Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 15 June 2017
French president, in Morocco, urges dialogue over Qatar

By NADINE ACHOUI-LES- capital, Rabat, Macron it’s important “that the par- a violent police crackdown leaders discussed France’s
AGE called for a “clarification of ties speak again” and find and large-scale arrests. military operation against
Associated Press all the links and financing a way to “de-escalate” Macron said he raised Islamic extremists in Africa’s
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — of terrorist groups, what- tensions that have mount- the issue but said the king Sahel region.
French President Emmanu- ever it is and wherever it ed in recent days. gave him no “reason to Macron attended the Ra-
el Macron is urging Qatar comes from.”Saudi Arabia “The king of Morocco fear renewed repression” madan fast-breaking din-
and its rival neighbors to and other countries recent- shares this concern,” Ma- and said the king instead ner with his wife, Brigitte, at
talk directly, to defuse their ly cut diplomatic ties and cron told reporters. Mo- appears committed to a the invitation of the king in
tensions over alleged ter- blocked travel to Qatar hammed VI and Macron “long-term response to the his personal residence
rorism financing, and said over allegations of Qatari have spoken to key Gulf deep causes” of the con- Earlier Wednesday, Bri-
Wednesday he will step up sponsorship of Islamic ex- players in recent days and flict.Macron’s visit is the gitte Macron and Moroc-
diplomatic discussions with tremists in the region. Qatar Macron said he will invite first by the recently elect- can Princess Lala Salma
Gulf leaders in the coming denies the allegations, but regional leaders to Paris for ed French president to a visited a Picasso exhibit at
days. its ties to Iran and embrace further discussions. North African country, and the Mohammed VI Mod-
Macron spoke after meet- of various Islamist groups Macron also offered sup- aimed to strengthen co- ern Art Museum in Rabat,
ing with Moroccan King have put the country un- port to the king over ten- operation on security and a joint project with the
Mohammed VI, who is also der intense scrutiny.Stress- sions in Morocco’s northern other issues with Morocco, Pompidou Centre in Paris,
trying to mediate the esca- ing the international im- Rif region, where protests considered an important and discussed further art
lating Qatar standoff. portance of stability in the over corruption and bleak force for stability in an of- cooperation between the
Speaking in the Moroccan Middle East, Macron said living conditions prompted ten-volatile region. The two countries.q
EU launches legal action against 3 countries over refugees

By LORNE COOK gal obligations and have
Associated Press shown disregard for their
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- commitments to Greece,
ropean Commission on Italy and other member
Wednesday launched states.”The two-year relo-
legal action against the cation scheme is a major
Czech Republic, Hungary plank of the EU’s migration
and Poland for failing to re- policy, and was lauded as
spect their commitment to a European show of soli-
take in refugees. darity in 2015.But just three
The Commission, which months before it expires
polices EU agreements, this September, fewer than
sent formal letters of notice 21,000 people have been
to the three states giving relocated.The plan was
them one month to re- endorsed by a “qualified
spond to its concerns. They majority vote” — roughly a
could be taken to Europe’s two-thirds majority — with
top court, the European the Czech Republic, Hun-
Court of Justice, if the mat- gary, Romania and Slova-
ter is not resolved. kia voting against. Finland
EU countries agreed in abstained. Hungary and
September 2015 to relo- Slovakia later launched
cate 160,000 refugees from Tents that being used as a shelter for refugees and migrants stand at a beach outside Souda refu- their own legal action over
Greece and Italy as the gee camp, Chios island, Greece, on Friday, June 9, 2017. About 2000 refugees and other migrants the scheme, refusing to
two countries struggled to are in Chios and more than 62000 are stuck in Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) have migrant quotas im-
cope with more than a mil- posed on them by what
lion migrants who entered borders that year. a statement that despite these three countries re- they saw as bureaucrats in
Europe mostly through their The Commission said in “repeated calls for action, main in breach of their le- Brussels.q
Dozens sent to jail for protest in Russia’s St. Petersburg

By IRINA TITOVA people were detained. ular operations and were tioned rally in March when they were not provided
Associated Press The crackdown on pro- only processing the pro- most detainees were let go food or water and had to
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) testers appeared to be testers’ cases in hearings or were fined, and said she rely on volunteers to bring it
— Two days after wide- particularly severe in St. that stretched from late to saw it as a scare tactic. for them.
spread anti-government Petersburg, Russia’s former Tuesday to the early hours “This time the detainees, Russia adopted tighter re-
rallies, protesters in St. Pe- imperial capital, where of Wednesday, said Andrei even those who were de- strictions on public gath-
tersburg, Russia’s second- at least 26 people have Pivovarov, coordinator of tained for the first time in erings in 2012 in a clear
largest city, are facing a been sentenced to five to the Open Russia civil soci- their lives, were kept at reaction to massive anti-
severe crackdown with lo- 14 days in jail, according ety organization in St. Pe- police stations for up to 48 government protests that
cal courts sending dozens to OVD-Info, a group that tersburg. hours waiting for their court shook Russia in 2011 and
of them to jail. monitors political repression Svetlana Ratnikova, a law- hearings,” he told The Asso- early 2012.
Tens of thousands took to in Russia. yer who defended two ciated Press. “It was done Alexei Navalny, who called
the streets across Russia’s The overwhelming major- protesters in St. Petersburg, to scare the protesters.” for the Monday rallies that
11 time zones on Monday ity of the hundreds of pro- said the decisions to fine or Some protesters posted were held in more than 100
to protest government cor- testers detained in Moscow to jail a protester appeared pictures on social media, cities and towns, himself
ruption. were eventually released, to be random. showing dozens of people was detained outside his
Some of the protests, like in with the exception of a few Pivovarov said the treat- taking a nap in the hall and home before heading to
Moscow and St. Petersburg, opposition leaders. ment of the protesters ap- on chairs at various police the protest and sentenced
were explicitly banned by In St. Petersburg, several peared to be much harsher stations all over the city. to 30 days in jail for staging
authorities and nearly 2,000 courts suspended their reg- than after a similar unsanc- The detainees also said an unsanctioned rally. q