Kiev has no money to pay off debts, financial crisis to follow - Ukraine's ex-minister

Ukraine’s new government is saying that it would try to do its best to stabilize the situation in the country. We have got in touch with Victor Suslov, once Ukraine’s Minister of Economy and now Ukraine’s representative in the Eurasian Economic Commission.
Ukraine’s new Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk says that now, Ukrainians would have to toughly economize for some time. Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine’s National Bank Stepan Kubiv has said that Ukraine has enough money to pay back its foreign debts.

Developments following the Swiss referendum on 9th February. -Statement by European Commissioner László Andor

On behalf of European Commission to European Parliament plenary session.
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President,

Honourable Members,

Let me say a few words on the recent developments following the Swiss referendum held on 9 February.

As you know, the Free Movement Agreement between the EU and Switzerland, confers on EU citizens and their family members a right to move to Switzerland, to reside there and carry out an economic activity as an employed or self-employed person (and of course the corresponding right of Swiss nationals in the EU).

UN chief calls on Ukrainians to find peaceful way forward amid current turmoil

24 February 2014 – Amid the rapidly unfolding events in Ukraine, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for an inclusive political process to enable the country to emerge from its current crisis, one which reflects the aspirations of its people and preserves its unity and territorial integrity.
“He reiterates his call for non-violence and urges all Ukrainians to express their differences peacefully and through dialogue, and to seek a durable solution through compromise,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

Schulz: deal offers hope to Ukraine, violence must stop

European Parliament President Martin Schulz made the following statement on an agreement to end the crisis in Ukraine:
"The deal between the government and the opposition in Ukraine offers hope that the country has avoided the worst: escalation of violence and more deaths. I welcome the agreement although the road to rebuilding trust and stability will not be easy.

Kerry, Abbas to meet for second day in Paris

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet on Thursday afternoon as part of Kerry's plan for a deal between Palestine and Israel.

The meeting comes after more than two hours of talks on Wednesday. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks resumed last year after a nearly three-year break.

U.S. officials say they are trying to forge a "framework for negotiations" as a first step.

France and Germany demand sanctions against Ukraine

PARIS. -French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded European Union's sanctions against Ukraine, following recent acts of violence in Kiev.
25 people, including nine police officers and one journalist, are reported dead in clashes between security forces and opposition groups in last two days in Kiev.
Hollande and Merkel held a joint press conference in Elysee Palace in Paris on Wednesday after the 16th France-Germany joint ministerial council.

UN rights chief calls for urgent action on ‘historic’ report on DPR Korea

18 February 2014 – There can no longer be any excuses for inaction regarding rights abuses in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said today, welcoming a UN-mandated report cataloguing crimes against humanity of an “unimaginable scale” being committed in the country.
“In January 2013, I urged the international community to put much more effort into tackling the human rights situation of people in DPRK. Two months later, the Commission of Inquiry was duly established by the Human Rights Council,” said Ms. Pillay in a press release.

The amnesty law is coming into force in Ukraine from February 17

The protesters have fulfilled a number of conditions necessary to give effect to this law...

KIEV, February 16, 23:12 /ITAR-TASS/. The amnesty law is coming into force in Ukraine from February 17 after the protesters in Kiev have fulfilled a number of conditions necessary to give effect to this law, the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said in a statement posted on its official website on Sunday.

The law exempts from criminal prosecution and punishment people accused of committing offences in the period from December 27, 2013 to February 2, 2014 during mass street protests.

Ban welcomes formation of new Government in Lebanon. -The United States welcomes Lebanon’s formation of a new government

15 February 2014 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed Saturday's announcement of the formation of a new Government in Lebanon, and congratulated Prime Minister Tamam Salam “on this important step”.
In a statement issued by his Spokesperson in New York, the UN chief encouraged Lebanon's political leaders to build on the constructive engagement which led to the formation of the new Government to ensure that the country's forthcoming presidential election is successfully conducted within the timeframe set by law.

UN human rights commissioner criticizes Turkey’s Internet law

The Office of the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has criticized Turkey for its controversial Internet law, saying it may lead to breaches of human rights.

A statement released by the OHCHR on Feb. 14 criticized the law, which was allowing Turkey’s telecommunications authority (TİB) to block websites without first seeking a court order. The law was adopted Feb. 6 by Parliament and is currently awaiting President Abdullah Gül’s approval. 

US trying to force in counterproductive resolution against Syria – Russian FM...

US peremptory claims about Syria being to blame for the aggravation of the humanitarian crisis and its assessment of Russia’s activities is clearly an attempt to create conditions for forcing in a counterproductive resolution, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Wednesday.

