Macron said at the GLOBSEC Bratislava Global Security Forum, recalling how he had called the Western defence alliance “brain dead” at the time. “I can say that today Vladimir Putin jolted it awake with the worst of electric shocks,” he added.

Stressing that Ukraine “is today protecting Europe”, Macron said it is in the West’s interest that Kyiv have security assurances from NATO.

“That is why I’m in favor, and this will be the subject of collective talks in the following weeks to offer tangible and credible security guarantees to Ukraine,” he added.

READ MORE : France’s Macron: Bezos Earth Fund pledged $1 billion to protect environment

He said various NATO members could provide these guarantees for the time being as Ukraine waits to join the alliance.

“We have to build something between the security provided to Israel and full-fledged membership,” Macron put it.

Macron say, No division between “Old Europe” and “New Europe”

Macron also said there should be no division between “Old Europe” and “New Europe”, referring to enduring divergences between western and eastern European Union members over matters such as Russia.

“Some said you had missed an opportunity to stay quiet. I think we also lost an opportunity to listen to you. This time is over,” Macron said to applause in the audience.

He was alluding to a remark in 2003 by then-French president Jacques Chirac, who said eastern European nations who sided with the US and the UK in their decision to invade Iraq that year – opposed by France and Germany – had missed a “good opportunity to stay quiet”.

Cautious France

France has been more cautious than the UK when it comes to pushing the envelope on the kind of weapons sent to Ukraine. However, France is Ukraine’s fourth-biggest aid donor – including financial backing and humanitarian assistance as well as weapons donations – behind the US, Germany and the UK.

Macron’s speech in Bratislava marked a “sharp rhetoric shift” from his stance at the outset of the Ukraine war, said FRANCE 24 international affairs commentator Douglas Herbert. “Macron was [talking to] a very skeptical audience; an audience that had doubts really about his commitment to their defense,” Herbert continued. “And he came out all trumpets blearing; very much hardline against Russia.”

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)

World No Tobacco Day – 31 May 2023 : Date & History, Campaign

Diplomat Times
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World No Tobacco Day – 31 May 2023 : Date & History, Campaign

World No Tobacco Day – 31 May 2023 : Date & History

New Delhi – World No Tobacco Day is an annual event celebrated on May 31 to draw global attention and to make the public aware on the dangers of using tobacco. It also aims to educate people around the world about their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

It was created by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987.

Currently, tobacco is grown in over 125 countries as a cash crop, over an estimated area of 4 million hectares (ha), which is an area larger than the country of Rwanda. The harmful effects of the cultivation on the environment are particularly apparent in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

World No Tobacco Day 2023 will serve as an opportunity to mobilize governments and policymakers to support farmers to switch to sustainable crops through creating market ecosystems for alternative crops and encourage at least 10 000 farmers globally to commit to shifting away from tobacco growing.

World No-Tobacco Day 2023: History

In 1987, the WHO Member States established World No Tobacco Day with the aim of raising international awareness about the widespread tobacco epidemic and the avoidable suffering and loss of life it causes. To make it as a global campaign, The World Health Assembly adopted Resolution WHA40.38 in 1987, designating April 7, 1988 as the inaugural “World No Smoking Day.” Recognizing the significance of this initiative, Resolution WHA42.19 was subsequently passed in 1988, urging the annual observance of World No Tobacco Day on 31 May each year.

Campaign objectives

1.Mobilize governments to end subsidies on tobacco growing and use of savings for crop   substitution programmers that support farmers to switch and improve food security and     nutrition.
2.Raise awareness in tobacco farming communities about the benefits of moving away         from tobacco and growing sustainable crops;
3.Support efforts to combat desertification and environmental degradation by decreasing       tobacco farming;
4.Expose industry efforts to obstruct sustainable livelihoods work.
5.The key measure of campaign success would be the number of governments that pledge     to end subsidies on tobacco growing.

