Latest news with #KathrinDeschauer
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
China denies directing laser at German plane over Red Sea
Beijing dismissed yesterday claims by Berlin that the Chinese military had directed a laser at a German aircraft over the Red Sea as "completely inconsistent with the facts". The foreign ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday that a German aircraft participating in a "routine" EU-led mission to protect marine traffic in the Red Sea had been targeted by a laser, endangering personnel. Its counterpart in Beijing rejected the accusation. "Both sides should adopt a pragmatic attitude, strengthen communication in a timely manner, and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. She said Chinese naval vessels had been carrying out escort duties in the Gulf of Aden and in Somali waters, "contributing to the safety of international shipping lanes". Berlin however on Wednesday insisted its findings were based on a "thorough investigation". "We expressed our position and our findings very clearly and very explicitly (to the Chinese ambassador), and of course also our expectation that incidents of this kind will not be repeated," foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said. Defence ministry spokesman Mitko Mueller added that "we have clear evidence that a Chinese warship used a laser against our aircraft". When reporting the alleged incident on Tuesday, Berlin had said the reconnaissance aircraft involved had been forced to abandon its mission and returned to a base in Djibouti. It was not immediately clear whether the laser was a weapon or a laser guidance system. The Bild daily said the incident took place on July 2 near the Yemeni coast and involved a "blinding laser" aimed at disrupting the operation of an aircraft.
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Cruises Past Saudi Arabia
TDT | Manama Beijing dismissed yesterday claims by Berlin that the Chinese military had directed a laser at a German aircraft over the Red Sea as "completely inconsistent with the facts". The foreign ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday that a German aircraft participating in a "routine" EU-led mission to protect marine traffic in the Red Sea had been targeted by a laser, endangering personnel. Its counterpart in Beijing rejected the accusation. "Both sides should adopt a pragmatic attitude, strengthen communication in a timely manner, and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. She said Chinese naval vessels had been carrying out escort duties in the Gulf of Aden and in Somali waters, "contributing to the safety of international shipping lanes". Berlin however on Wednesday insisted its findings were based on a "thorough investigation". "We expressed our position and our findings very clearly and very explicitly (to the Chinese ambassador), and of course also our expectation that incidents of this kind will not be repeated," foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said. Defence ministry spokesman Mitko Mueller added that "we have clear evidence that a Chinese warship used a laser against our aircraft". When reporting the alleged incident on Tuesday, Berlin had said the reconnaissance aircraft involved had been forced to abandon its mission and returned to a base in Djibouti. It was not immediately clear whether the laser was a weapon or a laser guidance system. The Bild daily said the incident took place on July 2 near the Yemeni coast and involved a "blinding laser" aimed at disrupting the operation of an aircraft.
Roya News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
China says German plane laser claim 'inconsistent with facts'
Beijing dismissed on Wednesday claims by Berlin that the Chinese military had directed a laser at a German aircraft over the Red Sea as "completely inconsistent with the facts". The foreign ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday that a German aircraft participating in a "routine" EU-led mission to protect marine traffic in the Red Sea had been targeted by a laser, endangering personnel. Its counterpart in Beijing rejected the accusation. "Both sides should adopt a pragmatic attitude, strengthen communication in a timely manner, and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. She said Chinese naval vessels had been carrying out escort duties in the Gulf of Aden and in Somali waters, "contributing to the safety of international shipping lanes". Berlin however on Wednesday insisted its findings were based on a "thorough investigation". "We expressed our position and our findings very clearly and very explicitly (to the Chinese ambassador), and of course also our expectation that incidents of this kind will not be repeated," foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said. Defence ministry spokesman Mitko Mueller added that "we have clear evidence that a Chinese warship used a laser against our aircraft". When reporting the alleged incident on Tuesday, Berlin had said the reconnaissance aircraft involved had been forced to abandon its mission and returned to a base in Djibouti. It was not immediately clear whether the laser was a weapon or a laser guidance system. The Bild daily said the incident took place on July 2 near the Yemeni coast and involved a "blinding laser" aimed at disrupting the operation of an aircraft. China has been accused several times in recent years of using lasers in similar incidents. It established its first permanent overseas naval base in Djibouti in 2016, reportedly at a cost of $590 million and strategically placed between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Beijing has said the base is used to resupply navy ships, support regional peacekeeping and humanitarian operations and combat piracy, although its proximity to a US military base has raised concerns of espionage. The Philippines said in February 2023 a Chinese military vessel had used a military-grade laser against one of its patrol boats in the disputed South China Sea.
LBCI
02-04-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Berlin says evacuated 19 Germans plus relatives from Gaza
Germany said Wednesday that 19 of its citizens and 14 of their relatives had been evacuated from the Gaza Strip as Israel presses its offensive against Hamas in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said the evacuation on Tuesday "took considerable time," but Berlin was "very relieved that this succeeded through close cooperation" between German and Israeli officials. AFP
Arab News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Berlin says evacuated 19 Germans plus relatives from Gaza
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said the evacuation on Tuesday 'took considerable time' but Berlin was 'very relievedShe welcomed reports of talks, facilitated by regional actors, toward a new Gaza truceBERLIN: Germany said Wednesday that 19 of its citizens and 14 of their relatives had been evacuated from Gaza as Israel presses its offensive against Hamas in the war-ravaged Palestinian ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said the evacuation on Tuesday 'took considerable time' but Berlin was 'very relieved that this succeeded through close cooperation' with Israeli added that she welcomed reports of talks, facilitated by regional actors, toward a new Gaza truce.'That's important, good and somewhat encouraging, but the current situation is dramatic, and it's important that all parties return to the negotiating table to achieve a ceasefire,' she said at a regular news war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official resumed major air strikes on Gaza on March 18 after talks on next steps in a six-week truce broke health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Tuesday that the overall toll since the war began had reached at least 50,399 people, most of them Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday a major expansion of military operations in Gaza to 'destroy and clear the area of terrorists.'Jordan's King Abdullah II, speaking during a Berlin visit, deplored the dire humanitarian situation and the war's impact on children.'Today, Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, along with massive numbers of injured adults,' he told the Global Disability said a Jordanian aid project with mobile clinics had helped more than 400 amputees in Gaza, including children.
