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Tag: John Kerry

  • Kerry admits NSA spying ‘went too far’

    Kerry admits NSA spying ‘went too far’

    United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, has said that in some cases, the U.S spying has gone too far.

    BBC reports that Mr. Kerry is the most senior Obama administration official to have commented directly on an issue that has upset America’s European allies.

    He said he will work with the president to prevent further inappropriate acts by the National Security Agency.

    His comments come as Asian countries have protested at claims that Australia was involved in a U.S-led spy network.

    China has demanded an explanation of the reports, while Indonesia has summoned the Australian ambassador to Jakarta.

    In his comments, Mr. Kerry also defended the need for increased surveillance, saying it had thwarted terrorist attacks.

    “We have actually prevented airplanes from going down, buildings from being blown up, and people from being assassinated because we’ve been able to learn ahead of time of the plans,” Mr. Kerry told a conference in London via video link.

    “I assure you, innocent people are not being abused in this process, but there’s an effort to try to gather information. And yes, in some cases, it has reached too far inappropriately.”

     

  • Afghans reject Taliban peace moves

    Afghan officials have said the removal of the flag and nameplate from the Taliban’s Qatar office is not enough.

    Afghan peace negotiators say the office is meant only for peace talks and they are unhappy with Taliban statements.

    “It is a kind of Taliban establishment which we don’t want,” Muhammad Ismael Qasemyar, a member of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council, told the BBC.

    The comments come after United States Secretary of State John Kerry rang President Hamid Karzai to defuse tensions.

    He told the president the Taliban’s office in Qatar was removing the flag, and that the sign designating the building as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would be replaced by one saying Bureau of Peace Talks.

    Mr. Qasemyar said negotiators objected to the statement made by the Taliban when the office had been established, which had indicated it would have relations with external bodies such as the United Nations.

    BBC says that the Qatar office means the Taliban are no longer only a fighting group, but have a political arm too.

     

     

  • Assad’s forces advance on rebel bastion of Aleppo

    Assad’s forces advance on rebel bastion of Aleppo

    The Syrian opposition would likely boycott proposed peace talks with President Bashar al-Assad’s government unless its forces halt their advance towards the rebel stronghold of Aleppo, France said on Wednesday.

    Forces loyal to Assad are massing around Aleppo in preparation for an offensive to retake the city and build on battlefield gains that have swung the momentum of Syria’s war to Assad and his Hezbollah allies.

    “We must stop this advance, we must stop this because if the balance in the situation on the ground is not restored, then there will not be a conference in Geneva. The opposition won’t agree to come.” Fabius said on France 2 television.

    The U.S. and Russia are trying to bring Assad’s government and his opponents together in Geneva in July, but are still at odds over several issues before the talks could begin.

    France is among Western countries including the U.S and Britain that say Assad has lost his legitimacy as Syria’s ruler, although they have shied away from arming the rebels for fear of bringing Islamist Jihadists to power.

    “For the soldiers of the resistance, they must have weapons because Assad has planes, powerful weapons and has

    used chemical weapons. We shouldn’t arm them for the sake of arming them, but there has to be a rebalancing,” Fabius said.

    He said Paris would respect an EU agreement not to arm rebels before Aug. 1, but said that he had spoken to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday on the issue.

    “Nobody is talking about sending troops on the ground, but the resistance fighters must be able to defend

    themselves,” he said

  • Boko Haram: US secretary of state Kerry meets Jonathan

    Boko Haram: US secretary of state Kerry meets Jonathan

    … Stresses respect for human rights

    United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, who last week expressed concern about allegations of gross human rights violations by Nigerian forces fighting the Boko Haram sect, raised the issue with President Goodluck Jonathan directly on Saturday, a U.S official said.

    Kerry sat beside President Jonathan at an African Union dinner and discussed the matter privately much as he has raised it publicly, defending Nigeria’s right “to combat terrorism but (saying) government security forces have to do so smartly (and) respect human rights,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters.

    Reuters reports that Nigerian troops last week used jets and helicopters to bombard targets in their biggest offensive since the Boko Haram group began a revolt almost four years ago to establish a breakaway Islamic state in the northeast of the country.

    On May 17, Kerry took the unusual step of saying that he was “deeply concerned by credible allegations that Nigerian security forces are committing gross human rights violations, which, in turn, only escalate the violence and fuel extremism.”

     

  • John Kerry: there’s tough violence in the North

    John Kerry: there’s tough violence in the North

    United States Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Affairs Minister Gbenga Ashiru yesterday met in Washington on insecurity in the North and other challenges facing the country.

    Kerry said the U.S. was happy helping Nigeria curb extremism.

    He said: “I’m very happy to welcome His Excellency, Foreign Minister Ashiru of Nigeria. We have a close association, close working partnership, and Nigeria is a very important leader within the African Union as well as the Economic Community of West African States.

    “Unfortunately, they are facing some tough violence in the northern part of the country, which we condemn, and we join with them in helping to fight against extremism. And we’re appreciative for their support on any number of issues, from economic leadership to energy leadership, security. We have a lot of work to do and a lot to talk about. So I’m happy to welcome you here.”

