INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Croat parliament OKs withdrawal from Slovenia border arbitration

ZAGREB: Croatia’s parliament yesterday approved a al put forward by the Social Democrat-led government years after its neighbour entered the now 28-member International Court of Justice, as its arbitrator to replace withdrawal from international border arbitration talks of Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, who said the two for- bloc. The court of arbitration has three international Sekolec. “The Slovenian government has thus fulfilled its with Slovenia after the leak of a tape purporting to mer Yugoslav republics should seek a different solution. judges and one each from Croatia and Slovenia, and it is commitments and removed all obstacles so that the show a Slovenian judge on the panel improperly “I suggest we find a new model. This one has been meant to be independent of national governments. arbitration court can continue its work uninterrupted ... exchanging confidential information with the Ljubljana definitely compromised ... The arbitration court may con- Last Wednesday, however, Zagreb-based daily and adopt the final decision,” the government said in a government. tinue, but we won’t have anything to do with that,” he Vecernji List published excerpts from a leaked tape in statement. Twenty-four years after the break-up of federal told the Zagreb parliament before the vote. which Slovenian judge Jernej Sekolec discusses confi- The European Commission also said the arbitration Yugoslavia, the two states are still haggling over their The boundary dispute in the northern Adriatic’s Bay dential details of the case, the probable outcomes and process should continue as the best way to solve the land and sea border. Slovenia demands access to inter- of Piran, where Slovenia wants direct access to interna- strategy, with Simona Drenik, who represents Slovenia’s border issue troubling the two countries. national waters in the northern Adriatic, where its terri- tional waters, prompted Ljubljana to block talks in 2008 Foreign Ministry before the court. While there is no known formal deadline for the pan- tory is squeezed to a coastal sliver between Croatia and on Croatian membership of the European Union. Both resigned on Thursday without giving any state- el to report after starting work in 2011, Croatian and Italy. The two agreed to international border arbitration, a ments. Slovenia on Wednesday appointed French expert Slovenian media reports have suggested it is due to Croatian lawmakers unanimously endorsed a propos- deal that allowed Croatia to join the EU in 2013, nine Ronny Abraham, who is president of the Hague-based reach a decision this year. — Reuters Buhari in seeks closer partnership against Boko Haram

YAOUNDE: Nigerian President “The heads of state are going to discuss began a two-day visit the best means of eradicating this new to Cameroon yesterday in a bid to soothe form of belligerence and the strategies to fractious ties between the West African reduce Boko Haram,” he said. neighbours and strengthen cooperation An African Union-mandated, 8,700- against Islamist militant group Boko strong regional taskforce, headquartered in Haram. the Chadian capital N’Djamena, was due to Buhari’s first visit to Cameroon since his start operations at the end of this month election in March comes as the militant but has been delayed by questions over group, which has sworn allegiance to funding. Islamic State, has launched a fresh wave of The Nigerian presidency said the talks attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and would focus on the activation and deploy- Niger. ment of this force. Buhari is due to visit Buhari, wearing a white traditional robe, Benin, the fifth member of the operation, was greeted on arrival at Yaounde interna- on Saturday. tional airport by 82-year-old Cameroonian Relations between Cameroon and President Paul Biya. The two were to hold Nigeria have been strained by a border dis- talks at the presidential palace on pute that flared into conflict in 1993. Biya, Wednesday, before making a joint state- in power since 1982, did not attend Buhari’s ment ahead of Buhari’s departure today. inauguration and the Nigerian leader’s trip Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger comes nearly two months after he visited waged an offensive against Boko Haram Chad and Niger. this year that broke its grip over swathes of In the past, Abuja has accused Yaounde northeastern Nigeria, but it responded with of dragging its feet over tackling Boko suicide bombings and raids that have Haram, which analysts say established rear spilled the conflict across borders. bases on the Cameroonian side of the Tensions are running high in Mandara mountains. Cameroon’s Far North region after three Cameroon has complained that its MESSINA HARBOUR: Volunteers from the Sant’Egidio charity community put flowers on some of the 13 coffins of migrants who died attempting the suicide attacks in the past week killed at efforts to combat the militants have been perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea, at Messina harbour yesterday. More than 1,800 migrants have been picked up in the Mediterranean and 13 least 60 people, prompting the local gov- hampered by Nigeria’s refusal to grant its bodies recovered as the exodus from north Africa by boat endures, Italy’s coast guard said on July 28. The 13 bodies were recovered by an Irish military ernment to announce the closure of some forces the right to pursue them onto its ship after it came to the aid of one of the boats, which was carrying 522 people. — AFP mosques, ban burqas and forbid street soil, which both Chad and Niger enjoy. hawkers. “Buhari’s visit should help ease the cli- In Nigeria, suspected Boko Haram mate of mistrust between Cameroon and attacks have killed at least 600 people since Nigeria,” said Njoya Moussa, a Cameroonian Man dies in Channel Tunnel Buhari took office two months ago. political analyst. Cameroon’s Information Minister Issa “I pray that they should talk about secu- Tchiroma Bakari said Boko Haram had rity because mostly it’s what we need here as migrant crisis deepens switched to attacking civilian targets in Cameroon and Nigeria,” said Doris because it was no longer capable of mili- Onuorah, a Nigerian business woman in tary engagements. Yaounde. — Reuters and Britain struggle to end migrants crisis

