Thai
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has brushed aside a request from 25
ambassadors in Bangkok, asking his government to take a stand against
Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"We should maintain balance at this point," the prime minister told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
With
the exception of Singapore, which has forcefully denounced the
invasion, much of Southeast Asia has responded with little more than
cautious expressions of concern. Thailand came under pressure to change
that on Monday, when the envoys visited Thani Thongpakdi, the permanent
secretary for foreign affairs.
The ambassadors represented a long
list of nations: the U.S., U.K., Japan, Canada, Norway, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Belgium,
Czech, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia, Sweden, Denmark as well as the European Union. Together, they
urged Thailand, as a member of the United Nations, to speak up for the
rules-based international order and denounce the invasion as a violation
of the U.N. charter.
The kingdom has stuck to neutrality since
the invasion began last Thursday. The Thai foreign ministry expressed
deep concern over the escalating tensions while supporting a peaceful
settlement through dialogue. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
on Saturday published a statement with a similar tone.
In
rebuffing the ambassadors' request, Prayuth used the bloc's statement as
cover. "It's a regional matter now," he said, arguing that countries should avoid trumpeting their own stance once ASEAN has clarified its position.
Anonymous
If the author of this article is correct; the mess will become bigger and last even longer:
ReplyDeletehttp://thesaker.is/one-week-into-the-russian-special-operation-in-the-ukraine-update/
'So, what’s my “final intermediate conclusion” after week 1?
The West gave Russia a bloody nose by forcing her intervention, thereby crushing any chance for the EU to get decolonized in the next decade or more.
The West gave Russia an even bloodier nose by very effectively controlling the narrative.
But what’s next?
Russia will/has disarm(ed) and will soon denazify the Ukraine, that is a given.
But what after that? Please remember that this is NOT about the Ukraine, this is about the entire future security architecture of Europe.
I will just say this: while, no, Russia won’t invade the EU or even Poland, the Russian war to push back NATO has only begun, it will last MANY MONTHS so be prepared for this. MONTHS.
Please ready yourself for a long and difficult struggle.'
In a way this is a good thing. Just let them fight and kill each other. The rest of the world can cho choke here and there, support this party, support the other party, just keep the fire burning, the fighting going, in Europe.
ReplyDeleteThere will be some disruptions, some things would be more expensive, but we can live in peace when the warring tribes and savages are busy fighting among themselves. Lend them our support for the war, clap and cheer them on, but don't get involved, don't allow the war to spread to our region or outside of Europe.
Everyday we can sit in front of the TV with beer and popcorns and enjoy the show. And for those that would be arm twisted to send their young men to die in this war in Europe, let them be. It is the price to sleep with the devils.
Anon 11:13, i think you have eaten too much white shit..
ReplyDeleteonly pinky think for the benefit of others country..ceca
What is wrong for Thailand gov. to take care of it own country.
The Americans continue to spread a barrage of fake news to drag China into their war against Russia, to demonise China as if China is responsible for the war. The whole world knows that they were the ones that pushed Russia to the brink by putting offensive weapons in Ukraine and enticing Ukraine to be a member of Nato, a mililtary alliance against Russia.
ReplyDeleteWhat has China got to do with the American planned war to destroy Ukraine, Russia and Europe?
Whatever the Americans do, it must be China's fault. It is in their mischievous playbook.
The world's number one terrorist country.
ReplyDeleteThe world's number one warmonger.
The world's number trouble maker.
The Americans are spending so much money and time to stir shit, create wars, killing the innocent, and blaming it on other countries.
They are relentless in destabilising the world for world dominance and to sell arms, to incite countries to fight against each other, create fear, raise tension, to weaken every country for their own benefits.
The evil American Empire must be destroyed for world peace and the good of mankind.
There are silly countries like Singapore that are dead fixated to tow the Line of the Evil US Warmonger and World Biggest Terrorist.
ReplyDeleteOne day Singapore will pay dearly for its folly.
When ASEAN has already made a stand on the Ukrainian issue, Singapore should not sabotage the groupings stand by going on its own, making itself stands out like a leper among the healthy people.
For the good of ASEAN, Singapore must be ousted from ASEAN, as it is being used by the Evil US to drive a wedge within ASEAN. Such a trouble-maker member can only bring doom to ASEAN, not benefits.
Singapore can no longer hide its real position anymore.
ReplyDeleteJust look at the local media, in particular the ST. 100% on sided.
