La Thailandia e la Cambogia avrebbero già violato il cessate il fuoco “incondizionato” che era stato accordato a seguito dei negoziati che si sono tenuti a Kuala Lumpur. Solo tre giorni fa, i vertici delle forze armate thailandesi avevano confermato l’impiego di aerei da combattimento contro obietti militari cambogiani. Una forza di almeno sei velivoli, tra cui comparivano alcuni caccia F-16 Fighting Falcon: gli aerei da combattimento più “attivi” nelle operazioni di guerra di questi ultimi mesi; se considera il loro impiego in Ucraina, nei cieli del Medio Oriente, e ora in quelli del Sud-Est Asiatico.

Mentre i video diffusi su X mostravano sistemi d’artiglieria semovente sparare salve di missili e proiettili di grosso calibro su diverse province di confine, sono stati identificati sistemi Multiple Launch Rocket Systems BM-21 Grad della Cambogia, e sistemi d’artiglieria Atmos da 155 mm della Thailandia, gli F-16 Fighting Falcon di fabbricazione statunitense e i Jas-39 Gripen di fabbricazione svedese della Royal Thai Air Force, l’Aeronautica thailandese, sono decollati per “bombardare congiuntamente le posizioni di fuoco indiretto cambogiane e difendere due aree strategiche“in seguito alle segnalazione dell’intelligence di Bangkok.

Secondo quanto riportato da fonti locali, gli obiettivi militari erano stati localizzati nell’area di Phu Ma Kua (dove sarebbe stato violato il cessate il fuoco, ndr), e in quella del tempio di Ta Muen Thom, proprio dove le forze armate cambogiane avrebbero posizionato alcune delle loro batterie. Gli aerei da combattimento thailandesi potrebbero aver impiegato munizioni di precisione fornite dalla Corea del Sud. Un incrocio particolare dunque, che ci ricorda quanto sia complesso analizzare la provenienza delle armi schierate in campo da potenze regionali minori che siamo abituati a vedere impiagare gli aerei da guerra degli “altri“.

Nei cieli dell’Ucraina, che è ben distante dall’ottenere un accordo di cessate il fuoco incondizionato con l’avverso russo, fatta eccezione per i MiG-29 forniti da alcune potenze della Nato, velivoli che i piloti della Vijs’kovo-Povitrjani Syly Ukraïny conoscono bene, i protagonisti degli ultimi scontro aerei sono aerei da combattimento forniti dall’Occidente. Stiamo parlando proprio degli “onnipresenti” caccia multiruolo di fabbricazione statunitense F-16 , che sono entrati a far parte della flotta aerea di Kiev insieme ai Mirage 2000 concessi dalla Francia, e degli aerei radar Saab 340 svedesi che presto potrebbero essere affiancati proprio dai caccia multiruolo Jas-39 Gripen prodotti sempre dalla svedese Saab.

Su questo fronte l’abbattimento di tre caccia F-16 e la perdita del primo Mirage 2000-5 francese, può essere un “campanello d’allarme” per l’efficacia e la vita operativa di caccia “attempati”. Specialmente per la Francia, che ha già registrato la perdita di un caccia Dassault Rafale assegnato all’Indian Air Force, abbattuto nello scontro verificatosi nei cieli del Kashmir. Scontro che, non a caso, ha coinvolto un caccia di fabbricazione cinese Chengdu J-10 appartenente alla forza aerea del Pakistan, che lo avrebbe abbattuto con un missile air-to-air Pl-15E, sempre di fabbricazione cinese.

Differente la situazione nei cieli del Medio Oriente, dove gli F-16 Sufa dell’Israeli Air Force sono stati protagonisti indisturbati delle incursioni aeree che hanno penetrato a più riprese lo spazio aereo iraniano, libanese e siriano, dimostrandosi una piattaforma efficace e affidabile, nonostante non possano vantare le capacità furtive degli F-35 Adir che hanno preso parte all’ultima importate azione di guerra condotta nei cieli dell’Iran nell’ambito dell’Operazione Rising Lion. Azione che ha previsto, tra numerosi raid aerei indirizzati su molteplici obiettivi militari iraniani, la distruzione dei mitologici caccia intercettori F-14 “Persian Tomcat“. Attempati caccia intercettori che risalgono ai tempi dello scià Pahlavi, e che Teheran avrebbe comunque sostituito a stretto giro con una fornitura di caccia di fabbricazione russa Sukhoi Su-35S e Su-30SM, o , secondo alcune indiscrezioni, con una flotta di caccia cinesi J-10 C nel caso Mosca privasse gli ayatollah della propria tecnologia, e questo nonostante il favore ricevuto sul piano droni kamikaze Shahed-136. Il sistema d’arma su cui il Cremlino sta basando la nuova strategia di guerra in Ucraina.

