Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 8 February
German, Polish leaders highlight ties, points of contention

The criticisms have focused respond, and have a “con-
on the ruling Law and Jus- structive dialogue.”
tice party’s neutralization Merkel also had a one-on-
of Poland’s constitutional one meeting with Polish
court by changing its rules President Andrzej Duda.
and packing it with loyal- The president and Merkel
ists. There are also concerns discussed ways of main-
over the government’s taining Europe’s ties with
control of public media. the United States under
Merkel recalled how as the new administration, the
a young person she ob- EU’s future and the military
served the struggle of Po- conflict between the gov-
land’s anti-communist ernment and pro-Russia
Solidarity movement “with separatists in Ukraine, Du-
great interest.” da’s foreign policy adviser
“Solidarity affected my said.
life, too,” Merkel, who was She also met with the ruling
raised in communist East party leader, Jaroslaw Kac-
Germany, said at a joint zynski, who holds no state
news conference with Szy- office but is considered to
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, is welcomed by Poland’s Prime Minister Beata Szydlo in
Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, when Merkel visits Poland for talks with several top lead- dlo. “Without Solidarity, Eu- be Poland’s most powerful
ers. ropean unity, the end of politician, and leaders of
(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) the Cold War and German opposition parties.
unity might not have hap- Opposition leaders dis-
M. SCISLOWSKA Szydlo and Merkel stressed Szydlo said her country pened so quickly.” cussed their concern over
Associated Press their views are close on strongly opposes the Nord “From this time, we know the government saying it
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — many issues, such as con- Stream 2 project, a gas how important pluralistic would not back a second
German Chancellor An- tinuing sanctions on Russia pipeline that Russia is plan- societies are, how impor- term for European Council
gela Merkel and Polish over its actions in Ukraine ning to build to Germany tant an independent judi- head Donald Tusk, Poland’s
Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and the need to improve that would bypass Poland ciary and media are. Be- former prime minister and a
stressed Tuesday the impor- the European Union. and Ukraine, calling it “not cause those things were political foe of Kaczynski’s,
tance of deepening their “Good partnership be- acceptable to Poland.” missing then,” she said. Civic Platform party leader
neighboring nations’ ties tween Poland and Ger- For her part, Merkel gently The European Commission Grzegorz Schetyna said.
at a trying time for Europe, many is necessary for the raised the issue of a Euro- sent Poland a letter with Merkel’s visit was aimed at
but also touched on points success of the European pean Commission inves- recommendations for ad- seeking common ground
of contention during the project,” Szydlo said after tigation into what it says dressing the alleged defi- with Poland as she and
German leader’s first visit their talks. are rule-of-law violations ciencies. Merkel said she other leaders work to find
to Poland under its populist But they also pointed to dif- by Szydlo’s government, welcomed hearing from a way forward for the Euro-
government. ferences. which was elected in 2015. Szydlo that Poland plans to pean Union. q

Russia denies involvement in airstrike on Syrian city of Idlib

rebels and al-Qaida-linked northern city of Aleppo.
insurgents. The Observatory said it was
The Britain-based Syr- not clear if the airstrikes
ian Observatory for Human were carried out by Syr-
Rights said 26 people were ian, Russian or the U.S.-led
killed, including 10 civilians coalition that has been
— mostly women. targeting the Islamic State
The opposition-run Civil De- group and al-Qaida’s affili-
fense in Idlib says 15 bod- ate in Syria.
ies were pulled from the The Russian military denied
rubble and that 30 people that its warplanes have at-
were taken for medical tacked Idlib. Russian De-
treatment. Conflicting ca- fense Ministry spokesman
sualty tolls are common in Maj. Gen. Igor Konashen-
the chaotic aftermath of kov said that Russian war-
such attacks. planes haven’t conducted
Opposition activists also re- a single strike on Idlib this
ported airstrikes on several year.
suburbs of the capital, Da- The United Nations on Tues-
Russian defense ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Mos-
cow, Russia. Airstrikes on Idlib, Syria early Tuesday killed at least 15 people, wounded dozens mascus. day called on all parties to
more and demolished several buildings, Syrian activists and medics said. Russian Defense Ministry The government and the the Syrian war to seek an
spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that Russian warplanes haven’t conducted a single opposition have repeat- end to the bloodshed.
strike on Idlib this year. edly traded accusations We deplore the loss of civil-
(AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) of violating the cease- ian life there as we have in
BEIRUT (AP) — Airstrikes on a eral buildings, in one of the The airstrikes hit the city of fire, which was brokered other parts of Syria as the
rebel-held city in Syria early deadliest attacks since a Idlib, the capital of a north- by Russia and Turkey and conflict rages,” U.N. spokes-
Tuesday killed at least 15 cease-fire went into effect western province of the went into effect in Decem- man Stephane Dujarric
people, wounded dozens last year, Syrian activists same name that is almost ber, shortly after the gov- said at U.N. headquarters
more and demolished sev- and medics said. entirely controlled by Syrian ernment recaptured the in New York. q