Focused on growing sustainable food crops instead of tobacco

A global food crisis is growing fueled by conflict, climate change, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine driving rising prices of food, fuel and fertilizer. Tobacco growing and production lead to long term, global ecological harms and climate change, and plays a crucial role in determining the future of agriculture and food security. WHO today announces the 2023 global campaign for World No Tobacco Day.

Tobacco Farmers Livelihoods

“The tobacco industry is using the farmers livelihoods by creating front groups to lobby against policy changes aimed at reducing demand for tobacco,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion, “We need to protect the health and well-being of farmers and their families, not only from the harms of tobacco growing but also from the exploitation of their livelihoods by the tobacco industry.”

Farmers are often under contractual arrangements with the tobacco industry and are trapped in a vicious circle of debt. In most countries, the tobacco industry provides farmers seeds and other materials needed to grow tobacco and then later removes the costs from the earnings, which makes moving away from tobacco very difficult from a farmer’s perspective. But the tobacco industry often fails to give farmers a fair price for their product and, farmers often fail to pay back the loan in full.

READ MORE : North Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June

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North Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June

Um Kwang Ho
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North Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June

North Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June

SEOUL, (Reuters) – North Korea will launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in June for monitoring U.S. military activities, state media KCNA reported on Tuesday.

In a statement carried by the KCNA news agency, Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party, denounced joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea as openly showing their “reckless ambition for aggression.”

A North Korean government official said that the country intends to launch a “military reconnaissance satellite” in June, the country’s state media reported Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang notified Tokyo of its plan.

Ri Pyong Chol, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, said in a statement dated Monday that the satellite launch is “indispensable” to beef up preparedness against “the dangerous military acts of the U.S. and its vassal forces,” according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Japan, the United States and South Korea have said a satellite launch using ballistic missile technology would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The statement came after North Korea notified the Japanese government on Monday that it is planning to launch a “satellite” between Wednesday and June 11.

READ MORE : South Korea, US troops hold large live-fire drills near border with North Korea

U.S. and South Korean forces have carried out various training exercises in recent months, including what they said were the biggest joint live-fire exercises last week, after many drills were scaled back amid COVID-19 restrictions and hopes for diplomatic efforts with North Korea.

North Korea’s Ri said the drills required Pyongyang to have the “means capable of gathering information about the military acts of the enemy in real time.”

“We will comprehensively consider the present and future threats and put into more thoroughgoing practice the activities for strengthening all-inclusive and practical war deterrents,” Ri said in the statement.

Disclaimer: Some content auto generated from the REUTERS. And KYODO NEWS
Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

French Open: Novak Djokovic brushes past Aleksandar Kovacevic in opener

Shasi Kumar
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French Open: Novak Djokovic brushes past Aleksandar Kovacevic in opener

French Open: Novak Djokovic brushes past Aleksandar Kovacevic in opener

Paris, France, (ATP) – Novak Djokovic made an imperious start to his bid for a record 23rd major crown on Monday at Roland Garros, where the Serbian dispatched Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Kovacevic made a confident start to his Grand Slam main draw debut, but he was unable to hold his illustrious opponent back after Djokovic claimed the first break of the match in the sixth game. Despite a third-set turnaround in which the American rallied from 3-5 to force a tie-break, Djokovic held firm to complete a first-round win in which he converted five of his 12 break points and struck 41 winners to Kovacevic’s 25.

“I think I played really well and held things under control for two-and-a-half sets and then lost my serve and things got a little bit on a wrong side for me,” said Djokovic in his post-match press conference. “But, you know, I managed to hold my nerves and played pretty much a perfect tie-break.

“So overall [I am] pleased and content with my level. I can always play better, I know I can do it, but also considering the conditions, they were quite tricky today with a lot of wind. It was a good match.”

Two-time champion Djokovic will now take on Marton Fucsovics next in Paris.

Kovacevic had a solid start to his Grand Slam main draw debut, but he was unable to fend off his legendary opponent after Djokovic broke in the sixth game. Despite a third-set rally by the American to force a tie-break, Djokovic held firm to secure a first-round triumph in which he converted five of his 12 break opportunities and hit 41 winners to Kovacevic’s 25.

