DIPLOMATIC TIMES

DIPLOMATIC TIMES NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE 02

COVERING THE WORLD OF PEACE AND JUSTICE

Trump Adminstration Threatens To Kill The Internationl Criminal Court

U.S. SECURITY COUNCIL ADVISOR JOHN BOLTON WAGES WAR ON ICC

ICC PROSECUTOR FATOU BENSOUDA

$5.00

DIPLOMATIC TIMES FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER Gary S. Raynaldo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marie-Agnes Gomez

Contact: news@diplomatictimes.net 450 Lexington Ave. #705 New York, NY 10163-0705 web: diplomatictimes.net Phone: (917) 995-5548

Published by: CANAAN LIGHT PRODUCTIONS, LLC

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

|PAGE 2|

C

NOVEMBER 2018 O

N

T

E

N

T

S

Page 5: ICC Seeks To Probe U.S. War Crimes Page 6: Africa’s ‘RAMBO’ Surrendered to ICC by Central African Republic Page 7: ICC President defends War Tribunal Against Trump Admin. Attacks Page 9: Nigeria pledges strong support for ICC as other African nations leave Page 10: U.N. Security Council Lifts Sanctions Against Eritrea Afer Peace Accord With Ethiopia Page 13: Did U.S Closure Of Russian Consulate General In San Francisco Violate International Law?

EDITOR’S NOTE:

The International Criminal Court is the focus of DIPLOMATIC TIMES November Issue. The Hague-based war tribunal has come under attack from many corners of the world. Many African leaders/nations have levied sharp critcism against the ICC, accusing it of being biased against Africa.

In February 2016, African leaders stepped up the campaign to withdraw from the ICC. The African Union called for mass defection from the war crimes tribunal at the AU’s annual Summit held in Addis Ababa last week. Several African nations have pulled out of the ICC over claims the tribunal overly focuses on African leaders while ignoring war crimes committed by Western governments. South Africa announced Oct. 21, 2016 it planned to leave the ICC. The move by South Africa came only three days after Republic of Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza signed a decree to withdraw from the ICC. The West African country of Gambia also announced it was abandoning the ICC. The so-called Court Of The Last Resort has an image problem with it comes to Africa. The ICC will continue to face increasing criticism about its dominant African case prosecutions until an equal amount of non-African nations are investigated.

The ICC is accused of intentionally targeting African leaders for prosecution. Set up in 2002 as the top world court to try war criminals and perpetrators of genocide never tried at home, the ICC has opened inquiries involving nine nations, all but one of them African: Kenya, Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic (twice), Uganda, Mali and, most recently, Georgia. In February 2016, members of the African Union backed a Kenyan proposal to push for withdrawal from the ICC.

The International Criminal Court Has Been Accused Of Bias Toward Africa DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 3|

THE INERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT IN THE HAGUE IS KNOWN AS THE COURT OF THE LAST RESORT How the Court works The crimes The Court’s founding treaty, called the Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four main crimes. First, the crime of genocide is characterised by the specific intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group by killing its members or by other means: causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. Second, the ICC can prosecute crimes against humanity, which are serious violations committed as part of a large-scale attack against any civilian population. The 15 forms of crimes against humanity listed in the Rome Statute include offences such as murder, rape, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, enslavement – particularly of women and children, sexual slavery, torture, apartheid and deportation. Third, war crimes which are grave breaches of the Geneva conventions in the context of armed conflict and include, for instance, the use of child soldiers; the killing or torture of persons such as civilians or prisoners of war; intentionally directing attacks against hospitals, historic monuments, or buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes. Finally, the fourth crime falling within the ICC’s jurisdiction is the crime of aggression. It is the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, integrity or independence of another State. The definition of this crime was adopted through amending the Rome Statute at the first Review Conference of the Statute in Kampala, Uganda, in 2010. (Source: ICC) The ICC is unique among international criminal tribunals in that victims have an opportunity to participate in all stages of the proceedings, separate and apart from any role they might play as witnesses for the prosecution. In the short time-frame given to victims, thousands of victims presented their views on the proposed investigation – with most coming from Afghanistan, at a time when near-daily bombings targeting civilians continue – and almost all urged the Pre-Trial Chamber to authorize the investigation, according to the UK Guardian Feb. 16, 2018

