Diplomacy

A sixth round of talks in Vienna between Iran and several global actors is resuming this week in an effort to bring Iran and the JCPOA countries to an agreement on nuclear issues. Iran has expressed its desire to reach an agreement as soon as possible but several obstacles still exist according to Iranian sources. 

An Omani delegation visiting Sanaa met with the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi. In the meeting, several humanitarian and political issues were discussed. Local reports suggest that there is near consensus on opening the country's main ports.

The government of Kazakhstan, in a statement issued on Saturday (5 June) rebuffed the idea of such a joint response raised last week by Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Pankin who said that the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which brings together Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, was working on a “consolidated response” to Western sanctions against some of its members.

Local authorities in the Yemeni province of Marib have called on the international community to take a stand against what they described as Houthis' crimes against civilians in the province. The remarks came after 14 civilians were killed by an attack on a petrol station in Marib. 

In an announcement on Friday (5 June), the Council of the European Union, which represents the 27 member states, said that it has decided to strengthen the existing restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus by introducing a ban on the overflight of EU airspace and on access to EU airports by Belarusian carriers of all kinds.

The African Union strongly urged the Malian military "to urgently and unconditionally return to the barracks, and to refrain from further interference in the political processes in Mali."

Charles Michel stressed the importance for the European Union of stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus and of deepening relations with the two partner countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan.