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“The Brief from Brussels” kommt heute aus Sofia, wo der EU-Balkan-Gipfel soeben zu Ende gegangen ist. Auf der Tagesordnung stand, wie die Staaten des

Le roi du Maroc Mohammed VI a établi une feuille de route de développement et de remise à niveau de son armée, dans son message adressé, le 14 mai, aux Forces armées royales marocaines à l’occasion du 62e anniversaire de leur création. Lirela suite sur https://fr.sputniknews.com/international/201805161036404365-maroc-armee-developpement-plan/

Not surprisingly, journalists and the media in general continue to take their cue from Hamas terrorists and insist on describing attacks on Israel's border and attempts to infiltrate as peaceful demonstrations.

At the start of the organized riots, NBC informed us that
The sit-in demonstration is set to culminate on May 15 — the day after Israeli independence
NBC News, April 5, 2018Sit in?
If you listen closely, the voices you will hear are definitely not singing kumbaya.

Still, after 6 weeks, the media has begun to notice a thing or two, interspersed among the required proclamation of peaceful demonstrations.


For example, there is some reporting on the fact that what is happening is not spontaneous and that Hamas is behind it. Not only is Hamas pulling the strings, but some newspapers have pointed out that the terrorist group manipulates Gazans by lying to them and deliberately putting civilians in danger.

The Washington Post has noted how the leaders of the riots deliberately endanger lives:
But the protests appeared to have a more violent edge than in previous weeks. Some young men brought knives and fence cutters. At a gathering point east of Gaza City, organizers urged protesters over loudspeakers to burst through the fence, telling them Israeli soldiers were fleeing their positions, even as they were reinforcing them. [emphasis added]Similarly, The New York Times reported
The atmosphere grew more charged after midday prayers, when more than 1,000 men gathered under a large blue awning. Officials from Hamas and other militant factions addressed the worshipers, urging them into the fray and claiming — falsely, to all appearances — that the fence had been breached and that Palestinians were flooding into Israel. [emphasis added]With all the trouble Hamas is going through, they are very determined. When Israel tried to impede the riots by warning bus companies in Gaza not to bring people to the border, Hamas threatened to imprison the drivers - leaving them no choice.

Similarly, in order to encourage the largest possible of participants in what was supposed to be the last day of the riots, Hamas declared a general strike and even UNRWA complied and closed down.

Just as the media has begrudgingly mentioned the hand of Hamas in encouraging the riots, journalists have been a bit more forthcoming -- even if they cannot quite bring themselves to admit to the weapons that are being brought and used:

MSNBC reporter Matt Bradley falsey [sic] claims Palestinian rioters in the Gaza Strip were "unarmed," then admits they "had some light weapons." pic.twitter.com/V3o3chQwnL— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) May 14, 2018

Apparently, not all journalists have bothered to pay attention to what Hamas leaders have been saying from the very beginning:



The fact is, not all that much encouragement by Hamas seems to have been necessary:
While some said they would abide by official calls to keep the demonstrations peaceful, others talked about their enthusiasm to break into Israel and wreak havoc.

“We are excited to storm and get inside,” said 23-year-old Mohammed Mansoura. When asked what he would do inside Israel, he said, “Whatever is possible, to kill, throw stones.”

Two other young men carried large knives and said they wanted to kill Jews on the other side of the fence.Since this is from the same article that notes how Gazans were lied to in order to get them to the border, it is not actually clear where these "official calls to keep the demonstrations peaceful" came from -- but it is typical of the media's schizophrenic approach, or what they like to think of as 'balanced reporting'.

Whoever it is that was calling for peaceful demonstrations, it sure wasn't this guy:





Since Hamas is doing everything it can to encourage violence and death, it really is difficult to understand who the Washington Post thinks it is referring to:

We are just chiming in to let you know the above Facebook post, literally telling its millions of followers to invade armed with knives and guns into Israeli towns and kidnap people, is still up. pic.twitter.com/UfaakgTcea— The Mossad (@TheMossadIL) May 15, 2018
Hamas is literally drawing Gazans a map on how to infiltrate and invade Israel:

The official Facebook page of the riots in Gaza published these photos, directing rioters to breach the fence and infiltrate nearby Israeli communities pic.twitter.com/PSHEmmustX— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) May 13, 2018
And when some Gazans were successful in infiltrating across the border, they made it very clear they got Hamas's message:

This is what a border infiltration from #Gaza into #Israel looks like. See the man (0:30) clutching a meat cleaver? Imagine hundreds like him coming into Israeli territory, hoping to murder as many Israelis as possible.

