India dismisses Pakistan’s attempt to raise Kashmir issue as ‘baseless, deceitful’
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Friday, 28 June 2024
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21 JUNE 2024
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North Korea supports Russia’s war with Ukraine as ‘legitimate act of self-defense’ By Arul Louis
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ndia has dismissed Pakistan’s attempt to inject Kashmir into a discussion of the workings of the Security Council as an undignified misuse of the General Assembly forum. Pratik Mathur, a minister at India’s UN mission, reacting to Pakistan bringing up Kashmir, said that it “misused this forum to spread baseless and deceitful narratives, which is not a surprise.” “I will not dignify these remarks with any response just to save valuable time of this august body,” he added witheringly. Mathur, who did not name Pakistan and referred to it as “one delegation” was reacting to Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Munir Akram’s suggestion to set up a Security Council body to monitor the implementation of its resolutions on Kashmir. But the target of his condescending dismissal was clear. Regardless of the topic under discussion or its relevance, Pakistan consistently brings up Kashmir.
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orth Korea has criticized the US for its military support of Ukraine and supported Russia’s actions as a “legitimate act of self-defense,” underscoring the growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. “If the rulers of the US persist in recklessly pushing their war machine into Ukraine for a proxy war against Russia, it will inevitably provoke a stronger response from Russia,” Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency. Pak further said, “It is Russia’s right to selfdefense to make a strategic counterattack to defend its security from the ever-aggravating threat posed by hostile forces. Any responsive action taken by Russia will be a legitimate act of self-defense.”
Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed “full support” for Russia’s war in Ukraine and pledged to strengthen strategic cooperation with Moscow as he held summit talks with
Biden struggles and Trump deflects in a heated presidential debate
While India does directly take on Pakistan by naming it by exercising its formal right of reply on major issues, New Delhi does not name it on other occasions like on Tuesday to deprive Islamabad of an opportunity to prolong the issue, which is ignored by almost all the other 192 members of the UN, but at the same time making a clear rebuttal. Since it was not named, Pakistan did not get a right to reply when it could amplify its statement. Because Kashmir does not get traction at the UN, Akram repeatedly tries to link it to Palestine – as he did on Tuesday – but with no effect. For example, in last year’s high-level session of the General Assembly, only one country besides Pakistan even mentioned Kashmir – which means 191 nations ignored it. Even that was an anodyne remark made in the passing by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who only said that resolving the dispute through dialogue by India and Pakistan “will pave the way for regional peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia.” Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has himself pathetically admitted Islamabad’s failure to get support for its cause.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang, reports Yonhap news agency.
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Blinken condemns Russia-North Korea military cooperation, reaffirms ‘ironclad’ alliance in call with South Korea FM
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U IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk
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n a highly contentious debate, President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump clashed vigorously on a wide array of issues ahead of the November election. Biden, displaying a shaky and at times halting performance, faced relentless attacks from Trump, who leveled numerous false accusations throughout the 90-minute televised event on CNN. The debate, unprecedentedly held more than four months before Election Day and devoid of a live audience, adhered to strict rules to prevent the chaos of their previous encounter in 2020. The exchange between the two oldest presidential candidates in history included heated disputes over abortion, immigration, economic policies, and personal character attacks. Despite Biden’s camp attempting to downplay
his performance due to a reported cold, criticism from within his own party intensified, with concerns raised about his age and ability to serve another term. Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged Biden’s initial struggle but urged voters to evaluate both candidates based on their track records in office. During the debate, Biden regained composure after a shaky start, particularly when confronting Trump on ethical issues and criminal convictions. Trump, in turn, attacked Biden’s family and administration, repeating long-debunked claims and asserting his own achievements before the pandemic. The debate also highlighted deep-seated divisions and fears among voters, with significant concerns about potential violence following the election, as indicated by recent polling.
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S Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and reaffirmed the “vital” importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance during phone talks with his South Korean counterpart, his spokesperson said. The call between Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul came on Friday after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty on their cooperation in defense and other areas during their summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported. “The Secretary condemned deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including ongoing arms transfers that violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, and reaffirmed the vital importance of the ironclad USSouth Korea alliance in promoting peace, security, and prosperity around the world,” Matthew Miller, the Spokesperson, said in a statement.
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