Pakistan, Turkey discuss UN-related issues in Islamabad

Pakistan and Turkey conducted a second round of consultations on matters pertaining to the United Nations in Islamabad on Jan. 17, discussing issues ranging from U.N. Security Council reforms to human rights, humanitarian issues, refugees and counter-terrorism, according to officials.

Both Cypriot sides ‘reject’ respective map offers ANKARA / NICOSIA Rival Cypriot delegations have failed to agree on maps for new borders on the divided island state, each slamming the other’s proposals as “unacceptable,” Turkey’s foreign minister has said Comment(s) 1/14/2017	Turkey will not abandon its guarantor role in Cyprus: Minister ANKARA / GENEVA As the leaders of divided Cyprus settled down for a week of intense talks on Jan. 9, seeking to reach the outline of a peace deal to end decades of separation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has vowed that Ankara would never withdraw from its guarantor position on the island. Comment(s) 1/9/2017
Magnitude 5.6 quake hits off Indonesia’s Maluku Islands TUBAN An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 struck off Indonesia’s Maluku Islands on Jan. 14. Comment(s) 1/14/2017	Mutinous soldiers free Ivory Coast defense minister after reaching deal BOUAKE, Ivory Coast Mutinous soldiers released Ivory Coast’s Defense Minister Alain Richard Donwahi late Jan. 7 after detaining him for two hours in a tense standoff over pay. Comment(s) 1/8/2017
Cautious Ankara sets 3 conditions for Cyprus ISTANBUL/GENEVA Turkey has set three conditions regarding security, land tradeoffs and a rotating presidency to achieve a solution on Cyprus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Jan. 13 Comment(s) 1/13/2017	‘Historic’ Cyprus peace to resume in Geneva NICOSIA /GENEVA The two leaders of the eastern Mediterranean island Cyprus will resume United Nations-brokered peace talks in Geneva on Jan. 9 amid suggestions by the new U.N. chief the meeting represents a “historic opportunity” to end a decades-long conflict on the island even though the outcome is far from certain. Comment(s) 1/8/2017
UN urges patience in ongoing Cyprus peace talks GENEVA The United Nations’ new secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, has urged the parties in the Cyprus peace talks in Geneva to be patient to reach a “solid and sustainable” solution, as the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders were accompanied by the foreign ministers of the three guarantor powers for the first time Comment(s) 1/12/2017	US intel report: Putin directed cyber campaign to help Trump WASHINGTON – Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an effort to help Republican Donald Trump's electoral chances by discrediting Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential campaign, U.S. intelligence agencies said in an assessment on Jan. 6 Comment(s) 1/7/2017
New Cyprus maps on table ahead of guarantors’ meet GENEVA Experts from both sides of Cyprus get set to present respective maps of their vision for the future of the island before a meet with Britain, Turkey and Greece Comment(s) 1/11/2017	Foreign officials condemn İzmir car bomb attack ANKARA Leaders from around the world have condemned a car bomb attack that occurred on Jan. 5 in the Aegean province of İzmir that killed two people and wounded five others Comment(s) 1/6/2017