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 4 |

THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT IS SEEKING TO INVESTIGATE THE U.S. MILITARY FOR ALLEGED WAR CRIMES IN AFGHANISTAN

Credit: ICC / International Criminal Court’s headquarters in The Hague Netherlands

Source: Wikipedia Commons / US troops in Afghanistan

In November 2017, the prosecutor of the ICC requested judges to authorize an unprecedented investigation in Afghanistan into

allegations including rape and torture by the U.S. military and CIA, crimes against humanity by the Taliban and war crimes by Afghan security forces. ICC Prosecutor Bensouda announced last year she had asked the Hague-based war crimes tribunal to look into the allegations. Bensouda’s request is remarkable because it is the first time the ICC has gone after Americans for alleged war crimes. The probe would focus solely upon war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed since May 1, 2003 on the territory of Afghanistan as well as war crimes closely linked to the situation in Afghanistan allegedly committed since July 1 July 2002 on the territory of other States Parties to the Rome Statute. The Court, established in 2002, has no jurisdiction respecting crimes alleged to have been committed before those cut-off dates. Bensouda, stated in a report last year, that the U.S. military and the CIA may have committed war crimes by torturing detainees in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2014. Members of U.S. armed forces and the CIA could be held responsible for acts committed at secret detention centers located in Lithuania, Poland and Romania as well as on Afghan territory. According to Bensouda’s report, U.S. personnel have inflicted “torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity and/or rape” upon dozens of detainees.

U.S. has refused to sign the 2002 International Treaty that established the ICC The United States has never signed the 2002 international treaty, called the Rome Treaty, that established the court. On May 6, 2002, then Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton submitted a letter to then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan stating that the United States did not intend to become a party to the ICC and that the previous Clinton Administration’s signature no longer carried any legal obligations.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 5 |

ICC President Defends War Tribunal’s Jurisdiction Against Trump Administration’s Attacks

Credit: UN photo / President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, addresses United Nations General Assembly 29 October 2018.

By Gary Raynaldo

DIPLOMATIC TIMES

NEW YORK – The President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, chose powerful words from American political icon Eleanor Roosevelt to drive home the importance of the war tribunal.

The ICC President addressed the United Nations General Assembly Oct. 29, 2018 on the occasion of presenting the Court’s annual report to the UN for 2017/2018.

“And whenever we think of human history as being also a history of ‘unimaginable atrocities that shock the conscience’ of humankind, let us also remember the following wise words of Eleanor Roosevelt: ‘It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.’ The ICC was such a candle, lit 20 years ago. It behoves all to keep it alight’,” Judge Eboe-Osuji stated. He reminded the UN General Assembly that the Rome Statute treaty established the ICC 20 years ago as the Court of the Last U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is a frequent critic of the ICC, questioning the war tribunResort. nal’s jurisdiction.

After the Trump Administration unleashed one of the most scathing public attacks on an global judicial institution in recent memory, the ICC vowed to continue investigating war crimes, including those committed by Americans. In an unprecedented, vitriolic attack on the ICC, US National Security Adviser John Bolton last month damned the Hague-based war tribunal as “ineffective, unaccountable,” “outright dangerous” and “contrary to American principles.” Bolton has called the ICC a “usurper of national sovereignty.”

“But, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentleman: any fear that the ICC is a usurper of national sovereignty proceeds from a clear misunderstanding of the nature of the ICC’s jurisdiction. Please, allow me to restate and emphasize here the message that the ICC does note usurp or undermine national sovereignty. Yes, the ICC is unusually deferential to national sovereignty: far more so than any other known order of alternative jurisdiction for the administration of justice.”

ICC President Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji speech before United Nations General Assembly 29 October 2018.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 6 |

Trump Administration threatens to “kill”​the International Criminal Court if it investigates US for alleged war crimes

By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES

In a scathing attack on the International Criminal Court, US National

Security Adviser John Bolton on Sept. 10, 2018 threatened sanctions on The Hague-based war tribunal if the court dares investigate alleged American war crimes in Afghanistan. ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asked for permission last year to formally investigate alleged crimes committed during the Afghan war. The investigation could potentially include actions by US military or intelligence personnel in the detention of terrorism suspects.

