Reuters, Geneva
UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson said on Thursday he hoped U.N.-backed peace talks to end the conflict in Yemen could start by the end of October.
Eliasson, speaking to a Geneva news conference after talks in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, called for both Houthi fighters and the exiled Yemen government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to attend the talks without pre-conditions.
“We have been disappointed before, Geneva talks started but not much came out of it,” he added.
Chinese media warn against US South China Sea move
AFP, Beijing
Chinese media slammed the US Thursday for “ceaseless provocations” in the South China Sea, with Washington expected to soon send warships close to artificial islands Beijing has built in disputed waters.
Tensions have mounted since China transformed reefs in the area — also claimed by several neighbouring countries — into small islands capable of supporting military facilities, a move that the US says threatens freedom of navigation.
EU expects UK to come up with reform plans fast
AP, Brussels
European Union leaders say they are increasingly frustrated that British Prime Minister David Cameron has not made concrete proposals on reform of the bloc despite all Britain’s talk of possibly leaving unless there is fundamental change.
On the eve of a summit of EU leaders where the issue is expected to be only lightly touched upon, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told the EU Parliament Wednesday that “I can’t say that huge progress has been achieved.”
Iran ready to send fighters to Syria
AFP, Damascus
Iran is willing to send fighters to key ally Syria if Damascus requests them, a senior Iranian official said Thursday on a visit to the war-torn country.
“If Syria makes a request (for Iranian forces), we will study the request and make a decision,” said Alaedin Boroujerdi, the chairman of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee.
“What’s important is that Iran is serious about the fight against terrorism,” he added. “We have supplied aid and weapons and sent advisors to Syria and Iraq.”
EU summit to push Turkey on migrants
AFP, Brussels
European Union leaders will on Thursday try to thrash out solutions to the continent’s spiralling migrant crisis and step up a diplomatic offensive aimed at winning Turkey’s help in stemming the flow of Syrian refugees.
The summit will focus on working with countries outside Europe’s borders to help tackle the worst crisis of its kind since World War II.
