MOSCOW: A leading Russian military expert has accused the Czech Republic of state racketeering.
Konstantin Sivkov, vice president of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences and a captain of the first rank, said Prague had violated international law by sending tanks belonging to Morocco to Ukraine.
Rabat did not give consent for its tanks to be delivered to Kyiv for use in the conflict against Russia, he said. Instead, they were transferred by authorities in the Czech Republic, where they had been sent for repairs and modernization.
Sivkov described the Czech decision to send the tanks, which Morocco purchased from Belarus, to Ukraine as “a blatant act of state racketeering, if not an act of state terrorism.”
He told Arab News: “These tanks were transferred to a third party without the consent of Morocco, which paid for their repair and modernization.
“In essence, these tanks were reexported to Ukraine without the consent of the seller — that is, Belarus — which would never agree to transfer them to a belligerent country.”
Morocco purchased 148 T-72B tanks in 1999 and 2000. In the past two years it sent 130 to a Czech company for modernization but less than half have been returned and at least 20 of the 74 that remained in the Czech Republic were reportedly handed over to Ukraine by Czech authorities in violation of contractual agreements.
“We consider this egregious case as further evidence of the hostile anti-Russian course pursued by the Czech authorities, within the framework of which Prague does not hesitate to violate the basic norms of international law regulating the arms trade, and seize another’s property,” said Maria Zakharova, the director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The sad experience of the Second World War is being repeated, when Czech enterprises, being part of the military-industrial complex of Nazi Germany, tirelessly supplied the Third Reich with weapons for the war against the USSR.”
Zakharova said Czech authorities have learned nothing from history and have turned their country into a platform for the repair and modernization of equipment sent to Ukraine, and suggested such actions confirm the main goal of Kiev’s Western allies is to prolong the conflict as long as possible to cause maximum damage to Russia.
Morocco signed contracts in 2021 with Czech company Excalibur Army to repair and modernize 130 of the Soviet-built T-72B tanks. Only 56 have been returned and Czech authorities have been accused of appropriating the remaining 74.
In January this year, the website MENA Defense reported that the Czech Republic had sent at least 20 of the tanks to Ukraine as military assistance. The report said the decision had been made by Morocco under pressure from Western countries during a NATO summit at America’s Ramstein Air Base in Germany on April 26, 2022.
However, some African-related news organizations on the Telegram messenger app reported that it was Czech and not Moroccan authorities that had transferred tanks to Ukraine, in violation of the terms of the contract between the countries
MENA Defense later published photos of disassembled and upgraded T-72Bs at the Excalibur Army plant in the town of Sternberk, taken during a visit by Czech Prime Minister Peter Fiala on Jan. 9 this
year. In one of the pictures, he is signing a gun on a tank on which Czech and Ukrainian flags are visible.
“This egregious fact shows once again that Western countries cannot be trusted in any case, but the very transfer of these tanks confirms that Kiev’s Western patrons have already exhausted their capabilities to arm the Ukrainian army with modern weapons,” said Sivkov.
“And as for the T-72B tanks, these are combat vehicles of the mid-1980s, of the last century, and will not give Ukraine any advantage on the battlefield.”
Morocco did not consent to transfer of its tanks to Ukraine, says Russian military expert
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Morocco did not consent to transfer of its tanks to Ukraine, says Russian military expert
- Konstantin Sivkov said authorities in the Czech Republic, where the tanks were being modernized, sent them to Kyiv in ‘a blatant act of state racketeering, if not an act of state terrorism’
- Morocco bought 148 T-72B tanks from Belarus two decades ago and recently sent 130 of them to a Czech company for modernization but less than half are said to have been returned
Bangladesh eyes halal exports boost to Gulf countries with new policy
- Government launched inaugural policy on halal certification in November
- New policy serves as formal guideline for companies to align with international halal standards
DHAKA: Bangladesh is working on tapping into the global halal market and increasing exports to Gulf countries, the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation said on Tuesday following the government’s inaugural policy on halal certification.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Religious Affairs approved last month a halal certification policy, which serves as a formal guideline and incentive for companies to align with international halal standards, paving the way for the South Asian nation to harness the potential of the global halal market, which is worth over $2 trillion.
