Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin had in February this year accused Washington of “interfering” in their countries’ affairs during a telephone call…reports Asian Lite News
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he has plans to visit China this May, Kyodo reported citing Russian news agency TASS.
This would mark the first overseas trip of Putin after his fifth term in office begins May 7.
“I have a visit (to China) scheduled in May,” Putin was quoted as saying in his address at the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs congress on Thursday, Kyodo reported.
The announcement by Putin came shortly after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Beijing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin had in February this year accused Washington of “interfering” in their countries’ affairs during a telephone call.
Xi Jinping had met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Beijing earlier this month, marking the first face-to-face discussion between Lavrov and Xi in six years. Their last meeting in 2018 occurred just before Putin’s inaugural visit to China following his re-election.
Since then, China and Russia have intensified their economic, trade, and diplomatic collaborations, particularly in the aftermath of Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Despite Beijing claiming neutrality in the conflict, it has emerged as a crucial economic partner for Russia, providing vital support to its isolated economy. The two nations have also aligned diplomatically against perceived Western containment efforts.
Beijing has been importing Russian oil after other countries placed sanctions on Russian imports.
Putin’s last visit to Beijing occurred in October 2023 during the Belt and Road Forum, while Xi visited Moscow for a state visit in last March in 2023.
This year’s report is once again conspicuous by its lack of objectivity and politicization of the international human rights agenda, it added…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan has “categorically” rejected a report by the US State Department over the human rights violations in the country last year, saying that only a “politically motivated report can ignore the alarming situation in Gaza”.
“It is deeply concerning that a report purported to highlight human rights situations around the world ignores or downplays the most urgent hotspots of gross human rights violations such as in Gaza,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement released late Thursday.
Titled “2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Pakistan,” the contents of the report are unfair, based on inaccurate information and are completely divorced from the ground reality, the ministry said.
This year’s report is once again conspicuous by its lack of objectivity and politicization of the international human rights agenda, it added.
“It clearly demonstrates double standards thus undermining the international human rights discourse,” according to the ministry.
Issued on April 22, the US State Department’s report stated that there were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Pakistan over the past year.
It said that the Pakistani government intimidates or seeks reprisal against individuals beyond its borders, including civil society activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.
The report also claimed that successive Pakistani governments tacitly approved enforced disappearances.
The two countries sealed the deals, two agreements and six memorandums of understanding…reports Asian Lite News
The governments of Nepal and Qatar on Wednesday reached agreements on bilateral cooperation in various sectors.
The two countries sealed the deals, two agreements and six memorandums of understanding, after an hour-long meeting between the delegations led by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, according to Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson for Nepal’s Foreign Ministry.
Media, business, culture and arts, education, scientific research and youth and sports are the areas on which the two countries agreed to focus their cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported.
The emir arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday for a two-day state visit.
New Delhi, Jan 21 (ANI): (File picture) Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will visit India to be a chief guest in the Republic Day celebrations and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Egypt in areas ranging from agriculture and digital. (ANI Photo)
President Sisi underscored the vital need for the international community to assume its responsibilities to implement the relevant UN resolutions…reports Asian Lite News
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi reiterated on Wednesday, the crucial importance of ending the ongoing war in Gaza, warning against any military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah.
During a phone call with Prime Minister of Netherlands, Mark Rutte, President Sisi said that any military operation in Rafah will have catastrophic consequences on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and on regional peace and security.
According to spokesman for Presidency, Ahmed Fahmy, the call focused on the situation in Gaza, and Egypt’s efforts to restore regional stability by reaching a ceasefire in the region and providing access for humanitarian aid.
President Sisi also underscored the vital need for the international community to assume its responsibilities to implement the relevant UN resolutions.
Sisi’s statement was after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have deployed its elite Nahal Brigade in the Rafah region of the Gaza Strip.
This a clear message that the Rafah ground invasion is imminent even as the US and other Western allies of Israel are objecting to it.
Israel defence ministry sources told IANS that the Yuftah armoured brigade and Carmeli infantry brigade of the IDF, which were in Northern Gaza, have been deployed to Central Gaza to move the Nahal brigade into the Rafah region.
It may be recalled that the Nahal brigade was involved in the ground invasion of the Central Gaza Strip and also in the Khan Younis area –the stronghold of Hamas.
Sources told IANS that once the Israeli government takes a political decision regarding Rafah operations the Nahal brigade will lead the ground offensive.
