Antony Blinken Archives - Lokmarg

Blinken Meets Turkish Counterpart Who Asked For Unconditional Ceasefire

By LokMarg 6th November 2023

As US State Secretary Antony Blinken continues a challenging Middle East tour, aimed at easing regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas war, Turkey has asked for an unconditional ceasefire, Al Jazeera reported.

Blinken met his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, for almost two-and-a-half-hours, on Monday morning in Ankara, but there was no joint statement, however, according to Al Jazeera they discussed several issues, particularly the war in Gaza and an exchange of prisoners between Hamas and Israel.

The US tried to convince Turkey to put more pressure on Hamas and make it release the captives. But Turkey was firm on its stance, stating that the prisoner release should be mutual, where Hamas releases captives and Israel releases Palestinian prisoners. Turkey also asked for an unconditional ceasefire and said there should be an international mechanism to observe the ceasefire, which Ankara would be the guarantor for, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Following their meeting, prior to boarding the plane, Blinken told reporters that he had a “very good, lengthy, productive conversation” with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Hakan Fidan.

“We discussed the crises in Gaza, including the efforts to significantly expand humanitarian assistance to people in need…and what we can do to set the conditions for a durable, sustainable lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.

“Turkey has played a critical role, over the last couple of years…We discussed our work to strengthen our counter-terrorism partnership to work as well at growing our economic relationship through trade and investment,” Blinken added.

Secretary Blinken’s visit to Turkey follows a series of strained meetings with Arab leaders in Iraq, Palestine, and Jordan over the weekend. Arab and Muslim leaders have voiced their frustration over Washington’s unwavering support for Israel during its month long assault on Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of nearly 10,000 people, including more than a third who are children.

While Washington has advocated for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting, it has not fully endorsed the widespread call for a complete ceasefire.

Blinken’s mission, his second to the region since the war began, has encountered limited support for his diplomatic efforts. Israel has resisted the US push for a pause in the hostilities, while Arab and Muslim nations have insisted on an immediate ceasefire to alleviate the escalating casualties in Gaza, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Notably, Turkey, a strategic US ally despite occasional foreign policy disagreements, has been one of the region’s most vocal critics of Israel, accusing it of acting as a “war criminal” and committing a “massacre.”

Earlier, Ankara recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly saying he had “written off” dealing with Benjamin Netanyahu. Erdogan has also criticised Western powers for their perceived double standards, highlighting their response to the Ukraine-Russia conflict while remaining relatively quiet about the loss of innocent lives in Gaza.

During Blinken’s visit, Turkey’s frustration with Washington was evident. In what seemed like a snub, President Erdogan chose to travel across northeastern Turkey, leaving Blinken to meet with the Turkish foreign minister.

Hours before Blinken’s arrival, hundreds of demonstrators protested outside an airbase hosting US troops in southeastern Turkey, leading to confrontations with the police involving tear gas and water canisters.

As the Gaza conflict continues, President Erdogan has sought to position Turkey as a mediator to halt the violence and advance the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

He said that Turkey is “working behind the scenes” with regional allies to broker a ceasefire and ensure a continuous flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“Our priority is to establish a humanitarian ceasefire quickly,” Erdogan said on Friday, adding that Turkey was working on “new mechanisms that will guarantee the security of everyone, regardless of whether they are Muslims, Christians or Jews”.

“Our efforts to lay the groundwork for an international peace conference continue,” Al Jazeera quoted Erdogan as saying. (ANI)

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Wagner Rebellion: It’s A New Thing To See Putin’s Leadership Directly Challenged, Says US

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Following the Wagner rebellion, the US said that it’s a new thing to see Russian President Vladimir Putin’s leadership getting directly challenged.

Responding to a media query on the US’ standing on Ukraine, and Wagner, the US State Department official spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “It is certainly a new thing to see President Putin’s leadership being directly challenged. It is a new thing to see Yevgeny Prigozhin… calling out that the war has been conducted essentially based on lies, which we have said previously but certainly not seen coming from Russian officials previously.”
He said that everyone saw what happened over the weekend and it still remains a dynamic situation.

“I’ll say in our assessment it remains a dynamic situation, it’s unclear what the ultimate implications of what happened will be,” Miller said on Monday.

The State Department spokesperson further underlined that Blinken had a call with the leaders of the G7, as well as those of Turkey and Poland to discuss the issue.