“This halal certification is very important for us since we are a Muslim country and 92 percent of our consumers are Muslim … Now, we will be able to explore the export potential of our halal goods,” Abu Saleh Patwary, deputy director of the halal certification department at the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation, told Arab News on Tuesday.
The BIF is a body under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which has worked on halal certification matters since 2007 and is now in charge of issuing halal certificates in Bangladesh.
“Saudi Arabia and the UAE can be the major destination for our halal goods … We will be aiming to increase exports to Muslim countries, especially in the Gulf region,” he said.
“If we can grab 2 to 3 percent of global halal markets, it will boost our economy a lot … Now, a new horizon of halal goods has opened up for our local entrepreneurs.”
The policy comes at a time when Bangladeshi businesses are also exploring new opportunities with Gulf nations, such as Saudi Arabia, which a delegation comprising the country’s top business leaders visited earlier in October.
Jahangir Alam, director at the Dhaka School of Economics, said halal certification was imperative to enter the Middle Eastern market.
“Most Muslim countries want halal certification to import consumer goods. It’s particularly hard to sell goods in Middle Eastern countries without halal certification. For this reason, we need the halal certification very much,” Alam told Arab News, adding that it will help boost the presence of Bangladeshi products internationally.
The process to obtain those certifications should be “easy and hassle-free,” Alam added, to ensure that Bangladeshis can reap the benefits of such a policy.
“The introduction of halal certification will boost sales of goods both locally and globally. Eventually, it will increase the earnings of our foreign currency. It’s a great initiative.”
Saudi Arabia to open new visa centers, introduce flights for Indian pilgrims
- More than 1.2m Indian pilgrims visited Saudi Arabia for Umrah in 2023
- Hajj ‘important aspect’ of Saudi-India bilateral relations: Indian minister
NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia will open new visa centers in India and introduce budget flights to facilitate the increasing number of Indian pilgrims in their Umrah journeys, Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said on Tuesday.
Al-Rabiah is in New Delhi as part of an official trip aimed at strengthening collaboration with Indian officials and partners and streamlining Umrah pilgrimage for international pilgrims.
As part of its Vision 2030 reform plan, the Kingdom has utilized technological advancements, enhanced measures, and upgraded infrastructure to “transform Umrah into a rewarding religious expedition” for Muslims worldwide, Al-Rabiah pointed out during a joint press conference in the Indian capital.
With more than 200 million people professing Islam in India, the Hindu-majority country has the world’s largest Muslim-minority population.
In 2023, the number of Umrah pilgrims from India increased by around 74 percent compared to last year, surpassing 1.2 million people.
That increase was the result of Saudi-India collaborative efforts, Al-Rabiah noted, adding that the two countries had initiated discussions to increase direct flights between them “to accommodate an increasing number of Indians looking to perform Umrah.”
“We’re also focused on enhancing capacity to meet the anticipated increase by introducing new scheduled flights through Saudi low-cost airlines, flynas and flyadeal,” he said.
“These efforts are complemented by initiatives to streamline visa issuance procedures and establish three new visa centers in India.”
Indian minority affairs minister, Smriti Irani, who held talks with Al-Rabiah on Tuesday, said they had “productive discussions on how to further deepen engagements,” particularly on their cooperation for Hajj pilgrimage.
“Both nations have agreed to continue to work together to make the Hajj process as convenient and as seamless as possible with best provision of services for all Hajj pilgrims,” Irani told reporters at the press conference.
Under the 2023 Hajj quota, around 175,000 Indians – nearly 47 percent of whom were women – traveled to Saudi Arabia for the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam.
India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, said Al-Rabiah’s visit would “bolster the overall bilateral partnership” between the two countries, adding that Hajj was an “important aspect” of that relationship.
“There is a mutual recognition that our partnership will not only be beneficial to our countries and communities … but will be valuable to the region and the world,” Muraleedharan added.
US returns $1 million in stolen antiquities to Nepal
- One of the items was seized as part of a probe into Subhash Kapoor who helped traffic items from Asian countries
- In recent years, New York museums have returned over 1,000 pieces worth $190mln to 19 states, including Pakistan
NEW YORK: The United States has returned four antiquities worth $1 million to Nepal, including a pair of gilt copper masks representing a Hindu deity, following anti-trafficking operations, New York authorities said on Monday.
One of the items was seized as part of a probe into Subhash Kapoor, whom Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described as an “allegedly prolific looter who helped traffic items” from several Asian countries.
