FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 12

US, Taliban have negotiated Trump says he does not mind if 7-day reduction in violence Reuters

S Defence Secretary Mark UEsper said yesterday that Philippines cuts military pact the United States and the Tal- iban had negotiated a proposal Reuters | Washington for a seven-day reduction in violence. S President Donald Trump Sources had told Reuters Usaid on Wednesday he did that a US-Taliban peace deal not mind Philippines President could be signed this month if Rodrigo Duterte’s decision KNOW WHAT the Taliban significantly re- to end a decades-old military duces violence, which could agreement with the United lead to an eventual withdrawal States, a position at odds with Trump has frequently of US troops from Afghanistan. that of his defense secretary expressed a desire to “The United States and the who viewed the move with dis- bring US military forces Taliban have negotiated a pro- may. home from decades-long posal for a seven-day reduc- Duterte on Tuesday an - deployments abroad tion in violence,” Esper told nounced termination of the reporters during a news con- two-decade-old Visiting Forces and has strong-armed ference in Brussels at NATO US Defense Secretary Mark Esper Agreement (VFA). US Defense some allies into paying headquarters. Secretary Mark Esper called more for the right to US “I’m here today consulting the decision “unfortunate” as defense with allies about this proposal, to sharply reduce violence as Washington and its allies press U.S. President Donald Trump and we’ve had a series of pro- part of any American troop China to abide by “international ductive bilateral and collective withdrawal accord. rules” in Asia. would like to do that, it will tionship with Duterte and add- Esper referred to the period meetings about the path for- There are about 13,000 US The US embassy in Manila save a lot of money,” Trump told ed: “we’ll see what happens.” before Duterte’s decision takes ward,” he added. troops as well as thousands called it “a serious step with sig- reporters at the White House Duterte’s decision could com- effect when speaking to report- The tentative timeline of other NATO personnel in nificant implications.” Duterte’s when asked about Duterte’s plicate US military interests in ers on Tuesday. shared with Reuters by sourc- Afghanistan, 18 years after a decision, sparked by the revoca- move and whether anything the broader Asia-Pacific re - “One hundred and eighty es came a day after Afghan US-led coalition invaded the tion of a US visa held by a former could be done to get him to re- gion as China’s ambitions rise. days. We’ve got to work through President Ashraf Ghani said country following the Sept. 11, police chief who led Duterte’s consider. “My views are differ- Some Filipino senators quickly it, and we’ll just take a deep there had been a possible 2001, al Qaeda attacks on the bloody war on drugs, takes legal ent from others,” he added. sought to block the move, ar- breath and take it one day at breakthrough in US-Taliban United States. effect in 180 days and US offi- Trump said the United States guing Duterte had no right to a time ... I don’t get too excit- talks in Qatar. “It will be a continual eval- cials have expressed hope it can had helped the Philippines de- unilaterally scrap international ed about these things. We’ve The talks had been dead - uative process as we go for- be reversed or delayed. feat Islamic State militants. He pacts the country’s senate had got a process we have to work locked in part over a US de- ward - if we go forward,” Esper “I don’t really mind if they said he had “a very good” rela- ratified. through.” mand that the insurgents agree added. UK Treasury chief quits as Johnson shakes up Cabinet AP | London Three Indian-origin MPs get berths K Treasury chief Uunexpectedly resigned yes- terday after resisting a reduction in his power, as Prime Minister sought to tighten his grip on the government with a Cabinet shake-up. Javid had been widely expect- ed to keep his job — the second most powerful in the govern- ment — as Johnson fired some Cabinet members and promot- ed more junior ministers to top jobs. He smiled as he entered the prime minister’s 10 Downing St. office yesterday morning to meet Johnson along with other ministers who were being pro- London moted or kept in place. But a spokesman confirmed soon after K Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday made major that Javid had quit. Uchanges in his Cabinet, giving berths to three MPs of the Britain’s Press Association Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions inside the House of Commons in Indian-origin. Boris Johnson appointed as UK’s new news agency reported that Javid London Chancellor of the Exchequer, replacing Sajid Javid who quit over had resigned after being told differences with the Prime Minister. Rishi Sunak, who is married to fire