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SNIPPETS

US to send arms Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Bishkek informed the WTO it had
to Ukraine, invites pledge to improve ties in settled its dispute with Astana.
Russian wrath wake of trade war Abbas rules out U.S.
The US announced on 22 The leaders of Kazakhstan and peace plan
December 2017 that it would Kyrgyzstan pledged, on 25 December Palestinian President Mahmoud
provide Ukraine with “enhanced 2017, to improve relations, after ties Abbas, on 22 December 2017,
defensive capabilities”, a move that between the two former Soviet said that he would “no longer
could escalate a conflict between republics degenerated into a trade war accept” any peace plan proposed
government forces and pro-Russian under the previous Kyrgyz leadership. by the US, dealing a pre-emptive
separatists that has claimed more The standoff between Astana and the blow to a fresh initiative expected
than 10,000 lives since 2014. government of former Kyrgyz by Washington next year. The
The United States has decided president Almazbek Atambayev comments in Paris came hours after
to provide Ukraine enhanced strained a Russian-led economic bloc 128 members of the UN voted to
defensive capabilities as part of an and disrupted supplies of Kyrgyz condemn US President Donald
effort to help Ukraine build its long- goods to some European countries. Trump’s decision on December 6
term defence capacity, to defend Astana denied those charges but to unilaterally recognise Jerusalem
its sovereignty and territorial introduced tough border controls that as the capital of Israel. That move
integrity, and to deter further nearly halted the flow of goods out of continues to reverberate in West
aggression. Kyrgyzstan, which is landlocked and Asia and European diplomats are
The announcement came a day sends most of its exports out through pessimistic about the Trump
after EU leaders agreed to extend Kazakh territory. administration’s peace plan, which
tough economic sanctions against But tensions started easing after is being prepared behind closed
Moscow over its meddling in Jeenbekov, a former prime minister, doors and will be presented to both
Ukraine for six months. took office this month. Last week, sides in 2018.

54 Competition Wizard March 2018