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China May Be On Brink Of Supplying Arms To Russia – Says Blinken
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, speaks at the Munich security conference.
Patrick Wintour in Munich
Sun 19 Feb 2023 15.05 GMT
The US has said it believes China may be about to provide lethal aid to help Russia in the war in Ukraine, prompting a direct warning against doing so from the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, to China’s top diplomat.
Blinken made the warning to the Chinese state councillor Wang Yi on Saturday evening at a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich security conference during which he also rebuked China over the use of an alleged spy balloon over US soil.
In a blunt meeting he also urged China to stop helping Russia evade the impact of sanctions. China’s trade with Russia is increasing and it has been buying Russian oil, but probably below the US$60 per barrel price cap imposed by the EU and G7 group of states.
Blinken told US networks that the US had information China was considering whether to give Russia assistance, possibly including guns and weapons, for the Ukraine war.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi speaking at the 2023 Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
Chinese peace plan for Ukraine greeted cautiously by the west
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“The concern that we have now is, based on information we have, that they’re considering providing lethal support,” Blinken told CBS’s Face the Nation shortly after he met with Wang. “And we’ve made very clear to them that that could cause a serious problem for us and in our relationship.”
Blinken told NBC’s Meet the Press that China has not yet crossed the line of providing lethal assistance but he would be putting out evidence soon to show how Beijing was seriously considering providing Russia with equipment including weapons
He said of his meeting with Wang there was no apology from China about the spy balloon over US soil. “This was an opportunity to speak very clearly and very directly about the fact that China sent a surveillance balloon over our territory, violating our sovereignty, violating international law. And I told him quite simply that that was unacceptable and can never happen again.”
The US believes China may already be providing some surveillance information to the Wagner group, the mercenary wing that works alongside the Russian army.
Kamala Harris, the US vice-president, in her speech to the security conference warned China against providing lethal equipment to a country that she said the US had judged was committing crimes against humanity. But Harris in her remarks did not assert that such lethal aid was about to be provided.
The US warnings about China’s intentions come in the context of a Chinese proposal to reveal a peace plan for Ukraine in a speech by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, coinciding with the 24 February anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Wang revealed the intention to launch the plan in his speech to the security conference on Saturday, and has been briefing leaders from France, Germany and Italy on China’s intentions, possibly in a bid to drive a wedge between EU states and the US.
The US has indicated it believes the plan is likely to be a vague assertion of the value of peaceful dialogue, territorial integrity and sovereignty, but without going into any details. European diplomats briefed on the plans also seemed sceptical about the value of a broad enunciation of vague principles, questioning whether China was really prepared to distance itself from its close partner Russia.
On the other hand, China is probably the only external actor that could put effective diplomatic pressure on the Russian president, Vladimiir Putin, to rethink his strategy.
Expressing the west’s scepticism, the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said: “China has not been able to condemn the invasion,” adding the plan “is quite vague”. Peace was only possible if Russia respected Ukraine’s sovereignty, he said.
The Ukrainian foreign minister, Dymytro Kuleba, was due to meet Wang on Sunday and expressed hope that China’s foreign policy principles would drive Beijing to accept the Ukrainian case. “We believe that compliance with the principle of territorial integrity is China’s fundamental interest in the international arena. And that commitment to the observance and protection of this principle is a driving force for China, greater than other arguments offered by Ukraine, the United States, or any other country,” he said.
The last time the issue was addressed by the general assembly, Ukraine received the support of 141 states, and it may be hard to increase that level of support.
The German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, welcomed any effort by China to use its influence with Moscow, telling reporters she had “talked intensively” with Wang during a bilateral meeting on Friday about “what a just peace means: not rewarding the attacker, the aggressor, but standing up for international law and for those who have been attacked”.
Wang Yi, the top Chinese diplomat, at the Munich security conference
Wang Yi, the top Chinese diplomat, at the Munich security conference. Photograph: Johannes Simon/EPA
“A just peace,” she added, “presupposes that the party that has violated territorial integrity – meaning Russia – withdraws its troops from the occupied country.”
In the speeches of both the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, there was no support for early peace talks, with both men saying the west may have to endure a long conflict.
Wang in his speech suggested there was a chance Europe was more eager to settle than the US. He said: “We need to think calmly, especially our friends in Europe, about what efforts should be made to stop the warfare; what framework should there be to bring lasting peace to Europe; what role should Europe play to manifest its strategic autonomy.”
