Diplomacy

There finally seems to be hope of preserving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), after the United States announced that it was prepared to lift some sanctions on Iran. 

A blunt statement issued by the spokesperson of the European Union on Wednesday (7 April) called on Georgia to revise the selection process of Supreme Court judges in line with Venice Commission recommendations, warning that this was also "a condition for the disbursement of the second tranche of macro-financial assistance to Georgia under its current programme".

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, The EU Envoy for Ethiopia emphasised the importance of international co-operation to bring the conflict in the Tigray region to an end. Pekka Haavisto, Finland’s foreign minister, said it is important that the EU works with Saudi Arabia, given it has “good relations with all parties in the whole of Africa”.

European Council President Charles Michel offered the EU's support to Libya during a visit on Sunday to Tripoli. Michel met with officials from the interim government and discussed various political and developmental issues.

Seven Members of the European Parliament have published a joint statement in response to Georgian politicians' inability to reach an agreement to resolve the country's political crisis this week under the mediation of the President of the European Council’s Personal Envoy, Christian Danielsson.

The new United States Administration has finally clarified its position on the conflict in Western Sahara between Morocco and the Sahrawi movement, the Polisario Front. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this week emphasised US support for political negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario over the future of the territory.

Efforts to resume compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have stalled. Axios reports that Iran has rejected a US proposal that includes steps to release Iranian funds in South Korea in exchange for Iran backing down on some steps to reduce compliance with the nuclear deal, including reducing uranium enrichment.

The Houthis have scaled up their attacks on Saudi locations since 23 March when Saudi Arabia announced a plan to end the war in Yemen. The Yemeni government, which accepted the plan, says that the Houthi escalation threatens to ruin hopes to end the war in Yemen. 

The discussions between Georgia, Russia and other parties in the aftermath of the 2008 Georgia-Russia War resumed in Geneva this week where the 52nd round of the Geneva International Discussions were held. The talks were mediated by the three co-chairs of the process representing the EU, the OSCE and the UN.