LONDON/: A Sudanese man died yesterday Eurotunnel of not doing enough to ensure Tunnel French terminal at Coquelles, officials said. as migrants desperate to enter Britain from France security “given the worsening situation”. British authorities said they had agreed with stormed the channel tunnel entrance, prompting Eurotunnel had notably cut to 103 from 325 in the French to work together on returning the governments in both countries to promise to beef 2002 the number of security staff at the site, he said. migrants to their countries of origin, particularly in up security there. Freight and passenger traffic Eurotunnel said it had in fact doubled its security West Africa, although no details were given about through the rail tunnel has been severely disrupted staff to close to 200 people since the start of the how this would work. The crisis at Calais has had a as migrants camped out in shanty towns in the migrant crisis in the early 2000s and had spent knock-on effect on road traffic on the British side Calais area have repeatedly tried to board trucks more than 160 million euros on security during that and caused huge delays for freight trucks as well and trains travelling from France to Britain. time. It said the pressure on the terminal every as holidaymakers trying to reach the continent. France said it was sending 120 more police offi- night was more than it could reasonably handle Hundreds of lorries are parked along the motor- cers to the site while Britain said it was pressing and Britain and France should act. Britain has way leading to the port of Dover and the British ahead with erecting a nine-foot (three-metre) fence agreed up to 7 million pounds ($11 million) of extra tunnel terminal in what police have called to protect the terminal. funding to help increase security at the tunnel’s “Operation Stack”. — Reuters “One of the things we’re doing is pressing to ensure we can get the security fencing up as quick- ly as possible to reduce this problem,” British Home Dutch PM appeals to Putin Secretary Theresa May said. The situation has turned into a blame game with Eurotunnel asking French and British governments to reimburse it for not to veto MH17 vote at UN the 10 million euros ($11 million) it has spent to increase security to cope with the latest migrant cri- THE HAGUE: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Russia’s concerns during the phone conversation. sis at Calais. The scale of the crisis has been high- yesterday made an “urgent” appeal to Russian “It is precisely to prevent the politicisation of the lighted by the sight of migrants lining roads and President Vladimir Putin not to veto a UN Security judicial process that it is desirable to decide on the scrambling to jump into moving vehicles in recent Council resolution to try those who shot down tribunal before determining the facts and the weeks. Rocks have been thrown at trucks and flight MH17 over Ukraine. charges,” Rutte said. migrants have in some cases clashed with drivers Rutte’s office said he telephoned Putin, ahead “Russia continues to view the establishment of and police. of the vote in New York later yesterday, to seek his such a tribunal as not being the best course of backing for setting up an international tribunal to action,” the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying in a YAOUNDE: Paul Biya (L) walks with his Nigerian counterpart Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s anti-EU UKIP par- try the as-yet unidentified suspects behind the statement. Rutte and Putin discussed the alterna- Muhammadu Buhari following his arrival at the airport in Yaounde yesterday. Nigerian ty, said he was surprised no lorry drivers or tourists downing of the Malaysia Airlines jet that killed 298 tive resolution that does not include a tribunal but President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in neighbouring Cameroon for talks on how to had been killed. “I’m amazed that the French people in July of last year. “In the frank and asks for a full international investigation, the combat the escalating regional threat from Boko Haram Islamists. Security was tight for authorities have not done more. Whenever I’m detailed conversation, Rutte called urgently on the Kremlin said. “Regret was expressed that this com- the 24-hour visit, after a surge of Boko Haram violence in Cameroon including an there they appear to be standing by and watching Russian president to make a trial possible for those promise draft had not been supported by the unprecedented series of five suicide bombings in the far north.