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Macron wants to get tough on Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron

Macron has put himself at the forefront of the diplomatic push to ease the latest flare up in Ukraine’s conflict….reports Asian Lite News

French President Emmanuel Macron said it was “unacceptable” that Russian troops are amassing along Ukraine’s eastern border and called for a tough stance against the threat of fresh military aggression from Moscow.

“The situation today and the level of tension at the border is absolutely counterproductive and unacceptable,” Macron said in an interview that aired on Sunday, DPA news agency reported.

While he was in favour of accelerating diplomatic efforts to ease the tensions, Macron said the discussions with Moscow needed to be “clear and tough”.

“I think we have to define clear red lines with Russia,” Macron told US television channel CBS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin
Also read:Ukrainian diplomat expelled from Russia for ‘spying’

“This is the only way to be credible. I think that sanctions are not sufficient in itself, in themselves, but sanctions are part of the package,” he said.

Macron has put himself at the forefront of the diplomatic push to ease the latest flare up in Ukraine’s conflict.

He held discussions with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. The three demanded Russia pull back troops and urged that a shaky ceasefire in eastern Ukraine be recommitted to.

Ukrainian border patrol troops guard the country’s border to Hungary on Wednesday. Moscow is warning countries not to supply weapons to Kiev, amid an escalation in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Photo: -/Ukrinform/dpa/IANS

New consultation-level talks with Franco-German mediation are planned for Monday, according to Zelensky.

Anxiety is growing about the conflict that erupted between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatist rebels in 2014, the same year that Russian forces annexed the Crimean peninsula further south.

Parts of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions along the Russian border have been controlled by rebels supported by Moscow for nearly seven years.

Also read:France likely to join Indian Ocean initiative

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France likely to join Indian Ocean initiative

During his visit, the French Foreign Minister will meet top leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will hold extensive talks with his counterpart S Jaishankar….reports Naveen Kapoor

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will begin his three-day visit to India tomorrow. It will be the first high-level physical interaction between India and France since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his visit, the French Foreign Minister will meet top leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will hold extensive talks with his counterpart S Jaishankar.

Diplomatic sources told ANI that Indo-Pacific will be the key focus of discussions between the two ministers and Minister Drian is set to announce France joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative launched by PM Modi.

Sources further said that France will push for the EU Indo-Pacific strategy during the talks.

India and France will discuss joint initiatives that have come to fruition including the new trilateral with Australia. The trilateral panel is also part of Raisina dialogue.

The multi-lateral maritime exercise La Perouse involving navies of India, France, Japan and the US ended last week. The bilateral Varuna exercise involving a French aircraft carrier will be held in two weeks.

According to diplomatic sources, another priority during the talks will be leveraging the exceptional bilateral relationship to tackle the main challenges of 2021 like defending multilateralism (with India in UNSC), universal access to vaccine and boosting global action on climate.

Sources said the French Minister will take up climate issue during his meeting with PM Modi and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

They said the visiting minister will also be taking forward civilian nuclear cooperation and he is expected to make announcements on new joint endeavours during his visit to the ISRO centre in Bengaluru and also start a dialogue on emerging security challenges in space.

The French Minister and Jaishankar will also discuss the main regional and international issues including Myanmar, Iran and the peace process in Afghanistan.

The visiting leader will also have some segments around youth mobility and cinema cooperation, the main idea being that the two countries should strengthen these human ties against the backdrop of the pandemic that has the opposite effect of creating distances, sources said.

The visit of the French Foreign Minister is taking place at a time when the second wave of COVID-19 is at its peak. The sources said the visit is a reflection of how the leadership of France and India stand together in these difficult times. (ANI)

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-Top News Defence

Quad-plus-France naval drill kicks off in Bay of Bengal

India has deployed its advanced stealth frigate INS Satpura and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan, along with P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft, reports Asian Lite News

India and the three other Quad countries kicked off a major naval exercise with France in the Bay of Bengal, underlining the growing strategic congruence in ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific in face of China’s belligerence in the region.

India deployed its advanced stealth frigate INS Satpura and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan, along with P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft, for the three-day “La Pérouse” exercise led by France.

Meanwhile, an influential American lawmaker Brad Sherman applauded the beginning of the exercise and said that the war games will advance US-India defence relationship, particularly in support of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

India and three other Quad member nations — the US, Australia and Japan joined France in kick-starting a three-day naval wargame in the eastern Indian Ocean in reflection of their growing maritime cooperation amid China’s growing efforts to expand influence in the region.

“Great to see the US and India participating in the Quad France naval exercise beginning today in the Bay of Bengal,” Congressman Sherman said in a tweet.

Sherman is the co-chair of the India Caucus in the US House of Representatives. Congressman Steve Chabot is the other co-chair. 

The Indian Navy ships and aircraft will exercise at sea with ships and aircraft of the French Navy (FN), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and the United States Navy (USN) during the three-day exercise at sea, it said.

