Page 6 - aruba-today-20230811

A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 11 august 2023

Western officials: Niger junta warned they’d kill deposed president

after any military intervention

By Sam Mednick and Chin- who specialized in African
edu Asadu affairs and is now direc-
Associated Press tor of Strategic Stabiliza-
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Ni- tion Advisors, a risk advisory
ger’s junta told a top U.S. group.
diplomat that they would “Still, this junta has escalat-
kill deposed President Mo- ed its moves so quickly that
hamed Bazoum if neigh- it’s possible they do some-
boring countries attempt- thing more extreme, as that
ed any military intervention has been their approach
to restore his rule, two West- so far,” she cautioned.
ern officials told The Associ- Nine leaders from the
ated Press. 15-member West African
They spoke to the AP short- bloc met Thursday in the
ly before the West African Nigerian capital, Abuja, to
bloc ECOWAS said it had discuss their next steps.
directed the deployment Speaking after the talks,
of a “standby force” to re- ECOWAS commission presi-
store democracy in Niger, dent Omar Alieu Touray
after its deadline of Sunday said he could only reaffirm
to reinstate Bazoum ex- the decisions by “the mili-
pired. tary authorities in the sub-
The threat to the deposed region to deploy a standby
president raises the stakes Motorcyclists ride by the entrance of the airport in Niamey, Niger, Tuesday, force of the community.”
both for ECOWAS and for Aug. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick) Financing had been dis-
the junta, which has shown cussed and “appropriate
its willingness to escalate its al-Qaida and the Islamic of State Victoria Nuland of ing on condition of ano- measures have been tak-
actions since it seized pow- State group that has killed the threat to Bazoum dur- nymity, because they were en,” he said.
er on July 26. thousands and displaced ing her visit to the country not authorized to speak to He blamed the junta for
Niger was seen as the last millions of people. The in- this week, a Western mili- the media. any hardship caused by
country in the Sahel region ternational community is tary official said, speaking The threats from both sides the sanctions imposed on
south of the Sahara Desert scrambling to find a peace- on condition of anonymity escalate tensions but hope- Niger and said further ac-
that Western nations could ful solution to the country’s because of the sensitivity of fully nudge them closer to tions by the bloc would be
partner with to counter ji- leadership crisis. the situation. actually talking, said Ane- taken jointly.q
hadi violence linked to Representatives of the jun- A U.S. official confirmed liese Bernard, a former U.S.
ta told U.S. Under Secretary that account, also speak- State Department official

UN Security Council to hold first open meeting on North Korea

human rights situation since 2017

By Edith M Lederer pan and South Korea when curity Council action since tic missile launches. So the At a council meeting last
Associated Press making the announce- vetoing a U.S.-sponsored council is not expected month on Pyongyang’s
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The ment. resolution in May 2022 that to take any action at next test-flight of its develop-
U.N. Security Council will Russia and China, which would have imposed new week’s meeting. mental Hwasong-18 missile,
hold its first open meeting have close ties to North Ko- sanctions over a spate of China and Russia could North Korea’s U.N. Ambas-
on North Korea’s dire hu- rea, have blocked any Se- its intercontinental ballis- protest holding the open sador Kim Song made his
man rights situation since meeting, which requires first appearance before
2017 next week, the United support from at least nine members since 2017.
States announced Thurs- of the 15 council members. He told the council the test
day. A senior U.S. official from flight was a legitimate exer-
U.S. Ambassador Linda the U.N. mission, who was cise of the North’s right to
Thomas-Greenfield told not authorized to speak self-defense.
reporters that U.N. human publicly, indicated the U.S. He also accused the Unit-
rights chief Volker Türk and has enough council sup- ed States of driving the
Elizabeth Salmon, the U.N. port for the meeting to take situation in northeast Asia
independent investiga- place. “to the brink of nuclear
tor on human rights in the The Security Council im- war,” pointing to its nuclear
reclusive northeast Asia posed sanctions after North threats and its deployment
country, will brief council Korea’s first nuclear test of a nuclear-powered sub-
members at the Aug. 17 explosion in 2006 and tight- marine to South Korea for
meeting. ened them over the years the first time in 14 years.
Thomas-Greenfield, who is in a total of 10 resolutions Whether ambassador Kim
chairing the council during Delegations gather for a United Nations Security Council seeking so far unsuccess- attends next week’s meet-
this month’s U.S. presiden- meeting on nuclear non-proliferation regarding the fully to cut funds and curb ing on the country’s human
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, March 23, 2023, at
cy, stood with the ambas- United Nations headquarters. the country’s nuclear and rights remains to be seen.q
sadors from Albania, Ja- (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) ballistic missile programs.