Latest news with #USproposal
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Palau lawmakers reject US request to accept third country refugees
SYDNEY, July 28 — The national congress of Palau has said it 'cannot accept' a United States proposal for the Pacific Islands nation to accept asylum seekers from third countries, as its president holds annual funding talks in Washington. Palau's national congress wrote to President Surangel Whipps Jr. earlier this month urging him to reject the request by the Trump Administration. A letter signed by Senate President Hokkon Boules and House of Delegates speaker Gibson Kanai, viewed by Reuters, said the congress strongly supports Palau's partnership with the United States, but 'cannot accept this specific proposal'. Palau, with a population of 17,000, has a compact of free association with the United States providing economic assistance in return for allowing the US military access to its territory. 'We advise against proceeding further on this matter only because of the practical issues that the introduction of refugees would raise in our society,' said the letter, dated July 21. Whipps Jr. briefed Palau's national congress and council of chiefs about the request on July 18, the Palau president's office said in a statement at the time. The proposed agreement gave Palau the right to accept or decline each individual referred by the US, the office said. The US Ambassador to Palau, Joel Ehrendreich told the meeting Palau would not be a processing centre like Nauru under Australia's offshore asylum policy, but would be considered a 'safe third country', and financial assistance would be offered, Palau's Island Times reported. Whipps Jr. is in Washington for annual talks about economic assistance, his office said. 'We anticipate there will be additional discussion held with local leadership,' a spokeswoman told Reuters. Palau was one of the few states to avoid any US tariffs in April. On July 15, the United States said a deportation flight from the US carrying immigrants from different countries landed in Eswatini in southern Africa, a move that followed the US Supreme Court lifting limits on the Trump Administration's policy to deport migrants to third countries. Palau is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. A spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Palau said it had no comment on the letter. Human rights advocates have raised due process and other concerns over Trump's immigration policies that his administration has cast as measures aimed at improving domestic security. — Reuters
Arab News
a day ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Palau lawmakers reject US request to accept third country refugees
SYDNEY: The national congress of Palau has said it 'cannot accept' a United States proposal for the Pacific Islands nation to accept asylum seekers from third countries, as its president holds annual funding talks in Washington. Palau's national congress wrote to President Surangel Whipps Jr. earlier this month urging him to reject the request by the Trump Administration. A letter signed by Senate President Hokkon Boules and House of Delegates speaker Gibson Kanai, viewed by Reuters, said the congress strongly supports Palau's partnership with the United States, but 'cannot accept this specific proposal.' Palau, with a population of 17,000, has a compact of free association with the United States providing economic assistance in return for allowing the US military access to its territory. 'We advise against proceeding further on this matter only because of the practical issues that the introduction of refugees would raise in our society,' said the letter, dated July 21. Whipps Jr. briefed Palau's national congress and council of chiefs about the request on July 18, the Palau president's office said in a statement at the time. The proposed agreement gave Palau the right to accept or decline each individual referred by the US, the office said. The US Ambassador to Palau, Joel Ehrendreich told the meeting Palau would not be a processing center like Nauru under Australia's offshore asylum policy, but would be considered a 'safe third country,' and financial assistance would be offered, Palau's Island Times reported. Whipps Jr. is in Washington for annual talks about economic assistance, his office said. 'We anticipate there will be additional discussion held with local leadership,' a spokeswoman told Reuters. Palau was one of the few states to avoid any US tariffs in April. On July 15, the United States said a deportation flight from the US carrying immigrants from different countries landed in Eswatini in southern Africa, a move that followed the US Supreme Court lifting limits on the Trump Administration's policy to deport migrants to third countries. Palau is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. A spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Palau said it had no comment on the letter. Human rights advocates have raised due process and other concerns over Trump's immigration policies that his administration has cast as measures aimed at improving domestic security.