This is what Israel is up against. pic.twitter.com/97c9jvEWOT— Emanuel Miller (@emanumiller) May 14, 2018
This is not just about people being caught incidentally on film.
The rioters are more than happy to tell journalists what they intend to do:
A young Palestinian man boasted to National Public Radio on Tuesday about putting swastikas on incendiary kites and flying them into Israel, saying that "Jews go crazy" when they see it and "we want to burn them."And of course, there is always a terrorist video to make the point. This one is from Islamic Jihad:



Hat tip: Elder of Ziyon

Of course, sometimes while talking to journalists, there is always a possibility of getting your lines wrong, as a correspondent for AFP reported:

Me: So why are you protesting tomorrow?
Naseem (14): For the right to return
Naseem's friend (giggling): But you are a Gazan (meaning unlike most Gazans his family weren't refugees)
Naseem: Ok. So for Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/e1XtzquwmB— Joe (@joedyke) May 13, 2018
A bigger problem is coordinating civilians so they can be used as human shields to effectively cover for the Hamas terrorists among them:
Hamas has warned its own members to stay away from the security fence during Gaza’s mass protests, lest they get shot, while actively encouraging Palestinian civilians — particularly children and teens — to approach the border, the Shin Bet added, citing findings from a number of interrogations. If the fence is breached, however, armed Hamas gunmen are poised to enter Israel to carry out attacks.

“There is a prohibition for Hamas operatives to approach the border, from a fear that they will be killed or captured by IDF troops, unless the security fence falls and then they must enter, armed, into Israel under the cover of the masses and carry out terror attacks,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.

...Yahya Ijlah, a 19-year-old Hamas member who entered Israel on April 29, told Shin Bet interrogators that he had been sent to the border in order to steal a security camera along the fence.

According to the Shin Bet, Ijlah said Hamas “is working to make its activities look like a popular uprising in the media, and not a violent operation by its members.”But despite it all --

With all the evidence of premeditation and advanced planning,

Despite statements in Arabic that are easily available online in translation,

Contrary to statements made  to the media by the rioters themselves,

And even with video of infiltration into Israel, of kites setting fields on fire and of calls for death to Jews,

The media still insists on writing about peaceful protests, bewildered by how Israel uses live ammunition to prevent Gazans from doing what they proclaim to the world they want to do and eagerly accepting whatever explanation Hamas terrorists tell them.


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Dix-neuf jihadistes ont été tués dans le Sinaï égyptien “au cours des derniers jours”, dans le cadre une vaste opération “antiterroristes” lancée en février, a annoncé jeudi l’armée égyptienne. Lire la suite sur http://fr.africanews.com/2018/05/17/egypte-19-jihadistes-tues-dans-le-sinai-armee/

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed fresh damage caused by gunfire and shelling in residential areas of Hranitne, Kozatske and Sakhanka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and it was restricted also at a checkpoint near Novoazovsk.* Two SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were jammed while flying near Horlivka.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Verkhnoshyrokivske, Pikuzy, Bezimenne, Miusynsk and Fashchivka. The SMM observed new mine hazard signs and anti-tank mines in Avdiivka. The Mission continued to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for Voda Donbassa water company employees to keep the station operational and heard ceasefire violations in the area despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Almazna and to a water pipeline in Obozne.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (460), compared with the previous reporting period (about 500 explosions).

On the evening of 15 May, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 60 explosions (one assessed as an artillery round and the remainder undetermined) and two bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km at directions ranging from south-south-west to north-north-west.

On the evening of 15 May, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and about 40 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-7km at directions ranging from east to west. During the day on 16 May, while at the same location, the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire 3-5km south-east.