The World No. 114 in the world Kovacevic, who idolised Djokovic as a youngster and posed for a selfie with him at the 2005 US Open as a seven-year-old, had glimpses of his highest level during the two-hour, 26-minute match. However, he was unable to match Djokovic’s consistency from the baseline and had no response to the third seed’s razor-sharp return.

Despite an uncommon dip in the third set from Djokovic, the World No. 3 generally maintained a high level throughout his triumph. He hit solid groundstrokes from both wings and won 82% (37/45) of points off his first serve throughout the match.

READ MORE : Rolling with Jokic-Murray combo, Nuggets prepare for Western Conference finals

A two-time Roland Garros champion, Djokovic can move ahead of Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam titles race with his second major triumph of the season in Paris (he also triumphed at January’s Australian Open). His next challenge in the French capital is a second-round clash with World No. 83 Marton Fucsovics.

A third victory in Paris would also secure a return to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for Djokovic, who was usurped from top spot by Carlos Alcaraz three weeks ago. The 36-year-old now has 86 match wins at Roland Garros, second only to Nadal’s 112.

Who is Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic born 22 May 1987 is a Serbian professional tennis player. He is currently ranked world No. 3 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Djokovic has been ranked world No. 1 for a record total 387 weeks in a record 12 different years, and finished as the year-end No. 1 a record seven times. He has won a joint-record 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles. Overall, he has won 93 singles titles, including a record 66 Big Titles, which compromises his 22 majors, a record 38 Masters titles and a joint-record 6 Year-end championships. Djokovic has completed a non-calendar year Grand Slam in singles, becoming the only man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of the four majors at once on three different surfaces. He is also the first man in the Open Era to achieve a double Career Grand Slam in singles by winning all four majors at least twice and the only player to complete the career Golden Masters in singles by winning all nine ATP Masters tournaments, a feat he achieved twice.

Djokovic began his professional career in 2003. At age 20, he disrupted Federer and Nadal’s streak of 11 consecutive majors to win his first major title at the 2008 Australian Open. By 2010, Djokovic separated himself from the rest of the field and, as a result, the trio of Federer, Nadal and him was referred to as the ‘Big Three’ among fans and commentators. In 2011, Djokovic ascended to No. 1 for the first time, winning three majors and a then-record five Masters titles, going 10–1 against Nadal and Federer along the way. He remained the most successful player in men’s tennis for the rest of the decade. In 2015, Djokovic had his most successful season, reaching 15 consecutive finals, winning a season-record 10 Big Titles and beating a record 31 top-10 players along the way. His dominant run extended through to the 2016 French Open, where he completed a non-calendar year Grand Slam and his first career Grand Slam, becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four majors simultaneously and setting a rankings points record of 16,950. In 2017, Djokovic suffered from an elbow injury which kept him struggling on court for a year, more or less, but after losing in the 2018 Australian Open, he decided to undergo surgery which helped him to get back to winning ways by the 2018 Wimbledon where he won the title while ranked No. 22 in the world. Djokovic continued being a dominant force on tour since then, winning 10 major titles and completing his second career Grand Slam by the 2021 French Open.

Djokovic was forced to skip many tournaments in 2022, due to his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine, notably the Australian Open and the US Open, major events he was the favorite to win. Djokovic accepted the consequences of his choice and stated that it was a price he would be willing to pay as he believes that the principles of decision making on his body are more important than any title or anything else. One year after his Australian visa controversy, Djokovic made a successful comeback to Melbourne, reclaiming the 2023 Australian Open trophy for a record-equaling 22 major titles.

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the ATP. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

Spanish prime minister calls early general election after battering in regional vote

Marietta Reformado
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Spanish prime minister calls early general election after battering in regional vote

Spanish prime minister calls early general election after battering in regional vote

MADRID (AP) —Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called an early general election for July 23 in a surprise move after his Socialist party took a serious battering in local and regional elections.