Bolton made the incendiary remarks in a speech to the Federalist Society in Washington, DC. The speech, titled “Protecting American Constitutionalism and Sovereignty from International Threats”, is Bolton’s first formal address since joining the administration in April. The Federalist Society, which sponsored the speech, is a conservative and libertarian policy group. Bolton also applauded the U.S. action to close the PLO office in Washington and said America “will not allow the ICC, or any other organization, to constrain Israel’s right to self defense.” The closure of the Palestinians’ diplomatic mission in Washington D.C. came after Palestine moved to bring Israel before the ICC over allegations of human rights abuses in Gaza and the occupied West Bank .

Credit: Flikr / Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. (Gage Skidmore)

“The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court,” Bolton said Sep. 9, 2018.

National Security Advisor John R. Bolton Address: “Protecting American Constitutionalism and Sovereignty from International Threats” EXCERPTS From Speech: I am here to make a major announcement on US policy toward the International Criminal Court, or ICC. After years of effort by self-styled “global governance” advocates, the ICC, a supranational tribunal that could supersede national sovereignties and directly prosecute individuals for alleged war crimes, was agreed to in 1998. For ICC proponents, this supranational, independent institution has always been critical to their efforts to overcome the perceived failures of nation-states, even those with strong constitutions, representative government, and the rule of law.

In theory, the ICC holds perpetrators of the most egregious atrocities accountable for their crimes, provides justice to the victims, and deters future abuses. In practice, however, the court has been ineffective, unaccountable, and indeed, outright dangerous. Moreover, the largely unspoken, but always central, aim of its most vigorous supporters was to constrain the United States. The objective was not limited to targeting individual US service members, but rather America’s senior political leadership, and its relentless determination to keep our country secure.

The ICC was formally established in July 2002, following the entry into force of the Rome Statute. In May 2002, however, President George W Bush authorised the United States to “un-sign” the Rome Statute because it was fundamentally illegitimate. The ICC and its prosecutor had been granted potentially enormous, essentially unaccountable powers, and alongside numerous other glaring and significant flaws, the International Criminal Court constituted an assault on the constitutional rights of the American people and the sovereignty of the United States. In no uncertain terms, the ICC was created as a free-wheeling global organization claiming jurisdiction over individuals without their consent.

According to the Rome Statute, the ICC has authority to prosecute genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of aggression. It claims “automatic jurisdiction,” meaning that it can prosecute individuals even if their own governments have not recognized, signed, or ratified the treaty.

Thus, American soldiers, politicians, civil servants, private citizens, and even all of you sitting in the room today, are purportedly subject to the court’s prosecution should a party to the Rome Statute or the chief prosecutor suspect you of committing a crime within a state or territory that has joined the treaty. To protect American service members from the ICC, in 2002 Congress passed the American Service-Members’ Protection Act, or ASPA, which some have branded “The Hague Invasion Act.” This law, which enjoyed broad bipartisan support, authorises the president to use all means necessary and appropriate, including force, to shield our service members and the armed forces of our allies from ICC prosecution. It also prohibits several forms of cooperation between the United States and the court.

Bolton damned the ICC as “ineffective, unaccountable,” “outright danger- I was honoured to lead US efforts internationally to protect Americans ous” and “contrary to American principles,” and said the US “would respond from the court’s unacceptable overreach, starting with un-signing the against the ICC and its personnel to the extent permitted by US law.” Bolton Rome Statute. At President Bush’s direction, we next launched a global vowed that the US would not sit by idly if the ICC follows through on an in- diplomatic campaign to protect Americans from being delivered into vestigation into alleged American war crimes: “We will not cooperate with the the ICC’s hands. We negotiated about 100 binding, bilateral agreements ICC. We will provide no assistance to the ICC. We will certainly not join the to prevent other countries from delivering US personnel to the ICC. It ICC. We will let the ICC die on its own After all, for all intents and purposes, remains one of my proudest achievements. the ICC is already dead to us,” National Security Adviser Bolton. The US plan Unfortunately, we were unable to reach agreement with every single nawould entail financially strangulating the ICC organization and blocking its tion in the world, particularly those in the European Union, where the ability to conduct investigations by slapping its judges and prosecutors with global governance dogma is strong. And last fall, our worst predictions legal action. “We will ban its financial system and we will prosecute them in about the ICC’s professed and overly broad prosecutorial powers were the US criminal system. We will do the same for any company or state that confirmed. assists an ICC investigation of Americans,” said Bolton, a former ambassador to the UN. DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 7 |

