Page 2 | NATIONAL US Just Walks Away, Leaving A Heavily Damaged Afghanistan Page 3 | ECONOMY Will There Be Both US President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Significant Increase Lasting Peace Stoltenberg announced recently that their troops stationed in ... in Nangarhar’s in Afghanistan? Strawberry Yield Page 2 | NATIONAL

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Your Gateway to Afghanistan & the Region Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Issue No. 954 www.heartofasia.af 10 afs Pakistan Assure Afghan Govt of Taliban’s Return to Talks Spin Boldak “The stakes are very high. If there’s progress, there can be peace, there Crossing Blocked can be stability, and the region as Afghan-Pakistan collectively will benefit from the outcome of a peace process,” Border Forces Clash Qureshi said in the interview. “The The Spin Boldak crossing has been stakes are high, simply for the reason that God forbid, if there closed following a clash between is no agreement, if there is no Afghan and Pakistani border political settlement, the fear of forces in the Spin Boldak district of going back into the 90s, the fear of Kandahar province, said Yahya Alavi, Afghanistan going into a civil war is spokesperson for the 205th Atal Corps. looming over our heads. And that is The clash started at 9am on Monday the last thing anyone of us wants. in the Laghman area of Spin Boldak And that is the last thing Pakistan district and lasted for an hour. wants because Pakistan has paid a According to Alavi, the clash took place huge price because of the unstable after Pakistani border guards tried to environment in Afghanistan.” bring barbed wire to Afghanistan, The Pakistani delegation led by address its promises right after the details of the Taliban team’s visit to So far, the details of Shaikh Abdul special envoy Mohammad Sadiq announcement of a new date for the Islamabad, said Daudzai. Hakim Haqqani’s consultations with but were prevented from doing so by during their two-day visit to Kabul Turkey conference. “The Taliban delegation apparently Taliban leadership in Pakistan are Afghan border guards. has assured the Afghan government The delegation met with President is not meeting with Pakistani officials not clear but Pakistan’s influence is He added that one civilian was injured of the meaningful participation of Ghani’s special envoy Umer Daudzai and as they (Pakistani delegation) seen as prominent in Kabul. in the clash and did not comment the Taliban at the Istanbul summit, and National Security Adviser said, they (Taliban delegation) are “Pakistan has influence on the on the details of the casualties of according to an Afghan official who Hamdullah Mohib in separate meeting with its leadership. That is Taliban and can encourage the Pakistani forces. met with the delegation. meetings. why they (Pakistani delegation) did group to return to the talks,” said Umer Daudzai, President Ghani’s “They brought the message that they not say anything about this,” Daudzai Qazi Mohammad Amin Waqad, special envoy for Pakistan, told will work with all their resources added. Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign former deputy head of the High TOLOnews that his Pakistani to convince the Taliban to agree Minister Qureshi in an interview with Peace Council. counterpart also assured them that to a ceasefire and that the Taliban Turkey’s Anadolu News Agency has This comes as the Istanbul the Taliban will agree on a reduction should not miss the chance for talks. underlined the fear for a civil war conference on Afghanistan was in violence and ceasefire with their They were referring to the Istanbul in Afghanistan, saying it is “the last expected to be held this month, but it participation at the peace summits. conference,” Daudzai said. thing anyone wants,” if there is no was delayed over non-participation The delegation pledged it will But the delegation has not shared agreement and political settlement. by the Taliban. Karzai Calls for Night Curfew, Ban on Indian Flights in Heal Regional Cooperation Rocket Hits in Ensuring Afghan in Govt Plan to Curb COVID 3rd Wave Kunar Governor’s Peace Stopping flights from India to Compound, 16 Former President of Afghanistan Afghanistan, imposing travel Wounded Hamid Karzai in a meeting with restrictions on the Pakistan-Iran Ambassador of the Islamic Republic border, night curfews and preventing At least 16 people have been wounded of Iran in Kabul Bahador Aminian on gatherings are likely to be the steps after a rocket hit the Kunar governor’s Monday stressed regional cooperation included in the Ministry of Public office in the city of Asadabad on in ensuring Afghan peace. Health’s plan to stop the third Monday morning, Iqbal Saeed, the The two sides discussed the Afghan wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) provincial governor, said. peace process with the Taliban. pandemic from spreading in the country. The incident occurred where an event They