Significance of G7 Summit

 

The three-day G-7 summit kicked off on Friday in Hiroshima. This is the seventh time Japan is hosting the meeting, the last time being in 2016 in Ise-Shima, a scenic coastal site in Mie prefecture. Directly on the heels of that gathering, Barack Obama paid a visit to Hiroshima - the first time a sitting US President had done so - which somewhat overshadowed the summit itself. In Obama's famous 17-minute speech at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, he asked, "Why do we come to this place, to Hiroshima? We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in a not so distant past. ... That is why we come to Hiroshima, so that we might think of people we love - the first smile from our children in the morning; the gentle touch from a spouse over the kitchen table; the comforting embrace of a parent." Seven years on, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was elected from a Hiroshima district, stands at the center of the stage, welcoming the G-7 leaders. Chairing the summit in Hiroshima has been one of Kishida's top priorities since the beginning of his premiership. In an exclusive interview with Nikkei for this week's Big Story, he said, "It is crucial to invite world leaders and young people to the site of the atomic bombing and allow them to see the consequences of the destruction." Published just ahead of the summit, the story provides a comprehensive overview of Kishida's foreign policy agenda and explains what he hopes to achieve at the meeting, in his own words as well as those of diplomats and experts. This is a must-read for anyone seeking a more nuanced understanding of the summit.

 

 

Israel: Jerusalem Day Celebrations

Jerusalem Day commemorates the day Jerusalem was reunited in 1967, at the end of the Six Day War. This was a momentous event and signified a stunning victory over the armies of Syria, Egypt and Jordan. It also represented the return of Jewish prayer rights to the Western Wall, part of the retaining wall of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Under foreign occupation, Jews had been barred from their holiest sites in their holiest city, a crime that went largely unacknowledged at the time.

Jerusalem is a holy city and it ought to be a symbol of peace and coexistence in the region. This potential role for the city can be seen in such recent developments as the Abraham Accords and Israel’s rapidly developing ties with a vast range of countries, including Muslim-majority states like Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Unfortunately, there are those who would like to turn this important day into one of tension and strife. This is a recurring theme that begins in the lead-up to the day each year. As in years past, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has put out warnings and threats against the flag march that takes place every year. The terrorists claim, absurdly, that this is a “religious war” waged by Israel against the al-Aqsa Mosque. This Hamas disinformation, used to incite and inflame tensions, is part of an ongoing effort by the terrorists to exploit the day and try to provoke violence.

At the same time, there are also misguided Israeli youth who use the day to chant racist and hateful slogans as they march through parts of the Old City, harassing locals who have shuttered their businesses along the parade route from Damascus Gate to the Western Wall. This, too, is utterly unacceptable.

While Jerusalem Day begins with the kind of peaceful commemoration and symbolism that represents the best values of our country – including a commemoration on Mount Herzl for Ethiopian Jews who perished on their way to Israel and a procession throughout the city ending in the Old City – the day has the potential of descending into clashes that mar the celebrations.

While some voices call for rerouting the flag march to reduce tensions, others see concessions and rerouting as appeasing the inciters, infringing on Israeli sovereignty and enabling further demands from Israel. The question is whether rerouting represents capitulation to threats and tacit acknowledgment that Jerusalem is divided, rather than it being the unified city that the day is meant to celebrate.

We cannot bridge some of the controversies that will always underpin the day - Terrorist groups and extremists will always try to exploit these events, and benefit and gain power from tensions and chaos.

On the other hand, it is important to point out that our democratic society is a tolerant one. Days before Jerusalem Day, there were scores of protesters at Tel Aviv University commemorating the “Nakba” – the “catastrophe” of Israel’s birth, in the Palestinian narrative – while waving Palestinian flags. If Palestinian flags can be waved in large numbers in Tel Aviv, it is only natural that the Israeli flag can be waved in the Old City of Jerusalem. That is how democratic countries work - We protect the rights of all and we don’t allow threats to decide how the majority may live.

It is our hope that this Jerusalem Day will pass without incident. We should show support for our law enforcement authorities, who shoulder the challenging burden of managing security in the city.

At the same time, the day should remind us of the need to invest in our capital, which means investing in all of its communities and ensuring that residents of eastern Jerusalem also have security and basic services. Jerusalem is a city that faces numerous hurdles, from poverty to education and the need to retain educated young people. We have not fulfilled the unification of 1967 if we cannot provide the services that all of the city’s residents deserve.

With all eyes on Jerusalem during today’s events, let us redouble our efforts to bring peace, coexistence and equality to our beloved capital.