Central African Republic Surrenders Ex-Militia Leader To ICC War Tribunal -Another alleged African war lord (‘RAMBO’) sent to The Hague

By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TMES

Alfred Yekatom (AKA ‘Rambo’)

was surrendered to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague Saturday by authorities of the Central African Republic (“CAR”). The former militia leader will face trial for alleged crimes against humanity. The ICC had issued a warrant of arrest against Yekatom on 11 November 2018 for his alleged criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in western CAR between December 2013 and August 2014. According to the ICC, Pre-Trial Chamber II – composed of Judge Antoine Kesia‐ Mbe Mindua, Presiding, Judge Tomoko Akane and Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala – was satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that an armed conflict not of an international character was ongoing on the territory of the CAR since at least September 2013 until at least December 2014 between the Seleka – a coalition of armed groups predominantly composed of Muslims – and the Anti-Balaka – a predominantly

Credit: arabnews.com / File photo taken on October 29, 2018. Members of the armed forces arrest Central African MP Alfred Yekatom aka”Rambo” (C), who represents the southern

Anti-Balaka movement. He is alleged to be responsible for crimes committed in this context in various locations in the CAR, including Bangui and the Lobaye Prefecture, between 5 December 2013 and August 2014, as follows: Crimes against humanity: murder, deportation or forcible transfer of population, imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture,persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts; and War crimes: murder, torture and cruel treatment, mutilation, intentional attack against the civilian population, intentional attack against buildings dedicated to religion, enlistment of children under the age of 15 years and their use to participate actively in hostilities, displacement of the civilian population and destruction of the adversary’s property.

Burundi leaves International Criminal Court after calling the tribunal ‘racist’ First Country to Officially Withdraw From ICC

”The withdrawal from the Statute

by a State Party would represent a The East African nation of Burundi Friday became the first country to offi- setback in the fight against impucially withdraw from the International Criminal Court. Burundi, and several nity and the efforts towards the obother African countries, have had a conflict with the ICC over what they perceive is the war tribunal’s bias toward Africa. Last year, Burundi’s first vice-president, Gaston Sindimwo, announced the government presented a jective of universality of the Statute”, draft law in parliament to debate how it could withdraw. Sindimwo accused the ICC of violating the rights of Africans. In threatening withdrawal from stated Kaba. the Rome statute, the treaty that created the ICC, several African leaders charge the Hague-based court of disproportionately targeting the continent in its investigations/prosecutions of alleged war crimes.

Mounting concerns of mass exodus of African States from the ICC

“Unless this organisation is reformed, to Set up in 2002 as the last resort to try war criminals and perpetrabe able to focus itself on what it is suptors of genocide never tried at home, the ICC has opened inquiposed to be doing in a fair and balanced ries involving nine nations, all but one of them African: Kenya, manner, we in Kenya and we as Africans Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic (twice), Uganda, Mali and, most recently, need to then pull out because we cannot Georgia. In February 2016, members of the African Union backed have a court that is pursuing agendas other a Kenyan proposal to push for withdrawal from the ICC. than that which the organisation was legally constituted to do,” Kenya President Uhura Kenyatta.

The ICC Called On Burundi To Remain And Engage In Dialogue In 2016, the president of the governing body of the ICC, Sidiki Kaba, expressed concern over Burundi’s plan to withdraw from the “court.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 8 |

ICC prosecutor denies war crimes tribunal is out to get African leaders -Prosecutor Says Some Africans Accused of Comitting War Crimes Falsely Claim They Are Victims Of ICC Bias To Avoid Accountability

Credit: ICC.int / International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fautou Bensouda (center) at The Hague-based war tribunal during a court session.

Nigeria pledges strong support for ICC as other African nations leave war tribunal

By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Fatou Bensouda, a 52-year-old Gambian, in 2012 became the first woman and African to head the team of prosecutors at the ICC tribunal. Bensou- DIPLOMATIC TIMES Dispatch da staunchly defends the integrity of the ICC.