Questo breve excursus delle ultime azioni di guerra e dell’incrocio di jet da combattimento che appartengono a molteplici potenze, ci ricorda non solo come siano intricati i rapporti e gli equilibri mondiali basati, da sempre, su influenze e forniture di armi che altro non sono se il livello più “superficiale” di un’alleanza, ma come dallo “scontro” di queste tecnologie si possano trarre dati importanti sulle reali capacità degli avversari teorici.

Lo sviluppo di tecnologie militari d’avanguardia e il loro schieramento deciderà le sorti delle guerre future. Conoscerle, analizzarle, e cercare di spiegare la loro importanza e il ruolo che svolgono nei conflitti è parte del nostro sforzo quotidiano. Se vuoi approfondire queste tematiche ed essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi nell’ambito della Difesa, segui InsideOver, e sostieni il nostro lavoro, abbonati oggi!

L'articolo Le azioni di guerra con i “caccia” degli altri: dall’Ucraina alla Cambogia, quali sono i jet coinvolti proviene da InsideOver.

Two great leaders from two great countries. This is the story of U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders have led their respective states through good and bad and what lies ahead for them could be a turning point in their relations. For starters, both are equally loved and hated. Trump who just narrowly escaped impeachment in the U.S. made his maiden trip to India on February 24. He was visiting Modi, who himself has a huge fan following across the country but is also being scrutinized and criticized for his stance on Muslims living in the country and revocation of Kashmir’s autonomy last year.

Trump and Modi Both Under Political Attack

While President Donald Trump faces backlash from Democrats from all domains for his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the investigation of Joe Biden and his son Hunter, Modi is also witnessing a barrage of protests where students line up almost every day to protest the anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act. Both leaders are under fire by their own people. Both are looking to find positive headlines that would bring back much-needed respect. This visit came at a very crucial point for them, one is looking forward to heading another term come November and the other is trying to reclaim lost trust.

Donald Trump’s visit to India was mainly to show that he has a global image. A trait that not many leaders do, but if they do, it’s generally for the right reasons. This trip was also to express that Trump cares deeply about the Asian continent and more importantly about China’s relations with nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan. This move can be termed as a strategic one where many interests were at stake. Let’s not forget Modi also made the trip to the U.S. last year and was welcomed by Indians wholeheartedly at an event called “Howdy Modi” in Houston, Texas.

The Trump-Modi Bromance

The ‘bromance’ witnessed during Modi’s Texas trip was massive. It showed that American-Indians love Modi’s attitude, his stance and his policies. In Gujrat, India, a similar tale unfolded. Trump was welcomed by nearly 100,000 people and he was quick to impress them, talking about Bollywood, cricket players and influential saints. While Trump, his team and family had a great trip exploring the cultural diversity that India has to offer, he was also on another mission; to secure some key trade, defense and technology deals.

Major India-US Defense Deal

To begin with, let’s discuss the deals signed by both sides. Firstly, India and the U.S. have signed a defense deal which will see India purchasing attack helicopters and advanced military equipment worth almost $3 billion. Secondly, they’ve penned a deal with Exxon Mobil where India will get to import more Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from the U.S. Next on the table are some MoUs on mental health and the safety of medical products. What remains missing from this trip was the notorious trade deal which both sides were looking to secure. That deal was unable to take shape as both sides failed to negotiate appropriate terms with Trump citing tariffs as a serious obstacle. Both leaders did admit that negotiations are ongoing and would soon bring about a new agreement meant to satisfy all. 5G technology was also another key point of Trump’s visit where he said India and the U.S. would work harder and effectively to make sure that the technology is “safe for everyone to use.”