Prior to Sunday’s debacle, Sánchez had insisted that he would ride out his four-year term with leftist government coalition partner United We Can, indicating that a election would be held in December.

But the outcome of the local and regional votes quickly changed things.

“I have taken this decision given the results of the elections held yesterday,” Sánchez said Monday from the Moncloa presidential palace.

The woes for Sánchez and his PSOE party come as Spain is due to take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on July 1.

READ MORE : Two dead, eight wounded in Russian attack in Donetsk region – governor

Sánchez said he had spoken to King Felipe VI and would hold a special Cabinet meeting later Monday to dissolve parliament. The date chosen for the early election comes in the middle of Spain’s summer holiday period, with many people likely to be away from their voting areas.

The local and regional elections on Sunday saw Spain taking a major swing to the right and made the leading opposition conservative Popular Party, or PP, the main political force in the country.

“This is unexpected,” said Ignacio Jurado, a political scientist at Madrid’s Carlos III University. “Sánchez is trying to short circuit the PP’s rise as soon as possible.”

In the municipal vote, the Popular Party, or PP, won 31.5% of votes compared with 28.2% for the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, or PSOE. This was a 1.2 percentage point decrease for PSOE on 2019, but almost a nine point increase for the PP, which benefited from the collapse of the centrist Citizens party.

The PP, which is led by Alberto Nuñez Feijóo, won in seven of the 12 regions contested and dominated in several regions previously won by PSOE including Valencia, Aragon and La Rioja. It remains to be seen how much the PP will be forced to rely on far-right party Vox to form local and regional governments.

Feijóo said at a news conference on Monday that the results expressed “the desire for change that exists in our society.”

Vox, which is headed by Santiago Abascal, tripled its number of town councilors from the last municipal elections in 2019 after taking 7% of the vote on Sunday. The party’s support will be key if the PP wants to form governments in six of the regions it won.

Abascal called on Feijóo to join together to defeat Sánchez in July.

PP also won an absolute majority in the region and capital of Madrid, with Isabel Díaz Ayuso being reelected as Madrid’s regional president.

Spain’s regional governments have enormous power and budgetary discretion over education, health, housing and policing

Sánchez said that although the elections Sunday were local and regional, the trend in the vote sent a message.

“I take full responsibility for the results and I think it is necessary to provide an answer and put our democratic mandate to the people,” he said.

The poor showing by both by the Socialists and United We Can was immediately taken as a dire assessment of public feeling towards the ruling leftist coalition. The new leftist group Sumar, headed by Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, also failed to live up to expectations.

“Sánchez reacts to a shock with another shock,” Spanish political expert Sandra León said. “He also avoids deterioration of his party in two ways: the costs of internal division in the government until December and the division with PSOE party barons in the regions.”

She said the announcement will force the parties to the left of the Socialists — United We Can and Sumar — to regroup fast.

READ MORE : Kenya and Russia to sign trade pact, President Ruto says

Although the coalition government has shepherded Spain out of the COVID-19 pandemic, made the economy among the fastest growing in the EU and introduced several ground-breaking laws, something was sorely lacking.

“The message received last night was clear: Things have to be done differently,” Díaz tweeted.

Feijóo has capitalized on criticizing the coalition’s reliance to stay in power through support from separatist parties such as the Republican Left in Catalonia and the Basque region’s EH Bildu.

Sánchez has been in office since 2018, when he brought and won a no-confidence vote against the PP prime minister at the time, Mariano Rajoy. He then led the Socialists to a general election victory in 2019 before forming Spain’s first coalition government in four decades.

By CIARÁN GILES and JENNIFER O’MAHONY

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the AP NEWS. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

Two dead, eight wounded in Russian attack in Donetsk region – governor

Roshan Bilung
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Two dead, eight wounded in Russian attack in Donetsk region – governor

Two dead, eight wounded in Russian attack in Donetsk region – governor

KYIV,(Reuters) – Two people were killed and eight wounded in a Russian attack on the city of Toretsk in the eastern region of Donetsk on Monday, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Kyrylenko said Russia had used high-explosive aerial bombs in the attack at about 11:30 a.m. (0830 GMT), damaging a gas station and a multi-storey building in the small city which had a pre-war population of about 30,000 people.

