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France Inscribes Right to Abortion in Constitution

France has become the first nation in the world to do so.

With the official inclusion of the right to abortion in its constitution, France has become the first nation in the world to do so. President Emmanuel Macron has pledged that he “will not rest” until women in Europe are afforded the same protections, according to Al Jazeera.

The constitutional amendment that the French Parliament had approved earlier in the week was sealed on Friday by Macron.

While attending the event, which took place on International Women’s Day, Macron declared that he would work to have the right to an abortion included in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

“Today is not the end of the story but the start of a fight,” he said, standing in front of the Ministry of Justice.

“We’re going to lead this fight in our continent, in our Europe, where reactionary forces are attacking women’s rights,” he added.

Although abortion has been legal in France since 1975, Macron promised last year to strengthen protections for the operation after the US Supreme Court struck down the 50-year-old right to procedure in 2022, leaving state-level decisions intact, as per Al Jazeera.

Women celebrated on Monday after a historic vote in both houses of the French Parliament approved the inclusion of abortion as a “guaranteed freedom” under Article 34 of the constitution.

According to CNN, while abortion is a highly divisive issue in US politics that often falls along party lines, in France it is widely supported. Many of the lawmakers who voted against the amendment did so not because they opposed abortion, but because they felt the measure was unnecessary, given the wide support for reproductive rights. (ANI)

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India-France Discuss G2G Cooperation

Both sides also discussed the implementation of the recently signed Letter of Intent on Defence Space Cooperation…reports Asian Lite News

The second India-France Strategic Space Dialogue was held in New Delhi on Monday.

The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on the Indian side and by Secretary General, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms Anne-Marie Descotes on the French side, said an official statement.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the progress made since the first India-France Strategic Space Dialogue and discussed the ongoing robust bilateral engagement in the space sector and avenues for further cooperation in the G2G (Government-to-Government) and commercial segments.

Additionally, both sides also discussed the implementation of the recently signed Letter of Intent on Defence Space Cooperation, capacity building and training, space exchanges and defence space industrial cooperation.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Monday said that the strategic partnership between India and France is growing from strength to strength.

Earlier, EAM Jaishankar received France Secretary General Anne-Marie Descotes in Delhi who is on a visit to India.

In a post on X, the minister expressed confidence that the Foreign Office Consultations and Strategic Space Dialogue will further enhance the momentum of bilateral ties.

“Good to receive Secretary General Anne-Marie Descotes of France this morning. Our strategic partnership is growing from strength to strength. Confident that the Foreign Office Consultations and Strategic Space Dialogue will further enhance its momentum,” EAM Jaishankar said in a post on X.

With the establishment of a strategic partnership in 1998, India-France ties have been taking giant leaps with close cooperation across a broad spectrum of sectors from education to trade to defence.

French President Emmanuel Macron marked his third visit to India this year on Republic Day after 2018 during which a comprehensive defence industrial roadmap was discussed aiming to foster collaboration in robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, platforms, and cyber defence.

In addition, an MoU was inked between New Space India Ltd and France’s Arianespace to enhance cooperation in satellite launches and advancing space exploration initiatives.

It was also decided to designate 2026 as the “India France Year of Innovation”.

President Macron also visited India during the G20 Summit last year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Paris last year as a Guest of Honour on French National Day on July 14, 2023.

The visit also commemorated the 25th anniversary of the India-France strategic partnership.

The two leaders acknowledged the strong India-France civil nuclear ties, and good progress in the discussion for the Jaitapur nuclear plant project and welcomed the continuing engagement of both sides to expand bilateral cooperation

Late last month, Jean-Marc Sere-Charlet, the French Consul General in Mumbai, praised PM Modi, saying he is “a friend of France. He has proved it on different occasions. His relationship with President Macron is very strong”.

ALSO READ: Munich Tests India’s Foreign Policy

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India, France Hold Talks on Disarmament, Non-Proliferation

India and France held a bilateral dialogue to discuss disarmament and non-proliferation relating to the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

The two sides also discussed space security, conventional weapons, including AI in the military domain, lethal autonomous weapon systems, and multilateral export control regimes.