stressed regional cooperation for Acting Minister of Public Health on the Holy Quran competition was progress in the Afghan peace process. Wahid Majrooh on Monday in underway, Saeed said. According to Earlier, Hamid Karzai said that his a meeting with the director of country has always been supported him, three of the injured were the public health of the provinces, by Iran which has suggested some governor’s bodyguards and the rest representatives of the private sector be taken accordingly, if needed. He Meanwhile, India is grappling with were the reciters and organizers of the initiatives to solve the problems of and healthcare providers, said also asked departments to COVID-19 a severe wave of the pandemic ceremony. Afghanistan. that there is proper coordination diagnostic kits to private hospitals, currently and the cases and Hospital officials in Asadabad, the between all departments concerned pay health workers, use ART teams mortality rate of coronavirus in Iran capital of Kunar province, said 16 and it will be useful in curbing the as clinical teams, and hire new staff is also high. injured people are undergoing spread of the infection. in laboratories. The Ministry of Public Health has not treatment and four of them are in Majroh has instructed provincial As of Sunday, total number of officially confirmed the outbreak of critical condition. public health directors to check positive cases now stand at 59,015 the third wave of the coronavirus. production capacity of oxygen while the number of reported deaths But it has confirmed the prevalence No group has claimed responsibility companies at the center and is 2,592 and the total number of of a new type of the coronavirus in for the attack. provinces, so that measures can recoveries is 52,489. the country. April 27, 2021 Heart of Asia NATIONAL TUESDAY 2 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Iran Hopes... BY Khalid Bhatti Elsewhere in his remarks, he described the bilateral relations between Iran and Iraq as very strong and needed by both countries and Will There Be Lasting Peace the region, saying, “We are interested in expanding these relations” “Today we talked about in Afghanistan? the various fields of The Afghan peace process suffered a setback when economic relations, energy, the peace talks scheduled for April 24 in Turkey were transportation and the postponed. The Taliban refused to attend the peace connection of roads and conference. Now the conference might take place in railways between the two May. countries,” the FM said, The US-backed peace talks hosted by Turkey, Qatar adding, “Joint cooperation and the UN were planned so as to resume the peace in the fight against terrorism process between the Afghan government and the and the fight against cross- Afghan Taliban. border crimes, drugs, are The main purpose of the international conference was very important areas for to kickstart the stalled peace talks between the Afghan cooperation between the two government and the Taliban to bring the peace process countries.” on track. US President Joe Biden already announced “We are two countries that the withdrawal of US troops from the country by mid- stood together against ISIL. September. Martyrs Ghasem Soleimani The US administration is keen to install an interim and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, government in Kabul including the Taliban before both of whom were heroes completing the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. in the fight against ISIL and But Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is opposing such a were unfortunately martyred political settlement at the expense of his presidency in Iraq by an illegal US action, and government. illustrates this point,” he The Afghan government does not seem to be happy noted. with the way American officials are exerting pressure were killed and injured. Schools, irrigation systems, the American taxpayers have paid a heavy financial “This relationship that has to concede to some of the Taliban’s demands. It seems hospitals, homes, agriculture and roads were price of this misconceived war and political strategy. been established between that a deadlock still persists between the different destroyed in the four decades long conflict, violence The US negotiated a peace deal with the Taliban at a our two countries will not be stakeholders. The postponement of the Istanbul and wars. Afghan factions should avoid repeating the time when they are much stronger than they were in broken by anyone, and this conference has raised doubts about the peace process past mistakes. 