The IDF has said that there are six remaining battalions of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, including four in Rafah. It has also informed the Israel war cabinet that it has conducted all necessary preparations to take Rafah and can launch an operation the moment it gets government approval.
Meanwhile, top Israeli officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, have reached Egypt and met the country’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and Chief of Staff Osama Askar.
Moscow, on the other hand, said that the main topics of discussion during Kabulov’s trip on Tuesday were the further development of diverse bilateral cooperation in the political and economic fields, and the establishment of regional cooperation with Afghanistan within the Moscow format…reports Asian Lite News
Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, travelled to Kabul to hold meetings with the interim senior leadership of Afghanistan, including Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Abdul Kabir, Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Acting Minister of Interior Affairs, Sirajuddin Haqqani.
“The meeting focused on bilateral relations between both the countries. Regional political and security issues were also discussed,” said the Afghan Interior Ministry in a statement.
Moscow, on the other hand, said that the main topics of discussion during Kabulov’s trip on Tuesday were the further development of diverse bilateral cooperation in the political and economic fields, and the establishment of regional cooperation with Afghanistan within the Moscow format.
“The responsibility of the US and its allies for the negative consequences of a 20-year stay in Afghanistan is emphasised. The need was emphasised for the immediate and unconditional ‘unfreezing’ of the country’s national assets with their transfer to the disposal of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, as well as the lifting of all illegitimate unilateral sanctions against this state,” stated the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, the local media in Kabul reported that, during the meeting with Kabulov, Kabir advocated for the Taliban to be granted Afghanistan’s representative seat at the United Nations and also opposed the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan.
In December, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution requesting the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy for Afghanistan, provided with robust expertise on human rights and gender, as it also stressed the critical importance of a continued presence of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
During a Security Council open debate on protecting women against sexual violence in conflict held on Tuesday, representatives of many member states voiced their concern over the “systematic assault” on women destroying lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan and called for a “speedy appointment” of the UN Special Envoy to support the implementation of the independent assessment’s recommendations.
The Houthi group has been controlling much of northern Yemen since the Yemeni civil war erupted in late 2014….reports Asian Lite News
Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for launching three attacks, targeting two US ships in the Gulf of Aden and an Israeli ship in the Indian Ocean.
“In support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and in response to the American-British aggression against our country (Yemen), our naval forces carried out a military operation targeting the American ship (MAERSK YORKTOWN) in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of suitable naval missiles, and the hit was accurate,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Wednesday.
“We also carried out other two military operations using bomb-laden drones, one of which targeted an American warship in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of drones, and the other operation targeted the Israeli ship (MSC VERACRUZ) in the Indian Ocean with a number of drones. Both operations achieved their goals successfully,” he said without specifying the date of those attacks.
“We confirm that we will continue to prevent Israeli ships or any ship heading to Israel from transiting the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean until the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza is stopped and the siege is lifted,” Sarea said, vowing that his group would take more actions in the coming days.
Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an explosion near a ship in the Gulf of Aden, which it said caused no damage or casualties, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Houthi group has been controlling much of northern Yemen since the Yemeni civil war erupted in late 2014.
After the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, the Houthi group declared its support for Hamas and began attacking ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea in November.
In response to the Houthi attacks, the US and UK launched a joint military operation in January, conducting air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
Following the military action by Washington and London, the Houthi group vowed retaliation and expanded its targeting to include US and British ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT), despite being hailed as a successful mechanism in managing water disputes between India and Pakistan for decades, faces significant challenges in adapting to the evolving circumstances of the present day. The treaty’s failure to address the distribution of water, accommodate the impacts of climate change, incorporate technological advancements, and provide an efficient dispute resolution process raises concerns about its relevance … writes Dr Trilok Sharma
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is a landmark water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan that was brokered by the World Bank and signed on 19 September 1960. The treaty emerged against the backdrop of strained relations between the two countries and aimed to address water disputes related to the shared Indus River Basin which is crucial for the food and water security of both nations. The treaty designated specific rivers for each country’s unrestricted use, with the western rivers i.e. The Indus, Jhelum and Chenab Rivers allocated for Pakistan’s sole use while the eastern rivers i.e. The Sutlej, Ravi and Beas Rivers allocated for India’s exclusive usage.
Despite being celebrated as one of the world’s most effective treaties that has withstood wars, hostility and tensioned diplomatic relations, many experts have noted its obsolete provisions and their implications on present-day affairs. While India seeks negotiations for the amendment of the IWT vide its Notice of Amendment served on 25 January 2023, Pakistan has remained opposed to the idea.
