US Gathering Allies to 'Destroy'

SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2014 THULQADA 11, 1435 AH No: 16277 Thousands of Uncertain future Seahawks abandoned cars for jeans amid dominate Packers impounded3 yoga28 wear rage in48 season opener US gathering allies to ‘destroy’ Islamic State Max 46º 150 Fils Kerry reassures ‘boots on the ground’ a ‘red line’ Min 30º NEWPORT, United Kingdom: The United States urged Western allies at a NATO summit yesterday to unite in a coalition that could “destroy” Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. “There is no time to waste in building a broad international coalition to degrade and, ultimately, to destroy the threat posed by ISIL,” Secretary of State John Kerry and Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a joint statement. The remarks followed talks chaired by the United States and summit hosts Britain with defence and foreign ministers from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Turkey. Kerry reassured the meeting yesterday that there would be “no boots on the ground” in the US strategy against IS, saying that was a “red line for everybody here”. But he said “there are many ways in which we can train, advise, assist, and equip”, and urged those present to con- sider what they would be willing to contribute so the US could have a plan at the UN General Assembly meeting later this month. The US has conducted air strikes in northern Iraq in recent weeks, allowing Kurdish and Iraqi forces to regain ground lost against the jihadists. But Washington has sought support for a broader international effort at the NATO summit here in Newport, south Wales. The wider 28-nation military alliance is willing to help if there is a request from Baghdad, likely providing training and coor- dination with other countries’ efforts against IS, Secretary NEWPORT: NATO leaders are pictured as they watch a flypast of military aircraft on the second day of the NATO 2014 General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters. He said Summit at the Celtic Manor Resort yesterday. — AFP NATO nations had also agreed to exchange more information on foreign fighters returning from Iraq and Syria to Europe and the United States, amid fears they will carry Ukraine, rebels agree ceasefire out attacks on home soil. — AFP MINSK: Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels signed a ceasefire yester- inet meeting. day in their five month conflict, which has plunged relations Yatsenyuk also said the deal would have to be supported by Press watchdog between Russia and the West into their worst crisis since the Cold the United States and European Union as Kiev could “not man- War. “A preliminary protocol to the ceasefire agreement has been age with Russia on our own”. According to a seven-point cease- slams charges signed in Minsk. This protocol should enter into force on Friday,” fire plan unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on his official week after telephone talks with Poroshenko, both sides must halt Twitter account. OSCE representatives mediating the talks in the “offensive operations,” while government troops must retreat against blogger Belarussian capital said the took effect at 1500 GMT. Rebels con- from much of the eastern industrial regions of Donetsk and Press rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders firmed this. Lugansk. KUWAIT: yesterday slammed last week’s arrest of a Kuwaiti blogger The deal hammered out in Minsk, Belarus, followed a light- The deal came as NATO leaders reaffirmed unanimous backing who has been charged with blasphemy over a controversial ning rebel counter-offensive in southeastern Ukraine that for Ukraine at a two-day summit which has focused largely on tweet. Mohammed Al-Ajmi was released Tuesday after a Western powers say was spearheaded by regular Russian troops, Russia’s new expansionist threat. On the ground, “the situation is week behind bars over a comment posted on Twitter in raising fears of a wider confrontation on Europe’s eastern flank. It quite tense,” said a fighter with the pro-Kiev volunteer Azov which he criticised an Islamist group. Paris-based Reporters was not immediately clear whether the truce would be enough Battalion who identified himself only as “Zhivchick.” He said there without Borders (RSF) called on authorities in the state to to stave off a threatened new round of Western sanctions against had been attacks by rebels on several checkpoints early yesterday. withdraw the blasphemy charge faced by Ajmi. Russia over claims - which Moscow denies - that it is stirring up The Kremlin account of the ceasefire plan said it requires both “Prosecuting this netizen over a tweet is absurd,” said war in the former Soviet state. sides to halt offensive actions and for “Ukrainian armed forces RSF assistant research director Virginie Dangles in a state- In the tense hours leading up to the deal, fighting raged on units to withdraw to a distance that would make it impossible to ment. She accused Kuwaiti authorities of “cracking down the edge