2003-05; the Taliban now control nearly 50 percent of relationship between Iran and and the intra-Afghan dialogue. The US and other Nato countries also lost the Afghanistan. Iraq will always be expanding,” The Afghan peace process and negotiated political opportunity to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan Regional and international powers must help Zarif underlined. settlement is a complex issue. The stakes are high from 2002 to 2005. The Taliban were defeated and the battling Afghan factions to build a consensus Fuad Hussein, for his part, and all sides are weighing their options carefully demoralised. The US and Nato forces were not facing on contentious issues. The legitimate concerns said, “We discussed important for maximum gains. There are many regional, any real resistance at that time. But the US refused to and interests of the regional powers must also be issues in the region with the International and local players involved in this long- resolve the conflict through dialogue and a power- addressed. All stakeholders and groups must be drawn conflict. Lasting peace and stability depends Iranian Foreign Minister. In the sharing formula. The flawed US strategy and policy included in the interim government. It is not an easy on the big players of this conflict, especially Afghans. allowed the Taliban to make a comeback. thing to do but there is no other option if the Afghans conversation with the Iranian Afghan power players have the opportunity to work The US lost 15 years and billions of dollars in pursuing want peace, progress and stability. No group should side, we reached important together for peace, stability and progress. a misconceived policy. For three years, it faced little be allowed to dominate the interim setup. points.” The Afghan people are going to pay a heavy price resistance – till 2005. The Taliban started to regroup Little progress has been made since the US and Taliban “We are following the talks for their failure to overcome their differences and in 2005-06 and launched attacks against occupied signed a peace deal in February 2020. The experience between the American and accommodate each other – as they did when Afghan forces. The US lost three precious years to stabilize of the last one year shows that there are many hurdles Iranian sides in Vienna,” he factions failed to form a unity government after the Afghanistan through development of infrastructure, that need to be removed to make real progress in the added. withdrawal of the Soviet troops in 1989. education and health facilities and by reviving peace process. “Foreign Minister Zarif will The Afghan factions lost the opportunity to bring agriculture. But that time was lost. The US continues When the Trump administration decided to hold also travel to Najaf and the stability and lasting peace. And as a result, Afghan to focus on military operations instead of providing direct negotiations with the Taliban to end the longest Kurdistan Region during his people faced destruction, war, violence and loss of basic facilities and necessities of life to ordinary Afghan American war in Afghanistan, it deliberately focused current trip to Iraq,” Hussein human life. Millions of Afghan people were forced people. just on the security concerns and issues related to said. to leave their homeland. Hundreds of thousands The American strategy in Afghanistan has failed and American interests in the region. In an attempt ... P3 By Ni Haining By Thomas L. Knapp US Just Walks Away, Leaving A Heavily Washington’s Message: Damaged Afghanistan Never, Ever Trust Us Both US President Joe Biden leave this land. The protracted Afghan people. It is reported and NATO Secretary General war has claimed the lives of that more than 30,000 Afghan In February 2020, United States president Given the long, sorry record of US perfidy, the Jens Stoltenberg announced more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed by Donald Trump announced a peace deal with Taliban shouldn’t be surprised, either. recently that their troops injured about 20,000, and American troops or died from the Taliban, giving American forces 15 months “The United States acknowledge the lands stationed in Afghanistan would cost more than USD1 trillion, the chaos and battles they to get out of Afghanistan. Nearly a year later, reserved to the Oneida, Onondaga and start returning home from May including over USD 170 caused, with another 60,000 with the withdrawal nearly complete and only Cayuga Nations,” reads Article II of the Treaty 1, and all troops will be pulled billion in medical and nursing injured and 11 million or so 2,500 US Armed Forces members remaining of Canandaigua, ratified by the US Senate in out by September 11. bills for veterans fighting in left homeless. on Afghan soil, Joe Biden took the oath of 1795. “The United States will never claim the Biden and some American Afghanistan. Biden admitted Now the US is eager to pack up inauguration and instantly began complaining same nor disturb them.” politicians are racking their in his speech that “no amount and pull out, leaving nothing that the May 1 deadline would be “hard to Between then and 1868, the United States brains to deliver the message of US forces on the ground but ruins and messes for the meet”. continuously negotiated, then sooner or that American troops in can deter the Taliban or end