“The ICC is an independent court that must be supported,” Bensouda stated in November 2015 posting on the ICC’s web site. “They perpetuate these crimes and they send this propaganda that ICC is targeting Africa, and by so doing, the focus that we should have on the victims of their crimes is moved away,” Bensouda added.

The Republic of Nigeria pledged its “continued backing and unflinching support” to the International Criminal Court after the election of Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji as President of The Haguebased war tribunal. In April 2018, the judges of the ICC, sitting in a plenary session, elected Nigerian Judge Eboe-Osuji as President of the Court for a three-year term with immediate effect. Nigeria’s backing and support was conveyed in a letter of congratulations on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, signed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Hon. Abubakar Malami.

Since the election of the Court’s new Presidency, expressions of strong support have also arrived from many other States, including letters from the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Palestine, as well as messages in various forms from Andorra, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Slovak Republic, Switzerland, the United Kingdom. The ICC further noted that United Nations Secretary General, Mr. António Guterres, reaffirmed to President Eboe-Osuji the continued support of the organization for the Court to fulfil its mandate.

ICC Prosecutor Bensouda At The U.N. Security Council

Credit: ICC / Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, of Nigeria, has been elected President of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He’ll serve a three year tenure. In his letter of response, President Eboe-Osuji thanked Nigeria for the assurances of its strong commitment, noting that such support is crucial in re-energising the mission of the Court.

Photo by UN

“The States Parties to the Rome Statute play a key role in putting forward and fostering understanding for the reasons why the ICC was created, as a unique tool in the international community’s efforts to advance peace and security, justice and the rule of law, and suppress impunity for the worst crimes”, ICC President Oboe-Osuji stated.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 9 |

U.N. Security Council Lifts Sanctions Against Eritrea After Historic Peace Agreement With Ethiopia

By Gary Raynaldo The President of Eritrea Isaias Afewerki, and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, signed a historic joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship July 9, 2018 ending the 20-year conflict between their two states.

The United Nations Security Council this month lifted a range of international sanctions imposed against Eritrea nearly a decade ago. UN Secretary General António Guterres said at the time of the historic peace agreement: “We feel a wind blowing in the direction of peace.”

As part of the agreement, Ethiopia pushed for the Security Council to lift the sanctions,

Source: Wikipedia / Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrea President Isaias Afewerki sign the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship on 9 July 2018 in the Eritrean capital city Asmara.

work closely with neighbours to build a region at peace with itself.” build a region at peace with itself.”

Meanwhile, Taye Atske Selassie Made, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN, stated: “We are supporting this resolution today at a time when a major and historic development is unfolding in the Horn of Africa”, he said.

“The breakthrough arising from the rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea is already producing unprecedented and far-reaching positive consequences and is significantly changing the political landscape of the Horn of Africa and beyond.”

The summit between Eritrean President Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on July 9 marked the first time that the neighbors’ heads of state have met in nearly two decades. Two weeks later, Ethiopia appointed an ambassador to Eritrea for the first time in 20 years. Eritrean President Afwerki then reopened his country’s embassy in Ethiopia. Next, Ethiopian Airlines flights resumed commercial services to link Asmara and Addis Ababa after two decades.

Once a province of Ethiopia, Eritrea voted to leave in 1993 after a bloody, decades-long independence struggle. Ethiopia and Eritrea expelled each others’ envoys at the start of a 1998-2000 border war that killed nearly 1000,000 people. Relations remained frozen after Ethiopia declined to accept a 2002 United Nations-backed border demarcation, leading to years of conflict between the two countries.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 10 |

which concerned arms embargoes, travel bans, asset freezes and targeted sanctions focusing on certain groups and individuals. The Eritrean Permanent Representative to the UN, Amanuel Giorgio, lauded the lifting of the sanctions as marking the end of a difficult period for Eritrea and the region: “On this historic day I am humbled to congratulate the people of Eritrea, who have endured persistent existent pressure…

Eritrea as a nation is committed to work with all its neighbours.

The peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and the tripartite agreement between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, mark the beginning of a new dawn,” he said, adding that “it is the time to redouble efforts and

What Is Next For Ethiopia And Eritrea Now That Relations Have Been Restored?

“It is not entirely clear what it means right now. Events have unfolded at breakneck speed, and it appears that many of the details have yet to be determined. What the leaders of both Eritrea and Ethiopia have jointly stated is that a full normalization of relations will occur, and in the short term that will involve opening the border, giving Ethiopia access to the ports, reopening the embassies that have been shuttered since 1998, and resuming flights between the capitals.

People will apparently be able to cross the border at will—and no mention has been made of any tariffs on goods,” Bronwyn Bruton, director of programs and studies and deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.

The Ethiopia-Eritrea Peace Accord is an historic event between to to Horn Of Africcan nations that were literally cut off from each other. Not only was there no direct flights allowed between the two countries, there was not telephone service between the nations. Families were reportedly cut off from each other for 20 years. This is a step in the right direction for Ethiopia and Eritrea. Let us keep an eye on further developments.

Aviation News: Ethiopian Airlines Extends Diplomacy In Horn Of Africa With Resumed Flights to Eritrea

Credit: addisherald.com / Ethiopian Airlines Resumed Flights to Eritrea Capital Asmara Jul. 18, 2018 After Historic Peace Pact Between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Ethiopian Airlines Crowned The 2018 ‘Best African

By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES In a spirit of diplomatic sisterhood, Ethiopia Airlines resumed daily flights to Asmara, Eritrea for the first time in 20 years following agreements reached between the leaders of the two Horn of Africa nations. Ethiopia and Eritrea are now being referred to as two sisterly countries as the ‘Cold War’ thaws between them. The leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a landmark peace deal this summer that ended decades of diplomatic and armed battles. The transport link provided by Ethiopian Airlines will assist landlocked Ethiopia pursue its goal of becoming a regional manufacturing hub as it attempts to grow its economy and provide jobs for a large, young population. Direct air connection between the two countries was blocked after the two countries fought in 1998 and broke off diplomatic ties.

“We at Ethiopian feel an immense honor and joy to resume scheduled flights to Asmara after 20 years. With the opening of a new chapter of peace and friendship between the two sisterly countries, we look forward to starting flights to Asmara with the B787, the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft, which gives customers unparalleled on board comfort. “The resumption of air links will play a critical role in boosting the overall political, economic, trade and people-to-people ties between the two sisterly countries.”

CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam.

Carrier’ Award For The 7th Consecutive Year

Credit: @muhammad_fall twitter / Ethiopian Airlines is is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX Certified Four Star Global Airline announced that it has won 2018 Best Airlines in Africa Award for the 7th year in a row from African Airlines Association (AFRAA). The award was given on November 27, 2018 in recognition of its exceptional financial performance at the 50th high profile African Airline Association Annual General Assembly taking place in Rabat, Morocco. Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked:

“We are thrilled to win this prestigious award. In the last Family Members Were Totally Cut Off From Each Other For seven years we have been coming to AFRAA AGA and receiving this continental high-profile award every single year.

20 Years As Ethiopia-Eritrea Telephone Lines Were Dead We sincerely thank AFRAA and our sister African Airlines Many Eritreans are returning home to reunite with family and friends after for the award. The award underscores the continuous efmany years. Eritrean Ambassador to Ethiopia, Araya Desta said: ”As we all forts and hard work of Ethiopian employees who are highly know the two family members were totally cut off for more than 20 years. committed for the extra ordinary success of our airline.”

Obstacles that hindered and separated the peoples are now over,” SABCNEWS reported.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 11 |

Aviation News: BRITISH AIRWAYS RETIRES ICONIC BOEING 767

Credit: BA.com / British Airway’s final operating crew of last commercial 767 flight at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus to London’s Heathrow on Nov. 25, 2018.