Rescue services were working at the site, he said, urging remaining residents to evacuate.

READ MORE : Russia hits military facility in Ukraine in new wave of strikes

“Every day, the Russians purposefully hit civilians in the Donetsk region,” Kyrylenko said on the Telegram messaging app.

Russia has previously denied targeting civilians and has rejected allegations of war crimes in what it calls a “special military operation”.

The Donetsk region has seen some of the fiercest battles of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Reporting by Olena Harmash, Editing by Timothy Heritage

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the REUTERS. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

 

Kenya and Russia to sign trade pact, President Ruto says

Marietta Reformado
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Kenya and Russia to sign trade pact, President Ruto says

Kenya and Russia to sign trade pact, President Ruto says

NAIROBI, (Reuters) – Kenya will sign a trade pact with Russia aimed at boosting cooperation between businesses, President William Ruto’s office said on Monday, after hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Nairobi.

Russia has stepped up its drive to boost economic ties with Africa to help offset a big chill in relations with the West prompted by its invasion of Ukraine, and plans to hold an Africa-Russia summit in St Petersburg in July.

READ MORE : Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil output back at peak 200,000 bpd, ONGC says

Kenya’s presidency said in a statement that bilateral trade with Russia was still low despite the potential and the pact would give business the “necessary impetus”.

It did not say when the pact might be sealed or give details on what it might encompass. Russia currently sells mostly grain and fertilizers to Kenya.

On Ukraine, the statement reiterated Kenya’s support for respecting the territorial integrity of all countries, adding:

“Kenya calls for a resolution of the conflict in a manner respectful to the two parties.”

Russia says its invasion of Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, 2022, is aimed at protecting its own security against Ukraine’s pro-Western leadership.

Kyiv and its Western allies accuse Moscow of waging an unprovoked war of aggression. Western nations have slapped sweeping economic sanctions on Russia, prompting it to forge closer ties with China, India, African nations and others.

Lavrov has visited the African continent at least three times this year, while Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba travelled to countries including Ethiopia, Rwanda and Mozambique last week.

Kenya’s presidency said Lavrov was on his way to Cape Town for a June 1 meeting of foreign ministers of the BRICS group of emerging economies, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Writing by Bhargav Acharya Editing by Alexander Winning and Gareth Jones

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the REUTERS. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

 

Russia hits military facility in Ukraine in new wave of strikes

Shasi Kumar
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Russia hits military facility in Ukraine in new wave of strikes

Russia hits military facility in Ukraine in new wave of strikes

KYIV,(Reuters) – Russia said on Monday its military hit Ukrainian air bases in overnight strikes and Ukrainian forces shelled industrial facilities inside Russia as both sides sought the upper hand ahead of what Kyiv hopes will be a decisive counter-offensive.

In a rare acknowledgement of damage to a military “target”, Ukraine said that work was under way to restore a runway and that five aircraft were taken out of service in the western region of Khmelnitskiy, although it did not name the site or sites.

READ MORE : Biden to discuss about Ukraine with Brazil’s Lula, India’s Modi

A large military airfield was located in the region before the war.

“At the moment, work is continuing to contain fires in storage facilities for fuel and lubricants and munitions,” the Khmelnitskiy regional governor’s office said.

Russian state-owned news agency RIA cited the defense ministry as saying more than one air base had been hit, but there was no confirmation from Ukraine of damage to any other air bases.

The Ukrainian capital came under attack for the 16th time this month after a second successive night of bombardment. But officials said most of the drones and missiles fired overnight had been shot down and no targets were hit in the morning.

The attacks, which sent Kyiv residents running for shelter in metro stations, were part of a new wave of Russian air strikes this month as Ukraine, armed with new Western weapons, prepares a push to try to take back territory Russia has seized in the “special military operation” which it launched in February 2022.

