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world news Diaranson 9 December 2020

Russia to establish navy base in Sudan for at least 25 years

(AP) — Russia has signed established a major presence
an agreement with Sudan in the Mediterranean, thanks
to establish a navy base to a naval base in the Syrian
in the African nation for port of Tartus, currently the
at least a quarter century, only such facility that Russia
part of Moscow’s efforts has outside the former Soviet
to expand its global reach. Union.
Russia has waged a military
The deal published Tuesday campaign in Syria since Sep-
on the official portal of gov- tember 2015, allowing Presi-
ernment documents allows dent Bashar Assad’s govern-
Russia to simultaneously ment to reclaim control over
keep up to four navy ships, most of the country follow-
including nuclear-powered ing a devastating civil war.
ones, in Port Sudan on the In 2017, Moscow struck a
Red Sea. The agreement lasts deal with Assad to extend its
for 25 years and could be au- lease on Tartus for 49 years.
tomatically extended for 10- After signing the agreement
year periods if none of the that allows Russia to keep up
parties objects to it. to 11 warships there, it has
The document states that moved to modernize and ex-
the Russian navy base should pand the facility.
“help strengthen peace and As part of Putin’s efforts to
stability in the region” and beef up the military, the Rus-
isn’t directed against any military equipment. globe. The Russian military President Vladimir Putin has sian navy in recent years has
third parties. In exchange for The new agreement is part footprint withered after the moved steadily to rebuild the revived the Soviet-era prac-
Sudan’s permission to set up of Moscow’s efforts to re- 1991 Soviet collapse amid nation’s military might amid tice of constantly rotating its
the base, Russia will provide store a regular naval pres- economic woes and mili- tensions with the West. warships in the Mediterra-
Sudan with weapons and ence in various parts of the tary funding shortages, but The Russian navy already has nean.

Pressure mounts on Hungary, Poland to unlock EU stimulus

(AP) — The German which is so critical for many
presidency of the EU member states.”
said Tuesday that further Both Poland and Hungary,
delaying the European which have conservative, na-
Union’s landmark 1.82 tionalist governments, have
trillion-euro ($2.21 tril- said they fear the EU mecha-
lion) long-term budget nism will be used to punish
and coronavirus recovery their values.
package would be “irre-
sponsible” as diplomats Hungarian Prime Minister
envisage a solution with- Viktor Orban came to War-
out Poland and Hungary, saw on Tuesday night and
the two EU states holding held talks with Polish coun-
up the measure. terpart Mateusz Morawiecki
and Deputy Prime Minister
German European Affairs Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is
minister Michael Roth said the main architect of Po-
the stimulus is crucial for land’s politics. Media reports
many European countries said they were to agree on an
whose economies have been acceptable compromise as a
devastated by the pandemic. result of negotiations with
But Poland and Hungary, German Chancellor Angela
who agreed on the deal in Merkel before the summit.
July, are now vetoing the If EU leaders fail to adopt
package because of a mecha- the budget for 2021-2027 be-
nism that would allow the fore the end of the year, the
EU to cut off funds to coun- bloc will continue to spend
tries that violate the bloc’s but function on limited re-
democratic standards. sources, with a maximum of
Germany, which currently one-twelfth of the budget for
holds the rotating presidency the previous financial year to
of the EU, has been deploy- be spent each month. Many recovery plan without Poland agreement by the 25 other Speaking after a video con-
ing efforts to find a com- projects for Poland and Hun- and Hungary. A senior EU nations labeled enhanced co- ference of European affairs
promise before a summit of gary — which are already be- diplomat who was not autho- operation. ministers, Roth said dis-
European leaders in Brussels ing formally investigated by rized to speak publicly said Under the enhanced coop- cussing again the rule of law
starting Thursday, where the the EU for their potential Poland and Hungary need to eration procedure, a group mechanism is not an option
topic will top the agenda. violations of the rule of law give a clear indication before of EU nations can decide to for EU countries but insisted
“The social and economic — could be held up. the summit that they have move forward in situations that Germany remains com-
consequences of the crisis To break the stalemate and changed their minds and are where all 27 countries are mitted to finding a compro-
become more visible every ensure that at least part of now ready to compromise. not on the same page. If the mise involving all 27 member
day,” Roth said, “It would be the money is made avail- The diplomat said if there is standoff continues, such a states.
irresponsible to further de- able, European officials have no “clear signal” from those move could at least help un-
lay essential support to our been thinking of options that two nations, then EU of- lock the bloc’s 750 billion- “We hope to be able to achieve
citizens. We need to rapidly would allow the EU’s 25 ficials will move on to Plan euro ($909 billion) economic success in the next few hours
unlock the financial support other nations to launch the B, which could include an recovery package. or days,” he said.