Germany: We agree with America to shift focus with Iran from the nuclear file to issues of rights and to exert pressure on Tehran to stop repression

Germany: We agree with America to shift focus with Iran from the nuclear file to issues of rights and to exert pressure on Tehran to stop repression

    Monday, November 21, 2022   No comments

Germany agrees with the United States in shifting its focus away from reviving the nuclear deal with Iran to supporting the Iranian people in the face of the country's violent crackdown on mass protests, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"We are indeed moving along the same tracks," the spokesman said at a routine government briefing.

"Currently, our focus is on supporting the Iranian people and putting pressure on the Iranian ruling regime to stop suppressing the rights of its people," he added.

This coordianted action seems to be in line with the US shift from reviving the nuclear deal it abondoned in 2018 to freeing Iran.

Germany, the state whose policy during the first half of the 20th century was the full extermination of the German Jews is now concerned for human rights in Muslim-majority countries.

On suspicion of ties to Russian intelligence, Germany dismisses the head of cybersecurity

On suspicion of ties to Russian intelligence, Germany dismisses the head of cybersecurity

    Tuesday, October 18, 2022   No comments

 The German Interior Ministry has dismissed the head of the Federal Office for Information Technology Security (BSI), Arne Schönbaum, over reports of possible ties to Russian intelligence.

A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry stated that Interior Minister Nancy Wieser decided to prevent Schönbaum from carrying out his official duties as head of the "BSI" office with immediate effect, noting that the background to the decision is in particular the accusations announced by the media and widely discussed.

He added that these accusations "permanently damaged the necessary confidence on the part of public opinion in the impartiality and integrity of the office's leadership as head of the most important German cybersecurity service," noting that this matter applies more in light of the current crisis situation due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The spokesperson stated that the accusations raised affected the necessary trust relationship on the part of the Minister with the leadership of the office.

Schönbaum has been in a critical situation since the media revealed his relationship with a cybersecurity advisory association suspected of having had contact with Russian intelligence services.

Schönbaum, 53, co-founded and managed the "Cyber ​​Security Council-Germany" advisory a decade ago, which includes experts from public institutions and the private sector, and German media said that among its members was "a company founded by a former Russian intelligence agent."

The Home Office said the study of these allegations was continuing, and added that "pending the conclusion of this study, the presumption of innocence naturally applies to the person of Mr. Schönbaum."

The German government announced more than a week ago that it was thoroughly investigating the media reports.

The dismissal comes at a time when Germany has been placed on alert against possible acts of sabotage by Moscow after the leakage in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines to transport Russian gas to Europe, and this country was subjected to widespread sabotage of railways on the eighth of October, where it occurred Some expressed the hypothesis that Russia was behind the operation in the context of the war on Ukraine.

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Putin, Erdogan and Raisi meeting raises concerns for German Foreign Minister

Putin, Erdogan and Raisi meeting raises concerns for German Foreign Minister

    Wednesday, July 27, 2022   No comments

German Foreign Minister Annalina Birbock has criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for posing for a photo with Russian and Iranian President Vladimir Putin and Ebrahim Raisi.

"The fact that the Turkish president is in this picture is a challenge to NATO," the German Foreign Minister said, in an interview with the newspaper "Bild", adding that this is "simply, incomprehensible."

This week, the presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran met in Tehran, where they held tripartite talks and took a joint photo at an extraordinary summit in light of the ongoing international conflict, with Syria being its most prominent focus. They also discussed joint relations, in addition to a number of files, including the Ukrainian grain export agreement.

Commenting on the German parliament's accusations about the "slowing down" of arms supplies to Kyiv, Bierbock said that the Federal Republic of Germany "has no aim to deceive its European neighbours."

"We can't deliver tanks with the tip of a finger," Birbock added.

The Ukrainian authorities appealed to Western countries to continue supplying them with weapons, while Kyiv accused Germany of being very slow in supplying them.

  

  

The many ways Ukraine war exposed Western racism and double standard: Paris to Russia: the satirical cartoon is “Unacceptable”

The many ways Ukraine war exposed Western racism and double standard: Paris to Russia: the satirical cartoon is “Unacceptable”

    Friday, March 25, 2022   No comments

 You simply can't make this stuff up!

Today, Friday, Paris summoned the Russian ambassador to the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he posted on his Twitter account cartoons that French diplomacy considered "unacceptable".

  

"We are striving to maintain a necessary channel of dialogue with Russia, but this behavior is totally inappropriate," the French Foreign Ministry said, referring in particular to a cartoon showing Europeans kneeling in front of Uncle Sam, who symbolizes the United States.

  

It should be noted that, France supported and defended the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist as protected form of freedom of speech even if they offend Muslims.

 

The Russian Embassy confirmed that “the question of the published tweet had been raised, among other points” during the interview on Friday morning. The Russian ambassador has on his side “draw the attention of our French colleagues to the provocations and acts of vandalism against Russian diplomatic representations in France” she added.

Updated story (3/29/2022): 

Limits of Freedom of Speech in Europe: German states to ban "Z" symbolizing support for Russia's war.

Apparently, publishing cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in offensive ways to millions of Muslims is an absolute right; but taking a position on an a war in Europe is not freedom of speech.

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