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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 11 January 2021

UN envoy: Britain is `gung ho’ about world role after Brexit

By EDITH M. LEDERER tion to be a science super-
Associated Press power.” Early this month,
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — the Economist magazine
Britain’s new U.N. ambas- said the U.K. has the oppor-
sador says the government tunity “to cut a dash on the
is feeling “gung ho” about world stage,” with its G-7
continuing its role as an im- presidency -- including pos-
portant player on the world sible invitations to Australia,
stage despite its exit from India and South Korea to
the European Union. attend the group’s sessions
Barbara Woodward point- -- and hosting the climate
ed to the United King- summit in Glasgow, “the
dom’s permanent seat on most important diplomatic
the powerful U.N. Security event of the year.”
Council, its presidency this Johnson is expected to visit
year of the Group of Sev- India and be Prime Minister
en major industrialized na- Narendra Modi’s guest of
tions, its membership in the honor on Republic Day on
Group of 20 leading eco- Jan. 26, “part of a much-
nomic powers and NATO, touted `tilt to the Indo-Pa-
and its hosting of the next cific,’” the Economist said,
United Nations global cli- adding that Britain has also
mate summit in Glasgow, British Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward poses for a photo, Tuesday, Jan. 5, opened discussions to join
Scotland, in November. 2021, in New York. the 11-nation Trans-Pacific
“Don’t underestimate the Associated Press Partnership and is pushing
power of the relationship divisions between haves thor, and Georgina Wright, served in Russia, agrees. to become a “dialogue
with the EU,” she stressed in and have-nots, and a cli- a Brexit researcher at the “We’ve had a pretty intro- partner” of the Association
an interview with The Asso- mate crisis. Institute for Government, spective three years with of Southeast Asian Nations.
ciated Press this past week. An article in the U.S.-based a U.K. think tank, said that Brexit negotiations and Woodward said the U.K.’s
“There’s a lot of values and World Politics Review in since Britain voted to leave managing COVID,” she exit from the EU makes the
principles which we share October identified three the EU in 2016 “it is undeni- said, but with the upcom- United Nations and Brit-
with European partners visions for Britain’s future: able that both British lead- ing climate summit and ain’s permanent Security
which I think will stand us in “Catastrophists who argue ership and influence over Britain’s presidency of the Council seat “more impor-
good stead.” that the U.K. has become global affairs have taken a G-7 as the group grapples tant because the U.N. has
Britain’s long and some- completely irrelevant on hit.” with economic recovery always been the biggest
times contentious divorce the international stage as “In international circles, it from the pandemic, “I think multilateral forum.”
from the EU became final a result of Brexit; the nos- has become fashionable we’ve got quite a big role She pointed to Sunday’s
on Dec. 31, a split that left talgics, who see a power- to be overly dismissive of to play.” hybrid commemoration
the 27-member bloc with- ful Britain through the lens Britain’s weight in world af- She said Prime Minister Bo- of the first meeting of the
out one of its major eco- of a great colonial power; fairs,” they said. “Yet the ris Johnson is “very keen on United Nations General As-
nomic powers and the and the denialists, who re- country continues to carry multilateralism.” On Dec. sembly in London 75 years
U.K. freer to chart its future fuse to accept that Britain weight.” 31, as Britain was leaving ago which Britain is hosting,
but facing a world trying must adapt to a changing Woodward, who came to the EU, he said the U.K. is saying the world is very dif-
to confront a deadly pan- global context.” the U.N. after more than now “free to do trade deals ferent today “but so many
demic and cope with rising Authors Ben Judah, a British- five years as ambassador around the world, and free of the divisions are perhaps
unemployment, growing French journalist and au- to China and previously to turbocharge our ambi- even deeper now.”q

Once-jailed nationalist wins Kyrgyzstan presidency

Kyrgyzstan’s president last Sooronbai Jeenbekov to Zhaparove pushed for the
year has been elected as step down on Oct. 15. constitutional referendum
his replacement. Voters Zhaparov, who was impris- Sunday, under which the
in Sunday’s election that oned in 2017 on convic- presidency will gain powers
gave Sadyr Zhaparov a tion of involvement in the formerly held by the parlia-
landslide 79% victory also kidnapping of a regional ment.
approved a referendum to governor, spearheaded Kyrgyzstan, which is a mem-
change the constitution to Jeenbekov’s removal from ber of Russia-dominated
give the presidency more office. economic and security al-
power. The unrest marked the third liances, hosts a Russian air
The vote followed the oust- time in 15 years when a base and depends on Mos-
er of the previous president leader of the 6.5-million cow’s economic support. It
in October. nation on the border with formerly was the site of a
The ex-Soviet Central Asian China was forced out by U.S. air base that served as
nation sank into turmoil af- a popular uprising. Like the a key transport hub for the
Kyrgyzstan presidential candidate Sadyr Zhaparov greets his ter a parliamentary elec- previous uprisings that top- war in Afghanistan.
supporters during a meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Friday, Jan. tion that was swept by pro- pled presidents in 2005 and Russia has voiced concerns
8, 2021. government parties. Oppo- 2010, the latest turmoil was about the turmoil in Kyr-
Associated Press sition supporters accused driven by clan rivalries that gyzstan but refrained from

MOSCOW (AP) — A na- released from prison amid authorities of rigging the shape the country’s poli- supporting any of the presi-
tionalist politician who was protests that overthrew vote and forced President tics. dential candidates.q