On the evening of 15 May, while in Mariupol (government-controlled, 102km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions and six minutes of uncountable and overlapping explosions, assessed as outgoing artillery rounds, as well as bursts and shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) cannon fire, all at undetermined distances north-east and east.

On the evening and night of 15-16 May, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 30 undetermined explosions and three projectiles in flight from north to south, all 1-5km west.

During the day on 16 May, positioned in Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard 45 undetermined explosions, about 70 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, as well as 15 minutes of uncountable bursts and undetermined explosions, all 1-4km at directions ranging from south-south-west to north-north-west.

Positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM heard about 100 undetermined explosions and about 100 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-6km south-east.

Positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM heard about 100 undetermined explosions and about 100 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, 2-6km west-south-west. (The SMM assessed that it heard the same explosions when positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (see above)).

Positioned 2.5km south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol) for about 15 minutes, the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions and about ten shots of small-arms fire, all at undetermined distances east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including about 130 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 100 explosions).

During the day on 16 May, positioned in Myrne (non-government-controlled, 28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 90 undetermined explosions and about 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2km west and north-west.

The SMM observed fresh damage caused by gunfire and shelling in residential areas of Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk), Kozatske (non-government-controlled, 86km south of Donetsk) and Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 97km south of Donetsk).

In Hranitne, at 33 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho, the SMM saw a hole in the glass of an east-facing window of a school building and assessed it as caused by a bullet fired from an easterly direction. A woman (aged 50-60), who introduced herself to the SMM as the school director, told the SMM that the school had been hit by small-arms fire on 13 May around 14:00, but no pupils had been in the building at that time.

In Kozatske, at 61 Myru Street, the SMM saw that south-west-facing parts of the roof and metal supporting beams of a church had been destroyed. It also saw fresh shrapnel damage to the south-west-facing outer walls of the building, to a gas pipeline about 10m north-west of the building, to several trees within a 25m radius, as well as to a brick fence about 15m north of the church. Inside the building, the SMM saw shrapnel damage to the south-western end of the ceiling. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an artillery round (at least 122mm), but could not assess the direction of fire. A man (aged 40-50) told the SMM that he had heard two explosions near the church at around 04:00 on 15 May while he had been at his house in the same neighbourhood.

In Sakhanka, at 1 Vartazarovoi Street, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage to the west-facing outer wall of the dining hall of a school, located about 30m south-west of the school’s main building, and to the west-facing part of its roof. The SMM also saw a fresh hole in the west-facing outer wall, as well as five shattered west- and south-facing windows. It assessed the damage as caused by a round from anti-tank guided missile system fired from a westerly direction. Four residents of Sakhanka (a man and three women, all aged 30-40) told the SMM that the incident had occurred at about 11:45 on 16 May and added that pupils had been in the main school building.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening and night of 15-16 May, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard 13 explosions assessed as mortar rounds and 22 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-6km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area) and 18 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds and six bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 2-6km north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 16 May, positioned in Petrivske, the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire 2-4km south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a tank (T-64) heading south near Fashchivka (60km south-west of Luhansk). An SMM long-range UAV spotted on 15 May a tank (T-64) in a residential area of Verkhnoshyrokivske (85km south of Donetsk), a tank (T-72) in a residential area of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 92km south of Donetsk), as well as two tanks (T-72) and three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in Bezimenne (100km south of Donetsk). Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence on 15 May of eight multiple launch rocket systems (type undetermined) near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report of 26 April 2018).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, an SMM long-range UAV spotted on 15 May seven tanks (T-64) near Zoria (40km north-west of Donetsk). In non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence on 15 May of ten tanks (type undetermined) and seven towed howitzers (type undetermined) near Miusynsk (see SMM Daily Report of 26 April 2018).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an IFV (BTR-60) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk), an armoured personnel carrier in Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk). An SMM long-range UAV spotted on 15 May an IFV (BMP-1) near Trudivske (47km south of Donetsk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Vodiane (15km north-west of Donetsk) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Talakivka (90km south of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, an SMM long-range UAV spotted on 15 May an IFV (BMP-2) in a residential area of Verkhnoshyrokivske and an IFV (BMP-1) near Nova Marivka (64km south of Donetsk).

