Diplomatic Briefing
Your exclusive news aggregator handpicked daily!Archive for July 13, 2022
Newsline: No change in U.S. policy on Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem
The White House spokesperson John Kirby said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan misspoke on Wednesday when he told reporters that the United States wished for a Palestinian consulate in East Jerusalem. Kirby said there was no change in U.S. policy regarding the consulate. (https://www.fxempire.com/news/article/no-change-in-u-s-policy-on-palestinian-consulate-in-jerusalem-spokesman-says-1062731) The United States wants to reopen its consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem, located in the west of the city, which was closed by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019.
Newsline: Afro-Colombian politician tapped as ambassador to Washington
A veteran Afro-Colombian politician who studied in the Soviet Union and fled his homeland after being kidnapped by a paramilitary group has been tapped to become Colombia’s first Black ambassador to the United States. In a brief message posted on Twitter on Tuesday, leftist President elect Gustavo Petro wrote that Luis Gilberto Murillo would take Colombia’s most important diplomatic post when he’s sworn into office next month. (https://www.wsls.com/news/world/2022/07/12/afro-colombian-politician-tapped-as-ambassador-to-washington/) Murillo, 55, has a long record maneuvering in Washington’s power circles, having established himself there more than two decades ago when fleeing death threats from right wing paramilitary groups. Among his powerful supporters is Rep. Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who helped craft aid programs for the traditionally marginalized Afro-Colombian population as part of negotiations over a U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement. Murillo also has U.S. citizenship — something he’ll have to renounce to take up his diplomatic post.
Newsline: Poland, Israel improve ties as ambassador starts work
Poland and Israel have taken a step toward normalizing diplomatic ties, the Polish president said Tuesday, as the Israeli ambassador officially presented his credentials in Warsaw. President Andrzej Duda tweeted that he and Israeli President Issac Herzog have “agreed that it’s time to return to normal relations.” He said the “first step” was taken when Israeli Ambassador Yacov Livne officially presented his credentials on Tuesday. Israel expects Poland to appoint an ambassador too, and Duda said he hopes it would happen “soon.” (https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Poland-Israel-improve-ties-as-ambassador-starts-17299253.php) Herzog thanked Duda on Twitter for receiving Livne’s credentials, calling it an “important first step to advancing Israeli-Polish relations” and added he expects to receive formal documentation from Poland’s ambassador soon. Relations between the two nations soured in recent years amid spats over Poland’s laws that were seen as whitewashing the deeds of some Poles during the Holocaust and banning claims for restitution of seized property by Holocaust victims and their relatives. Israel recalled its ambassador in the autumn of 2020 and Poland’s ambassador to Israel was instructed to end his mission prematurely last summer.
Newsline: U.S. embassy in Colombo to cancel services after Sri Lanka president flees
The U.S. embassy in Colombo said it was cancelling afternoon consular services on Wednesday and all services on Thursday, after the Sri Lankan president fled the country following widespread protests. (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-embassy-colombo-cancel-services-035159463.html) “Out of an abundance of caution, Consular is canceling our Wednesday afternoon services … as well as all consular services on Thursday,” the embassy said on Twitter.
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