    Ashiru said the country appreciated the partnership between the U.S. and Nigeria. He said the Federal Government believes that with the support of the U.S. Nigeria would overcome it challenges.

    The minister said: “I’m happy to be here to meet with the U.S. Secretary of State. It’s a very important meeting for us. We appreciate the strategic partnership we have with the U.S. And we believe that as a leading country in Africa, we can bring so much in terms of the maintenance of peace and security on the continent, which we do on behalf of the UN Security Council and also the United States.

    “There are many challenges we face in our country, which the Secretary of State has already mentioned. And we believe that with the support of the U.S., we will overcome the challenges in the not too distant future. And we hope in our meeting today we’ll be able to discuss all the areas to further improve on our bilateral relations with the U.S. The U.S. is now an important partner, and we will continue to work to strengthen the partnership we have with the U.S.”

  • Jonathan faults U.S. reports on corruption in Nigeria

    President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday in Abuja that claims of massive corruption in Nigeria were misplaced and “over-amplified’’.

    He made the declaration at the presidential power reform transactions signing ceremony held at the Presidential Villa.

    A recent report submitted to the U.S. Congress by the Secretary of State John Kerry had alleged massive corruption at all levels of the Nigerian government.

    Jonathan said that contrary to such reports his administration had curtailed corruption and was working hard to carry on the fight against the menace.

    “ Let me continue to assure Nigerians that yes there are issues of corruption in this country but somehow it has been over amplified.

    “People should watch how we’ve been conducting government business. We’ve been bringing down the issues of corruption gradually.

    “If you look at the fertiliser sector, you will agree with me that if government actors are interested we would have continued the same story of buying all kinds of things, awarding all kinds of contracts in the name of fertiliser. But, we are not doing that, we have sanitised that sector.

    “Look at the power sector, when we started initially there were stories in the papers but at the end, even when I went to the U.S., companies from there that participated said publicly that the process was transparent and issues of corruption were not there.

    “At least today we’ve also heard directly, that the process was transparent and that there were no issues of manipulations or corruption.

    “I plead with Nigerians that the country belongs to all of us and we will all protect what belongs to us, what belongs to our children and what belongs to the generation yet unborn.

    “We are committed to doing our best for this country and God willing, we will succeed.’’

     

    The president said he was happy about the comments from the private sector that the process of privatisation of the power sector was transparent and devoid of corruption.

    He reiterated government’s commitment to transparency and renewed emphasis on inclusiveness in core transactions in the power sector.

    The president noted that the ceremony signaled a major step in the implementation of the power sector roadmap.

    He re-assured of his administration’s commitment to ending inadequate power supply in the country.

     

    “To fellow Nigerians, my dear brothers and sisters, this age-long problem of inadequate power supply will be brought to an end by God’s grace.

    “We are dealing in a very dedicated way with much overdue infrastructural and corporate upgrades, and despite the challenges, we are making steady progress each day towards permanent and lasting correction.

    “Nigerians must have electricity for domestic and industrial use and there is no turning back and there is no relenting.

    “This government cares about you and will not rest until you can sleep well at night without the irritating noise of generators.

    “Let me reassure all Nigerians, that working in concert with our partners, we will continue to pursue the reform of the power sector with intensity, vigour and determination; there is no shortcut.’’

    President Jonathan also congratulated the signing parties for reaching the significant target in the privatisation process and commended them for their confidence in the economy.

    “Your zeal and presence here today is an ample proof of your endorsement and confidence in the implementation and progress so far of our power reform agenda,’’ he said.

    He reassured that government would not design the market structures for the electricity industry but continue to set the rules of the game and act as a responsible facilitator and regulator.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that government handed over 25 per cent payment certificate to five successful bidders to the five PHCN successive generating companies.

    Similarly, the preferred bidders to the 10 of the PHCN successor distribution companies were also handed over their certificates of 25 per cent down payment. (NAN)

  • Syrian opposition U-turn on talks

    The Syrian opposition has agreed to attend an international summit in Rome, after the United States and United Kingdom “promised specific aid” to the Syrian people.

    The group had previously announced it would boycott the talks because of “the world’s silence” over the violence, BBC reports.

    U.S Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Minister William Hague earlier confirmed there would be more support for Syria’s opposition.

    Mr. Kerry was in London as part of his first foreign trip since taking office.

    The Syrian opposition’s announcement came amid reports of a deadly explosion and heavy fighting in an eastern part of the Syrian capital, Damascus.

    It also emerged on Monday that a member of the United Nations peacekeeping force monitoring the ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian troops in the demilitarised Golan Heights was missing.

    “We can confirm that a staff member is not accounted for and we are in touch with the relevant parties to determine what has happened,” UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey told the Associated Press.

    After meeting Mr. Hague and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr. Kerry called Syrian Opposition Council President Moaz Al-Khatib and encouraged him to join the Rome talks on Thursday.

    No further details have been released about the conversation.

    But on Monday evening, Mr. al-Khatib said in a Facebook post that his group would fly to Italy.