By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES

British Airways bids farewell to one of the most iconic aircraft in its fleet,

the Boeing 767, ending nearly three decades of service. The airline’s final two 767s are being retired to St. Athan in Wales after the last commercial flight – Larnaca in Cyprus to Heathrow – took place Sunday Nov. 25, 2018. Since British Airways operated its first 767 in February 1990 on a short hop to Paris, the fleet of aircraft have completed over 425,000 commercial flights. Frankfurt was the route where enthusiasts could spot the 767 most frequently, with the aircraft completing nearly 15,000 flights to and from the airport, but the aircraft has also been used to serve routes from Abu Dhabi, to Calgary and New York. While it was initially used for longhaul, in recent years it has been reconfigured for use on short-haul, including to Athens and Larnaca as well as on some domestic routes. On the 767 retirement, British Airways Director of Flight Operations, Captain Al Bridger, said:

“The 767 has been a brilliant part of our fleet, flying some of our most popular routes and giving customers what was an industry-leading service in its time. It’s fitting that as the final 767 leaves the fleet, we take our 30th delivery of another industry-leading aircraft, the 787, which offers customers an exceptional experience in the skies.”

British Airways Is Looking To The Future Of Its Commercial Aviation Fleet The retirement comes as British Airways looks to the future of its fleet.

Just days ago, the airline took delivery of its 30th Boeing 787 Dreamliner – the newest aircraft in its fleet, according to BA. The Dreamliner is around 40 per cent quieter than other aircraft it also uses 20 per cent less fuel than similarly sized aircraft.

Credit: BA.com / Final 767 commercial flight on stand at LCA-Cyprus ready for departure for Heathrow Nov. 25, 2018.

BA says it is not just the 787 being added to its fleet. The airline said that later in the year it will take delivery of another pioneering aircraft – its first Airbus A350, part of the airline’s £4.5bn investment for customers over the next five years.

-767 first entered fleet in 1990, flying over 425,000 commercial

flights -Last commercial flight took place, Larnaca – Heathrow, before being retired to St Athan in Wales.

Retirement comes just days after airline takes delivery of 30th 787

The final 767 commercial flight took place on aircraft reg G-BZHA. This aircraft first flew in 1998 and has flown an estimated 23 million miles.

It has visited Larnaca 900 times in its life, but its most popular route is actually to Athens, where it’s completed 1,275 round trips. It is estimated that this aircraft has carried around 4 million customers across nearly 23,000 flights.

Credit: BA.com / Flight crew pose in front of 767 at LCA-Cyprus for its final flight service . credit: Stuart Bailey www.StuartBaileyPhoto.com / Landing in to Larnaca, before final commercial 767 flight back to London.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 12 |

Did U.S. Closure Of Russian Consulate In San Francisco Violate International Law?

Photo by Gary Raynaldo / The Consulate-General of Russia in San Francisco was a diplomatic mission in this 2790 Green Street building in Pacific Heights, San Francisco, CA.

By Gary Raynaldo

access to the rented premises of the Trade Rep- lof documents for this category of Americans. resentation in New York. We treat these develop- Also, there is a question of time frame, that the (SAN FRANCISCO) I walk up an immensely ments as a blatantly hostile act, a grave violation US authorities gave for the closure of the Consulate General – only two days,” according to an steep hill on Green Street in San Francisco’s ritzy by Washington of international law, including Aug. 31, 2017 Statement by Consulate General Pacific Heights neighborhood. The ‘smell’ of old, the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and old San Francisco money is in the air. Pacific Consular Relations and the bilateral Convention after U.S. orders closure of SF Consul.

San Francisco Bay Area’s Russian-American Heights is San Francisco’s most exclusive neighbor- on Consular Relations,” according to a Community and Americans Seeking To Visit hood. The elite enclave is also home to the former Russia Impacted by closure of Consulate GenConsulate General of Russia. I take in the spectaceral. There are reports that Russian citizens in ular view of the bay from atop the hill, the majestic the area have suffered from a lack of consular Golden Gate Bridge to my left, and Alcatraz Isassistance. Zoia Lu-Choglokoff, the Exland to the right. I can also see the rooftop of the ecutive Director of the Russia Center of building I am writing this article about from my Photo by Gary Raynaldo / S.F. Counsel General sign on building San Francisco told the Diplomatic Times in steep perch. An empty steel flag pole extends high an interview that “the closure is bad for local above the roof. The Russian flag no longer flies statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Americans wanting to visit Russia who need atop the six-story brown brick building. Last year, of the Russian Federation-Sept. 03, 2017. to get visas.” The Russia Center of San Franthe U.S. State Department ordered the consulate to cisco is a non-profit cultural center founded in shut down amid heightened tensions between the Russia’s San Francisco Consulate Issued 1939 by Russian immigrants as a focal point U.S. and Russia and Moscow’s move to a reduce the 16,000 Tourists Visas in 2016 for the preservation of their cultural heritage. number of American diplomatic staff allowed in Choglokoff said the closure of the consulate their country. In addition to the San Francisco con“We believe that the decision to close the has not had any impact on the Russia Center sulate, the U.S. ordered Russia to shut its diplomatConsulate General of Russian Federation in of San Francisco. “We are independent and ic offices in Washington, Seattle, and New York.