Sore Point for Indians: Trump Praises Pakistan, Khan

One part of the trip which probably all Indians would rather soon forget is the fact that Trump praised India’s most hated neighbor Pakistan in good terms, saying during an address that he has good relations with Pakistani Premier Imran Khan. However, Trump was quick to mention that both sides will continue to counter “radical Islamic terrorism.” In my opinion, Trump’s visit could be beneficial for all countries in the region. Starting with Pakistan, Trump can act as a mediator where he will try to convince both sides to draw up a solution on the Kashmir issue and resolve tensions bilaterally rather than taking unilateral steps and threatening to attack every now and then.

A good relationship with India could also mean bad business with Russia and China. Considering the fact that India purchases the bulk of its military equipment from Russia and has now signed a $3B deal with the U.S., it can clearly be analyzed that the U.S. is trying to excel its influence on the country. A trade deal would’ve resolved India’s slowing economy and political clout but that would take time. China’s fight with the coronavirus has already put its factories and workings on high alert. The issues with Russia will also continue, considering the new defense deal. The fight to exert regional power has always been the United States’ number one objective and Trump has clearly played that card on his trip to India.

Trump’s India Visit Was an Impressive Success, With One Caveat

Trump’s visit to India can be classified as one where he achieved immense success in bonding with Indians and also those at home. Being mindful of the upcoming elections this was a “Trump card” that the U.S. President played in order to secure votes at home from Indian-Americans. However, I believe that President Trump should’ve taken a stronger stance on the Citizenship Amendment Act issue since it has become a ruling which is being criticized across the globe and has led to deadly violence in India that is currently ongoing. Furthermore, Trump’s influence is such that he has the power and capacity to exert his decisions in a manner which would help alleviate many ongoing problems across the world.

Warm hugs and sweet talk between Modi and Trump points to an excellent relationship, and that was witnessed during the time Trump spent in India. However, what the future might have in store for both sides will only be determined following U.S. elections this November. Both leaders have a strong vision for not only their countries but also for global progression in all areas. The visit will also remind India’s neighbors that it is currently in a very strong position – backed by Trump – and whatever New Delhi says will consequently have an even stronger footing in the international arena.

L'articolo Playing the “Trump Card” in India proviene da InsideOver.

Once hailed as the most successful liberal democratic experiment in the developing world, India is now facing global rebuke after stripping away Kashmir’s special status.

The sudden move came on August 6 when India’s parliament abrogated Articles 370 and 35A taking away the region’s special status. Under these articles, Kashmiris were given partial autonomy and barred non-residents from buying property in the region.

Shortly before and immediately after changing Kashmir’s status, India despatched thousands of troops to the valley. Already, around half a million Indian Army soldiers are stationed in the region.

The revocation promptly followed division of geography – carving the region into, internet shutdown, arrests of political leaders and rounding up of teenage boys. The extra troops helped quell any resistance.

India argued the move was necessary to contain separatism movement and develop the region. But the deployment of extra troops told a different story. Despite total communication blackout, reports of late-night raids, curbs on movement, rape and torture were sporadically reported in the international media.

In October, US House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Human Rights in South Asia-Panel II, Ami Bera called upon the world’s largest democracy to “allow journalists back in [Jammu and Kashmir] to have accurate reporting to see what’s going in the ground.” In the same hearing, University of Westminster Professor Ms. Natasha Kaul lambasted India’s BJP leadership over its fascist outlook towards the region.

Highlighting deaths of protestors in the Jammu and Kashmir valley, Kaul called upon India to acknowledge the atrocities committed against thousands of non-violent protestors.

She said: “The question here is not so much about the Article 370. The fundamental question is here about the consent of the people.”

“If something is being carried out for [Kashmiri] peoples’ welfare or development, then why does it need tens and thousands of troops … why does it have to happen overnight without consulting the people [locals] while placing even the pro-India politicians in prison and then depriving the population the right to say anything.”

She said India’s actions in the valley are egregious human rights violations and against the consent of the people and fundamental principles of dissent in a democracy.

The issue was also raised behind a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council in December 2019.

In a note to the Security Council members, China’s UN Mission said “in view of the seriousness of the situation and the risk of further escalation, China would like to request a briefing of the Council … on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Although the contents of the meeting were not released, Pakistan’s PM office said “the participants condemned India’s inhuman lockdown of eight million Kashmiris for over 165 days, the egregious human rights violations of Kashmiris by over 900,000 Indian occupation forces.”

India during the meeting claimed the Kashmir issue was an “internal matter” and will be resolved bilaterally between Islamabad and New Delhi.

US Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders also criticized India over its treatment of Kashmiris. “I am deeply concerned about this situation in Kashmir where the Indian government has revoked Kashmiri autonomy, cracked on dissent and instituted a communications blackout. The crackdown in the name of ‘security’ is also denying the Kashmiri people access to medical care,” Sanders said.

He added that “even many respected doctors in India have acknowledged that the Indian government-imposed restrictions on travel are threatening the life-saving care that patients need.”

In England, Jeremy Corbyn tweeted “The situation in Kashmir is deeply disturbing. Human rights abuses taking place are unacceptable. The rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected and UN resolutions implemented.”

The situation in Kashmir is deeply disturbing. Human rights abuses taking place are unacceptable. The rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected and UN resolutions implemented.

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 11, 2019

India has gone on offense against these leaders. They have called out these global leaders for what they see as interference in their domestic issues.

Malaysia has suffered the worse of India’s bullying tactics after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad criticized PM Modi’s Kashmir policy.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mahathir said India has “invaded and occupied” Jammu and Kashmir despite UN resolutions.

“There may be reasons for this action but it is still wrong. The problem must be solved by peaceful means…Ignoring the UN would lead to other forms of disregard for the UN and the Rule of Law,” said Mahathir.

India responded with threats to cut off trade ties with Kuala Lumpur. It announced it will stop importing oil from Malaysia – the world’s second-largest palm oil exporter.

The blatant violations of human rights, and bullying global leaders for their criticism against its policies, India is slowly but surely losing its global goodwill. Under Modi, India has received harsh criticism for some of anti-Muslim policies be it the treatment of Muslims in Kashmir or the Citizen Amendment Act that seeks to disfranchise immigrant from the country.

L'articolo India’s Goodwill Erodes as Global Leaders Highlight Kashmir Issue proviene da InsideOver.

In his sixth visit since assuming office less than two years ago, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Riyadh last week to meet with the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to “discuss recent developments in the regional context.”

The meeting comes on the heels of the upcoming Kuala Lumpur Summit – an initiative led by the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad. The summit seeks to rival the almost-defunct Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and aims to bring together the leaders of Indonesia, Iran, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia and counter the anti-Islam narrative around the world.

Mahathir, while announcing the summit claimed to create a united Islamic forum to bring the plight of Muslims especially Kashmiris, Uighurs and the Rohingyas to the forefront and condemn the leaders responsible for these atrocities.

The summit, scheduled between Dec 18-21, plans to build a parallel leadership forum in the Islamic world minus the Saudi Arabia and the UAE to fill the leadership vacuum, has laid bare the simmering rift within the Islamic countries.

The attendees, especially Qatar, Iran and Turkey have publicly criticized Saudi Arabia for its indifference towards the plight of Muslims across the world. Their presence at the summit has irked the leadership of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and Pakistan has caught itself in the crosshairs.

Reports claim that MBS has raised his displeasure over PM Khan’s acceptance to attend the summit. PM Khan, in a bid to persuade MBS, sent his Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to Riyadh. But Qureshi failed to convince the Saudi prince. After which, Khan himself flew to Riyadh on Saturday to meet the Crown Prince where he discussed the situation.

But media reports surrounding the meeting suggest that the Saudi leadership communicated their displeasure to Khan’s over his decision to participate in the meeting.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia may be allies but the two are not equal. Pakistan does not have the diplomatic bravado to challenge Saudi Arabia as it has borrowed more than $6 billion from the country and has currently availed deferred oil purchase facility as well. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has also made investments into the country’s religious institutions and holds a certain degree of sway over Pakistan’s religious affairs.

But Pakistan under Imran Khan has become increasingly assertive in its foreign policy ambitions and has tried to maintain a degree of neutrality vis-a-vis Iran and Saudi Arabia. Khan recently visited both Tehran and Riyadh to establish a line of communication between the two arch-rivals who were on a brink of an all-out war.

But as Khan was meeting with Crown Prince MbS, Pakistan’s Army Chief was in Abu Dhabi to meet UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Zayed. The official announcement following the meeting did not mention the summit but sources privy to the information have claimed that the chief was there to convince the prince who has also shown his displeasure at the Kuala Lumpur initiative.

Although an official statement has not been released yet, certain Pakistani media outlets have claimed that Khan has also decided to abstain from participating in the moot.