There were other sentiments in Wang’s outline plan that the west can welcome, including its opposition to the use of threats of nuclear war, or attacks on civilian nuclear power stations.
The references to the UN charter and territorial integrity may also be helpful to the west, but it was coupled with a reference to Russia having legitimate security concerns. Some diplomats welcomed the acknowledgment that China could no longer simply treat the war as a strictly European matter.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Muahammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 has commended the developmental strides of Sokoto state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, just as he assured of the support of traditional institutions in the state.
Sultan who admonished other governor’s to also borrow a leaf from governor Ahmed Aliyu who ensures that resident communities enjoys equal benefit from everybody, added that, Nigerians should project what unites us moe than that which divides us.
“In Sokoto, we appreciate what the Governor is doing and we’d like to assure him of the support of the traditional institution so that he can continue the good work he’s doing of transforming our State.
“The Governor and our security agencies are doing their best and this has made the state to record tremendous improvement in the fight against banditry,” the Sultan averred.
While adding that governor Ahmed Aliyu deserves special commendation for the massive distribution of food items during the just-concluded Ramadan fast, Sultan urged Nigerians to always be law-abiding and desist from any act that may jeopardise the long lasting peace the country is enjoying.
Registering his displeasure over how the social media is been used negatively to promote and sow seed o discord, the Sultan said, some unpatriotic citizens use social media to spread falsehood, misinformation and provocative statements that can destroy the peaceful atmosphere the country is enjoying.
He, therefore, called on the security agencies in the country to be watchful of the unpatriotic citizens trying to create chaos in the land.
Speaking during his
Sallah homage on governor Ahmed Aliyu at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Lodge, Sokoto, Sultan
said, “”In Sokoto all Nigerians are treated as indigenes, an act that gives Nigerians residing in the State a sense of belonging.
Sultan equally stressed the need for for state governors to give much emphasis in protecting the lives and property of their subjects, describing security as the basis upon which all societies could progress.
Responding, governor Ahmed Aliyu reassured his administration’s determination to do everything humanly possible to make the state safe and secured.
He blamed unemployment especially among the youths as responsible for the insecurity being recorded in many parts of the country.
According to Aliyu, many youths have joined informants’ groups so as to be getting stipends to make ends meet.
“This administration has so far trained and graduated thousands of youths and women in different trades so as to make them productive members in the society.
” I want to assure you that we would soon embark on another massive skills acquisition programme to engage more unemployed youths in our modest attempt to reduce restiveness among our youths,” he vowed
Gov. Aliyu further reassured the people of the state that his administration would continue to prioritize Islamic affairs, adding that more Mosques and Islamiyya schools would continue to receive the desired attention from the state government.
He thanked the people of the state for their fervent prayers and support to his administration and called for it’s sustainance.
Sterling Bank has made a groundbreaking move by eliminating transfer charges on local transactions, aiming to create a more equitable banking experience for Nigerians. The question now arises: will other financial institutions follow this lead?
On April 1, Sterling Bank announced the removal of transfer fees for all local digital transactions, positioning itself as the first major bank in Nigeria to implement such a policy. Initially, the announcement faced skepticism, with many believing it to be an April Fools’ Day joke. However, Sterling has since reaffirmed the policy’s legitimacy and immediate implementation, signaling a significant evolution in the industry’s customer service approach.
Obinna Ukachukwu, the Growth Executive overseeing the Consumer and Business Banking Directorate, stated, “We believe that accessing your own funds should not incur a penalty. This decision transcends financial implications; it reflects our core values.”
With this new policy, Sterling customers can now make free transfers for all local transactions via the bank’s mobile app. This initiative is anticipated to yield considerable savings for individuals and small business owners who frequently engage in transfers.
“We may not be the largest bank in Nigeria, but we are certainly the most audacious,” Ukachukwu declared. “Sterling Bank is committed to the future of Nigeria, and we are backing our fellow citizens with more than just words.”
Sterling Bank has a history of prioritizing customer welfare, having previously offered financial assistance to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest initiative has garnered widespread public support, igniting conversations on social media and prompting calls for other banks to adopt similar practices.
“We take pride in leading this transformative change,” Ukachukwu concluded. “We hope to inspire others to rethink what customers truly require from their banks, not only in terms of services but also in values.”