“India-France Bilateral Dialogue on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation was held on 4 March 2024 in New Delhi. The two sides discussed developments in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation relating to the nuclear, chemical, biological domains, as well as outer space security, conventional weapons including AI in the military domain and Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, and multilateral export control regimes,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

Meanwhile, disarmament is one of the priority areas for India in the 78th UNGA session. New Delhi aims to take forward its pragmatic and constructive approach at the First Committee and UN Disarmament Commission by engaging with all partners on issues related to outer space, cyberspace, etc. The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly was opened on September 5, 2023.

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) is a multilateral disarmament forum established in 1979. It operates under the auspices of the United Nations and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The primary objective of the CD is to negotiate and promote arms control and disarmament agreements.

The presidency of the Conference on Disarmament rotates among its member states, with each president serving a four-week term. The presidency rotates according to the English alphabetical order of the names of member states. During its presidency, a member state has the responsibility of facilitating discussions and negotiations on disarmament issues.

India has been a strong supporter of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. India’s stance is influenced by a number of factors, including its historical experiences, strategic interests, and desire for international recognition.

India is steadfast in its commitment to the goal of universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament. As a responsible nuclear weapon state, India is committed, as per its nuclear doctrine, to maintaining credible minimum deterrence with the posture of no-first-use and non-use against non-nuclear weapon states, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Pakistan Issues 112 Visas to Indian Hindu Pilgrims

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France Affirms Strong Indo-France Ties, Stresses Shared Values in Indo-Pacific

The Consul General noted the increasing number of Indian students studying in France, exceeding 7,000 annually, and expressed a desire for more Indian students to experience the quality of French education….reports Asian Lite News

Jean-Marc Sere-Charlet, the French Consul General in Mumbai, highlighted the robust relationship between India and France, underscoring shared values and interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

Responding to a query about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sere-Charlet expressed admiration, stating, “PM Modi is a friend of France. He has proved it on different occasions. His relationship with President Macron is very strong.”

The Consul General emphasised the significance of strong bilateral ties between the two nations, starting at the highest levels of leadership. “France and India share not only values but also interests, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s very important that France and India work well together,” he added.

Sere-Charlet delved into the realm of education, highlighting the growing connections between India and France. “We’ve got strong links between India and France in various fields like business and education,” he said.

The Consul General noted the increasing number of Indian students studying in France, exceeding 7,000 annually, and expressed a desire for more Indian students to experience the quality of French education.

“With more than 1,700 courses taught in English in France, you don’t need to speak French perfectly to come and study here,” he pointed out, showcasing the accessibility of French education. Sere-Charlet highlighted the prestigious standing of French universities globally, including institutions like Paris Sorbonne.

Turning to the business landscape, the Consul General emphasized the growing economic collaboration. “More than 400,000 Indians are working in India for French companies, and the investment is developing every year,” he said. French companies are actively involved in innovative sectors such as clean energies, high-tech, and artificial intelligence.

Sere-Charlet disclosed plans for a forthcoming summit in France, organized by President Macron, and expressed hope for active participation by Indian companies. “We expect Indian companies to be present and benefit from the good location and business-friendly environment in France,” he alsi said. (ANI)

ALSO READ: India Seeks Early Release for 20 Nationals Trapped in Russia

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French senate votes to make abortion a Constitutional freedom

The plan faced some opposition from right-wing senators and the government chose the expression “guaranteed freedom” as an apparent compromise between both houses…reports Asian Lite News

France’s Senate on Wednesday backed a government move to enshrine the “freedom” to have an abortion in the constitution which will now be voted on at a special congress.

President Emmanuel Macron last year pledged to put the right to terminate a pregnancy — which has been legal in France since 1974 — into the constitution after the US Supreme Court in 2022 overturned the half-century-old right to the procedure, allowing states to ban or curtail abortion.

Despite opposition from some conservative members, the upper chamber voted by 267 votes to 50 to back the constitutional change.

The lower-house National Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favour of making abortion a “guaranteed freedom” in January, with almost all members of Macron’s centrist minority coalition as well as left-wing opposition parties approving it.

Macron said he would call a special Congress session of the two chambers at Versailles palace on Monday for a final vote. Macron welcomed what he called a “decisive step” by the Senate in his announcement on X, the former Twitter.