Experts state that since the inception of the IWT, there have been several fundamental changes in circumstances which merit diplomatic discussion for amendment of the IWT. In essence, the circumstances that existed at the time of concluding the IWT have changed so fundamentally that the assumptions on which the said treaties were concluded no longer hold true.
While international treaties operate under the pacta sunt servanda rule which bind the state, its entities and citizens to the terms of the convention, the doctrine of rebus sic stantibus enshrined under Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties is an exception whereby an unforeseen fundamental change of circumstances is a ground for terminating a treaty if it affects the essential basis or radically transforms obligations of a treaty. In past, this principle has led to the withdrawal of Italy, Russia and Australia from the Energy Charter Treaty.
Source-Wikipedia
Fundamental Change of Circumstances under the Indus Water Treaty
The IWT fails to distribute water and address the Indus River Basin as a whole
At present, the IWT does not distribute water between the countries but merely allocates rivers for usage of each country. It offers geo-physical partition of the river system itself instead of addressing the joint development and water management of the Indus River Basin, a stark deflection from customary international law norms. It can be seen that Article 9 of the Treaty provides that consultations may be held when a question arises over the interpretation or application of the IWT, but it fails to cater to disputes arising out of or in relation to the Indus River Basin itself. This simplistic approach lacks cooperative sharing of water, creating ecological and social consequences that require deliberation.
The IWT fails to accommodate climate change
During the year 2015, NASA ranked the Indus River Basin as the world’s second-most over-stressed aquifer. Since glaciers are the biggest contributors of water to the Indus River, global warming and climate change will negatively impact water availability in the river basin. While initially, water levels may increase with rapid melting (creating flood risks), over time, the river basin is likely to dry up.
The IWT makes no provisions for regulation of water-flows in events of sudden heavy discharge due to melting glaciers. A discussion on this aspect and an agreement thereon is essential as the incidence of catastrophic floods are on the rise not only in the lower riparian state of Pakistan but also on the Indian side. Similarly, the risk of flooding due to events like sudden glacial melts or cloud bursts significantly increases the risk of flooding on both sides.
A 2011 study on climate changes in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region found a link between higher streamflow in the upper Indus Basin and increased mean and maximum temperatures, especially in winter and spring. It was also noted that significant depletion of groundwaters has been observed in the Indus Basin of Pakistan, highlighting another aspect that has not been addressed under the IWT. In recent years, the decrease in downstream discharge to the sea, attributed to irrigation canals and dams, has led to 5 times fewer sediments downstream, impacting natural water regimes and soil nutrient composition.
While at first there is likely to be a clear increase in the river flows, over time the total quantity of water flowing through the rivers will substantially decline. It is projected that the climate change-related threats can reduce Indus River flows by as much as 30–40% in the future. In the backdrop of rise in population, it poses increased pressure on the water resources of the basin, which can have serious adverse impacts on the regional peace and security.
The treaty fails to accommodate technological advancements in Infrastructure
The IWT has received criticism for being overly technical. The IWT puts strong limitations on structures with movable gates to manage storage upstream. This is ineffective given to the seasonal flow of the Indus River Basin rivers, which carry high silt loads. The IWT also fails to accommodate technological advancements in water management construction solutions like digital water management and flood management technology that facilitate monitoring, forecasting, and catastrophe modelling. Pakistan has used the treaty not to resolve differences over designs, but to escalate them to the level of disputes which delays the Indian projects, adding to their cost and affecting their techno-economic viability.
Unlike Pakistan’s literal interpretation of the IWT’s technical annexures, Indian engineers focus on the criteria for techno-economic viable project designs. For instance, objections raised by Pakistan about the Baglihar Project’s design changes in 1999, seven years after its initiation in 1992. Despite being viewed as India’s attempt to gain leverage, the alterations were crucial for the project’s techno-economic viability; Pakistan objected to various design elements such as pondage levels, dam outlets and turbines, claiming that such designs were violative of the IWT. India, however, stated that all designs and calculations were in accordance with the provisions of the IWT.
Interestingly, India utilizes about 94% of its 20% share (40.7 billion cubic meters) from the total Indus River supply of 207.2 billion cubic meters. However, the remaining 6% remains unused and flows to Pakistan. Despite having the right to create a storage capacity of up to 3.6 million acre-feet on western rivers, India has not built any storage capacity as of 2021. Out of the estimated 20,000 megawatts power potential from western river projects, only 3,482 MW has been constructed.