“Blinken had a call with the leaders of the G7 and he had a call with Foreign Minister Kuleba of Ukraine, the Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Poland,” the US State Department spokesperson said.

“We continued to have discussions with our allies and partners today. we also made clear to Ukraine as we made clear in conv with our allies and partner that our steadfast support for Ukraine will remain so, no matter what happens in Russia,” he said during the State Department briefing on Monday.

On Saturday, Prigozhin had agreed to depart for Belarus after a deal apparently mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko which ended the armed rebellion, the report said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Lukashenko had suggested the deal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to help resolve the brief mutiny during a phone call on Saturday.

Earlier, the Wagner group left the Lipetsk region after its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin decided to halt his forces’ march to Moscow, according to CNN citing the regional government.

“Units of PMC Wagner, which stopped the day before in the Lipetsk region, left the territory of the region,” it said on Telegram.

It comes after the governor of the southern Russian region of Voronezh said Wagner units are continuing their withdrawal and forces are departing “steadily and without incident.”

Earlier, on Saturday, Prigozhin said his forces have taken control of military facilities, including the airfield in Rostov-on-Don, according to CNN. Prigozhin’s actions come after he accused Russian forces of striking a Wagner military camp and killing “a huge amount” of his fighters. (ANI)

Putin-Wagner Dispute Exposes Real Crack: Blinken

By LokMarg 25th June 2023

The dispute between Russia’s President and Wagner mercenary exposed the “real crack” in Vladimir Putin’s reign, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday.

To a question on whether he knew Wagner will abort his plan, Blinken in an interview with Jonathan Karl for ABC’s “This Week” said, “I don’t know, and I’m not sure we’ll fully know, or it may be something that unfolds in the coming – in the coming days and weeks. We simply don’t have a clear picture of that. And this really is fundamentally an internal matter for the Russians. We’re seeing it unfold. Again, we saw the rising tensions over several months that led to this. But exactly where this goes, we don’t know”, according to a statement released by State Department.
“But what we do know is that we’ve seen real cracks emerge – again, a direct challenge to Putin’s authority surfacing very publicly: the notion that this war, this aggression by Russia was being pursued under false pretenses; the notion that Ukraine or NATO somehow presented a threat to Russia that it had to deal with militarily. That’s now much more out in the open than it’s been. What that leads to, again, we just don’t know at this point,” he added.

On Saturday morning, Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a Telegram post, announced that his men had crossed the border from Ukraine into southern Russia and were ready to go “all the way” against the Russian military, TASS News Agency reported.

But later on, the governor of the southern Russian region of Voronezh said Wagner units are continuing their withdrawal and forces are departing “steadily and without incident.”

Meanwhile, in the interview, Blinken said wherever Wagner is present, death, destruction, and exploitation follow, as per the statement.

To a query on Putin’s hold on power, Blinken said, “It raises lots of questions that we don’t have answers to. As I said before, I think you see cracks of different kinds that have emerged. These are in a sense different in that it’s internal. When you’re being challenged from within, as Putin has been over the last few days, that also raises profound questions.”

“But we’ve seen, I think, lots of different cracks that have emerged in the conduct of this aggression, because everything Putin has tried to accomplish, the opposite has happened. Russia is weaker economically. It’s weaker militarily. It’s standing in the world has plummeted. It’s managed to strengthen and unite NATO. It’s managed to alienate and unite Ukrainians. It’s managed to get Europe off of its dependence on Russian energy,” he added.

“In piece after piece, issue after issue, what Putin has tried to prevent, he’s managed to precipitate. And Russia’s standing is vastly diminished as a result. Now, add to that internal dissension. Again, we can’t speculate on where this goes. We have to remain and we are focused on Ukraine, but it certainly raises new questions that he’s going to have to address,” US State Secretary said. (ANI)

US Is Closely Watching Russian Crisis With Allies

By LokMarg 24th June 2023

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the Foreign Ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the EU, saying they will stay ‘in close coordination’ amid the Russia crisis.

In a statement, a State Department spokesperson on Saturday said, “Secretary Blinken spoke today with Foreign Ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to discuss the ongoing situation in Russia.”

“Secretary Blinken reiterated that support by the United States for Ukraine will not change. The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop,” she added.

This statement came after the Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a Telegram post, announced that his men had crossed the border from Ukraine into southern Russia and were ready to go “all the way” against the Russian military.

He said he and his men would destroy anyone who stood in their way. “But we will destroy anyone who stands in our way,” he said, adding, “We are moving forward and will go until the end.”