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said France was on the verge of a “historic day” when it becomes “the first country in the world to protect in its constitution the freedom of women” to decide what happens to their bodies.

The plan faced some opposition from right-wing senators and the government chose the expression “guaranteed freedom” as an apparent compromise between both houses.

The lower house in 2022 had approved enshrining the “right” to an abortion, while the Senate last year was in favour of adding the “freedom” to resort to the procedure.

However, before the full vote, a Senate committee on Wednesday rejected motions from the right to amend the text of the proposed revision.

In private several right-wing senators said they felt under pressure to approve the change.

“If I vote against it, my daughters will no longer come for Christmas,” said one woman senator who asked to remain anonymous.

A survey by French polling company IFOP in November 2022 found 86 percent of French people supported making abortion a constitutional right.

ALSO READ-Paris Hosts UAE-France High-Level Business Plenary

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French Navy Thwarts Drone Attacks from Yemen over Red Sea

The French Navy’s operation contributed to the objective of the operation launched by the European Union, the statement added…reports Asian Lite News

The French Navy has shot down two aerial drones from Yemen over the Red Sea where Houthi attacks have targeted international commercial vessels, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces said.

“During the night of February 19-20, the French Multi-Mission Frigates detected multiple drone attacks from Yemen in their respective patrol zones in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea. Two drones were destroyed,” said the Ministry on Tuesday in a statement.

The French Navy’s operation contributed to the objective of the operation launched by the European Union, the statement added.

On Monday, Brussels announced that it launched a naval mission, codenamed “ASPIDES”, meaning shield in Greek, in the Red Sea and the Gulf regions to safeguard its commercial and security interests, Xinhua news agency reported.

France has deployed the Alsace, a frigate with air defence capabilities, and the Languedoc, an anti-submarine frigate, in the zone, reported French media.

On Saturday, the Houthi military said it would continue launching missile attacks against Israel-linked commercial vessels and Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and would only stop if Israel halts its aggression on the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.

ALSO READ-Paris Hosts UAE-France High-Level Business Plenary

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Paris Hosts UAE-France High-Level Business Plenary

Dr. Sultan affirmed the aspiration to continue cooperation to implement the “UAE Consensus” and deliver a new era of positive, tangible climate action…reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, and Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, co-chaired, on Monday in Paris, the second plenary meeting of the UAE-France High-Level Business Council, in the presence of Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber conveyed the greetings of the UAE leadership to the French side and affirmed the leaderships’ keenness to enhance further the longstanding and strategic bilateral relations between the two countries. “I would like to emphasise the pivotal role the Council plays in reinforcing both leadership commitments to elevating the existing vibrant economic ties between the two countries and the importance of mobilising the private sectors on both sides to deliver sustainable economic development collaboration opportunities and partnerships,” said Dr. Al Jaber.

Bruno Le Maire stressed the importance of business dialogue between key French and UAE players. “The ambition we share is to develop very concrete joint projects, contributing to our countries’ strategic goals in terms of innovation, industrial development, and ecological transition,” said the Minister. “I am particularly delighted to see that climate transition is becoming a central focus of economic cooperation between our two countries. Businesses have a central to play in this area, which must translate into larger volumes of green investments, and therefore more green projects developed between French and Emirati companies,” he added.

“I am pleased to welcome our colleagues from the UAE here in Paris, to reinforce the dialogue initiated last year in Abu Dhabi and celebrate the Council’s first achievements. They have been made possible by the strong commitment of the private sector in key domains, ranging from energy to transport, and beyond. I look forward to witnessing further strengthening of these collaborations, as I am convinced that the Council is a fruitful platform for the development of mutually beneficial sustainable investments”, stated Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.

The meeting witnessed the signing of the MoU to establish the “UAE-France Bilateral Climate Investment Platform”, a pragmatic investment framework that will enable French and Emirati investors to accelerate the deployment of joint projects and investments of mutual interest in the clean energies sectors, with a particular focus on advancing the decarbonisation of Hard-to-Abate (HTA) Industries. T

The Platform includes French and Emirati Anchor Partners, ADNOC and Masdar from the Emirati side; TotalEnergies, Bpifrance, and CMA-CGM from the French side. The Platform is aimed to attract additional investment partners over time. The MoU was signed by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber and Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.