The visit by both Khan and Bajwa amplified the degree of Saudi Arabia’s influence on Islamabad in its foreign policy ambitions, but more importantly, it showed Pakistan’s handicapped ability to pursue foreign relations given its reliance on the UAE and Saudi Arabia for financial needs.

L'articolo PM Khan’s Handicapped Foreign Policy Ambitions proviene da InsideOver.

Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan as a nation, but the relations between the two neighbours have remained muted over the last few decades.

In the post-revolution Iran, after hardline Shiite clerics took over the country’s political control, Pakistan put relations with Tehran on the backburner. The primary cause for this was Pakistan’s close ties with Riyadh and sectarian differences between the Iran’s Shiite and Saudi Arabia’s Wahabi interpretation of Islam. In the meantime, however, Pakistan grew closer and closer to Saudi Arabia and in return, Riyadh poured in millions into the country’s madrassahs increasing its influence by promoting its own – Wahabi – school of thought.

Despite sectarian differences, both sides have cooperated in the past over issues ranging from controlling ISIS, curbing drug trade, fighting insurgency in Balochistan to intelligence sharing on Taliban.

But Riyadh and Islamabad are beginning to grow closer as diplomatic and state-level visits among the two increased over the last few years.

Only last month, Pakistan tried to establish a line of communication between the arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran during Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan visit to both Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Reciprocating Pakistan’s goodwill, Iran’s Supreme Leader also sided with Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.

In a tweet, he said that “we’re concerned about Muslims’ situation in Kashmir. We have good relations with India, but we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression and bullying of Muslims in this region.”

Apart from the political will from both sides to ensure warm ties, the army leadership from the two countries has also begun to extend its scope of bilateral relations.

Towards that, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Tehran last week for a two-day trip where he met with Iran’s top leadership.

In an all-encompassing trip, the General met with Iran’s Chief of Staff Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani.

The agenda for the meeting revolved around the Afghan Peace Process and curbing drug trade and terrorism whereas the two sides also showed their willingness to strengthen military ties and intelligence sharing.

Iran’s Army Commander Mousavi proposed military student exchange to cement bilateral ties. Bajwa, on the other hand, emphasized the need for closer cooperation and interaction between the two neighbours as they have common interests and face the same threats.

Apart from stressing the need for closer ties, both sides also discussed the illegal drug trade along the 959km border. Iran is the main illicit drug trade route from Afghanistan and Pakistan to other Asian countries and Europe.

With terrorism in the Balochistan province that borders with Iran, the dialogue also revolved around intelligence sharing to curb terror activities in the region.

Iran President Rouhani asked Pakistan to hold its end of the bargain and expedite work on the 2,775km gas pipeline. He said that “Tehran is ready to finish work on a gas pipeline that has been laid until the Pakistani border.”

The Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline, which was due to be completed in 2014, has been seen no progress due to terror threats along its route as it needs through one of Pakistan’s most volatile and terror-prone province of Balochistan.

L'articolo Pakistan and Iran Move Closer to Deepen Ties proviene da InsideOver.

President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping concluded his two-day informal summit with Modi on Saturday, October 12, 2019. The duo held discussions on wide-ranging issues and exhumed confidence in strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations at Mamallapuram near Chennai. Now, the hotly debated point is will the summit result in any positive outcome for India? History stands testimonial to the fact that in spite of Indian efforts to improve relationships with China, the Chinese have always tried to belittle  India in the UN and preferred Pakistan over India. Against the backdrop of the USA-China trade war, the President Xi Jinping trip is being viewed as an attempt to explore opportunities for more significant concessions for Chinese products in India.

Why the doubt?

India and China, the two Asian giants, have nothing in common other than a population of over a billion. Just as two swords cannot be contained in one sheath, the same is the case with India and China. Both vie for supremacy in Asia and are engaged in a tug of war for being a global leader. Both view each other with suspicion and China, a close ally of India’s bête noire Pakistan, openly sides with Pakistan in the UN and other international forums and seldom misses an opportunity to belittle India. Ignoring international efforts to clamp down on cross-border terrorism, China’s repeated attempts to block Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar’s designation as a global terrorist is just a pointer in this direction.

Critics of the summit say one of the big disappointments of Wuhan Summit has been the reluctance of China to take tangible steps to ease non-tariff barriers for the entry of Indian IT and pharmaceuticals as well as Indian agriculture exports into the Chinese market to address the massive trade imbalance. Indian companies remain sceptical of the recent agreement on traditional medicine and expressed apprehensions over policy changes on the ground levels.