— AFP what’s going on,” he told BBC radio. behind MH17 with a UN tribunal,” said a statement states that are in favour of creating an internation- NINTH VICTIM from Rutte’s office. Malaysia, the Netherlands, al tribunal over the crash of the Malaysia Airlines The man who died yesterday was probably hit Australia, Ukraine and Belgium have called for jet,” the Kremlin said. “It was also stressed that Mongolia marks 25 years by a truck leaving one of the shuttles that transport such a tribunal and Malaysia has circulated a draft there remain a lot of questions regarding the (cur- vehicles through the tunnel, French police said. resolution to that effect with a vote set for rent) investigation,” it added. The flight was of democracy in Russian French media said he was the ninth migrant to be Wednesday around 1900 GMT. The resolution downed over rebel-held east Ukraine during killed in the crisis since early June. would require all countries to cooperate with the heavy fighting between Kiev’s armed forces and There were about 1,500 attempts by migrants to special tribunal or face sanctions. pro-Russian separatists. The majority of passen- and Chinese shadows enter the tunnel on Tuesday night, a Eurotunnel Russia remains firmly opposed to such a tribu- gers on the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala spokesman said, after 2,000 attempts the previous nal and is highly likely to use its veto. Moscow Lumpur were Dutch. Ukraine and many in the ULAN BATOR: Mongolia yesterday marked as well as the global resources bust. night. Some were probably repeat attempts by the wants instead to wait for the completion of an West have accused pro-Russian separatists of 25 years since its first democratic election, a The Asian Development Bank is forecast- same people. For the thousands of migrants fleeing ongoing Dutch-led international investigation into shooting down the plane, saying they may have key milestone in the transformation of the ing growth of 3.0 percent this year and 5.0 war, upheaval and poverty and now camped in who the perpetrators are. A separate Dutch report used a surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia. once Communist nation squeezed between percent in 2016, according to figures on its shanties around the port of Calais known as the into what, but not who, downed the aircraft is Russia and the rebels deny any responsibility and giant neighbours Russia and China. President website. “Politicians need to be accountable “jungle”, the aim is a better life in Britain. expected in October. Rutte said that he addressed point the finger at Ukraine’s military. — AFP Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, who as a student led to the people,” said Erdene Bat-Uul, who Many will seek illegal employment in Britain’s protests that helped spark the changeover played a leading role in challenging the exist- shadow economy or claim asylum in a system often from seven decades of Soviet domination, ing regime in 1990 as the first chairman of the seen as more generous than the French equivalent. told a commemoration that his country was newly formed Mongolian Democratic Party, They also know that Britain has no national identity now “an active democracy unique to the and is now mayor of Ulan Bator. cards. Such hopes are encouraged by traffickers region”. “Mongolia has undergone remarkable “All their activities should be open to the who squeeze money out of migrants on their ardu- change over the past quarter century”, he public,” he told AFP. “The challenge is how to ous journeys from the war zones of the Middle East said. make politicians more accountable to the and from Africa. Since the transition in 1990, part of a people.” To the north, Russia is led by Vladimir A 30-year-old Syrian man, who is seeking asylum broader democratic wave that swept the for- Putin, who is in a standoff with the West over in London, told how he was tortured in prison mer Eastern bloc and eventually the Soviet Ukraine, while to the south China remains before he fled, leaving behind his wife and child as Union that had dominated it, Mongolia has ruled by the Communist party. he embarked on a journey that would take him six become a market economy. With just three million citizens, Mongolia months and nearly cost him his life. Its people have voted peacefully in a total worries about overreliance on demand from He made it across the Mediterranean on his fifth of 13 parliamentary and presidential elec- its giant southern neighbour, its top market attempt - spending the last two hours swimming tions. But the resource-rich country-replete and also a major investor in resource devel- ashore. Of the 32 people on his boat only eight sur- with gold, copper, coal and other minerals- opment. But Bat-Uul told AFP he saw neither vived, he said. “After like one hour, an hour and a has been buffeted by the booms and busts Beijing nor Moscow as threats, adding: “If half, I start feeling like I will die, I will go under the common among countries reliant on global Mongolia stays democratic, it’s good for water,” he told Reuters. “But what I start to see in my demand. Russia, China and the region.” Prime Minister mind is that my family are on the other side, clap- Mongolia experienced unprecedented Chimediin Saikhanbileg, who took office last ping and telling me come on you will reach us,” he annual economic growth of an eye-popping year and has been pushing policies friendly to said. 17.5 percent in 2011, largely as a result of for- foreign investors, looked to a wealthier future. eign investment and mineral exports. “For the next 25 years, Mongolian people WORSENING SITUATION But rising resource nationalism and politi- hope to step up from the slogan ‘We were In a July 23 letter sent by French Interior Minister cal infighting over the proper role of foreign born in Mongolia’ to ‘Made in Mongolia’,” he Bernard Cazeneuve to Eurotunnel boss Jacques TUNIS: Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi (R) greets German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen investment in extraction has dented growth, said. — AFP Gounon and seen by Reuters, Cazeneuve accused yesterday in Tunis’ Carthage Palace. Von der Leyen is on a two-day official visit to Tunisia. — AFP