In addition, TotalEnergies Renewables and Masdar signed an MoU for partnership in the development of Renewable Energy Projects in emerging markets. The MoU aims to explore potential collaborations and development of joint projects in the field of solar and wind energy in emerging markets of common interest in Central Asia and Africa, as part of the two countries’ efforts to develop joint projects and contribute to supporting global goals for reducing emissions and achieving climate neutrality and confirming their commitment to supporting efforts seeking to achieve a well-organised, responsible, fair, and realistic transition to a zero-carbon energy sector. The MoU was signed between Mohammed Jamil Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, and Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies.

The Council reviewed the progress of the working groups during the past year and praised ongoing joint projects between Emirati and French companies in several strategic sectors, including energy and climate, transport and logistics, and financial investments.

The main partnerships highlighted during the meeting were:
1- The cooperation between TotalEnergies and Masdar to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from methanol and the successful first demonstration flight on the sidelines of COP28 in the UAE.
2- The Airbus-Masdar wide-ranging collaboration to enable the development of the sustainable aviation fuel market.
3- The collaboration between ADNOC and Tabreed (Engie/ Mubadala JV) on delivering the first Geothermal Cooling Plant (G2COOL) project in the Gulf region, introducing geothermal energy into the UAE’s energy mix to decarbonise the cooling of buildings, covering 10 percent of Masdar City’s cooling needs.
4- The partnership between Masdar and CMA CGM on long-term supply of green alternative fuels linked to their shipping routes with a focus on e-Methanol, as well as Ammonia and Hydrogen.
5- Launch of the ‘GO to UAE’ initiative by Tawazun and Thales, with UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology support, to boost national Industrial capabilities.
6- The collaboration between Abu Dhabi Sustainable Water Solutions (SWS), SUEZ Group, and Marubeni focused on implementing key infrastructure projects worth $1.5 billion in the water supply and water treatment sector in Uzbekistan.
7- The CMA CGM and Abu Dhabi Ports on sustainable terminal operations focused on the operation of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port from 2025.
8- The partnership of Schneider Electric and e& enterprise to enhance operational efficiencies across Grid Network.
9- The strategic partnership between Masdar and Hy24 (Ardian JV) to co-invest and develop carbon-free hydrogen projects in various regions globally.

On COP28, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber praised France’s efforts in advancing climate action and its support for COP28 and its endorsement of the COP28 Action Agenda initiatives. He commended France’s pledge of €100 million to the “loss and damage” fund and €10 million to the “adaptation” fund. Dr. Al Jaber also commended France and French companies’ endorsement of the Global Decarbonisation Accelerator (GDA), which is designed to speed up the energy transition and drastically reduce global emissions, and its key pledges including the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge to triple worldwide renewable energy capacity and double global energy by 2030, and the Global Cooling Pledge to reduce global cooling emissions by 2050.

Dr. Al Jaber also praised TotalEnergies’ climate action efforts and for being among the first to endorse the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), where Oil and Gas companies worldwide agreed to aim for zero methane emissions, to end routine flaring by 2030, and to ambition net-zero operations by 2050.

In addition, Dr. Sultan praised their pledge to contribute $25 million to the Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) trust fund, an initiative of the World Bank with COP28, as well as their partnerships with National Oil and Gas companies to detect and quantify methane emissions by making available their pioneering AUSEA technology.

Dr. Sultan affirmed the aspiration to continue cooperation to implement the “UAE Consensus” and deliver a new era of positive, tangible climate action.

The meeting concluded with the approval of the Council’s roadmap for 2024 and the Chairs’ call to the working groups to continue mobilising and accelerating new projects and initiatives that will support the delivery of the Council’s objectives.

Attending the meeting from the Emirati side were Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of MoIAT; Hend Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of France; Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General of COP28; Hana Al Rostamani, CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank; Khaled Al Huraimel, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bee’ah; Mohamed Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar; Shareef Al Hashmi, CEO of Operations at Tawazun Council; Meera Sultan Al Suwaidi, Head of Sovereign Partnerships of Mubadala; and Mohamed Kaissi, Executive Director of Strategic Projects at ADQ’s CEO and MD office.