all his aides and replace England. curity and other areas in place by to Akshata, the daughter of Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana them with staff appointed by the Paul Dales, chief U.K. econo- the time a post-Brexit transition Murthy, was Chief Secretary to the Treasury since July 2019. prime minister’s office. mist at Capital Economic, said period ends on Dec. 31. In the Cabinet reshuffle, retained The government quickly re- Javid had appeared reluctant So far, the two sides are far her post, while International Development Secretary Alok placed him with Rishi Sunak. to increase public borrowing to apart in their demands. And Sharma has been appointed Business Secretary and Minister He was previously a deputy to fund higher spending. even with a deal, the U.K. faces a for the upcoming climate conference COP26, in Glasgow. Those Javid at the Treasury and is re- He said Javid’s departure huge adjustment when decades who were dropped from the Cabinet include Northern Ireland garded as a dependable Johnson should “allow the government of seamless trade and travel with Secretary Julian Smith, Business Secretary , loyalist. to push through even bigger in- the EU end at the start of 2021. Housing Minister Esther McVey and Environment Secretary Javid’s resignation follows re- creases in public investment and Johnson had intended to keep . ports he had clashed with John- perhaps resuscitate tax cuts that the most senior ministers in Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has been asked to resign, while son’s powerful adviser, Dominic previously looked dead in the their jobs. His office said Foreign incumbent Chancellor Sajid Javid, the first Asian to become a Cummings, a self-styled political water.” Secretary , Home Cabinet Minister, quit after he was asked to fire all his advisors, disruptor who is mistrusted by The resignation was a curve Secretary Priti Patel, Justice the BBC reported. “The Prime Minister said he had to fire all his many lawmakers and officials. ball in a Cabinet shake-up that Secretary and special advisers and replace them with Number 10 special advis- “Dominic Cummings has was intended to tighten John- Minister Michael ers to make it one team. The Chancellor said no self-respecting clearly won the battle to take son’s grip on government after Gove were all staying in post. minister would accept those terms,” BBC quoted a source close absolute control of the Treas- winning a big parliamentary ma- Several high-profile women in to Javid as saying. ury and install his stooge” at the British lawmaker Rishi Sunak, and jority in December’s election. Johnson’s government, includ- helm, said John McDonnell, fi- Chancellor of the Exchequer leaves 10 That victory allowed Johnson to ing Business Secretary Andrea After pressure from the British November. nance spokesman for the oppo- Downing Street take Britain out of the European Leadsom, Environment Secre- and Irish governments, the main Planning for that has got off sition Labour Party. Union last month, delivering on tary Theresa Villiers and Hous- Irish nationalist and British un- to a rocky start, with Johnson Javid had been due to deliver tion European Union by the end his key election promise. ing Minister Esther McVey, all ionist power-sharing parties re- last week firing Claire O’Neill, his annual budget in less than a of this year. Johnson also has Now his Conservative admin- said they had been fired. turned to work last month. a former British government month — a crucial financial plan ambitious infrastructure plans istration faces the even bigger Johnson also sacked Northern As well as reworking his Cab- minister appointed last year to as the government tries to boost including a 100 billion-pound challenge of negotiating a new Ireland Secretary Julian Smith inet, Johnson appointed a new head up the event. Britain’s economy in the wake ($130 billion) high-speed rail- trading relationship with the EU — another surprise move. Smith leader for the UN climate change The government said Thurs- of the country’s departure from way connecting London to while also seeking trade deals had been widely praised for conference that Britain is due to day that , previ - the European Union last month. central and northern England, with the United States and other helping to end political dead- host later this year. The summit, ously in charge of international Johnson’s government faces and has vowed to boost poorer countries. lock that left Northern Ireland known as the 26th Conference of development, would become the challenge of negotiating a regions outside the economic Britain and the EU are aiming without a regional government the Parties, or COP26, is sched- business secretary and also take new relationship with the 27-na- hub of London and southeast to have a deal covering trade, se- and assembly for three years. uled to be held in Glasgow in charge of COP26.