TEHRAN: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in a tweet after US imposed new sanctions on Tehran, said on Monday (Jun 24) hawkish politicians close to US President Donald Trump were thirsty for war rather than diplomacy.Trump targeted Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials with new US sanctions on Monday, looking for a fresh blow to Iran’s economy after Tehran’s downing of an unmanned American drone last week.US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Zarif will be placed under sanctions this week."@realDonaldTrump is 100 per cent right that the US military has no business in the Persian Gulf. Removal of its forces is fully in line with interests of US and the world. But it's now clear that the #B_Team is not concerned with US interests - they despise diplomacy, and thirst for war," he tweeted.Zarif has in the past said that a so-called "B-team" including Trump’s national security … [Read more...] about US ‘B-Team’ wants war, not diplomacy, with Iran: Zarif
Diplomacy
‘Cultural diplomacy’ in action in Turkey
ISTANBUL — Turkish culture, heritage, arts and music were in glorious display at a recent gathering for members of the Global Public Diplomacy Network or GPDNet. It is a cluster of 12 member countries — primarily cultural agencies and nonprofits — which was founded in 2014 in Seoul, South Korea “to create synergy effects and raise public awareness on global issues through culture and civil society initiatives.” The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), led by National Artist Virgilio Almario, is a founding member of the GPDNet. The Philippine delegation this year was represented by NCCA senior planning officer Maricel Diaz and the chief administrative officer of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines Rosario Sapitan. On the invitation of Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute and the NCCA, The STAR had a front-row seat to some of the work that they do. This includes collaborative — bilateral and multilateral — … [Read more...] about ‘Cultural diplomacy’ in action in Turkey
Putin extols ‘hockey diplomacy’, falls on ice
MOSCOW: Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin praised "hockey diplomacy" as he scored nine goals in a game with his allies and Russian stars but fell on his face after the match."It brings people closer," Putin told reporters during the hockey match, in footage broadcast on television Sunday evening. "This always helps."Wearing his traditional No 11 jersey, the Russian president on Friday (May 10) took to the ice for an exhibition game at the Bolshoi Ice Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.The sports-mad 66-year-old leader, who has done a lot to promote a healthy lifestyle in Russia, said hockey was outside of politics and helped foster ties between statesmen.In the past, the Kremlin chief took to the ice with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and often plays with Belarusian hockey-crazed strongman Alexander Lukashenko.Putin said he could not even stand on ice several years ago and learned to skate by clutching a chair.Skating alongside Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian hockey … [Read more...] about Putin extols ‘hockey diplomacy’, falls on ice
Pompeo heads to Russia as US diplomacy turns schizophrenic
Pompeo heads to Russia as US diplomacy turns schizophrenic WASHINGTON, United States — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is heading to Russia with an unusual and thankless task -- standing firm against the rival power even as his boss, President Donald Trump, reaches out to reconcile. Pompeo will meet Tuesday with Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, in the highest-level US engagement with the Russian leader since a July summit in Helsinki after which Trump faced wide scorn at home for his trustful embrace of the Russian leader. The top US diplomat's trip comes less than two months after Special Counsel Robert Mueller wound up an investigation that found that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election -- but that the Trump campaign did not collude with Moscow. After spending the first two years of his presidency under the cloud of Mueller's probe, Trump chatted for more than an hour by telephone with Putin on May 3, in what he … [Read more...] about Pompeo heads to Russia as US diplomacy turns schizophrenic
Jakarta event highlights dance as part of cultural diplomacy
A dance performance is more than just moving your body in such an aesthetical way, but this branch of performance art can also be a universal language that connects different cultures. The United States Embassy’s cultural center in Jakarta, @america, held an event on May 7 entitled “Celebrating International Dance Day: Cultural Diplomacy Through Dance”. The event featured presentations from members of Purwakanthi, a community of Javanese dance enthusiasts. Yurita “Riri” Yuzwar, one of the speakers that night, explained how her passion for dancing had enabled her to make friends with people from other countries. It happened when she studied in the US in 1996 at American University in Washington DC, where she studied for four months before being transferring to Georgia State University in Georgia. Yurita Yuzwar (center), a member of the Purwakanthi community, discusses her experience in the United States during "Celebrating … [Read more...] about Jakarta event highlights dance as part of cultural diplomacy