Nachdem in den letzten Tagen die „Washington Post“ und „CNN“ jahrelange Treffen von internationalen Kriegslobbyisten mit Vertretern von Nordkoreas Regime öffentlich gemacht hatten (wir berichteten gestern), gab der zum Staatsbesuch in China weilende U.S.-Außenminister Rex Tillerson heute nach einem Gespräch mit Staatspräsident Xi Jinping „direkte“ Kontakte mit Pjöngjang bekannt.

“We can talk to them,” Mr. Tillerson said, “We do talk to them.” When asked whether those channels ran through China, he shook his head. “Directly,” he said. “We have our own channels.”

(28.9.2017) The Envoys of the Middle East Quartet from the Russian Federation, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations welcome efforts, including those of Egypt, to create the conditions for the Palestinian Authority to assume its responsibilities in Gaza.

They urge the parties to take concrete steps to reunite Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate Palestinian Authority. This will facilitate lifting the closures of the crossings, while addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns, and unlock international support for Gaza’s growth, stability, and prosperity, which is critical for efforts to reach lasting peace. The Quartet envoys stand ready to engage with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the region in support of this process.

(29.9.2017) On occupation: „[Israelis] are only occupying 2 percent of the West Bank, so I think that‘s consistent with resolution 242 and its been the basis for 50 years for the parties to proceed.“

Most of the international community views the entire West Bank as occupied, and as already stated, Resolution 242 called for the removal of all Israeli forces.

“The step that was taken by some racists in Kurdistan will bring instability to the entire region for years to come. The representatives of such efforts had established the state of Israel in 1948,” Mowaffak al-Rubaie, an MP from the ruling Shiite National Alliance told reporters in the Iraqi parliament.

There have been three wars since the creation of Israel, he added. Rubaie is a former National Security Adviser.

“The one who loses the most is our beloved Kurdish nation,” he continued.

A directive by the organization has also barred carrying oil products from the Iraqi region to Iran, Tasnim news agency reported.

(28.9.2017) Iraq said Turkey agreed to deal exclusively with its central government over exports of Kurdish crude oil, a step that could disrupt shipments from the independence-seeking Kurd region.

Turkey supports Iraq’s control over all crude that the OPEC nation exports through a Turkish-controlled pipeline, the Iraqi prime minister said Thursday.

Die Kurden im Irak wollten mit der Abstimmung über die Unabhängigkeit ihr Streben nach einem eigenen Staat stärken. Stattdessen hat das Referendum sie geschwächt. Irak, die Türkei und Iran setzen die angedrohte Isolierung um.

The United States “does not recognize” Kurdistan’s independence referendum, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced in a statement Friday evening.

“The vote and the results lack legitimacy and we continue to support a united, federal, democratic and prosperous Iraq,” read the statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials Saturday on issues including trade, North Korea and preparations for an anticipated visit by President Donald Trump to China in November.

Tillerson told top Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi that Trump and Xi had developed a „very regular and close working relationship.“

Diplomatische Beobachter gehen davon aus, dass Moskau der nordkoreanischen Diplomatin auch die Standpunkte der USA zu diesem Konzept übermittelt haben könnte.

Das sagte der südkoreanische Vizevereinigungsminister Cheon Hae-sung am Freitag in seiner Gratulationsrede zur Eröffnung des „Korea Global Forums“ in Berlin. Das Forum veranstalten unter anderem die deutsche Konrad Adenauer Stiftung gemeinsam mit dem südkoreanische Vereinigungsministerium.