Editorial by The Jerusalem Post

 

 

 

Saudi Arabia-Pakistan ink pact 'Road to Makkah'

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan announced the signing of an agreement to implement the ‘Road to Makkah’ project aimed at simplifying the immigration procedures for the Pakistani Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The two countries also signed another agreement aimed at issuance of Pakistani passports for the members of the Burmese community residing in Saudi Arabia.

The visiting Saudi Deputy Minister of Interior Dr. Nasir bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood and Pakistani Minister of Interior Rana Sanaullah signed the agreements in a ceremony held in the presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.

Pakistani Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Senator Talha Mahmood, Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi were also present, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Under the ‘Road to Makkah’ agreement, the Pakistani Hajj and Umrah pilgrims would be provided with immigration facilities at their embarkation point in Pakistan before their departure to Saudi Arabia to perform the pilgrimage. The service would be available at Islamabad International Airport where around 26,000 pilgrims would benefit from this facility in the first phase. The Saudi authorities assured that the facility would later be extended to Karachi and Lahore International Airports as well.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also signed the joint minutes of the meeting in which they discussed the issuance of Pakistani passports to the Burmese Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia. It is noteworthy that Pakistan had issued earlier passports to nearly 250,000 Burmese Muslims. The passports of the Burmese Muslims were not renewed after 2012 which created some difficulties for them in the Kingdom.

Under the new arrangement, the Burmese Muslims and their children would be issued passports to improve their legal status in Saudi Arabia. As per the discussion, a bilateral committee would be formed comprising the representatives of Saudi Arabia and the Pakistani Ministry of Interior to work out early issuance of the travel documents for the Burmese Muslims.

 

Syria: Welcome back into Arab League

Arab foreign ministers welcomed Syria’s formal return to their 22-member bloc after 12 years of isolation. Syrian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, is attending the preparatory meeting of foreign ministers in Jeddah ahead of the 32nd Arab League Summit scheduled for Friday.

Saudi Arabia took over the rotating presidency of the Arab League summit as Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf handed over the presidency to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. The foreign ministers started finalizing the agenda and preparing draft resolutions of the summit.

In his presidential address, Prince Faisal bin Farhan underscored the need for unity among Arab countries in order to overcome common challenges and difficulties as well as to confront major global challenges. The foreign minister welcomed the Arab delegations, especially the Syrian delegation.

He emphasized that the world is going through great challenges that warrant us to stand united to confront them. “Everyone must innovate new mechanisms to confront the challenges faced by our countries,” he said while underscoring the need for joint action by Arab countries for the advancement of their peoples.

The foreign ministers stressed the importance of a ceasefire in Sudan to ensure the safety of its citizens and called for the crisis to be treated as an internal matter. The summit comes at a time of major political developments, including the Sudan crisis, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Syria’s readmission to the body, all of which were at the top of the agenda of the ministerial meeting preparatory for Friday’s summit.

This year’s summit differs from previous years as it is the first to be attended by Syria since the country’s membership was suspended in 2011. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will attend the summit. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit welcomed the high-level Syrian delegation.

At the outset of the session, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf called for resolving the Arab differences within the Arab House, stressing that the upcoming summit seeks to unite the Arab world in confronting the challenges in the region.

Attaf emphasized that Arab countries should focus on joint Arab action to confront the global challenges. He also stressed the need to pay attention to the changes taking place in the world, because they will change the balance of power. He supported Saudi Arabia’s efforts for the cessation of hostilities in Sudan and resolve the crisis. He also emphasized that the Libyan-Libyan dialogue alone will restore stability to Libya.

Attaf underlined the need to exert efforts to achieve Palestinian reconciliation and national unity. He also supported the aspirations of the Yemeni people to restore their security and stability. The minister hoped that Lebanon would witness an understanding among its people to solve its internal crisis.

In his speech, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the Israeli government is responsible for the deterioration of the situation in the Palestinian territories, warning that the situation there is approaching a phase of explosion.

Aboul Gheit pointed out that there are positive indications from Iran and Turkey to stop their interference in the affairs of Arab countries. He stressed that the Jeddah summit is an opportunity to put an end to armaments in Sudan.

The ministerial preparatory meeting was preceded by several other meetings, the most important of which were the meeting of the Quartet Arab Ministerial Committee concerned with following up the developments of the Iranian file, and the meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee concerned with following up Turkish interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries. There was also a meeting of the open-ended Arab Ministerial Committee to support the State of Palestine.

Courtesy: Saudi Gazette

Return of Syria to Arab League

According to Reuters, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a pariah for more than a decade, is expected to steal the spotlight at Friday's Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia, where he will rub shoulders with regional leaders who once backed his war foes.

Ostracized by most Arab states following his crackdown on protests against his rule in 2011 and the ensuing civil war, his government's return to the bloc is a signal that his war-battered country's isolation is ending. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others for years supported anti-Assad rebels. But Syria's army, backed by Iran, Russia and paramilitary groups, has regained control of most of the country.

While Arab countries appear to have brought Assad in from the cold, they are still demanding that he curbs Syria's flourishing drugs trade and that war refugees can return. But it remains a striking recovery in the Syrian leader's fortunes.

"This is, indeed, a triumphant moment for Bashar al-Assad, being accepted back into the Arab League, the Arab world, after being shunned and isolated by it for over a decade," said David Lesch, a Middle East History professor at Trinity University in Texas.

Several states, including Qatar and Kuwait, had voiced their opposition to welcoming back Assad. But the summit will underscore how Qatar has scaled back its ambitions to be a major diplomatic player in the region and accept Saudi's preeminent role.

Assad is not the only divisive issue among Arabs. The League is also split over questions ranging from normalization with Israel and how to support the Palestinian cause, the regional roles of Turkey and Iran, and which side to pick in polarized global politics.

Also present in the Red Sea city of Jeddah are envoys for Sudan's warring military factions. That ongoing conflict is expected to dominate discussions. Saudi Arabia has been hosting talks on a ceasefire and humanitarian issues in Sudan for weeks.

The kingdom wants to send a message to the global community that Arabs will work together, said Abdullah Baaboud, the State of Qatar Chair for Islamic Area Studies at Waseda University in Tokyo.

"That also helps it (Riyadh) not only in term of its status within the Middle East but also beyond that when it comes to dealing with international powers, whether it is the United States, Europe or China," Baaboud said.

Washington has been skeptical about Assad's return to the Arab fold. A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced a bill last week intended to bar US recognition of Assad as Syria's president and enhance Washington's ability to impose sanctions.

The Syrian crisis and other regional conflicts including Yemen and Libya, pose further challenges for the Arab League, which is often undermined by internal divisions. Arab leaders argue that security is more important than democracy.

"There has been indeed in the past few years a willingness by Saudi Arabia and other regional actors to consolidate a form of authoritarian stability in the region," said Joseph Daher, a professor at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.

"Despite continuous rivalries among various states...they hold a common position in wanting to return to a situation similar to that in place before the uprisings in 2011."

This year's summit also comes as Egypt, Tunisia and Lebanon struggle with runaway inflation, unemployment and popular anger.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, however, have set a new tone for times of crisis, saying the era of no-strings attached to help that the Gulf states offer others is over.

 

Pakistan: Ruling junta seems least concerned about FY24 Federal Budget

Today is May 17, 2023 and the Federal Budget for next Financial Year (FY24) is scheduled to be announced on June 02, 2023. I hardly see any debate in the print or electronic media on the likely facets of the Budget.

The growing concern among the analysts is that the incumbent government will accept all the conceivable conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to get the withheld tranche released, amounting to roughly one billion US dollar.

The analysts have this perception based on the fact that meeting the IMF conditions will be the headache of next elected government.

They also have the consensus that in the next budget the existing tax rates will be increased and new taxes will be introduced. On top of that super tax will also be introduced.

Along with this, subsidies will be withdrawn, levies applicable on energy products will be increased.

The government will not be able to boost exports or contain imports.

The quantum of informal import ill increase.

The quantum of PSDP will also be reduced.

The bottom line is, GDP growth will remain below one percent or negative.

The most alarming point is that the government will not be able to offer any income support program, poor will get poorer and rich will get richer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quad meeting scheduled in Sydney postponed

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday the Quad summit would not go ahead in Sydney next week without US President Joe Biden, who postponed his trip to Australia due to debt ceiling negotiations in Washington.

Albanese said the leaders of Australia, the United States, India and Japan would instead meet at the G7 in Japan this weekend, after Biden canceled a trip to Sydney on the second leg of his upcoming Asia trip, which was also to have included a visit to Papua New Guinea.

"The Quad leaders meeting will not be going ahead in Sydney next week. Though, we will be having that discussion between Quad leaders in Japan," Albanese told a news conference.

A bilateral program in Sydney with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could still go ahead next week, Albanese said.

Albanese did not comment on whether Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would still visit Sydney next week

The Quad is an informal group that promotes an open Indo-Pacific. Beijing sees it as an attempt to push back against its growing influence in the region.

Asia Society Policy Institute senior fellow Richard Maude said the cancellation of Biden's visit to Papua New Guinea, which would have been the first visit by an American president to an independent Pacific islands nation, could set back Washington's battle for influence with Beijing in the region.

“The mantra in the region is all about turning up. Turning up is half the battle. China turns up all the time, and so the optics aren’t great,” Maude, a former Australian intelligence chief, told a panel discussion on the Quad on Wednesday.

India and Australia are not part of the G7 group of seven rich nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - but have been invited to attend the summit in Japan.