The SMM observed the presence of mines and mine hazard signs. In a field on the south-western edge of Avdiivka, the SMM observed again a red-and-white mine hazard sign with “Mines” written in English and Ukrainian (see SMM Daily Report of 11 April 2018). In a field about 0.2km south of the aforementioned mine hazard sign, the SMM saw for the first time about three parallel rows of red-and-white mine hazard signs with “Mines” written in Ukrainian, as well as a row of about 15 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid nearby. On a concrete wall surrounding a compound on the south-western edge of Avdiivka, the SMM saw again a sign with “Danger Mines” spray-painted in Ukrainian on it.

The SMM continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the DFS to keep the station operational. On 15 May, positioned at the DFS, as well as in nearby areas, the SMM heard undetermined explosions as well as small-arms fire (see ceasefire violation section above), despite explicit security guarantees.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repair works to high-voltage power lines near Almazna (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk) and the water pipeline in Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk). The SMM also facilitated the access of a team of Vodafone employees travelling from government- to non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.

The SMM visited a border area outside of government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw 24 cars (seven with Ukrainian, nine with Russian Federation, one with Lithuanian licence plates and seven with “DPR” plates), a van with Ukrainian licence plates, three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and six pedestrians (five men aged 20-30 and a woman aged 30-40) exiting Ukraine. The SMM saw 14 cars (ten with Russian Federation, three with Ukrainian and one with “DPR” plates), two mini-buses with “DPR” plates and 16 passengers on board, a van with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as nine pedestrians (two men and seven women, all aged 50-60) entering Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

 

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co‑ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

 

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint on road E58 north of Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 102km south-east of Donetsk), three armed members of the armed formations stopped the SMM and, citing orders from their superiors, denied it passage.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.4
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed member of the armed formations positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• The SMM temporarily lost communication with two long-range UAVs that were flying over an area near Horlivka. The SMM assessed the loss of communication as due to jamming. The SMM managed to land the UAVs safely.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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The European Commission will begin the process on Friday of applying a 'blocking statute' against potential US extraterritorial sanctions on EU companies that operate in Iran, commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday at an EU summit in Sofia. The 1996 regulation allows companies to ignore penalties issued by certain non-EU jurisdictions. Juncker also said the European Investment Bank will "facilitate investment between Europe and Iran".

Beugratós kérdés, nem ment neki, csak egyben kiadta az elmúlt időszak döntéseit. Más országok ennél is jobban érintettek.

381757 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 17 May 2018 – The OSCE-supported Ninth Annual Central Asian Forum on Internet Development began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The event’s focus is “Media, State, Society: Digital Security and Media Literacy". Some 120 government officials, representatives from civil society, media-related NGOs, professional associations, experts, lawyers and journalists from Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan as well as Aidar Botagarov, an Adviser from the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media are convening for the two-day event.

Participants will discuss the influence of the Internet on digital safety, protection of personal data; freedom of expression in Central Asia; promotion of media literacy as the most effective instrument for counteracting fake news; xenophobia and hate speech as well as the role of the state in the regulation of the media sphere.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana organized the event in co-operation with the International Centre for Journalism MediaNet and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Kazakhstan.

“Contemporary security challenges and problems in cyberspace require increased accountability from not only journalists for providing accurate and unbiased information but every single person,” said the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, György Szabó. “Media literacy becomes an inalienable part of a thoughtful and active role in society.”

Bekzat Rakhimov, Deputy Head of the State Media Policy Committee of the Communication and Information Ministry, added that the state has to take a proactive role in regulating the media sphere. However, the role of the state in the media sphere will decrease proportionally to enhanced self-regulation processes.  

The forum is part of the Office’s work to promote freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Kazakhstan and the Central Asia region.

Relations between Macedonia and Greece are "even stronger" after the two countries' leaders met in Sofia, Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev said Thursday. He said that he and Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras "looked at possible options for creative solutions" to their dispute over Macedonia's name. He said he hoped an agreement can be found in June, but that it will depend on "relevant political factors" in both countries.

Verhofstadt fordert öffentliche Anhörung, kein Geheimtreffen

Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Alexander Hug, is travelling to Donbas this evening, 17 May 2018, following a serious deterioration in the security situation in the last 24 hours.