“With these constant attacks, the enemy seeks to keep the civilian population in deep psychological tension,” said Serhiy Popko, the head of the city’s military administration.

Moscow said it invaded its neighbor to “denazify” the country and protect Russian speakers. Western opponents dismiss the invasion as an imperialist land grab in which tens of thousands have been killed, millions uprooted and whole cities reduced to ruins.

Russia has repeatedly said it is open to resuming peace talks with Kyiv, which stalled a few months after Russia invaded, and has welcomed mediation efforts from both Brazil and China.

A Ukrainian presidential aide said on Monday any post-war settlement should include a demilitarised zone of 100-120 km (62-75 miles) inside Russia along the border with Ukraine.

The zone would be necessary to protect Ukrainian regions from shelling, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

CROSS-BORDER SHELLING

Ukraine’s military said an attack on Odesa port had caused a fire and damaged infrastructure but did not specify whether the damage threatened grain exports.

The country is an important global grain supplier and the port is vital for shipping agricultural products abroad. It is also one of three included in a U.N.-brokered deal on the safe export of grain via the Black Sea.

Russia said on Monday that the Black Sea grain deal would no longer be operational unless a U.N. agreement with Moscow to overcome obstacles to Russian grain and fertiliser exports was fulfilled.

This month Moscow reluctantly agreed to extend the grain deal until July 17.

After months of attacks on energy facilities, Russia is now targeting military facilities and supplies to try to disrupt Ukraine’s preparations for its counterattack, Kyiv says.

Moscow says Ukraine has stepped up drone and sabotage attacks against targets inside Russia as it prepares for the offensive.

The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, said several frontier settlements were shelled simultaneously by Ukrainian forces on Monday. Two industrial facilities were hit in the town of Shebekino and four employees were wounded, Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine and Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports on the scale of the attacks on either side.

Ukraine said it had shot down 29 of 35 drones and 37 of 40 cruise missiles fired overnight by Russia, and the Kyiv military administration said its air defences had shot down more than 40 of the “targets” fired at it.

“Another difficult night for the capital,” mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.

The attack follows one the previous night – the largest drone barrage yet launched on Kyiv – in which one person was killed and several injured. In Sunday’s attack, 36 drones were downed over the city.

Additional reporting by Olena Harmash, Pavel Polityuk and Lidia Kelly; writing by Timothy Heritage, Philippa Fletcher and Nick Macfie; Editing by Hugh Lawson

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the REUTERS. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

 

Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil output back at peak 200,000 bpd, ONGC says

Diplomat Times
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Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil output back at peak 200,000 bpd, ONGC says

Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil output back at peak 200,000 bpd, ONGC says

MUMBAI(Reuters) – India’s state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC.NS) said oil output from the Sakhalin-1 project in Russia has bounced back to its plateau level of about 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) from zero, according to a company presentation.

ONGC hopes to reclaim its 20% stake in the project in coming months after some ‘terms and conditions’ are fulfilled, Rajarshi Gupta, managing director of ONGC Videsh, the overseas investment arm of ONGC, said at a news conference.

READ MORE : Explainer: What India’s decision to scrap its 2000-rupee note means for its economy

ONGC last year applied to the new Russian operator of Sakhalin-1 to retain its stake in the oil and gas project in the country’s Far East, a person familiar with the development said in November.

Gupta said ONGC Videsh is “not in a hurry” to repatriate its less than $100 million pending dividend from the Russian project and could consider reinvesting it in the project.

ONGC Videsh also has a 26% stake in Russia’s Vankorneft, a company that owns Vankor Field and the North Vankor license.

Gupta also said that ONGC Videsh along with other state-run companies are studying recent changes in the terms announced by Guyana for its latest exploration and licensing round for a participation.

Apart from Russia, there is also a dividend pending from ONGC’s stake in Venezuela’s San Cristobal project in the Orinoco heavy oil belt.

Gupta said ONGC is in talks with U.S. authorities to receive Venezuelan oil against its pending dividend. He did not elaborate on the amount that the Indian company is yet to receive form Venezuela.