The IWT fails to provide an adequate dispute resolution Process for current times
India’s Secretary for Water Resources Ramaswamy Iyer noted that the IWT gave Pakistan “virtually a veto power over Indian projects on the western rivers, which Pakistan tends to exercise in a stringent rather than accommodating fashion. ” The Neutral Expert appointed at the time, while accepting some concerns from both sides, emphasised the need to incorporate state-of-the-art technology for optimum utilisation and recognized India’s right to utilize waters of the western rivers more effectively within the ambit of the IWT.
The broken-down dispute settlement mechanism in the IWT
The dispute resolution procedure provided in the IWT has raised several complaints from experts for being inefficient and ambiguous; besides being a primitive form of dispute resolution catering to outdated circumstances, India claimed the misuse of the three-tier graded mechanism as enshrined in the IWT by Pakistan through its Notice of Amendment of the Treaty on 25 January 2023.
In 2016, Islamabad retracted its request to the World Bank to appoint a Neutral Expert and proposed the commencement of proceedings before a tribunal under the aegis of the Permanent Court of Arbitration to decide the disputes pertaining to India’s Kishenganga and Ratle Hyrdo Projects. Amid India’s request for a Neutral Expert under the IWT provisions, Pakistan’s unilateral action apparently violates the graded dispute resolution mechanism outlined in Article IX of the IWT. The initiation of two simultaneous processes on the same questions with the potential of their inconsistent or contradictory outcomes creates an unprecedented and legally untenable situation. Interestingly, the World Bank accepted both request and initiated action through the Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration in March 2022. Not only do the parallel proceedings allow a party to raise the same claims in multiple forums i.e. multiple recoveries of same damages, it also creates inconsistencies in decisions rendered by multiple platforms.
In response to India’s concern over the parallel proceedings, the World Bank stated that the two mechanisms are independent. The IWT vests the authority in both mechanisms to determine their own jurisdiction and competence as well as the power to decide on their rules of procedure. The World Bank’s view raises concerns about the effectiveness and conflict of decisions made by the Neutral Expert and the Court of Arbitration. This ambiguity may lead to disputes regarding which decision will take precedence over the other.
Additionally, the role of the World Bank has garnered dissatisfaction; against popular view, the World Bank clarified that it was “not a guarantor of the treaty” and was merely a conflict resolver. It stated that the IWT does not empower the World Bank to decide whether one procedure would take precedence over the other under the graded mechanism. It was merely tasked with fulfilling its procedural obligations with respect to appointing both the Court of Arbitration and the Neutral Expert.
The Indus Water Treaty, despite being hailed as a successful mechanism in managing water disputes between India and Pakistan for decades, faces significant challenges in adapting to the evolving circumstances of the present day. The treaty’s failure to address the distribution of water, accommodate the impacts of climate change, incorporate technological advancements, and provide an efficient dispute resolution process raises concerns about its relevance. The changing ecological and geopolitical landscape, coupled with the dissatisfaction of affected populations, evolving technological capabilities and the looming threat of climate change underscores the need for a comprehensive reassessment of the IWT on the basis of circumstances that exist 63 years after the treaty was entered into. A mutual renegotiation would be the most appropriate course of action instead of a prolonged legal battle with little or no enforceability of outcomes.
Discriminations with minorities common phenomenon in Pakistan, Iran (Opinion).
Observers believe that a female pitch invader at a match last week is a reason for the latest decision by the FA…reports Asian Lite News
A stadium ban for women is to be reintroduced in Iran, multiple local news reports said on Wednesday.
The reports said that the Iranian FA has ordered the ban to be imposed in the north-western city of Tabriz in the wake of “repulsive incidents” at a home game of local top flight club Tractor-Sazi.
It was not clear whether the stadium ban only applies in Tabriz or for all matches. Tractor-Sazi is one of the most popular clubs in Iran, with a large fan base including many women.
Observers believe that a female pitch invader at a match last week is a reason for the latest decision by the FA.
A woman ran onto the pitch during the Pro League match between Tehran club Esteghal and Aluminium Arak and embraced Esteghlal and national team goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini.
Hosseini was fined around $7,500 and suspended for one match after he reportedly briefly held her. In Iran, it is forbidden to touch women who are not a part of the close family.
Iran’s arch-conservative clergy has argued that women had no business in stadiums with fanatical male fans.