Afghan people, who have paid The claim is silly on its face. The US military later violated, hundreds of treaties with the Afghanistan have completed the war.” an unbearable price for a war is great at moving people. Eight months continent’s native tribes. By 1920, the extent their mission; and they chose America’s plan for duplicating imposed upon them by the after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, of Oneida land “acknowledged” in the Treaty to complete the withdrawal by democracy in Afghanistan also unscrupulous hegemony. US Marines waded on shore at Guadalcanal. of Canandaigua had been reduced from six the special and symbolic date proves a total failure. Ever Despite all its big talk about Five months after Saddam Hussein’s invasion million acres to 32. of September 11 as a solace since the presidential election counterterrorism, America of Kuwait, the US had moved 697,000 troops Abroad, the US Government takes a similar for the American people. in 2014, the country has been has seen terrorism on the rise to the theatre of operations for what became tack, always treating other parties’ agreed Yet the indisputable fact is hanging on the brink of ethnic in Afghanistan. The American- Operation Desert Storm. For any competent obligations as non-negotiable and its own that the nearly-20-year-long turmoil. To make things worse, style democracy is unable commander, moving 2,500 troops from point such obligations as optional. Afghan war is the longest that the US slashed a USD 1 billion to give birth to a powerful A to B is a weekend hobby project, not a major The Non-Proliferation Treaty requires the America has waged and fought aid to it in 2020 on the grounds government there because undertaking. All Biden had to do was give the US to work towards getting rid of its nuclear overseas. It has dragged the that Kabul failed to form an it is out of place in a country order. arsenal. Instead, recent administrations have US and its allies deep into inclusive government. How where family and tribal On February 13, the White House leaked a new gone in the other direction with a focus on the “Graveyard of Empires” sarcastic for the “human rights cohesion is just too strong. In date: September 11, 20th anniversary of the “modernising” that arsenal, while demanding and thrown the Afghans preacher”! recent years, the Taliban has attacks that President George W. Bush cited that the Iranian regime go beyond its NPT into excruciating misery and The US opened the “Pandora’s made a comeback, controlled as casus belli for what was supposed to be obligations ... then defaulting on its end of suffering. box” in Afghanistan and let about half of the national land, a short, sharp war to liquidate al-Qaeda in tthat deal, too. The American troops, it run amuck for about 20 and grown into an important Afghanistan, but quickly turned into a 20-year As David A. Koplow, of the Georgetown having paid a heavy price in years, bringing an inestimable force that can sway the future failed (and deadly) “nation-building” project. University Law Centre, points out, the 1993 Afghanistan, cannot wait to humanitarian disaster for the political ... P3 Should we be surprised? Well, no. Biden is just Chemical Weapons Convention required the following in the footsteps of his predecessors. US to destroy its chemical weapons ... P3 April 27, 2021 Heart of Asia ECONOMY TUESDAY 3 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost

Significant Increase in Nangarhar’s Exchange Rates Strawberry Yield 77.35 77.45 Strawberry farms in eastern profits. 92.9 93 Nangarhar province have produced “There is a high demand for the fruit much more than in previous years, in the markets, farmers continue 105.8 105.8 said the provincial agriculture and to cultivate it, and it produces irrigation department. considerable profits,” said Omran 492 493 Officials in Nangarhar’s Agriculture Gul, a farmer in the Khogyani district. and Irrigation Department expect Farmers in the Khogyani district call 20.9 21 that the province will grow about the government to provide them 150 metric tons of the berries by the with the equipment necessary 1055 1065 end of the solar year. to process the strawberries in a A farmer in the Khogyani district, standard way. AbdulRahman, said: “I have been Shokrullah, an agriculture expert Contact Numbers busy with this work for 15-16 years. in Nangarhar province, said: Day by day our crops are increasing, “Strawberries have a big market in Kabul Police -119 cultivation of the fruit is expanding. Afghanistan, especially in Kabul. strawberry farming from traditional said Anamullah Sapai, Head of We cultivate this fruit as an They are also a great alternative to commercial. Nangarhar Agriculture and Irrigation Kabul Ambulance - 112 alternative to cannabis and poppy.” for the cultivation of narcotics. “We expect to grow strawberry Department. Meanwhile, farmers in Nangarhar It produces Hallal (permissible farms in over 400 hectares of the