of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the latest flash- fire on populated areas”. The blueprint also establishes a “safe on outspoken dissidents.” Rights activist Ajmi, who goes by point in a conflict that has claimed around 2,600 lives since mid- zone” that one rebel negotiator said should enable the militias to the handle abo3asam on the micro-blogging website, had April and driven more than half a million people from their hold on to territories stretching to the very edges of the two sep- in a Aug 11 tweet criticized members of the Salafist group homes. “The peace plan must include a ceasefire, the withdrawal aratist districts. It also calls for a prisoner swap and for observers Al-Jamiya. Ajmi, a member of the local National Committee of the Russian army, bandits and terrorists, and the re-establish- from the OSCE European security group to monitor the porous for Monitoring Violations, was arrested on Aug 27 after ment of the border,” Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told a cab- border. — AFP lengthy questioning. —AFP LOCAL SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2014 MANAMA: Ambassador Sheikh Azzam Mubarak Al-Sabah (right) with Bahrain’s Deputy Kuwaiti aid packages at Al-Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa in the Kingdom’s capital yesterday. — KUNA Officials laud UN honoring of His Highness the Amir Kuwaiti leadership ‘asset for Arab nation’ KUWAIT: The United Nations’ decision Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to name His Highness the Amir Sheikh affirmed that Kuwaiti support for the Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah a Syrian refugees, including, children, ‘global humanitarian leader’ is well- women and elderly, “has not only deserved for His Highness’s efforts, ini- saved lives but has also restored hope tiatives, and humanitarian work, a for many who have lost all their pos- Bahraini official said yesterday. sessions”. Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al The State of Kuwait granted more Khalifa, Bahrain’s Deputy Prime than USD 210 million to the UNHCR Minister, stressed the importance of over the past two years to help the the efforts made by His Highness Syrians. Sheikh Sabah in promoting humanitarian work which led to the UN naming KTV coverage Kuwait as a ‘global humanitarian hub’. Separately, the Information The UN will honor His Highness the Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi Lebanon’s Minister for Social Peter Ford Ministry’s Undersecretary Salah Al- Affairs Rashid Darbas Amir next Tuesday at the UN head- Sheikh Azzam Al-Sabah also praised earned the ‘humanitarian leader’ title Mubarki said that UN’s naming of HH quarters in New York for his effort the role of His Highness the Amir and that the UN honoring of HH the Amir is for his long service for Kuwait, as well the Amir as a Humanitarian Leader within the humanitarian domain. the long list of humanitarian initiatives an “honor for all Kuwaitis.” as due to the Gulf country’s record of and the State of Kuwait as global The Bahraini deputy premier made and contributions from which millions “Kuwait, despite being a small charitable activities “witnessed in vari- humanitarian center comes in appre- those remarks during his meeting with of people benefited. nation, had provided assistance to ous corners of the world.” He referred ciation of the role of the country and Sheikh Azzam Mubarak Al-Sabah, numerous UN agencies on orders from to development schemes and human- its charities. Ambassador of Kuwait to the Kingdom Honor for Kuwaitis His Highness the Amir,” Mansour Al- itarian aid for brotherly and friendly Al-Mubarki, also and deputy chair- of Bahrain. For his part Ambassador Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti diplomat said Otaibi, Kuwait’s Ambassador to the UN nations. man of the standing committee for headquarters in New York, said. The Jordanian minister further celebrating the national holidays and pointed out the role that HH the Amir He added that Kuwait also extend- events, said in an interview with Arab played as the architect of the two ed its helping hand to other interna- and foreign media that the finger- International Humanitarian Pledging tional humanitarian organizations prints of HH the Amir in humanitarian Conferences for Syria, hosted by such as the International Committee of work date back to many decades ago Kuwait in 2013 and 2014, and his the Red Cross (ICRC) and others. when he assumed several positions Kuwait also hosted a number of pledges to earmark millions of dollars worth of aid to ease off the Syrian and contributed to the humanitarian international conferences aimed at action. helping those in need, said Otaibi who people’s hardships. The Undersecretary pointed to named the donors conferences for Furthermore, Dr Saif underscored Kuwait’s long history in the humani- Syrian refugees as a chief example of HH Sheikh Sabah’s initiatives for aid- tarian action, a tradition that passes Kuwait’s humanitarian stance.

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