IN BRIEF (Page 12)
Kosovo
Serbia condemns plan for new army
The Serbian government severely condemned on Friday the decision by the parliament of what it considers its southern province of Kosovo and Metohija to establish the so-called "Kosovo army", read a news release, which added that Belgrade will strive to maintain peace. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia rejects that and considers Kosovo its own province. At Friday's session, the government in Belgrade opposed the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into an army, arguing that the decision is "a gross violation of the principles of international law", adding that this is also "the biggest threat by Pristina to regional peace so far".
France
Govt dismisses IS market shooting claim
France's interior minister on Friday dismissed a claim by the Islamic State group that a gunman who killed four people at a Christmas market in Strasbourg was one of its "soldiers", as investigators sought to understand his motives. Attending the reopening of the Christmas market, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said a Twitter post by the IS propaganda wing saying Cherif Chekatt was one of its "soldiers" was "completely opportunistic". "We're dealing with a man who was consumed by evil," Castaner said. President Emmanuel Macron was to visit later in the day after attending a European Union summit in Brussels, his office said.
Turkey
Envoy summoned over Iraq airstrikes
Iraq's foreign ministry on Friday summoned Turkey's ambassador in Baghdad to protest over what it called repeated airspace violations, after Turkish warplanes earlier carried out strikes against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Hours earlier, the Turkish military said on Twitter it had killed eight militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (or PKK) in airstrikes targeting regions in northern Iraq. Turkey has regularly carried out such actions as President Tayyip Erdogan pursues his stated aim of ending the militant group's presence near Turkey's borders. Ankara has also threatened to launch a ground offensive in northern Iraq.
United States
Trump says no hurry for DPRK talks
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States is in no hurry regarding its talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "Many people have asked how we are doing in our negotiations with North Korea (the DPRK) - I always reply by saying we are in no hurry," Trump tweeted. Negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington saw little progress in the past few months, as differences between the two sides remained over key issues like the scale of denuclearization, US sanctions, and whether to issue a war-ending declaration. Meanwhile, Trump revealed on Dec 1 that his second meeting with Kim Jongun, the DPRK's top leader, was likely to happen in January or February next year.
Indonesia
Volcano erupts, ejecting thick ash
A volcano in central Indonesia has erupted, ejecting columns of thick ash as high as 7,500 meters into the sky. Mount Soputan, located on the northern part of Sulawesi island, erupted twice Sunday morning, said the national disaster agency's spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said in anticipation of hot ash and lava sliding down the volcano's slopes, local residents have been urged to avoid activities near the mountain.
AP - AFP - Reuters - Xinhua
(China Daily 12/17/2018 page12)