Between 2011 and 2023, officials claim to have recovered more than 2,500 items trafficked by Kapoor and his network, Bragg’s office said in a statement.
“The total value of the pieces recovered exceeds $143 million,” it added.
“We will continue to target antiquities trafficking networks no matter how complex. I thank our outstanding team of analysts and attorneys... for recovering and returning these beautiful pieces,” Bragg said.
The four items given back to Nepalese authorities were handed over at a ceremony in New York.
“The return of these illegally exported four masterpieces is a significant step in reclaiming Nepal’s cultural heritage and preserving its historical treasures,” said Nepal’s acting consul general in New York Bishnu Prasad Gautam.
The masks, from the 16th century and collectively valued at $900,000, depict Shiva, part of the Hindu trinity.
“Both masks were stolen in the mid-1990s as part of a series of break-in robberies from the home of the family” whose relatives made them, Bragg’s office said.
In recent years, the New York’s Met and other prestigious museums have agreed to return trafficked works, in particular pieces from countries riddled by conflict from 1970 to 1990.
Under Bragg, who has been in office since 2022, more than 1,000 pieces worth $190 million have been returned to 19 countries, including Cambodia, China, India and Pakistan.
China says Afghan Taliban must reform before full diplomatic ties
- Beijing does not formally recognize Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, although both countries host ambassadors
- Taliban government has not been officially recognized by any country since seizing power in August 2021
Beijing: China said on Tuesday Afghanistan’s Taliban government will need to introduce political reforms, improve security and mend relations with its neighbors before receiving full diplomatic recognition.
Beijing does not formally recognize Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, although both countries host each others’ ambassadors and have maintained diplomatic engagement.
“China has always believed that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday when asked if China would now recognize the Taliban government.
“We hope that Afghanistan will further respond to the expectations of the international community, build an open and inclusive political structure (and) implement moderate and stable domestic and foreign policies,” he said.
Wang also said China urged Kabul to “resolutely combat all types of terrorist forces, live in harmony with all countries around the world, especially neighboring countries, and integrate with the international community at an early date.”
“As the concerns of all parties receive stronger responses, diplomatic recognition of the Afghan government will naturally follow,” he said.
The Taliban government has not been officially recognized by any country since seizing power after the chaotic withdrawal of US troops in August 2021.
However, Kabul and Beijing have maintained some ties.
Afghanistan’s new rulers have promised the country would not be used as a base for militants and, in exchange, China has offered economic support and investment for reconstruction.
China’s foreign ministry said in a position paper on Afghanistan released this year that it “respects the independent choices made by the Afghan people, and respects the religious beliefs and national customs.”
Zelensky, top US officials to make case for Ukraine funding
- President Joe Biden has sought a nearly $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other needs, but it has faced a difficult reception on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON: Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelensky and top aides to US President Joe Biden will make their case to US senators on Tuesday about why a fresh infusion of military assistance is needed to help Ukraine repel Russian invaders.
US officials say the United States will spend all it has available for Ukraine by the end of the year, a dire prediction that comes as Kyiv has struggled to make major advances in its 2023 counteroffensive against Russia.
Biden’s administration in October asked Congress for nearly $106 billion to pay for ambitious plans for Ukraine, Israel and US border security, but Republicans who control the House with a slim majority rejected the package.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a close Biden ally, announced on Monday night that the administration has invited Zelensky to address senators via secure video as part of a classified briefing on Tuesday “so we can hear directly from him precisely what’s at stake in this vote.”
In addition, a variety of top Biden officials, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are expected to brief the senators on Tuesday.
Schumer also started the process of advancing a Ukraine-Israel emergency aid bill on the Senate floor.
“America’s national security is on the line around the world” with the fate of Ukraine aid hanging in the balance, Schumer said in a Senate speech. “Autocrats, dictators waging war against democracy, against our values, against our way of life. That’s why passing this supplemental is so important. It could determine the trajectory of democracy for years to come.”
Zelensky said in a November interview that despite the slow going, Ukraine would try to deliver battlefield results by the end of the year and that he remained sure Kyiv would eventually have success in the war despite difficulties at the front.
But the stalled drive to get US assistance has alarmed the Biden White House, which fears a failure to help Ukraine further would increase the likelihood of Russian victories.