ReplyDeleteThe Ukrainians are depicted as suffering with no reports on the Russian casualties.
Pics of damage to Ukrainian buildings, infrastructure but damaged military ware are always those of the Russians.
I have yet to come across an article that talks in detail for the Russians such understanding Russia's strategic concerns and security interest.
There are no winners or losers in wars only fools and all losers.
If one is ignorant, one would have thought Russia very bad, Ukraine, the West and NATO good, based on the local or western media.
Gila lari also released to bark.
ReplyDeleteMOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. Russian servicemen have delivered more than 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid to residents of Ukraine from the Belgorod region, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
ReplyDelete"The Russian military delivered a shipment of humanitarian cargo from the Belgorod region to the territory of the Ukrainian settlements near the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Kharkiv region. Humanitarian aid totaling over 30 tonnes has been delivered to Volchansk and Cossack Lopan from the neighboring Belgorod region at the request of the local population," the ministry specified.
According to the ministry, the cargo includes food products: cereals, canned meat and fish, confectionery and bakery products, sweets, bottled drinking water.
The security of the humanitarian convoy was provided by Russian military. The humanitarian cargo was handed over to residents of border settlements - women, children, elderly people.
Foreign students report discrimination at Ukraine’s borders
ReplyDeleteUNHCR and Nigerian president condemn racism as people of colour flee war
Kenyan medical student Linda Omwenga packed her bags after Ukrainian soldiers told the 24-year-old and her friends “it was not safe” in Kyiv because of the Russian assault.
They rushed, first to the western city of Lviv and then to the Rava-Ruska border crossing with Poland. There Ukrainian border guards separated foreigners from locals. “There was a lot of segregation, I wouldn’t say [just] Africans per se, but foreigners were being given the short end of the stick,” she said, after eventually reaching safety in Warsaw.
Her words echo those of many other people of colour who said they have found it harder than Ukrainians to get out of the country, even as neighbouring countries made it clear they were opening their doors to refugees. With videos posted on social media and sent to Financial Times reporters showing Ukrainian guards refusing to allow black Africans on to trains, African leaders have decried the discrimination against people of colour.
Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari has called for everyone to be “treated with dignity and without favour”. He added that most Nigerian citizens in Ukraine were university students, part of a decades-long tradition of thousands of Nigerians and other Africans studying in Ukraine and eastern bloc countries.
Senegalese president Macky Sall, who is also chair of the African Union, and Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, said “all people have the right to cross international borders during conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity”. Kenya’s ambassador to the UN, Martin Kimani, condemned “such racism against Africans and people of African descent”.
More than 804,000 people have fled the fighting over the past week, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said. Filippo Grandi, UNHCR commissioner, said the conflict looked set to create “Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century”. He told the UN Security Council that “at this critical juncture there can be no discrimination against any person or any group”.
Africans are not the only group who have reported ill treatment. Yemenis at the Poland-Ukraine border crossing in Medyka said they had been treated badly by Ukrainian border guards.
“They acted like we are criminals. They forced their guns in front of our faces,” said Ahmed, a language student in Odesa. “After we were walking for almost three days continuously, we reached the border and they treated us like animals.” One of his friends was hit three times by Ukrainian border guards, Ahmed said.
On Tuesday night, three Indian citizens were attacked in Przemysl, a city in south-east Poland that has been one of the main stops for refugees arriving from Ukraine.
Singapore has become a pariah among the ASEAN countries. It has lost its credibility and usefulness to ASEAN. It only serves the Evil US Empire.
ReplyDeleteThe USA is really desperate to drag China into the Ukraine issue and is using it to pry the Russian/Chinese strategic alliance apart, so it can divide and confront them individually. China and Russia should not fall into the trap.
ReplyDeleteAbout 25% of UN members did not support the UN resolution to castigate Russia over the Ukraine issue. Suffice to say, maybe another 50% supported, but not voluntarily or on Principles, but cowed by the 'you are with us or against us' threat. How realistic really is the actual support I wonder.
There you are. The UN rubber stamp is being used to further the USA agenda. Funny, when the USA needs international support, the USA suddenly followed the UN International Law. But where it does not need international support involving it's unilateral wish to further it's agenda, the UN International Law is tossed aside and they talk about using their own Rule of Law that countries do not follow. How hypocritical is that?