San Francisco is another unfriendly step of non-political,” Choglokoff said. “We never took Russia Accused U.S. Of Violating International the US authorities, which, first of all, will any funding from the Russian Consulate.” She hit hard on Russian citizens residing in the Law In Shuttering Diplomatic Posts: said the Russian Center only worked with the consular district, as well as on American Russian Consulate once a year to coordinate citizens.

A significant part of Russians also “On September 2, (2017) US authorities seized the the center’s annual Russia Festival. Choglokoff buildings of the General Consulate of the Russian have American citizenship. We would like to emphasized that the Center’s relationship with emphasize in 2016 the Consulate General issued the Russian Consulate was strictly cultural. She Federation in San Francisco and the Trade Repmore than 16 thousand tourist visas for Amer- said the Center worked with the Consulate in resentation in Washington, D.C., which are the property of Russia and have a diplomatic immuni- ican citizens. Closure of the Consulate General assisting entertainers in Russian such as dancers ty. Russian representatives are also being denied will create certain difficulties in the preparation and singers, with visas to visit and perform at DIPLOMATIC TIMES

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |F.

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 13 |

U.S. Closure Of Russian Consulate In San Francisco continued from Page 13

parity invoked by the Russians, we are

the Russia Center of San Francisco over the past years. The Russian Center annually produces many cultural activities including operas, dance concerts, folk dance classes,social gatherings and lectures. The Russian Center is home to Teremok, a State certified Russian pre-school, Congress of Russian Americans, Museum of Russian Culture, Russian Life Daily Newspaper, a library of Russian books, Russian folk dancing classes, rhythmic gymnastic classes, Russian Center Opera Company and the Russian American Chamber Orchestra.

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to about 75,000 Russian-speaking residents.

U.S. Closed Russian Consuls to “Achieve Parity” in Diplomatic Missions “The United States has fully implemented the decision by the Government of the Russian Federation to reduce the size of our mission in Russia. We believe this action was unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries. In the spirit of parity

requiring the Russian Government to close its Consulate General in San Francisco, a chancery annex in Washington, D.C., and a consular annex in New York City. These closures will need to be accomplished by September 2,” U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, Aug. 31, 2017.

Regarding Moscow’s contention the United States violated international law by giving Russia just two days to close the diplomatic posts in San Francisco and the other American cities, a State Department Spokesperson told Diplomatic Times in an email: “The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations provides that consular posts are established only with the host state’s consent.” In other words, a big НET! (NO!) Washington’s move came after Moscow announced in July 2017 that the diplomatic presence of the United States in Russia would be scaled down by 755 people to 455, the same number of diplomatic personnel Russia has in the United States since late 2016, when 35 Russian diplomats were expelled from the United States.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo / The front of the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco The Cold War continues folks!

Did Russian Spies Operate Out Of The San Francisco Consulate General?

Credit: qz.com /

Smoke billows from the roof of the Russia Consul after the U.S. orders it to shutdown.

According to local media reports, as workers scramble to close the building in time, acrid black smoke began billowing out of its chimney on Sept 1, 2017, two days before staff was ordered to abandon the diplomatic post. Rumors and speculation swirled that staff was burning “sensitive” documents.

It is not the intent of DIPLOMATIC TIMES to delve into any alleged espionage activities that may have been conducted inside the S.F. Consul. But for the curious, the following is a really good article in Foreign Policy.com December 14, 2017 issue on the subject: The Secret History Of The Russian Consulate in San Francisco.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES |

ISSUE 02 | NOVEMBER 2018

| PAGE 14 |