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal
Lebanon plans to seek assurances from Washington on the implementation of any future deal involving Hezbollah's disarmament, Lebanese political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat, ahead of a visit by US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack early next week. The question of US guarantees tops Lebanon's concerns, which are shared not only by Hezbollah but also by the Lebanese state, the sources said. The issue is central to the discussions of a tripartite Lebanese committee that includes representatives of President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, meeting regularly at the presidential palace to draft a unified response to a US proposal. In parallel, the Quintet group - comprising the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar - met at the US embassy in Beirut to discuss the situation, local media reported. Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari was absent from the talks, reportedly due to travel. According to the sources, Barrack's visit is not solely to receive Lebanon's response to the US proposal, but also to hold further consultations with the country's top leaders. The US paper outlines a phased plan prioritizing the disarmament of Hezbollah, delineation of Lebanon's land border with Syria, and the implementation of long-delayed financial, economic, and administrative reforms. 'Lebanon views the proposal as the basis for negotiations, not a surrender document,' the sources said, noting that the primary demand to be raised will be related to binding US guarantees. They cited the bitter experience that followed the previous ceasefire deal, after which Israel allegedly continued attacks, held on to five disputed points in southern Lebanon, and hindered the return of displaced residents—all while international aid for reconstruction failed to materialize. 'The committee is meeting almost daily,' one source said. 'There is consensus on the need for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied points and an end to violations as a prerequisite for any deal. These are sovereign principles Lebanon will not abandon.' Despite Hezbollah's public resistance to disarmament, sources described the group's current stance as 'constructive.' Hezbollah is said to be engaging in discussions through the state's official channels, with party officials expressing concern over the absence of international guarantees and the risk of being sidelined politically once it gives up its arms. 'There are internal concerns that Hezbollah could be pushed out of political life, especially after talks around electoral law reforms,' one source said. These fears are compounded by delays in international aid, reconstruction plans, and continued Israeli violations—issues that have persisted since the ceasefire in November. On Wednesday night, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated the party's rejection of 'any threat of force or foreign meddling,' and insisted that Hezbollah would not 'surrender land or weapons to the Israeli enemy' or compromise on its rights. Qassem also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire more than 3,700 times, while the international community 'watches silently, calling only for concessions.' He said Hezbollah would continue to resist, as it has done for decades. A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said the group remains open to cooperating on strengthening the Lebanese state and restoring its authority across the country—provided Israel withdraws from disputed southern points and halts its ongoing violations. MP Ali Fayyad, a member of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, said the group 'has consistently shown a positive willingness to cooperate in all matters related to state-building, institutional reform, and improving operational capacities to help achieve the desired stability.' Speaking on Thursday, Fayyad added: 'This includes supporting the state in extending its authority over all Lebanese territory and enabling it to carry out all its duties—chief among them the protection and defense of the people and sovereignty.' However, he warned, 'None of this will be possible unless national efforts unite to achieve a key condition: Israel must withdraw from the five occupied positions it still holds, end its continued violations, and respect Lebanese sovereignty.' Fayyad's comments came amid a broader debate on the future of Hezbollah's weapons and its role within the state. Opposition lawmaker Fadi Karam from the Lebanese Forces party slammed Hezbollah's rhetoric in a post on X. Addressing Hezbollah's Qassem, he wrote: 'Your weapons have destroyed Lebanon and continue to give Israel an excuse to remain on our land. You've tied Lebanon to Iran. And now you claim that handing over your weapons to the Lebanese Army means handing them to Israel? That's delusional and only exposes Lebanon to new wars.' The statements reflect widening divisions over Hezbollah's future role and the path toward national sovereignty and stability, as Lebanon grapples with US-led proposals aimed at de-escalating tensions and launching long-delayed reforms.
Al Jazeera
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Iran to present counterproposal for nuclear deal to US via Oman
Iran will soon present a counterproposal for a nuclear deal to the United States, according to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Esmaeil Baghaei, the ministry's spokesman, told a weekly news conference on Monday that Iran was not satisfied with a US proposal and it would present its version via mediator Oman. This marks the first public sign that Tehran will not accept the US proposal after the fifth round of talks last month, during which Iran said it had received 'elements' of a US proposal and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later said the text contained 'ambiguities'. Baqhaei criticised the US proposal on Monday as 'lacking elements' reflective of the previous rounds of negotiations, but he did not provide details. 'We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through Oman once it is finalised,' he said. Baghaei said the US proposal failed to include the lifting of sanctions – a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. Tehran and Washington have held talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace a deal with major powers that US President Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. The longtime foes have been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran's uranium enrichment. Tehran defends it as a 'nonnegotiable' right and Washington describes it as a 'red line'. Trump, who has revived his 'maximum pressure' campaign of sanctions on Iran since retaking office in January, has repeatedly said Tehran will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal. Last week, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed the US proposal as against Iran's interests, pledging to continue enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers view as a potential pathway to building nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes. The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will convene a Board of Governors meeting from Monday to Friday in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear activities. The meeting comes after the IAEA released a report criticising 'less than satisfactory' cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites. Iran has criticised the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on 'forged documents' provided by Israel. It is not yet clear when the sixth round of nuclear talks will take place between Tehran and Washington, Baghaei said.
Al Arabiya
04-06-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Iran's supreme leader says US nuclear proposal undermines its national power
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the U.S. proposal for a nuclear deal was against Tehran's national power. 'The US nuclear proposal contradicts our nation's belief in self-reliance and the principle of 'We Can',' Khamenei said in a speech. Developing...