Khogyani, Spinghar, Achin, and Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital province demand the government according to Islam) profits and land across the province because Surkhrod, are the districts with provide them with better and creates jobs for villagers.” the province’s weather condition the most strawberry farming in the 0202301360 more effective methods of Officials in Nangarhar’s agriculture is suitable for the cultivation of province, according to information cultivation, yielding, and packing and irrigation department said they strawberries, and strawberries are provided by the Ministry of Ata Turk Hospital of strawberries, to increase their are striving to change methods for in high demand at the markets,” Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock. 0202500312 Washington’s... Will There... unwilling, to stop this carnage as the Afghan people or provide Corona call center - 166 stockpiles by 2012. At last check, the US Army promises to to sign a peace deal with his government faces increasing them basic necessities of life and get that done ... in 2023. the Taliban, the Trump pressure to form an interim services. Afghanistan needs a Also per Koplow, the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular administration excluded Afghan government. real representative government Relations requires governments to inform foreign arrestees government from the peace The US failed to bring stability, to move forward. The country of their right to communicate with their countries’ consuls talks. peace and democracy in has seen wars, violence, and and seek assistance. The US demands that of other Not a single contentious issue Afghanistan after 20 years destruction of both human life governments when Americans are arrested abroad, and was addressed – including of war and occupation. As and physical infrastructure for routinely “forgets” its own such duty when foreigners are the complex power sharing, the US announced to pull nearly 40 years. And now the arrested in the US. and the political, legal and out combative troops from Afghan people want peace, At this point, no one should be surprised when the US constitutional framework Afghanistan in the next six economic development, Government lies. It would be far more surprising if Joe for future governance, the months, fears are growing that stability and a better future. Biden told the truth for once. transitional government and there will be more violence Afghan people have been inclusion of the Taliban in the in the coming period without looking for peace and stability power structure. The issues a negotiated settlement and for nearly four decades. They of women’s rights, education, peace agreement. were promised peace, stability : Armed ... democratic and political rights The fears are growing that and a better future when Soviet (GNU) through a UN-facilitated process aimed at bringing and media freedom were also the Taliban might be back in troops left Afghanistan in 1989 peace and stability to Libya with the reunification of state excluded. power and curtail the rights of after the Geneva Accord in 1988. institutions and an election in December. The experience of the last one women, media freedom, and But the communist government The GNU was approved by the eastern-based parliament year clearly demonstrated that other democratic and political led by Najeebullah fell in 1992. and the Tripoli and Benghazi administrations, which it is easy to make a peace plan rights. The people fear that full- Instead of getting stability and peacefully handed over their powers. Until Sunday’s on paper. But the real issue is scale civil war might return after peace Afghanistan’s people incident, Tripoli-based GNU ministers and other officials to implement it on the ground. the US pull-out. These fears and got destruction, hunger, were able to visit Benghazi freely. And that is especially the case concerns are not unjustified and impoverished and miserable life, The war-torn North African country faces a myriad of in a country like Afghanistan, are based on past experiences. civil war, never-ending violence challenges. ravaged by continuous violence Afghanistan needs democracy, and killings. Afghanistan finds Armed groups remain entrenched around the country, and war for decades. constitutional rule, inclusive itself in a similar situation as disputes continue over the flow and distribution of Libya’s In the last one year, violence economic development and the one that existed when substantial oil revenues, parliament has opposed Dbeibeh’s in Afghanistan has continued lasting peace to improve the Soviet troops withdrew from budget plans and the main highway across front lines unabated, with the killing lives of ordinary people. A Afghanistan and different remains closed. of politicians, journalists, weak, corrupt and handpicked Afghan war lords and militant Last week, Dbeibeh met displaced people in Tripoli who fled social workers, and university government or