As the Wagner troops were said to be driving into the Russian city of Rostov, Prigozhin said that border guards greeted his mercenaries, reported ABC News.

He said young conscripts at checkpoints stood back and offered no resistance, adding that his forces “aren’t fighting against children.”

After Prigozhin’s statement, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in a televised address to the nation said that the “armed mutiny” by the Wagner Group is a “stab in the back” and vowed to punish those who were on the “path of treason” or anyone who takes up arms against the Russian military.

In the latest development of the case, Prigozhin said that the Russian President is “deeply mistaken” and the group is a patriot, the Washington Post reported.

In an audio message posted by his press service, Prigozhin said on Saturday, “Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president is deeply mistaken”.

Calling Russia, a country of “corruption, deceit and bureaucracy”, he said that the group will continue to fight.”

We are patriots of our motherland, we have been fighting and continue to fight, all Wagner fighters and no one plans to go and confess at the request of the president, the FSB [Federal Security Service] or anyone else, because we do not want the country to continue to live in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy,” the Post quoted Prigozhin. (ANI)

How US Laid Out Vegetarian Diplomacy On A Plate

By LokMarg 24th June 2023

When guests sat down for the state dinner and a luncheon that the US hosted for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they encountered an all-vegetarian meal: no meat, no eggs. That’s thanks to the guest of honour, who is strictly vegetarian.

From the gala dinner for 400 plus VIP guests, the largest, the White House has ever seen to the luncheon hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doughlas Emoff along with Secretary Antony Blinken, America made it clear that the symbolism on the plates was intentional.
Khichadi served at a luncheon at the state department:

Using freshly procured seasonal American ingredients while incorporating nods to the cuisine of India. The state luncheon had the humble Kichadi made of millet, lentils and spiced Okra noodle, while the state dinner included marinated millet and grilled corn with compressed watermelon and tangy avocado sauce along with stuffed portobello mushrooms with a saffron-infused risotto in the main course.

The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, said the aim was “honouring the 70 years of our alliance with symbols and moments of beauty that reflect both our countries.”

“We hope to showcase the harmony of our cultures and our people intertwined,” she said.

If guests so desired, they could request a fish dish — sumac-roasted sea bass — along with crisped millet cakes and summer squashes.

For the guests who do imbibe, one of the wines accompanying this week’s meal also paid particular homage to the ties between host and guest. A red blend came from Patel Winery in Napa Valley, which is owned by Raj Patel, who was born in India and settled in California as a boy. Other wines include a Sandhi Patterson Chandenmay 2020.

PM Modi was the third head of state to be welcomed with such prestige during the Biden administration, after France’s Emmanuel Macron and South Korea’s Yoon Suk-Yeol.

The decor too appeared to be another diplomatic aspect of the luncheon and dinner, encompassing the cultures of both countries while honouring PM Modi. Thursday night witnessed a decor including imagery of the peacock and the bald eagle, the Indian and U.S. national birds, respectively. The tables were adorned with peonies, that some mistook for lotus blooms, revered in Indian design and a symbol of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Samosa served with mint chutney and marigold flowers:

While the luncheon was a more formal and less colour affair, gold was the central theme along with fresh flowers used to enhance the overall look of the lunch served. For instance, the evergreen Samosas, stuffed with spinach and served with a tangy mint sauce wore a saffron marigold flower.

The star-studded meals witnessed the who’s who at the luncheon and state dinner:

Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam, Reliance Industry’s Mukesh and Nita Ambani, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, and Anand Mahindra were among the attendees.

Jill Biden wearing an emerald green Ralph Lauren:

There was a deep emphasis on the colour green. With different variants of green drapes not just in the decor but also on what was being worn. Biden opted for a Ralph Lauren number – a custom-made emerald green gown featuring an off-the-shoulder neckline, gold shimmer, full sleeves, and a body-hugging silhouette. While Vice President Kamala opted for a gold Naeem Khan sequined gown, a necklace and heavy earrings. (ANI)

Jaishankar Lauds Blinken For Giving Strong Counter-Terrorism Message

By LokMarg 29th October 2022

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday praised US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken for his strong and clear message on counter-terrorism.

He also discussed the Ukraine conflict and other regional issues with Blinken.
“Thanked him for his strong and clear message yesterday on counter-terrorism and 26/11 accountability. Discussed the Ukraine conflict and other regional issues,” tweeted EAM Jaishankar.