He will assess the security situation along the contact line and its impact on civilians, and discuss with interlocutors measures to reduce tension.

Journalists wishing to cover the visit should contact Tetiana Tesliuchenko: Phone +380 50 334 14 54; +380 67 828 15 78; E-mail tetiana.tesliuchenko@osce.org; smm-media@osce.org

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381664 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The Central Asian Youth Talks and Model OSCE for 34 young people from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe from 10 to 15 May 2018 in Dushanbe and in the town of Romit north east of Dushanbe. During these events, participants discussed modern security challenges and the role of youth in addressing them.

Speaking at the panel session entitled “Promoting the power of dialogue for the shared responsibility in Central Asia”, the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Tuula Yrjölä, emphasized the increasing attention of the OSCE participating States to the role of young people in addressing modern security threats. “The OSCE recognizes the importance of the young generation and is focused on mainstreaming the youth agenda in its work and activities.” 

His Excellency Mohammad Gul Zalmai Yonusi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Tajikistan, said: “Youth becoming a strong actor in modern politics is an important agent of positive change in the resolution of crisis in Afghanistan. I am really glad to see that young people are ready to talk to each other and issues of security and peace are widely discussed in the context of regional dialogue and confidence building.”

The seminar established a platform of Youth Talks, in which young people throughout the region had a chance to raise important question affecting youth and present their experience and  ideas in addressing them.

Presenting their own projects, young people from Central Asia and Afghanistan discussed inclusive education and digital schooling, social entrepreneurship, student self-governance, gender, as well as youth initiatives in rural and remote areas. Thematic workshops on political participation, information management, negotiations and networking enabled the flow of knowledge and skills for responsive citizenship and an inclusive decision-making process.

The event concluded with a Model OSCE simulation, providing young participants with the chance to play the roles of delegates of OSCE participating States dealing with a crisis situation and using the instruments of dialogue and the consensus-based approach.

The event was organized in the framework of the OSCE efforts in supporting democratic political processes in Tajikistan and in Central Asia. The OSCE has facilitated a number of interactive panel discussions exploring the OSCE’s three-dimensional approach to comprehensive security through the high level dialogue, as well as the modus operandi of the Secretariat, its institutions and field operations.

Die lettische EU-Parlamentarierin Iveta Grigule-Pēterse spricht im Interview unter anderem über den wachsenden chinesischen Einfluss in Zentralasien und dubiose NGOs in Kasachstan.

The European Commission on Thursday referred six member states to the European Court of Justice for repeated failures to tackle air pollution. The six are Germany, France, United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy and Romania. Environment commissioner Karmenu Vella said: "The member states referred to the court today have received sufficient 'last chances' over the last decade to improve the situation." The six are accused of failing to tackle nitrogen dioxide levels.

Quim Torra, the new president of Catalonia's regional government, was sworn in at the Catalan parliament on Thursday. He pledged to be "loyal to the will of the Catalan people and its representatives in parliament". The oath did not mention loyalty to the Spanish king nor to the country's constitution, as it was the tradition until Torra's predecessor, Carles Puigdemont. Torra was elected by the parliament on Monday.

Österreich will noch vor dem Sommer das CETA-Abkommen ratifizieren. Die ursprünglich CETA-kritische FPÖ trägt das mit.

Facebook-CEO Mark Zuckerberg hat sich zu einem nicht-öffentlichen Treffen mit führenden Politikern in Brüssel bereit erklärt.

Le président du Conseil européen, Donald Tusk, a dénoncé  « l’attitude capricieuse » du gouvernement de Donald Trump, quelques heures avant une réunion des 28 dirigeants de l’UE à Sofia.

Après des semaines de tractations, le PDG de Facebook a accepté une audition à huit-clos devant les eurodéputés sur le scandale des données volées. Un format dénoncé par un partie des parlementaires.

La justice européenne a débouté une eurodéputée française du FN qui demandait l'annulation du remboursement au Parlement de plus de 56 000 euros, exigé en raison de l'emploi fictif d'un assistant parlementaire en 2014-2015.