The French side was represented by Frédéric SANCHEZ, President MEDEF International and Chairman of Fives Group; Guillaume FAURY, CEO of Airbus; Jean Lemierre, Chairman of BNP Baripas; Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, Chairman of Engie; Marie-Ange Debon, Chairwoman and CEO of Keolis; Slawomir Krupoa, CEO of Societe Generale; Geoffroy Bunetel, Chairman of CCI France-UAE2, and Nicolas Niemtchinow, French Ambassador to the UAE.

It is worth noting that the non-oil trade between the two countries increased by 12.5 percent during the first nine months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, reaching approximately AED 25.1 billion (€6.3 billion). In 2022, non-oil bilateral trade exceeded pre-pandemic levels, reaching about AED 30.4 billion, 20.5 percent higher than in 2021 and 53.4 percent over 2020.

Additionally, the UAE hosts the largest number of French companies operating in the Middle East, with about 600 companies employing more than 30,000 employees. Conversely, the UAE is France’s second-largest investor in the GCC.

ALSO READ-UAE affirms commitment to clean energy, Paris deal

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France to deliver arms, train Ukraine soldiers

France vows to deliver more arms, train soldiers in Ukraine and send up to three billion euros (USD 3.23 billion) in military aid…reports Asian Lite News

Amid the ongoing war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new long-term security pact with France, hours after securing a similar deal and aid from Germany, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday.

According to the report, under the new agreement, France vows to deliver more arms, train soldiers in Ukraine and send up to three billion euros (USD 3.23 billion) in military aid.

The pact is set to run for 10 years and will not only strengthen cooperation in the area of artillery but also help pave the way towards Ukraine’s future integration into the European Union and NATO, stated Macron and Zelenskyy.

“Our cooperation yields results in the protection of life in Ukraine and our entire Europe,” Zelenskyy said on his social media platforms, shortly before meeting Macron.

Earlier on Friday, the German Ministry of Defence announced that a deal had been signed between Zelenskyy and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Al Jazeera reported.

Al Jazeera reported that the German security pact, which will last for 10 years, commits Germany to supporting Ukraine with military assistance and hitting Russia with sanctions and export controls, and ensuring that Russian assets remain frozen.

Berlin also prepared another immediate support package worth 1.13 billion euros (USD 1.22bn) that is focused on air defence and artillery.

“The document’s importance cannot be overestimated. It makes clear that Germany will continue to support an independent Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion,” Scholz said.

“And if in the future there is another Russian aggression, we have agreed on detailed diplomatic, economic and military support,” he added.

In January, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also signed a security accord with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has repeatedly been stressing the importance of sending more aid to Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported.

On Tuesday, the US Senate passed a USD 61 billion aid bill for Ukraine. But the bill still faces an uncertain fate with several right-wing US Republicans in the House already saying they will block it as the money should be spent on domestic issues, Al Jazeera reported.

On Friday, Biden highlighted that the reported death of Russian anticorruption activist Alexey Navalny brings new urgency to the need for Congress to approve funds for Ukraine to stave off Moscow’s invasion.

“The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten,” Biden said. “And the clock is ticking. This has to happen. We have to help now.” (ANI)

‘Ammunition shortage hurting Ukraine’

A lack of long-range missiles and artillery shells is limiting Ukraine’s fightback against Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky told a defense conference on Saturday, making a fresh appeal for more weapons.

Later in the day, delegates at the conference also discussed the situation in Gaza, with some holding out slim hopes of a lasting solution to end the Israel-Hamas war.

Zelensky’s call at the gathering of 180 leaders and defense chiefs at the Munich Security Conference comes at a critical juncture, with Ukraine’s troops forced to withdraw from the frontline city of Avdiivka to avoid being encircled.

“Ukrainians have proven that we can force Russia to retreat,” he said, adding that “our actions are limited only by the sufficiency and length of the range of our strength… (the) Avdiivka situation proves this.

“Keeping Ukraine in artificial deficits of weapons, particularly in deficits of artillery and long-range capabilities, allows Putin to adapt to the current intensity of the war.”

With the war about to enter its third year, Ukraine is under mounting pressure over the ammunition shortfall.

