Page 29 - bon-dia-aruba-20211124
P. 29
A29
world news Diaranson 24 november 2021
EU border agency: ‘Illegal border crossings’ on the rise
(AP) — The number of Mediterranean Sea crossings.
people trying to enter The agency said that 48,500
Europe without authori- Almost 8,000 people — most crossings were reported on
zation has risen signifi- of them Iraqis, Afghans and the “Western Balkans Route”
cantly this year to surpass Syrians — entered through — which many migrants
migrant border crossing the EU’s eastern frontier; a traverse on foot in search of
figures from 2019, before 15-fold increase over 2020, better lives or sanctuary in
restrictions imposed to the agency said. Crossings the relatively-wealthy 27 EU
combat the COVID-19 from Belarus hit a peak of member countries. More
pandemic severely lim- more than 3,200 in July, but than 9,000 entries were re-
ited travel, the European had dropped to over 600 by corded in October, an in-
Union’s border and coast October. crease of 810% compared to
guard said Tuesday. 2019.
Frontex said that “while high
Frontex said in a statement level frictions between the Arrivals via the central Medi-
that 160,000 “illegal border EU and the Belarusian re- terranean also rose, reaching
crossings” were recorded in gime continue,” countries 6,240 in October, 186% more northern Africa.
the first 10 months of this neighboring Belarus have than in 2019. Frontex said a The agency said that 16,390
year, up 70% compared to “significantly strengthened “significant development” More Egyptians are arriving “illegal border crossings”
the same period in 2020 and their border-control mea- is that a growing number through the central Mediter- were reported on the western
45% more than in 2019. The sures under exceptional states of migrants are crossing by ranean from Libya, it said. Mediterranean route, often
biggest rise was at the EU’s of emergency,” and that this sea into Italy directly from Separately, migration to the into Spain from northern Af-
eastern borders, in the Bal- has stopped people moving Turkey. Most usually come island of Cyprus is also on rica, but the numbers were
kans region and via central across in large numbers. from Libya and other parts of the rise. 23% less than in 2019.
UN nuclear watchdog chief presses for more access in Iran
(AP) — The head of the United the Mideast in recent years. The U.S. Iran’s proliferation sensitive nuclear around 2,000 tamper-proof seals on
Nations’ atomic watchdog met under President Joe Biden, mean- activities or for the development of nuclear material and equipment.
Tuesday with Iranian officials while, has said it’s willing to return to nuclear weapon delivery systems.” Those seals communicated electroni-
to press for greater access in the the deal, but has warned time is run- cally to inspectors. Automated mea-
Islamic Republic ahead of diplo- ning out. After their talk, Eslami gave a news suring devices also provided real-time
matic talks restarting over Teh- conference in which he described the data from the program. Inspectors as
ran’s tattered nuclear deal with All this raises the risk of a wider con- ongoing issues as “technical” and not well haven’t been able to access that
world powers. frontation with Iran, which has taken governed by the “political issues and data, making the task of monitoring
a harder tack ahead of the talks under conspiracies” of Iran’s enemies. Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile
Rafael Mariano Grossi of the Inter- new President Ebrahim Raisi, a pro- that much more difficult.
national Atomic Energy Agency yet tégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali “Some parts are yet to be answered
again faces tightrope-style talks with Khamenei. and some parts have to do with issues The agency also has sought monitor-
Iranian officials as his inspectors re- that have already been closed in the ing of activities at a centrifuge parts
main unable to access surveillance Writing on Twitter on Monday, Gros- past,” he said. “They have been ad- production site near northern city
footage and face greater challenges si said he hoped to “address outstand- dressed in the nuclear deal and have of Karaj. The IAEA has had no ac-
in trying to monitor Tehran’s rap- ing questions” with Iranian officials. been closed. Today, we agreed to put cess there since June after Iran said a
idly growing uranium stockpile. In an end to them.” sabotage attack by Israel considerably
the wake of then-President Donald “I hope to establish a fruitful and co- damaged the facility and an IAEA
Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from operative channel of direct dialogue Eslami did not elaborate. camera there.
Iran’s deal, the Islamic Republic now so the (IAEA) can resume essential
enriches small amounts of uranium verification activities in the country,” Grossi for his part described the talks In a separate report to IAEA member
up to 60% purity — its highest ever Grossi wrote. as “intense” and was not as definitive states earlier this month, the agency
and close to weapons-grade levels of as Eslami. said Grossi also was concerned about
90%. On Tuesday, Grossi went to the inspectors “being subjected to exces-
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, “We are continuing at this point our sively invasive physical searches by
While Iran maintains its program is the country’s civilian nuclear agency, negotiations with a view to find- security officials at nuclear facilities
peaceful, regional rival Israel has re- for his third-such visit since Febru- ing common ground,” Grossi said. in Iran.”
peatedly warned it won’t allow Teh- ary. He spoke with Mohammad Esla- He was due to meet Iranian Foreign
ran to build a nuclear weapon and is mi, the new head of the organization. Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian Tuesday’s meeting comes ahead of a
suspected of launching attacks tar- The U.N. in 2008 sanctioned Eslami afterward. wider meeting of the IAEA member
geting its program as part of a wider for “being engaged in, directly asso- states. Iran avoided facing a censure
regional shadow war playing across ciated with or providing support for Under a confidential agreement vote at the board with a similar Grossi
called an “Additional Protocol” with visit in September.
Iran, the IAEA collects and analyzes
images from a series of surveillance Meanwhile in Israel, Prime Minis-
cameras installed at Iranian nuclear ter Naftali Bennett described Iran’s
sites. Those cameras helped it moni- nuclear program as being in a “very
tor Tehran’s program to see if it is advanced stage,” without providing
complying with the nuclear deal. details. Ahead of the resumption of
nuclear talks between global pow-
Iran’s hard-line parliament in De- ers and Iran, Bennett said he expects
cember 2020 approved a bill that “disagreement with our greatest of
would suspend part of U.N. inspec- friends.”
tions of its nuclear facilities if Euro-
pean signatories did not provide re- “Either way, even with the return to
lief from oil and banking sanctions by an agreement, Israel is of course not
February. Since February, the IAEA part of the agreement. Israel is not
has been unable to access imagery bound by it,” he told a security con-
from those cameras. ference in Herzliya. “We will main-
Under the deal, the IAEA also placed tain our freedom to act.”