In such a scenario, political and economic observers in India are puzzled if Xi Jinping’s informal summit with Modi and discussions on broad-ranging issues will translate into any positive gain for India.

According to political observers, President Xi Jinping’s trip is an attempt to explore opportunities for more significant concessions to Chinese products in the Indian market, due to the USA-China trade war. On the conclusion of his two-day informal summit with Modi on Saturday October 12, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to evolve a broad-based economic mechanism to bridge India’s swelling trade deficit with China and vowed to strengthen defence cooperation while negotiating disputative issues pragmatically with sensitivity to each other’s core concerns.

The critiques said that after two informal summits, both sides have not made progress in resolving their key outstanding differences, such as the boundary dispute on the Doklam plateau near the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction, the trade deficit, and China’s support for Pakistan at the UN over the Kashmir dispute. The only silver lining appears to be Xi’s suggestion to Modi that “differences should not weaken the overall situation of bilateral cooperation and differences that could not be resolved should be appropriately managed.”

According to political observers, summits should be followed by outcomes to instil confidence in the relationship. From Wuhan to Chennai, it appears they are moving in the right direction, but tangible results have not been experienced so far. 

Xi invited Modi to visit China in 2020 for a third summit to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The two leaders agreed to make it memorable by holding 70 events in India and China, with several high-level visits in the works. In spite of the bonhomie shown by the two leaders, there are numerous pitfalls, and the road ahead for India and China is long and topsy turvy. Will all these exercises result in a great and fruitful relationship between the two nations, time can only tell.

L'articolo A New Relationship Era Between Two Asian Giants proviene da InsideOver.

The United Nations General Assembly, also known as UNGA, starts in New York this week, with political, business and civil society leaders converging on the world’s most prominent diplomatic stage for a week of events, meetings, and of course clashes over climate change and international affairs.

Climate Action Summit

What sets this year’s General Assembly apart is a series of key events and meetings focused on climate change. The most significant of these activities is the UN Climate Action Summit taking place on September 23.

The Climate Action Summit has been described as the most substantial global meeting on the matter since the Climate Change Conference in Paris and it is taking place amidst global demonstrations for urgent action against climate change.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will call on world leaders to commit to exceeding the emissions reduction and renewable energy goals of the Paris Agreement, an accord from which President Trump withdrew and the implementation of which many of the remaining signatories are still lagging. Governments must cut carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 to help contain global warming to 1.5 degrees.

Making a case against Iran

Although the recent G7 Summit in France entertained the possibility of a historic meeting between President Trump and his Iranian counterpart, the mid-September attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities has rendered such a meeting at least improbable.

Despite allegations of evidence from the American and Saudi side that Iran attacked with drones and cruise missiles, Iran has rejected all accusations. The General Assembly will allow the US administration to resume efforts towards a deterrence coalition against Iran, prioritising at this stage political and economic pressure to any kind of military response.

India, Pakistan and the Kashmir dispute

The General Assembly is expected to host another episode of the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has condemned Indian Prime Minister’s decision to strip Indian-administered Kashmir of its autonomy, with Pakistani Prime Minister’s address to the assembly considered as a golden opportunity to steer international attention towards Islamabad’s view. Pakistan has not managed to gain much diplomatic traction on the issue so far and Imran Khan’s speech is expected to be powerful and confrontational.

Brexit on the sidelines

While climate action and the protection of the Amazon are high on the EU’s UNGA agenda, the meetings of European Council President Donald Tusk with the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and his British counterpart Boris Johnson tell that even in New York everything moves around Brexit.

Less than 40 days before the deadline for a deal expires, progress is yet to be recorded regarding the Irish border question. The Irish government together with the European Commission have insisted on the need for a border backstop that Boris Johnson has promised to tear up. The rest of the EU stands also united behind Ireland and will not consent to a backstop replacement without Dublin’s agreement.

The latest rumoured suggestions by the British negotiators for a backstop alternative have not managed to convince neither Dublin nor Brussels about their ability to keep the border invisible and safeguard the Good Friday Agreement. It remains to be seen whether the change of scenery will result in any breakthroughs before the decisive European Council meeting in October.

L'articolo UNGA Convenes Among Climate Protests and Regional Tensions proviene da InsideOver.