Under pressure from the world governing body FIFA, the ban was relaxed somewhat in recent years, with a certain number of women allowed to attend matches.
Visiting on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, President Raisi is scheduled to inaugurate the much-delayed Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project…reports Susitha Fernando
Amid the tension in the Middle East, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka following his three-day visit to Pakistan.
Tight security was imposed across the country, especially closing all roads where the Iranian President is scheduled to travel during the one-day visit to the island nation.
Police spokesman and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nihal Thalduwa said that additional security personnel from Army, Navy, Air Force and the police elite force, Police Special Task Force (STF) have been deployed to provide extra security for the visiting dignitary.
“The security programme will cover areas where the Iranian President is due to travel to,” Thalduwa said, adding that multiple roads would be closed to provide special security to the Iranian President.
Visiting on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, President Raisi is scheduled to inaugurate the much-delayed Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP), one of the largest irrigation and hydro-electricity projects in Sri Lanka.
“A highlight of President Raisi’s visit will be the signing of five memorandums of understanding (MoUs), aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between Iran and Sri Lanka,” the President Media Division (PMD) announced.
Originally started in 2008, the project is aimed to provide irrigation water to about 4,500 hectares of new land and 1,500 hectares of existing agricultural land in the Monaragala district and three districts getting 39 million cubic meters (MCM) of water for drinking and industrial purposes and also to generate 290 GWh of electrical energy annually to the National Grid.
The total $514 million contract became effective on March 15, 2010. Initially, the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) was to fund USD 50 million until 2013, but due to international sanctions against Iran, funds could not be provided. However, the project was continued with Sri Lankan funds and with the Iranian contractor Farab Company.
Due to financial challenges, disruptions caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic and protests due to environmental damages, the completion date was changed to March 2024 from March 2015.
The historical ties between Sri Lanka and Iran date back centuries with interactions between the two nations being primarily centered on the Strait of Hormuz during the Persian era. Formal diplomatic relations were officially established in 1962 and Iran established its mission in Colombo in 1975, while Sri Lanka established its mission in Tehran in January 1990.
Iran has provided development assistance to Sri Lanka with loans focusing on enhancing infrastructure, irrigation, and power sectors. Sri Lanka has already repaid over $19 million to Iran, with a remaining gross payable amount of around $35 million.
The PMD stated that the two countries have collaborated closely with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, offering mutual support on matters of shared concern. Both nations are active members of various international and regional organisations, including the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
To facilitate much-needed tourists from Iran, Sri Lanka has approved Mahan Air flights between the two countries. In 2022, Iran ranked 27th among countries with the highest international tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka. By June 2023, Sri Lanka had welcomed 5,973 Iranian tourists.
Following tensions in West Asia, where Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on April 14 in a tit-for-tat to a suspected Israeli airstrike on April 1 that targeted a compound at its Consulate in Damascus, Syria, there were doubts about the visit of Iranian President to Sri Lanka, but an Iranian official had confirmed his visit.
The meeting focused on bilateral relations between both the countries…reports Asian Lite News
Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, travelled to Kabul to hold meetings with the interim senior leadership of Afghanistan, including Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Abdul Kabir, Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Acting Minister of Interior Affairs, Sirajuddin Haqqani.
“The meeting focused on bilateral relations between both the countries. Regional political and security issues were also discussed,” said the Afghan Interior Ministry in a statement.
Moscow, on the other hand, said that the main topics of discussion during Kabulov’s trip on Tuesday were the further development of diverse bilateral cooperation in the political and economic fields, and the establishment of regional cooperation with Afghanistan within the Moscow format.
“The responsibility of the US and its allies for the negative consequences of a 20-year stay in Afghanistan is emphasised. The need was emphasised for the immediate and unconditional ‘unfreezing’ of the country’s national assets with their transfer to the disposal of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, as well as the lifting of all illegitimate unilateral sanctions against this state,” stated the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, the local media in Kabul reported that, during the meeting with Kabulov, Kabir advocated for the Taliban to be granted Afghanistan’s representative seat at the United Nations and also opposed the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan.
In December, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution requesting the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy for Afghanistan, provided with robust expertise on human rights and gender, as it also stressed the critical importance of a continued presence of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
During a Security Council open debate on protecting women against sexual violence in conflict held on Tuesday, representatives of many member states voiced their concern over the “systematic assault” on women destroying lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan and called for a “speedy appointment” of the UN Special Envoy to support the implementation of the independent assessment’s recommendations.