Last year the Treasury gave Chevron Corp (CVX.N) a licence to expand operations in Venezuela and export crude to the United States.

ONGC, which has set a 2038 net zero goal, is hoping that gas output from its Mozambique project will start from 2026-27, Chairman A. K. Singh said.

The project, operated by TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), was initially set to deliver its first cargo in 2024.

Services group Saipem (SPMI.MI) said it was notified by Total to prepare for a restart in July.

Reporting by Nidhi Verma and Rajendra Jadhav; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Jason Neely

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the REUTERS. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

 

World leaders congratulate Erdogan on reelection victory in historic runoff

Shasi Kumar
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World leaders congratulate Erdogan on reelection victory in historic runoff

World leaders congratulate Erdogan on reelection victory in historic runoff

ISTANBUL, (France24)- Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin were among world leaders congratulating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after he won Sunday’s historic runoff election to extend his two-decade rule.

US President Biden said he hoped to work with Erdogan on “shared global challenges”.

“I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges,” Biden tweeted, making no mention of recent tensions in the bilateral relationship.

Putin: ‘logical result’
Russia’s President Putin, who has collaborated closely with Erdogan on key international issues despite some disagreements, told Turkey’s leader that his win was “the logical result of your dedicated work”.

“Your victory in these elections is the logical result of your dedicated work as head of the Turkish Republic, a clear evidence of the Turkish people’s support for your efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin website.

READ MORE : Turkey’s Erdogan triumphs in election test, extending 20-year rule

Von der Leyen: ‘strategic importance’
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission of the European Union, which Erdogan aspires for Turkey to join, said the bloc wanted to strengthen ties with the country.

“I congratulate (Erdogan) on winning the elections. I look forward to continue building the EU-Turkiye relationship,” she wrote on Twitter, using an alternate spelling for Turkey.

“It is of strategic importance for both the EU and Turkiye to work on advancing this relationship, for the benefit of our people.”

NATO Chief Stoltenberg: ‘continuing our work together’
Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the NATO military alliance, of which Turkey is a member, also sent congratulations.

“Congratulations President (Erdogan) on your re-election. I look forward to continuing our work together and preparing for the NATO Summit in July,” he tweeted.

Guterres: ‘strengthening the cooperation’
UN chief Antonio Guterres congratulated Erdogan on his re-election, the secretary-general’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Sunday.

“He looks forward to further strengthening the cooperation between Turkiye and the United Nations,” Dujarric added.

Macron: ‘immense challenges’
French leader Emmanuel Macron said the two nations had “immense challenges” to work on together.

Writing on Twitter, Macron said these included the “return of peace to Europe”.

“With President Erdogan, who I congratulate, we will continue to move forward,” he said.

Zelensky: ‘security and stability’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the win for Erdogan, who since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has positioned himself as a mediator in the conflict.

“We count on the further strengthening of the strategic partnership for the good of our countries, as well as the strengthening of cooperation for the security and stability of Europe,” Zelensky said in a post on Twitter, where he congratulated Erdogan on his victory.

Germany Chancellor Scholz: ‘fresh impetus’
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the countries as “close partners and allies” whose “people and economies are deeply intertwined”.

“Congratulations to President Erdogan—together we want to advance our common agenda with a fresh impetus,” Scholz wrote on Twitter.

Indian Prime Minister Modi

“Congratulations President Erdogan on re-election as the President of Türkiye! I am confident that our bilateral ties and cooperation on global issues will continue to grow in the coming times.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Erdogan in a phone call and invited him to Baku.

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wished Erdogan a “good term with a lot of work” for the Turkish people.

Lula wrote on Twitter that Erdogan can “count on Brazil’s partnership in global cooperation for peace, in the fight against poverty and for the development of the world”.

European Union

EU Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Erdogan on winning an election run-off on Sunday.

“Congratulations @RTErdogan for your reelection as President of Türkiye. I look forward to working with you again to deepen EU-TR relations in the years to come,” Michel said in a tweet.

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the AFP. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

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