VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: May 22, 2019

PAKISTAN

Iranian FM likely to visit Pakistan this week: Dawn

May 22, 2019

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is expected to visit Islamabad later this week for consultations with the Pakistani leadership, a senior diplomatic source said on Tuesday. The visit will take place amidst Iran’s escalating tensions with the United States. The source said FM Zarif would meet civilian and military leaders during his daylong stay in Islamabad. He said Mr Zarif would discuss the regional situation during his meetings in Islamabad in addition to bilateral matters, especially border security.Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Khalilzad To Appear Before US Senate: Tolo News

May 22, 2019

US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is appearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday for a closed hearing on the Afghan reconciliation process, said US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is expected that Khalilzad will brief the committee on his talks with Abdul Ghani Baradar Taliban’s political deputy and his team as well as negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar. In the past nearly seven months, Khalilzad has met with Taliban representatives six times in Doha and UAE.Click here to read... [3]

NEPAL

Oli makes yet another remark that contradicts the spirit of federalism: Kathmandu Post

May 22, 2019

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who has often faced criticism for his apparent reluctance to accept federalism, on Monday made remarks which, constitutional experts say, contradict the constitution and the spirit of federalism. Inaugurating the laying of optical fibre in Dhading, Oli said that provincial and local governments were not separate entities, but units under the federal government. “Nepal is one nation, one country and has one government—Nepal government. It has different subordinate agencies—seven provincial and 253 local governments,” Oli said, warning the other two tiers of government not to take “unnecessary steps”. Click here to read... [4]

BANGLADESH

India monitors network of Islamic State in Bangladesh: Economic Times

May 22, 2019

India is keeping close tabs on the network of Islamic State not only in Sri Lanka but also in Bangladesh following the recent arrest of kingpin for IS recruits in the neighbouring country. A Bangladeshi national Saifullah Ozaki, who recruited members for the IS in Bangladesh and encouraged them to visit Iraq and Syria, has been traced in a jail in Sulaimaniyah in Iraq following defeat of the IS in that region, persons familiar with the developments told ET.
Click here to read... [5]

CHINA

Xi stresses military personnel education for strong armed forces: People’s Daily

May 22, 2019

President Xi Jinping underlined the importance of better education of military personnel for building strong armed forces, when inspecting the Army Infantry College of the People's Liberation Army in east China's Jiangxi Province Tuesday. Military education should meet the requirements of combat, the needs of the armed forces and the demands of future missions, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.Click here to read... [6]