Page 11 - atoday
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Monday 23 November 2015
Mali hotel attack aimed at peace talks, say separatists
Tight security surrounds Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita as he visits the Radisson Blu The Radisson Blu hotel at- northern Mali from the
tacked by two gunmen government in 2012, using
hotel in Bamako, Mali. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) on Friday was preparing weapons looted from arse-
to host a meeting on im- nals in neighboring Libya,
BABA AHMED stabilize the country’s vol- separatist groups for more plementing the latest ac- but they were soon over-
Associated Press atile north, a representa- than two years in an effort cords. taken by al-Qaida-allied
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The tive of northern separatist to end the disputes that “The attack was targeting radicals.
assault on a luxury hotel groups said Sunday. turned large sections of the peace agreement,” In 2013, the French pushed
in Mali’s capital that killed Halting peace negotia- the country into a haven said Sidi Brahim Ould Sida- the Islamic extremists out
19 people was a clear at- tions have been dragging for radical Islamic militants. ti, a representative of the of cities and towns though
tempt to derail a fragile on between the central The talks have shown some Coordination of Azawad they continue to carry out
peace process meant to government and northern promise in recent months. Movements, known by its attacks on U.N. peace-
French acronym CMA. keepers.
The CMA is a coalition of The peace talks between
groups seeking autonomy the government and the
in northern Mali and in- separatists excluded the
cludes ethnic Arabs and radicals, who have spo-
Tuaregs. ken out against the ne-
“The jihadis are in differ- gotiations, accusing par-
ent groups but their goal ticipants of betraying the
is the same, and that’s to population’s desire for in-
hinder implementation of dependence. The hotel
the peace accord,” Sidati attack was claimed by the
said. Al-Mourabitoun (The Senti-
It was the secular separat- nels) radical group which
ist groups that first wrested has links to al-Qaida.q
South China Sea dispute:
China tells others don’t ‘stir up trouble’
EILEEN NG includes military facilities consistent Chinese position
Associated Press to protect the islands and to firmly oppose the milita-
KUALA LUMPUR, Malay- reefs, which are located rization of the South China-
sia (AP) — China on Sun- far from mainland China, Sea.”
day told other countries he said. Other countries “should
not to “deliberately stir up Since 2013, China has ac- not deliberately stir up
trouble” in the disputed celerated the creation trouble but contribute to
South China Sea, while in- of new outposts by piling the peace and stability of
sisting it has no intention of sand atop reefs and atolls, the region,” he said.
militarizing the strategically and then adding build- Although Liu’s statement
vital area even though it ings, ports and airstrips big broke no new ground
has increased construction enough to handle bomb- — China has said this in
activities there. ers and fighter jets — activi- various ways before — the
Deputy Foreign Minister Liu ties seen as an attempt to setting for his remarks was
Zhenmin reiterated Chi- change the territorial sta- significant: an Asian summit
na’s position that its con- tus quo by changing the also attended by President
struction of artificial islands geography. Barack Obama, whose
in the sea was designed to “One should never link the administration has backed
“provide public service” to military facilities with efforts the Philippines and other
the region by helping ships to militarize the South Chi- Southeast Asian countries
and fishermen and disas- na Sea,” Liu said. “This is who have long-standing
ter relief efforts. This also a false argument. It is a disputes with China in the
