Category: Asia News

Ghani stressed that the US is reviewing the agreement it signed with the Taliban, and, after a review, the government will consult Kabul on finding a joint roadmap for the deal…reports Asian Lite News

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said that a new chapter has opened in the relations between Washington and Kabul, adding that the US sees the South Asian nation as a fundamental partner.

“A new chapter has been opened in our ties with our main partner the US and it will continue,” TOLO News quoted President Ghani as saying at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

“Our relations will be at the level of government-to-government.”

Ghani stressed that the US is reviewing the agreement it signed with the Taliban, and, after a review, the government will consult Kabul on finding a joint roadmap for the deal.

“A quick review of the US’ deal with the Taliban will be done by the National Security council and then a fundamental consultation will be done with us,” Ghani said.

The President’s comments come after US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with his Afghan counterpart Hamdullah Mohib last week during which he conveyed Washington’s commitment to the the two nations’ partnership and to peace for “all the people of Afghanistan”.

Sullivan added that the US will “support the peace process with a robust and regional diplomatic effort, which will aim to help the two sides achieve a durable and just political settlement and permanent ceasefire”.

Sullivan also made clear the US’s intention to review the February 2020 US-Taliban agreement, including to assess whether the Taliban was living up to its commitments to cut ties with terrorist groups, to reduce violence in Afghanistan, and to engage in meaningful negotiations with the Afghan government and other stakeholders, the statement said.

But a Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem told TOLO News that they remain committed to the agreement and that the group will cooperate if the US means collecting information about the deal by reviewing it.

“We are firm on the commitment we have made in the agreement… And we call on the other side to stay firm on its commitments,” Naeem said.

Also read:Pak opposition steps back from talks with govt

The dissident faction has alleged Oli breached the party discipline and is liable to expulsion from the party. It had earlier relieved him from the post of party Chairman…reports Asian Lite News

Discord and division continue inside the Nepal Communist Party, which has not split formally but has virtually fallen apart after Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli unilaterally decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on December 20 without the party’s consent.

Since then, the Nepal Communist Party is acting like two parties — one headed by Oli himself and the other led by former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and Madhav Kumar Nepal. Both sides are running separate programmes across the country under the same banner as they await official recognition from the Election Commission.

Amid this row, the Prachanda-Nepal faction has taken disciplinary action against Oli.

A Standing Committee meeting of the faction held on Sunday decided to expel Oli from the party, its spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha told the media.

The dissident faction has alleged Oli breached the party discipline and is liable to expulsion from the party. It had earlier relieved him from the post of party Chairman.

According to Pampha Bhusal, leader of the dissident faction, Sunday’s meeting decided to expel Oli even from the general membership, accusing him of violating the party statutes.

“He (Oli) is not even an ordinary member of the party now,” Bhusal said.

The faction had earlier asked Oli to furnish, within three days, an explanation why not action should be not taken against him for anti-party activities.

The faction had handed over this notice to the Prime Minister’s residence. However, Oli did not respond to the letter.

Sunday’s meeting also reviewed the protest programme and discussed a new protest plan.

The faction had taken to the streets against the dissolution of the House of Representatives, terming the move unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Also read:Nepal confirms first case of mutant Covid strain

Zarif’s tour will cover Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey… reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will embark on a five-nation tour starting from Monday for talks on bilateral as well as regional issues, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh announced.

Zarif’s tour will cover Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey, Xinhua news agency quoted Khatibzadeh as saying in his announcement on Saturday.

During his tour, Zarif will meet his counterparts and other senior officials to discuss bilateral issues, latest developments in the Caucasus region, joint projects as well as peace and stability in the region, the spokesman added.

Zarif had planned to travel to the Russian and Azerbaijani capitals in November 2020 to talk about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, other regional issues, and bilateral matters.

He was also was expected to hold talks with officials from the countries, including his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, but his trip was postponed.

Also read:US sanctions hinder trade with EU: Iran