Diplomacy

Lithuania Expels Three Chinese Diplomats Amid Tensions Over Taiwan

Lithuania announced on Friday that it was expelling three staff members of the Chinese embassy, as relations between the Baltic nation and Beijing deteriorate over Lithuania’s support for Taiwan and the suspected involvement of a Chinese ship in the damage to undersea telecommunications cables. Earlier this month, two Baltic Sea ...

Qatar’s Diplomacy: Strengths and Limitations

For over a year now, Qatar has been acting as the principal mediator, alongside the United States and Egypt, in negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023. However, this is not the first time this oil-rich Gulf emirate has emerged on the international stage. Qatar has established itself ...

What Successful Diplomacy Looks Like

One of the things to know about ceasefires is they don't just happen because an American leader wants one, or because there is a piece of paper in circulation in New York labeled "ceasefire."  Unless an outside power is prepared to impose a ceasefire by force, it happens when the parties to a conflict no longer believe they can achieve their ...

Jordanian FM at Serail: We Do Not Interfere in Lebanon's Presidential Election

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi affirmed on Monday that "Jordan stands by Lebanon." He stated, "We will continue to provide assistance and support all Lebanese efforts to strengthen the internal political situation, and we encourage the election of a new president for the republic, but we do not interfere in this matter." Speaking from ...

Turkey and Qatar Call for Calm in Mideast Crisis

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in Ankara on Friday for a working visit, according to a statement issued by the Amiri Diwan of Qatar. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Emir jointly appealed for greater international efforts to stop the Middle East conflict from escalating. The joint appeal came as the ...

Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations: Any Woman in Sight?

Only 4% of mediators and negotiators in international peace negotiations overall are women, according to UN Women. One noticeable feature is the lack of women in senior diplomatic and negotiation positions, particularly in the context of Israel and Palestine. From the Madrid Conference till this day, women remain absent from the senior diplomatic ...

Armenia, Azerbaijan to Hold Peace Talks in Germany

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are scheduled to conduct peace negotiations in Berlin this week, announced both ministries on Monday, aiming to address a longstanding conflict between the Caucasus nations that has persisted for decades. Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers are set to hold peace talks in Berlin this week, ...

Israel Ready to Allow Ships for Gaza Aid

Israel is ready to allow ships to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip as part of a proposed sea corridor from Cyprus, announced Israel's Foreign Minister on Sunday, as cited by Reuters. “It can start immediately,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said to Tel Aviv radio station 103 FM, as reported by Reuters. Additionally, Cohen explained that Britain, ...

UN Votes to Step Up Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

The United Nations Security Council held a vote on Friday and passed a resolution demanding the "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale" in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution also called for the creation of conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities, but did not call for an immediate end to ...

Hopes Rise for Israel-Hamas Truce Deal

Expectations grew over Israel and Hamas' move towards a new ceasefire and an agreement for the release of hostages in the Gaza conflict on Wednesday. These developments followed discussions in Europe and a visit to Egypt by the leader of the Palestinian militant group. Hopes rose that Israel and Hamas may be inching toward another truce and ...

Security Council Struggling to Find Consensus on Gaza

The UN Security Council is struggling to speak with one voice ahead of a vote expected on Tuesday regarding a new resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. A vote may occur as soon as Tuesday morning if negotiations succeed in breaking an impasse 10 days after a US veto. On December 8, despite unprecedented pressure from UN Secretary-General ...