Diplomatic Briefing
Your exclusive news aggregator handpicked daily!Archive for October 17, 2022
Newsline: EU top diplomat does not expect progress in Iran nuclear talks
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday he currently did not expect progress in negotiations over reviving a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. “I don’t expect any move, that’s a pity because we were very, very close,” Borrell told reporters on arriving to a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday. (https://uk.investing.com/news/world-news/eu-top-diplomat-expects-no-progress-in-iran-nuclear-talks-now-2783548) He said that international talks with Tehran had been stalled for the last weeks.
Newsline: Chinese consulate in UK accused of beating Hong Kong protester
Activists and lawmakers in the United Kingdom are demanding an investigation after a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester was allegedly beaten on the grounds of the Chinese consulate in Manchester. A pro-democracy group called Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force had staged a protest outside the consulate in the northern city on Sunday, in opposition to the Chinese Communist Party Congress happening the same day in Beijing. Video of the incident shared widely on social media shows a confrontation breaking out on the sidewalk outside the consulate, with loud shouts heard as people rush towards the gated entrance. The video then appears to show one Hong Kong protester being dragged through the gate into the consulate grounds and beaten by a group of men. The video appears to show local police entering the grounds of the consulate to break up the violence. Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force alleges that Chinese consular staff were involved in the alleged beating, and that the protester was taken to hospital in stable condition. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said he was “not aware of the situation.” “Chinese Embassy and consulates in the UK have always abided by the laws of the countries where they are stationed,” he said in a regular news briefing. “We also hope that the British side, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, will facilitate the normal performance of the duties of the Chinese Embassy and consulates in the UK.” (https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/17/uk/manchester-chinese-consulate-protesters-intl-hnk/index.html) CNN approached the Chinese Embassy in London for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Newsline: Diplomats visited London home listed by prankster as Moldovan embassy
A man who jokingly listed his home as the Moldovan embassy has claimed two foreign diplomats turned up at his address. Hughie Shepherd-Cross, 24, put up an official-looking plaque at his house in Fulham, south-west London, and uploaded his address to Google Maps. He said he added his phone number online to make the address look legitimate and got his friends to leave fake reviews. But he has since apologised for any confusion and offence his antics may have caused after receiving phone calls from Moldovans and a supposed visit from diplomats. The real Moldovan embassy is based just a few miles away in Chiswick. But the High Commission for Grenada is at the end of Hughie’s road – which gave him the idea. Hughie added: “I’m very sorry for any geopolitical confusion I caused, it was meant to be a harmless joke and I didn’t mean to offend the people of Moldova.” (https://news.yahoo.com/moldovan-embassy-fulham-prank-183249003.html) Hughie has since removed the plaque. Yahoo News UK has approached the Moldovan Embassy for comment.
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