Month: June 2017

CYPRUS, GREECE AND ISRAEL TO SPEED UP EAST MEDITERRANEAN GAS PIPELINE EFFORTS

Sourced : Cyprus Mail By Jean Christou Cyprus, Greece and Israel said on Thursday they would speed up plans for the development of a pipeline channelling gas to Europe from newly discovered east Mediterranean reserves. European governments and Israel agreed in April to move forward with a Mediterranean pipeline project to carry natural gas from… Continue reading CYPRUS, GREECE AND ISRAEL TO SPEED UP EAST MEDITERRANEAN GAS PIPELINE EFFORTS

ISIS DRONES ARE ATTACKING U.S TROOPS AND DISRUPTING AISTRIKES IN AL-RAQQAH

Sourced : The Washington Post By Thomas Gibbons-Neff Islamic State drones are attacking U.S. Special Operations forces located around the group’s de-facto capital of Raqqa in Syria, U.S. officials and Syrian fighters said, sometimes disrupting the ability of American troops to call in airstrikes. The Pentagon, in response, is looking to send additional anti-drone equipment… Continue reading ISIS DRONES ARE ATTACKING U.S TROOPS AND DISRUPTING AISTRIKES IN AL-RAQQAH

TURKEY HOLDS NAVAL DRILL OFF CYPRUS IN HEATED RESPONSE TO ISRAELI COMMANDO EXERCISE IN TROODOS MOUNTAIN

Sourced : Haaretz By Gili Cohen Israeli commandos were wrapping up a large-scale military drill in Cyprus’s Troodos Mountains on Wednesday. The drill, the first of its kind to take place in Cyprus, involved hundreds of combat soldiers from the Egoz special forces unit as well as Black Hawk helicopters and Super Hercules transport plans.… Continue reading TURKEY HOLDS NAVAL DRILL OFF CYPRUS IN HEATED RESPONSE TO ISRAELI COMMANDO EXERCISE IN TROODOS MOUNTAIN

US ALARM AT POSSIBLE CHINESE BASE IN PAKISTAN IGNORES CONTEXT

Japanese military planes have intruded on the airspace of China-Russia naval exercises and carried out dangerous actions, seriously violating international laws, China's Ministry of National Defense said Sunday. Two Japanese airplanes, OP3C and YS11EB, intruded into the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday morning to scout and interfere with the China-Russia naval drills. Chinese warplanes took off instantly to take necessary identification and preventive measures to ensure the safety of the warships and aircraft in the drills, said the ministry. Japan's actions could have easily caused a misunderstanding and even led to a mid-air incident, a ministry statement said, in response to Japanese media reports that Chinese military airplanes had been "unusually close" to the jets of Japan's Self-Defense Forces. The exercises in the designated waters and airspace was a routine drill held by China and Russia. "No fly" and "no sail" notices in relevant waters and airspace had been issued ahead of the exercises according to international practice, the ministry said. Chinese warplanes have the right to safeguard China's air safety and take necessary identification and preventive measures in case foreign jets enter the identification zone, it said. China has demanded Japan to respect the legitimate rights of Chinese and Russian navies, restrain the personnel concerned and stop all reconnaissance and interference activities. "Otherwise, Japan shall be responsible for all the consequences," the statement said. Photo: China's Harbin missile destroyer fires at a target during the China-Russia joint naval drill on East China Sea, May 24, 2014. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

Sourced : Asia Times By F.M. Shakil The Pentagon’s assessment this week that Pakistan may be set to host a Chinese military base is likely to have caused more of a commotion in New Delhi than in Islamabad. The fact is that Pakistan has provided strategic defense facilities to China for some time; indeed, such… Continue reading US ALARM AT POSSIBLE CHINESE BASE IN PAKISTAN IGNORES CONTEXT

A GIANT RUSSIAN EXERCISE WILL SOON PUT 100.000 TROOPS ON NATO’S BORDER

Sourced :Defence One By Caroline Houck As Russia and Belarus prep for their quadrennial fight-the-West wargame, NATO’s Baltic states are watching more than a bit nervously. For the Baltic countries on NATO’s northeastern flank, carefully monitoring Russia’s various defense investments and activities is nothing new. Like brushing your teeth, it’s just a matter of staying… Continue reading A GIANT RUSSIAN EXERCISE WILL SOON PUT 100.000 TROOPS ON NATO’S BORDER

TURKISH ARMY : THREE MEMBER MILITARY COMMITTEE DISPATCHED TO QATAR FOR PREPARATIONS OF BASE

Sourced : Hurriyet Daily A three-member delegation from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was dispatched to Qatar on June 12 for preparations to establish a military base in the Gulf country. The delegation has continued its study on “exploration and coordination” as part of preparations for the deployment, a written statement from the TSK said… Continue reading TURKISH ARMY : THREE MEMBER MILITARY COMMITTEE DISPATCHED TO QATAR FOR PREPARATIONS OF BASE

TURKEY TO DRILL FIRST WELL IN MEDITERRANEAN BY THE END OF 2017

Sourced : Daily Sabah Turkey will increase its investment in seismic exploration and oil and natural gas drilling, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak said late Thursday during a fast-breaking dinner with the crew of the Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa vessel, a seismic surveying vessel that is conducting seismic research off of Cyprus, accompanied by… Continue reading TURKEY TO DRILL FIRST WELL IN MEDITERRANEAN BY THE END OF 2017

UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS ACCESSION TO NATO AS COUNTRY’S FOREIGN POLICY GOAL

Sourced : Novinite The Verkhovna Rada (National Parliament) of Ukraine on Thursday, June 7, adopted a bill which sets as Ukraine’s foreign political objective the accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, according to an UNIAN correspondent. The adopted legislation provides that the main principle of Ukraine’s foreign policy is to deepen cooperation with the… Continue reading UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS ACCESSION TO NATO AS COUNTRY’S FOREIGN POLICY GOAL

UAE AND SAUDI ARABIA SEEK QATARI “CHANGE IN POLICY, NOT LEADERSHIP”

Sourced : The National By Suha Maayeh and Taimur Khan The severing of diplomatic ties and partial blockade against Qatar by the UAE and Saudi Arabia are not aimed at forcing a change in leadership, the UAE said on Wednesday. “This is not about regime change — this is about change of policy, change of… Continue reading UAE AND SAUDI ARABIA SEEK QATARI “CHANGE IN POLICY, NOT LEADERSHIP”

SAUDI-QATAR’S TRUE BATTLEGROUND IS ASIA

Sourced : Bloomberg By David Fickling Forget the Strait of Hormuz. The real place to watch the simmering diplomatic battle between Saudi Arabia and Qatar is 5,500 kilometers to the southeast, in the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia. That’s because the petroleum market’s center of gravity, along with that of the global economy, is in… Continue reading SAUDI-QATAR’S TRUE BATTLEGROUND IS ASIA