The long-term future of Western aid is also in doubt, with a possible $60-billion package of military aid held up in Washington since last year because of wrangling in Congress.

Seeking to allay fears over US stamina in helping Ukraine, Vice President Kamala Harris said after talks with Zelensky that her country would not allow political brinksmanship to stand in the way of support to Kyiv.

“As it relates to our support for Ukraine, we must be unwavering and we cannot play political games,” she said.

Zelensky said he believed in the “wise decision” of the US Congress and expressed gratitude for Joe Biden’s “full support” following a telephone call with the US president.

In a White House statement, Biden blamed congressional inaction for Ukrainian soldiers having to ration ammunition and contend with dwindling supplies before their withdrawal from Avdiivka

On top of the war in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has added to the concerns for the delegates gathered in Munich.

Speaking at the conference, Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani provided a gloomy assessment of talks to seek a ceasefire in the more than four-month-old Gaza conflict.

“The pattern in the last few days is not really very promising,” said Al-Thani, whose country has played a key mediation role.

“Time is not in our favor,” he warned, with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan set to begin on March 10.

Failure to reach a deal could lead to a wider escalation in the region, he warned, as hundreds of thousands of Gazans faced a dire humanitarian situation.

Some 1.4 million are squeezed into the southern city of Rafah, close to the border with Egypt, as Israel prepares a new incursion in the area.

The Gaza war began with Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Militants also took about 250 people hostage, 130 of whom are still in Gaza, including 30 who are presumed dead, according to Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed at least 28,858 people, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The foreign ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia also underlined in Munich the catastrophic situation facing civilians in Gaza.

Diplomats seeking an end to the conflict said however that there may be a unique chance to end the cycle of violence in the next months.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel had an “extraordinary opportunity” to normalize relations with almost every Arab nation, if the Gaza conflict came to an end.

Blinken, who has traveled several times to the Middle East since the war erupted, had been in talks with key figures in the region to seek a truce deal and “an enduring end” to the Israel-Hamas war.

There was however an “imperative to proceed to a Palestinian state — one that also ensures the security of Israel,” Blinken said in Munich.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who held talks with Blinken, urged Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with his country, saying that would be a win against Hamas.

Stopping efforts at normalization that had been progressing before the war was among Hamas’s aims when it launched its October 7 attack, he said.

“That is why moving on with Saudi Arabia will clearly be a victory over what Hamas did,” he added.

ALSO READ: Second UAE aid ship arrives at Al Arish Port

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India, France to increase maritime cooperation  

The Ministry of Defence said the cooperation between the Indian Navy and French Navy also includes training SME exchanges….reports Asian Lite News

The armed forces of India and France will increase cooperation in maritime domain. The decision is important considering the recent attacks by pirates in Arabian Sea and Red Sea.

The Ministry of Defence said the cooperation between the Indian Navy and French Navy also includes training SME exchanges.

According to the ministry, the 17th Indian Navy and French Navy staff two-day talks were held in Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by RAdm Nirbhay Bapna, ACNS (FCI), and RAdm Jean Marc Durandau, Director of International Engagements, French Navy.

The major discussions included operational training, SME exchanges, etc. Both sides also acknowledged the growing cooperation between the two Navies as they agreed to enhance collaboration and interoperability in the maritime domain, an official said.

On the sidelines of the talks, Jean Marc Durandau called on VAdm Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, and underscored the high-level of synergy and interoperability between the two forces.

ALSO READ: ‘UK closer to large-scale conflict than in many years’

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Abdullah discusses ties with newly appointed French FM

The two ministers discussed the strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and France …reports Asian Lite News

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has congratulated Stéphane Séjourné, on his appointment as the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs in France.

During a phone call, the two ministers discussed the strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and France and ways to enhance cooperation across all fronts.

The UAE top diplomat expressed his best wishes to Séjourné for success in his new role, stressing his keenness to work with him to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries and support their efforts to consolidate the pillars of regional and international peace and stability.

The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and their humanitarian implications. Sheikh Abdullah stressed the importance of supporting efforts to reach a sustainable ceasefire that would ensure the protection of all civilians and enhance the humanitarian response to the needs of the people of Gaza.

ALSO READ: UAE, UK explore strengthening economic partnership