In an apparent message to China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said all relevant parties should support the designation of terrorists and no nation should stand in the way.

He delivered this message via virtual statement during an informal briefing of the Counter-Terrorism Committee at one of the main sites that saw the Mumbai terror attacks – the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.

China, in recent months, has blocked several bids to designate several terrorists based in Pakistan. Beijing this month put on hold a proposal to list Talha Saeed, son of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed. This bid was moved by India and co-supported by the US, under the 1267 sanction regime.

Addressing the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee members, Blinken said many members of the security council, including the United States, have adopted their own sanctions against the terrorists behind these attacks.

“But our efforts are more effective when we act together, which is why we worked with India to put the nomination to designate several terrorists through the UN 1267 committee. All relevant parties should support this designation and no nation should stand in the way,” he said.

In his message to the UN committee members, the top US diplomat said Washington is joining New Delhi and people around the world to mourn lives lost, including 141 Indians, 6 Americans, and victims from 15 other countries from every region in the world.

Blinken said India, the United States, and all nations around the world have a responsibility to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks.

“We have a responsibility to the victims and the people everywhere to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks including their masterminds. That’s what the US is working to do, together with India and other partners for the last 14 years,” he added.

“Because if we allow the attacks of these attacks go unpunished, we send messages to terrorists everywhere that their heinous crimes will be tolerated,” he added.

Speaking at the counter-terrorism briefing, Jaishankar said the world knows that money is the lifeblood of terrorism.

“Terrorist organizations require funds and resources to maintain their organizational functions and undertake activities. The reality that terrorism continues to exist and expand points to an underlying truth: that terrorism continues to get the necessary financial resources to thrive,” he added. (ANI)

Putin Declares Martial Law In Annexed Regions Of Ukraine

By LokMarg 19th October 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced the imposition of martial law in four areas of Ukraine that Russia announced it had annexed last month.

The four regions occupied by Russia are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Putin made these comments during a security council meeting, CNN reported.
“In this regard, let me remind you that in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Luhansk People’s Republic, as well as in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, martial law was in effect before joining Russia,” Putin said during a televised address.

“Now we need to formalize this regime within the framework of Russian legislation,” he said, adding that a decree of martial law in these four regions of the Russian Federation has been introduced formally and will be immediately sent to the Federation Council, CNN reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Russian leaders in the annexed regions started relocating people in huge numbers amid global condemnation.

After Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, concerns have sparked globally that Moscow could resort to nuclear weapons.

Putin formally announced the annexation of four regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia recently and claimed that “this is the will of millions of people,” according to CNN.

Putin said the residents in the four annexed regions will now be Russia’s “citizens forever”.

Russia’s annexation has sparked wide criticism from around the world. The United States announced that it will impose a “swift and severe cost” on Russia.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the “United States unequivocally rejects Russia’s fraudulent attempt to change Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.”

After Putin’s formal announcement of the annexation of the said four regions, western leaders condemned it, termed it “illegal” and vowed that they will “never recognize” these areas. (ANI)

Need for Peace And Stability In Taiwan Strait: Blinken

By LokMarg 24th September 2022

Amid the tension between US and China, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday and stressed for preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Blinken, who is in New York to attend the 77th sessions of UNGA, “stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
Over an hour-long meeting, Blinken emphasized that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, consistent with its longstanding one-China policy.

Both leaders discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship.

“He also reiterated the United States’ condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and highlighted the implications if the PRC were to provide support to Moscow’s invasion of a sovereign state. He underscored that the United States remains open to cooperating with the PRC where our interests intersect,” Ned Price said as quoted by the statement.

Earlier also, the US had repeatedly raised their voice on China-Taiwan relations. On September 19, CBS released their interview with US President from its “60 minutes programme”, where Joe Biden said that American forces would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion.

Responding to a query over defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden said the US would defend Taiwan “if in fact there was an unprecedented attack,” according to The Washington Post.

Scott Pelley, the interviewer in the 60-minute programme pressed Biden on whether the situation would be different in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

“So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces — U.S. men and women — would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?” Pelley asked.

“Yes,” Biden replied.

The relations between China and US deteriorated after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. That trip angered China’s ruling Communist Party — which views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite never having governed it — and it responded by launching unprecedented military drills around the island, sending warplanes across the Taiwan Strait and firing missiles over the main island. (ANI)