This is Beirut - diplomacy

Indian, French Leaders Agree to Strengthen 'Strategic Partnership'

This is Beirut, 21/08 18:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

India and France agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership and economic exchanges in a phone call between the two countries' leaders on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron also coordinated their positions on the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. India is staring down an ...

Russia, Syria to Bolster Ties, Review Assad-Era Agreements

This is Beirut, 31/07 12:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Russia Syria Diplomacy Lavrov Shibani

Russia and Syria signalled Thursday they would bolster ties and review agreements made under the previous pro-Moscow government of Bashar al-Assad amid uncertainty over the future of two Russian military bases in the country. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani appealed for Russia's support at talks in Moscow, where Assad had ...

Sudan Peace Bid Falters as Foreign Players Bicker Over Generals' Role

This is Beirut, 31/07 09:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

sudan conflict us diplomacy

The latest US attempt to chart a way out of the devastating conflict in Sudan broke down this week amid deadlock over what role its warring generals should play in any peace process. Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been at war since April 2023 in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven ...

US-China Set to Meet with Extension of Tariff Pause on the Cards

This is Beirut, 28/07 09:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

US China Tariff Trade Diplomacy

Top economic officials from the United States and China are set to renew negotiations Monday -- with an extension of lower tariff levels on the cards -- as President Donald Trump's trade policy enters a critical week. Talks between the world's top two economies are slated to happen over two days in the Swedish capital Stockholm, and they come as ...

US Lets Staff Return to Iraq Weeks After Iran Strike

This is Beirut, 18/07 05:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Iraq Iran Diplomacy

The United States said Thursday it would allow its diplomats to return to Iraq, nearly a month after they were ordered out as a precaution following US strikes on neighboring Iran. While the State Department did not explain its reasons, such shifts in staffing generally indicate Washington sees a lower risk of conflict. "Personnel who are ...

US Sanctions Cuban President Four Years After Historic Protests

This is Beirut, 12/07 05:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States Cuba Sanctions Diplomacy

The United States announced its first sanctions on Friday against Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel for his role "in the Cuban regime's brutality toward the Cuban people." It is the latest in a series of measures by US President Donald Trump's administration to increase pressure on the Cuban government. The United States was ...

Aoun Visits Cyprus, Christodoulides Stresses Lebanon’s Regional Role

This is Beirut, 09/07 12:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Cyprus Joseph Aoun Nikos Christodoulides Nicosia Diplomacy

President Joseph Aoun returned to Beirut on Wednesday afternoon, following an official visit to Cyprus at the invitation of his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides. The visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. He was received by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who emphasized Lebanon’s ...

The UN Charter: A Founding Document Under Siege

This is Beirut, 26/06 09:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

UN Diplomacy Charter

Eighty years ago Thursday, 50 countries came together in the ashes of World War II to sign the United Nations' founding charter in order "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres insisted this week the Charter "is a promise of peace, dignity and cooperation among nations." But critics say the ...

China Hosts Iranian, Russian Defense Ministers Against Backdrop of 'Momentous Change'

This is Beirut, 26/06 08:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

china russia iran diplomacy

China hosted defense ministers from Iran and Russia for a meeting in its eastern seaside city of Qingdao on Thursday against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and a summit of NATO countries in Europe that agreed to boost military spending. Beijing has long sought to present the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a ...

Iran Nuclear Talks: Trump Revives Diplomacy, Says Witkoff

This is Beirut, 25/06 12:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Trump Iran Nuclear Diplomacy Witkoff Enrichment

In an interview with Fox News, Steve Witkoff, a close adviser to Donald Trump, revealed that talks have been launched between the United States and Iran aimed at reviving negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. According to Witkoff, these exchanges, conducted both directly and through third-party channels, are “promising” and could pave ...

Trump Whirlwind to Test NATO Summit Unity

This is Beirut, 25/06 06:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Nato Diplomacy Conflict

Will he play nice? That's the question for NATO leaders nervously waiting to see if a carefully choreographed show to please US President Donald Trump will pay dividends when the alliance summit gets down to business on Wednesday. Every precaution is in place to avoid a Trump blow-up at the Hague summit, from giving him credit for a historic ...

Lebanese Diplomacy at a Standstill Since 2019: Is a Breakthrough Near?

Natasha Metni Torbey, 05/06 15:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Abdallah Bou Habib Gebran Bassil Diplomacy Embassy

For several years, Lebanese embassies worldwide have operated under interim leadership, exposing the deep institutional paralysis gripping the country. Often led by chargés d’affaires or temporary diplomats, many key posts remain vacant — a symptom of Lebanon’s chronic political dysfunction fueled by sectarian power-sharing and ongoing ...

diplomacy