Author: RT

‘No breakthrough’ in draft Normandy Four communiqué on Donbass – Ukraine’s deputy PM The draft final document to be adopted during the Normandy Quartet summit on the conflict in Donbass, due in France on December 9, contains no “breakthrough ideas,” TASS quoted on Tuesday Ukraine’s Deputy PM of for European and Euro-Atlantic integration Dmitry Kuleba as saying. The Normandy comprises Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. “At the moment, the communiqué is very diplomatic. I’ll tell you frankly: this document contains no super-breakthrough ideas,” Kuleba told the ICTV. However, the official added that “everything will depend on the outcome of the talks.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has called upon the government in Kiev to guarantee the legitimate rights ...

Chinese top diplomat to visit S. Korea 1st time in 5 years amid US missile defense row A high-ranking Chinese diplomat is visiting Seoul this week for the first time in five years as the two countries seek to improve ties amid a spat over a US anti-missile system in South Korea, Reuters reported. The Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councilor Wang Yi, is set to arrive on Wednesday for a two-day stay, during which he will meet his counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, and President Moon Jae-in, officials in Seoul said. South Korea sees Beijing as instrumental in reviving stalled denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea. Wang’s visit will be his first since a dispute erupted over the installation of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system...

New Zealand to ban big foreign political donations ‘to prevent interference in elections’ New Zealand moved to ban large foreign political donations and misleading social media advertisements on Tuesday amid concerns about “offshore interference in next year’s general election.” The move, which bars donations over NZ$50 (US$33), was aimed at protecting New Zealand’s democracy from a growing international threat, according to Justice Minister Andrew Little. “We need to protect the integrity of our elections. These changes will reduce the risk of foreign money influencing our election outcomes,” the minister said. Little did not say which countries prompted the ban but experts have consistently pointed the finger at China, AFP said. New Zealand to ban big foreign po...