‘This is another attempt to misinform the international community and create a background for forcing in an unbalanced and counterproductive resolution through the UN Security Council,’ Lukashevich said answering the media questions in connection with US President Obama’s statements on Syrian issues made at a joint press-conference with French President Francois Hollande.

Renewed Syrian peace talks make little progress as concern rises for detained evacuees – UN

11 February 2014 – United Nations-sponsored talks between the Syrian Government and opposition that resumed yesterday are making scant progress in ending the “nightmare” of the civil war, the top mediator said today, calling for a quicker pace as officials voiced “deep concern” at the detention by the authorities of men and boys leaving a long besieged city.

“The beginning of this week is as laborious as it was in the first week [of the talks]…I’m urging everybody to speed up,” UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi told a news briefing in Geneva of the latest diplomatic push to end a war which has killed well over 100,000 people and driven nearly 9 million others from their homes since the conflict erupted between President Bashar al-Assad and various groups seeking his ouster nearly three years ago.

Rumänien: Geldstrafe für Präsident wegen "Roma-Sager"

Der Anti-Diskriminierungsrat fordert eine Geldstrafe von 130 Euro für eine wegen rassistischer Äußerung aus dem Jahr 2010.

Wegen diskriminierender Äußerungen über die Minderheit der Roma soll der rumänische Präsident Traian Basescu eine Geldstrafe von umgerechnet 130 Euro zahlen. Der nationale Anti-Diskriminierungsrat habe diese Strafe beschlossen, da Basescu schon mehrfach abfällige Bemerkungen über Roma gemacht habe, sagte Ratssprecher Istvan Haller am Montag der Nachrichtenagentur AFP in Bukarest.

Communiqué du ministère des Affaires étrangères concernant les résultats du référendum organisé en Suisse. -MAE Hellénique

MAE, Dimanche, 09 février 2014

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La Présidence hellénique du Conseil de l’Union européenne regrette les résultats du référendum intitulé « Contre l’immigration de masse », organisé en Suisse.

L’introduction de quotas à l’immigration des citoyens de l’UE est contraire au principe de la libre circulation des personnes, entre l’Union européenne et la Confédération helvétique, telle que décrite dans l’accord bilatéral en vigueur qui constitue un facteur clé du développement harmonieux de nos relations.

Aid convoy workers safely left Homs after being fired on - Red Crescent

A joint aid team of United Nations and Syrian Red Crescent workers safely left the Old City of Homs on Saturday after their convoy came under fire as they delivered humanitarian supplies, the Red Crescent said.

In a statement on Twitter, it said one truck driver suffered a minor injury and two damaged trucks had been left inside the Old City.

Four Red Cross employees injured as trucks enter besieged Syria areas ....

Manifestantes prenden fuego a Palacio presidencial de Bosnia

Un grupo de manifestantes en Bosnia, furiosos por la situación económica que atraviesa el país, prendieron fuego este viernes a la sede de la presidencia del país en Sarajevo durante una jornada de protestas realizadas en todo el país y en la que también se registraron más de 150 heridos.
La agencia oficial de noticias Fena detalló que las llamas alcanzaron el segundo piso del recinto, cercano al del gobierno regional, que ya había sido incendiado por la enardecida multitud de manifestantes.
Los manifestantes irrumpieron en el edificio, rompieron las ventanas y tiraron parte del mobiliario hacia la calle para posteriormente incendiar el lugar.

New UN airlift ships food from Iraq to 30,000 Syrians cut off on land by civil war

4 February 2014 – The United Nations today began a new airlift from Iraq to feed nearly 30,000 displaced people in a conflict-torn region of northeast Syria where road access has been cut off for over six months and no significant relief deliveries have arrived overland since last May.

The airlift comes as the UN World Food Programme (WFP) faces in Syria what is currently its most complex emergency globally, with challenges ranging from bureaucratic delays, insecurity on roads, the closure of major highways, and sieges imposed on civilians trapped in over 40 locations across the country due to the civil war.

Germany seeks bigger role on global issues

Following years of restraint in foreign policy, Germany seemed to be rethinking its role on international issues, as shown by remarks of its leaders and senior officials on Friday, the first day of the 50th Munich Security Conference.

"Are we doing what we can to stabilize our neighborhood in the east and in Africa? Are we doing what we should to counter the dangers of terrorism? What role do we want to play in crisis in distant parts of the world?" asked President Joachim Gauck at the opening of the three-day conference.

Addressing top decision-makers from around the world, the president said that despite domestic debates that more responsibilities would mean more trouble, Germany should do more to guarantee global security.