The South Asian Indians are slowly starting to understand their situation as a member of QUAD. It is an unproductive alliance and detrimental to India in the long run vis a vis China and Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteWhen evacuation of citizens from Afghanistan was at it's peak in Kabul during the USA 'withdrawal', the South Asian Indian's attempt to secure an airport area for their nationals to use was flatly ignored. This was a slap on their face and indicated that India is not of interest to them.
Further, India must remember their colonial master, the British, was said to have plundered more than US$45 trillion from India during their colonisation of the country. Added to that was the British shipping food back to England to feed their own while the Indians were facing starvation.
Is is pertinent to note that the South Asian Indians are waking up by abstaining from voting to condemn Russia at the UN. The message is not lost in the eyes of the rest of the world and particularly to Russia.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam must propose for the removal of Singapore from ASEAN.
ReplyDeleteFoolhardy or courageous, u say lah!
ReplyDeleteThe U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, Jonathan Eric Kaplan described Singapore's sanctions on Russia as "courageous actions" and hoped that it could "quickly deter additional suffering".
United States can "fly on their brooms" in space
ReplyDeleteRussia has decided to cease deliveries of rocket engines to the United States in response to a new wave of Western sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict, state space corporation Roscosmos said Thursday.
"Such deliveries have been quite active since the mid-1990s, including the RD-180 engine that powered the Atlas-V rocket," Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin told a Russian TV program.
He asked the United States to "fly on their brooms."
In addition, Rogozin said that Roscosmos will not cooperate with Germany on joint experiments on the Russian segment of the International Space Station and will conduct them independently.
-- Xinhua
Courageous? Cowardly. Dared not go against the US arm-twisting. That's the real situation.
ReplyDeleteMoscow will take its time to punish this little prick.
About half of China’s 6,000 citizens in Ukraine evacuated as concerns of danger from hostile Ukrainians grow
ReplyDeleteMore than 3,000 Chinese citizens have so far been evacuated from war-torn Ukraine to neighbouring countries, according to China’s foreign ministry.
Chinese safety concerns continue to mount in Ukraine, and some Chinese in the country say they have experienced hostility from Ukrainians over Beijing’s stand on the conflict – refusing to call it an “invasion” or condemn Russia for the attack.
A Chinese businesswoman in Kyiv said that she had been harassed on the street. “Some agitated Ukrainian youngsters assume that China must be siding with Russia,” she said.
“As the Ukraine-Russia war continues to escalate, extreme behaviours have arisen in Ukraine, including verbal attacks and even gunfire, which pose safety risks to Chinese citizens in the country,” the Chinese embassy said in a statement.
Spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing on Thursday that the government “attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese nationals in Ukraine, and is concerned at all times about whether they are in safety or danger”.
A Chinese national had been injured as he tried to leave the country – the first confirmed Chinese casualty of the conflict. Wang said the man had gunshot wounds but was not in a critical condition.
Cutting a few Russian banks from SWIFT is just a token attempt for show, to punish Russia, because the USA and the West knows the sanctions in this direction and manner is going to fail. How effective have sanctions been over the decades, against Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba? Think about how it is going to succeed, when it is against a country like Russia, self sufficient in energy and food production and is already working round the system with it's own alternative system functioning and being refined..
ReplyDeleteFreezing assets of countries and nationals is even more detrimental to the USA and the West, including Japan, as countries will now be warned that Western Governments and banks cannot be trusted with their money or assets. Even the common man in the street knows the consequences now that the West has used that stunt to freeze and eventually confiscate the reserves and assets of Venezuela, Afghanistan and now doing it to Russia.
Swiss banks are no longer as safe a haven as presumed, as Switzerland's system has been undermined and compromised by USA over the years. Another development is that Switzerland which had been perceived as neutral in geopolitics in the past, is now taking sides, for the first time, with the USA by voting to condemn Russia at the UN.
This development of resorting to seize assets of countries by the USA and the West in complicity, is shooting themselves in the foot and benefiting China in the long run. Russia had already shifted hundreds of billions of their reserves into China's hands over the years. It is turning into a safe haven, which other countries are not unaware.
Except for Singapore, most of the other ASEAN countries are heavily dependent on Russia for commodities or weapons. So of course they cannot anger Russia.
ReplyDeleteRussia should cancel the Free Trade Agreement with Singapore. And sign one with Malaysia instead.
ReplyDeleteIn future, Russia should support Malaysia in taking back Singapore.