The exercise La Pérouse, led by the French Navy, has participation by FN Ships Tonnerre, an amphibious assault ship and frigate Surcouf. United States Navy is represented in the exercise by amphibious transport dock ship Somerset.

Her Majesty’s Australian Ships (HMAS) Anzac, a frigate and tanker Sirius have been deployed by RAN for participation in the exercise while Japan Maritime Self Defence Ship (JMSDF) is represented by the destroyer Akebono. In addition to the ships, integral helicopters embarked onboard ships will also participate in the exercise.

Exercise La Pérouse will witness complex and advanced naval operations including surface warfare, anti-air warfare and air defence exercises, weapon firing exercises, cross deck flying operations, tactical manoeuvres and seamanship evolutions such as replenishment at sea.

The exercise will showcase high levels of synergy, coordination and inter-operability between the friendly navies. Participation by the Indian Navy in the exercise demonstrates the shared values with friendly navies ensuring freedom of seas and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.

This came a day after Russia said it attached great importance on “rejection of confrontation and bloc-type approaches”, thought to be a reference to Quad and the Indo-Pacific initiative, both of which it views as “divisive” and aimed at containing China.

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Read More-Quad leaders led by Biden, Modi overcome hostile lobbies to script history

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Modi to visit France after India-EU summit

After wrapping a very successful visit to Bangladesh on March 28, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a hectic schedule of foreign visits…reports Asian Lite News

The Indian Prime Minister has atleast five foreign visits lined up till December this year. Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Bangladesh to celebrate its 50th year of independence and the birth centenary of ‘Bangabandhu’ was his first visit abroad after 14 months.

Reports suggest that Modi will visit France in May during the second leg of his tour to Europe to attend the India-EU summit, to be held on May 8 in Portugal. The PM will be visiting Britain for two days from June 11 for the 47th G-7 summit at Carbis Bay. Modi is likely to also attend the Summer Olympic Games Opening in Tokyo on July 22-23. Reports also suggest that Modi will be visiting Denmak in December to attend the second India-Nordic Summit.

Modi’s visit to Paris is an indicator of growing strategic ties with France including its collaboration in Indo-Pacific region. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will be in India for a two-day visit from April 13. Drian is expected to participate in the Raisina Dialogue and India-France-Australia foreign ministers trilateral meet.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong/IANS)

Modi’s visit takes place at a time when Paris and New Delhi have increased engagement at multiple levels including cooperation in Covid-19 related-issues and defence ties. Modi had last visited France in 2019 as French President Emmanuel Macron’s invitee for the G7 summit in Biarritz. As part of its engagement, Indian ships are a part of France-led La Perouse exercises in the Bay of Bengal from April 5-7. The exercise will involve France plus Quad naval ships coming together for the first time.

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Also, France has also delivered 21 out of 36 contracted Rafale jets to India and more deliveries are likely to follow in April and May.

The foreign ministers of India, France and Australia will hold a trilateral dialogue in New Delhi on April 13 where they are likely to discuss steps to strengthen maritime security and collaborate on shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is slated to visit India on April 26. Johnson said in an official statement that the visit will be aimed to “unlock opportunities in the region.” The PM said he will travel to India to “strengthen our ties with the world’s largest democracy.” This will be Johnson’s first major international visit following Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU).

Johnson was earlier set to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January but he called off the trip to remain in Britain to focus on the response to a new Coronavirus variant.

In his integrated review of security, defence, development and foreign policy, Johnson had said, “Our vision is for re-energised trade and investment, rooted in S&T and supporting levelling up in the UK and India alike; enhanced defence cooperation that brings a more secure Indian Ocean Region, building on the existing biannual Ministerial Defence Dialogues; and UK-India leadership to tackle global challenges like climate change, clean energy and global health.”

Also read:US Trade chief slams India’s high tariffs

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Africa News EU News

France reopens Libya Embassy

French president Emmanuel Macron

France reiterated the support for the newly elected transitional government in Libya…reports Asian Lite News

France has reopened its embassy in Libya after seven years, with the diplomatic representation tweeting “back to work”.

Monday’s reopening comes a week after President Emmanuel Macron announced the plan, reports dpa news agency.

In 2014, France had moved its diplomatic mission to Tunisia.

The year before, its embassy in Libya’s capital Tripoli had been attacked.

The country wants to signal its support for the newly elected transitional government in Libya.

The leadership under Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Mohammed Dbeibeh was sworn in a fortnight ago.

It replaces the internationally recognized government based in Tripoli and the rival government based in the east of the country, and is to lead Libya to nationwide elections on December 24.

Libya has been in turmoil since long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011.

The oil-rich country has become a proxy battleground for rival forces and foreign powers.

The new transitional government has ignited hopes of a gradual end to the conflict.

The foreign ministers of France, Germany and Italy recently backed the new leadership with a visit to Libya.

Also read:France set for stringent virus curbs