His Excellency Mr. Antonio Costa, the Prime Minister of the Portuguese Republic called on President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (January 7, 2017).
Jul12017
Jul12017
‘Clear understanding’ in ongoing talks between Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot sides – UN
1 July 2017 – Secretary-General António Guterres has met with the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities and their backers at the Conference on Cyprus in Switzerland, saying there is now an understanding of what is needed for a possible settlement on the Mediterranean island.
In a statement from his spokesperson, the Secretary-General said he held a “positive, results-oriented meeting” last night with the heads of the delegation, including Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.
“A clear understanding emerged of the essential elements of a package that might lead to a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus,” the spokesperson said, adding that the talks are continuing today at the political level.
“The Secretary-General remains fully engaged in these efforts to deliver a comprehensive settlement to the people of Cyprus,” said the spokesperson.
Also attending the UN backed Conference, which began on 28 June in the Swiss town of Crans-Montana, are the three guarantor powers – Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom – and a European Union representative, as an observer.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974. The negotiations have come down to six main areas, which include new territorial boundaries, power-sharing and the economy.
Jul12017
Dmitry Medvedev attends the memorial ceremony for former Federal Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl
Dmitry Medvedev’s speech at the ceremony:
The memorial ceremony for former Federal Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl
The memorial ceremony for former Federal Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl
An entry in the Book of Condolences
The memorial ceremony for former Federal Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl
Esteemed Mrs Kohl-Richter, Esteemed family members of Helmut Kohl, Ladies and gentlemen,
We are here today to bid farewell to Helmut Kohl, the man who was rightly called the creator of the united Germany and the architect of the united Europe. In truth, he was also the architect of the current world order.
Helmut Kohl was a man of magnitude in every sense of this word, a man of big ideas and big plans. He was one of the leaders who make epochs change. A great deal of what he managed to achieve in 16 years as Chancellor had been deemed impossible by his contemporaries. Today we say: “It was impossible to do it any other way.” This means he was able to choose the only correct way for history to follow. In this sense Helmut Kohl was truly a man of the future.
He opened the era of unity for the German people. A whole new generation has grown up in this new Germany. Back then, as my colleagues speaking before me said, not everyone accepted it. But Helmut Kohl knew very well what war is. He witnessed it as a teenager and devoted many years of his life to help build Europe that was not divided in any way: neither by trench lines, nor by borders or warring ideologies. Helmut Kohl, the great politician, was well aware that he could reunite his own country only by overcoming the split within Europe.
My country, Russia, was always a reliable partner to him on this road. Our nations had and have a particularly deep understanding of the dangers of confrontation and the value of peace. This allowed yesterday’s foes to start building relations based on mutual respect, equality and trust. Helmut Kohl personally did a great deal for our relations to become the best they have ever been in history. And Russia greatly appreciates this.
Helmut Kohl succeeded in the most important achievement of his life. He was always a real national leader yet he thought and acted in the common European and global context. He dreamed not only of a unified Germany but also of a united Europe. And he saw Russia as its inalienable part.
It was a dream of a common home devoid of barbed wire, fear and hostility that used to divide the continent. A dream of peace and security for all. When an individual, his or her ideas, and, of course, shared values, cooperation and trust are placed above nations, above borders and states.
It is impossible to put a full stop in the construction of such a common home, impossible to say that everything has finally been done ideally well. This requires everyday efforts from all.
The Berlin Wall has long been taken apart and made into souvenirs. But its ideological fragments are sill scattered around the world. We must admit that due to our contradictions we are still far from realising the dream of a common home.
Nevertheless, the united, safe and prosperous Europe remains our shared goal. Helmut Kohl proved in much harder times than today that this goal is attainable. Today’s leaders have the responsibility of being true followers of his efforts.
Ladies and gentlemen, the life and work of the German Unity Chancellor evoke respect around the world and will continue to do so. In Russia he will be remembered as our friend, a wise and insightful politician, a very open and sincere person. Allow me once again to express on behalf of the Russian Federation the most heartfelt condolences over the passing of Germany’s great son, Helmut Kohl.
Jul12017
A country where people can flourish no matter where they are born or who they are
We are focused on delivering economic growth in a way that’s more inclusive – and by that I mean inclusive of people, and inclusive of places. What we all want is a country where people can flourish no matter where they are born or who they are.
Jul12017
China battles southern floods, endures northern heat wave
China is battling floods along the Yangtze River in the south while northern regions, including Beijing, endure a heat wave.
The first flood this year of the Yangtze River, the country’s longest, is forming as water levels are rapidly rising in major tributaries in the middle and lower reaches, said the Yangtze River Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters Saturday.
The headquarters ordered the Three Gorges Reservoir of the Yangtze to reduce the flow of discharging to 18,000 cubic meters per second from 2 p.m. Saturday to relieve the flood pressure downstream.
Other upstream reservoirs also joined the flood control efforts.
Floods have already hit the Xiangjiang, Yuanjiang and Zishui rivers in central China’s Hunan, the worst-hit province. The rain continues in Changsha, the provincial capital and other cities such as Xiangtan and Huaihua.
The level of the Xiangjiang River in Changsha stood at 38.6 meters at 4 p.m. Saturday, well above the warning level of 36 meters and only 57 cm lower than its highest record level, according to the Hunan Provincial Hydrological Bureau.
The level of the Zishui River in Taojiang County was only 38 cm lower than its record level in history, said the bureau.
At around 1 a.m. Saturday, a 20-meter stretch of the Taxi river, a small branch of the Zishui River, burst due to flood, according to a local official.
The Hunan flood control and drought relief headquarters raised the flood response from Grade III to Grade II on Saturday. The province has mobilized soldiers, officials and villagers, allocated funds and sent relief supplies to affected areas.
As of Saturday, the rain had caused an evacuation of 310,000 in Hunan.
“The water level is rising and my house is in danger of being submerged. I was relieved when I saw a rescue boat coming,” said Zhou Changsong, who was evacuated Saturday afternoon from Chenxi County, where eight towns were flooded by the Yuanjiang River. Around 100,000 people have been evacuated.
Downpours also hit Hubei, Guizhou and Jiangxi provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
In Jiangxi, which neighbors Hunan, seven people died and two were missing due to flood in the past ten days, showed statistics with the provincial flood control headquarters.
About 440,000 were evacuated in Jiangxi. On Saturday morning, a landslide buried two residential buildings in a village in Xiushui County, but caused no casualties as all 39 residents had been displaced on Thursday.
More than 70 passenger trains passing Jiangxi Province were suspended from Saturday to Monday due to floods, said the Nanchang Railway Bureau in Jiangxi.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters launched a Grade III emergency response plan Saturday and dispatched eight work teams to flood-stricken areas to guide relief work.
The National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast Saturday afternoon rainstorms will hit Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi and Anhui from Saturday night to Sunday.
In north China, a heat wave affected Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia, with temperatures reaching 35 to 37 degrees Celsius at 2 p.m. Saturday, said the center.
In Beijing, many residents chose to stay indoors over the weekend due to the hot weather.
The NMC forecast the heat wave will continue in the north until Tuesday. Some areas will see temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius in Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Shaanxi on Sunday.