reactionary groups failed to agree to form Benghazi and his comments to them reportedly angered students. The Ashraf Ghani regime will not be able solve a coalition government. This factions in the east. Some protesters rallied against Dbeibeh government seems unable, or the basic problems faced by failure led to a bloody civil war. there on Sunday. Dbeibeh’s visit to Benghazi on Monday was to have been the first by a Tripoli-based prime minister in years, a moment Washington Post reported in generation more vulnerable to intended to encapsulate a rare opportunity to end its US Just Walks... situation in the country – topped December 2019 that of the USD terrorist indoctrination. conflict. by the booming morale that it 133 billion that Washington Since American troops set WAYGAL Printing Co. now has the initiative to fight had spent on Afghanistan’s foot on its territory 20 years “reconstruction” – more than ago under the pretext of for a legitimate position. The If You Can Think It, what was spent on Europe’s “counterterrorism”, Afghanistan current Afghan government, We Can ink it. which has got used to relying post-WWII reconstruction has been going down a path to on the US troops when fighting under the Marshall Plan – USD hell. Now the country that has Chief Editor : M. Hamid Hamdard and on tariffs for finance, will 87 billion went to training local created all this chaos is turning security troops and police its back because it finds it more Reporters: Safiullah Nasary, Shafiq Amirzay, be left helpless in front of the Taliban and strong local force rather than developing important to deal with other Jawad Temori & Hameedullah Hamidi factions once external military production and normalizing overseas priorities and dedicate support is gone. People in the society. Due to constant all resources to responding Graphic & Design: Arman Afghanistan are worried that battles and turbulence, the to more pressing threats and Phone: +93-202502100 - +93-777989696 the country, troubled by poor, country’s industrial foundation challenges. Seeing Afghanistan if any, governance and various remains weak, with the output as a burden now, Washington Website: www.heartofasia.af vying forces, may once again value accounting for only 1/3 feels no qualms about leaving Email: [email protected] become the hotbed for terrorist of GDP, and agriculture and it high and dry in an embattled organizations, or worse, fall into animal husbandry make up environment and asking the Address: Behind Rahman Baba High School the abyss of aggravated civil war the main part of the national international community to pay economy. Not much is left of for what it has done. - Opposite to 3rd District, and national secession. The US has always been the education system, with a The question is, having ravaged Kabul - Afghanistan half-hearted about boosting general illiteracy rate of 65% and abandoned one country and up to 96% among females, after another, who is the US Print: Waygal Printing .Co - +93 - 202512626 the economic and social development in Afghanistan. leaving the uneducated young going to devastate next? April 27, 2021 WORLD TUESDAY Heart of Asia 4 [email protected] fb/heart of asia twitter/@heartofasiapost Global Military Spending Hits Highest Level Since 1988 The global military expenditure has hit its highest billion, making 39% of the total military level since 1988 with nearly $2 trillion in 2020, expenditure last year. according to an international survey on Monday. Alexandra Marksteiner, another researcher at Total military spending rose 2.6% from the SIPRI, stressed the US spent mostly on research previous year, the Stockholm International Peace and development (R&D), and several long-term Research Institute (SIPRI) said. projects such as modernizing the US nuclear Military spending as a share of GDP – the military arsenal and large-scale arms procurement. burden – reached a global average of 2.4% in “This reflects growing concerns over perceived 2020, up from 2.2% in 2019. This was the biggest threats from strategic competitors such as year-on-year rise in the military burden since the China and Russia, as well as the [Donald] Trump global financial and economic crisis in 2009. administration’s drive to bolster what it saw as a Diego Lopes da Silva, a researcher with SIPRI’s depleted US military,” Marksteiner. Arms and Military Expenditure Program, pointed China increased its military expenditure by 1.9%, out that the pandemic did not have a significant India 2.1%, Russia 2.5%, and the UK 2.9%. impact on global military spending in 2020. “China stands out as the only major spender in The US, China, India, Russia, and the UK were the the world not to increase its military burden in top five spenders in 2020, with 62% of the global 2020 despite increasing its military expenditure, military expenditure, the survey said. because of its positive GDP growth last year,” said The US military spending rose 4.4% to $778 Nan Tian, a senior SIPRI researcher.

