tag

Republic of Korea and Ukraine held "constructive" talks on Tuesday about the fate of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting in Russia, Seoul said Tuesday.Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiga discussed the matter during talks in Seoul.The soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January last year while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region.North Korea and Russia have demanded the repatriation of the pair, but rights groups and experts have warned they could face severe punishment if returned to Pyongyang.The soldiers have asked to be sent to Korea, which would in effect amount to defection.Seoul is seeking their transfer on the grounds that they are citizens of a single Republic of Korea envisaged in its constitution.North Korea and Republic of Korea remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.The nations are separated by a demilitarised zone, but Seoul considers the entire Korean peninsula as one country.The ministers "engaged in constructive discussions" on the soldiers' future yesterday, a Korean foreign ministry spokesman told reporters.They agreed to be guided by "international law and humanitarian principles"."The government will continue to make diplomatic efforts to advance and resolve the issue of the North Korean prisoners of war," the spokesman said.Writing on X, Sybiga said he and Cho discussed the matter "in detail".It has been reported that North Korean authorities instructed troops to commit suicide rather than allow themselves to be captured while fighting for Russia.One of the two held by Ukraine told Korean broadcaster MBC earlier this year: "If I am not brought to Korea, I will end up dying."North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised North Korean troops killed in Ukraine in April for taking part in "death-defying hand-to-hand fights and heroic suicidal explosions... without hesitation", according to the Korean Central News Agency.Kyiv had assured Seoul the two soldiers would not be repatriated to North Korea against their will, Cho said in March.Analysts say North Korea has received financial assistance, military technology, food and energy from Russia in exchange for missiles, munitions and thousands of troops for Moscow's war in Ukraine.The two countries had signed a mutual defence treaty in 2024, obliging each to provide military assistance "without delay" if either comes under attack.More than 7,000 North Korean troops were killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region during the 2024-2025 campaign, the Kyiv Independent quoted Ukraine's military intelligence agency as saying this week.Sybiga said he and Cho also discussed "shared challenges stemming from the deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang". 

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met on Monday with Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi, who is visiting the country.During the meeting, they discussed several bilateral, regional and international issues, Iranian news agency (IRNA) said.Araghchi will also meet with several senior officials in Azerbaijan to consult and exchange views on bilateral relations between Tehran and Baku. 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania Mahmoud Thabit Kombo met with HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Tanzania Fahad Rashid Al Muraikhi.The meeting discussed cooperation relations between the two countries.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati held two phone calls on Monday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, discussing the rapid developments in the Gaza Strip and support for security and stability in the region. During the two phone calls, Abdel Aati stressed the critical importance of both parties to the Sharm el-Sheikh pact adhering to the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that respecting the agreement represents a fundamental step toward consolidating the ceasefire, permanently ending the war, and alleviating the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip. He also emphasized the need for full access to humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The two calls addressed the ongoing preparations for Egypt to host the International Conference on Early Recovery, Reconstruction and Development in Gaza next November. The Egyptian Foreign Minister stressed the importance of beginning the implementation of early recovery and reconstruction plans for Gaza as soon as possible, within the framework of a comprehensive vision that preserves the rights of the Palestinian people, in accordance with the Arab-Islamic Plan for Early Recovery and Reconstruction, and US President Donald Trump's Middle East Peace Plan. In turn, the Danish and French foreign ministers affirmed their full support for Egypt's tireless efforts to promote stability in the region, expressing their aspiration to continue coordination with Egypt on issues related to early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza.

His Excellency Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, met separately with the Foreign Minister of Colombia, Rosa Yolanda Mapy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad of the Republic of Chad Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe Prof. dr. Amon Murwira, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the US, Michael Kozak, EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot, and Member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, Lord Tariq Ahmad, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The discussions focused on cooperation relations, ways to support and enhance them, and issues of mutual interest.