A look at the world Putin, Assad Discuss Libya: Armed Iran Hopes US Will Supplies of Russian Haftar Supporters Return to JCPOA With Covid Vaccines to Syria Prevent PM’s First Sensible Policy Russian President Vladimir Putin has Meeting in East Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad discussed the issue of supplying Russian Zarif expressed hope that the new US coronavirus vaccines to Syria in a phone call administration, with a sensible policy and with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, the fulfillment of commitments, will be able the Kremlin reported Monday following the to return to the JCPOA more quickly. conversation initiated by the Syrian leader. In a joint press conference held on Monday in Baghdad after his meeting with his Iraqi “Current issues on the bilateral agenda counterpart Fuad Hussein, Iranian Foreign were discussed, primarily the prospects for Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, “We had further development of trade, economic and very good talks with Mr. Fuad Hussein, and I humanitarian ties as well as cooperation thank him for his warm hospitality.” English Academy in the fight against the spread of the “We welcome the pivotal and powerful role coronavirus infection, including supplies of of Iraq in the region, and we hope that the American Russian vaccines,” the Kremlin noted in a role of Iraq in the region will be stronger every statement. A Libyan cabinet meeting in the city of Benghazi was postponed after gunmen loyal ENGLISH FILE to renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar prevented a government delegation from entering the city. Armed men and civilians loyal to Haftar stopped the security detail of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh after their plane landed at Benina Airport on Sunday, sources told Al Jazeera. The delegation – which was forced to fly back to the capital Tripoli – was planning to prepare for the first visit to Benghazi by Dbeibeh since he assumed office in March. The meeting planned for Monday aimed to demonstrate the unity government’s progress in ending Assad also expressed gratitude to Russia years of division between warring factions. for support and assistance for the Syrian One source, who spoke on condition of day and a role for stability and peace in the people. anonymity, told Al Jazeera the delegation region,” the Iranian foreign minister added. On February 22, Damascus authorized included a number of security officials, the “We thank the Iraqi government for its Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to prime minister’s bodyguards and other efforts to establish dialogue in the region, and we hope that these efforts will lead to be used in the country. government staff. more serious dialogues in the region,” Zarif However, the summit between Russian and Mohamed Hamouda, a spokesman for highlighted. US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden Dbeibeh’s interim government, said in a social media post on Sunday the planned visit to the “All of us will always be together in this is planned for summer but its precise date region and we must build our relations and location will still have to be agreed, country’s east had been postponed, but he provided no details. based on friendship, brotherhood and good Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Preparations were under way to reschedule neighborliness, respect for sovereignty and reporters Monday. the trip, Hamouda said. territorial integrity and non-interference in “Indeed, certain proposals have been voiced, Dbeibeh had previously announced his internal affairs and this is the policy of the I cannot confirm the date yet. There have intention to hold cabinet meetings in different Islamic Republic in this region,” he added. Western Street of been no agreements on date yet. We are cities across the country, most notably in The Iranian foreign minister went on to Kabul University Close to say, “Today we had the opportunity to talk indeed talking about summer months, <…> Benghazi – Libya’s second-largest city and Dehbori Park. many factors will still have to be analyzed to one of Haftar’s strongholds. about the nuclear talks between Iran and reach any final agreements,” he said. Continued friction the P4+1. Of course, the Americans are in “No particular country [where the summit The incident underscores the continued Vienna and we do not have a dialogue with the United States. But we had very good can be held] has been named,” Peskov friction between rival camps in Tripoli in the +93 (0) 789 98 9696 talks on the implementation of the JCPOA, clarified. west and Benghazi in the east – the stronghold and we hope that the new US administration, Putin and Biden had a phone call on April of Haftar’s (LNA). Rival administrations were formed in the west with a sensible policy and the fulfillment of 13. The White House reported that Biden commitments, will be able to return to the [email protected] suggested a Russian-American summit in a and east in 2014, further dividing a country already beset by chaos and violence that deal more quickly and all parties fulfill their third country in the coming months. The US followed the 2011 NATO-backed uprising obligations.” leader later pointed out that he proposed a against leader . “We are ready to fulfill our commitments Shigal English Academy summer meeting in Europe to his Russian Dbeibeh was appointed in March to lead the completely after verification of the US return to its commitments,” Zarif added. ... counterpart. new Government of National Unity ... P3 P2