Friday, February 19, 2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb.19, 2021

2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)


Europe countries, US warn against targeting US installations in Iraq

Feb. 18 - Foreign ministers of the US, France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy have released a joint statement condemning the missile attack that hit Erbil, northern Iraq, last Monday.

The joint statement confirmed that the signatory governments are ready to support investigations in Iraq to hold those responsible for the attack accountable.

The foreign ministers who signed the declaration offered their condolences to the families of the victims of the Erbil attack and the Iraqi people.

The statement concluded: "We share the common position that the attacks on US personnel and facilities and the international coalition will not be tolerated."     more details



​Erbil
 International Airport
 (IATAEBLICAOORER), is the main airport of the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan RegionIraq. It is administered by the Iraqi Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government under a committee consisting of the Prime Minister of Kurdistan RegionMasrour Barzani,[citation needed] and is one of two international airports (the other being Sulaymaniyah Airport), with a third in Duhok being under construction. The new modern airport opened in 2010. The airport has one of the longest runways in the world (4800m).    from Wikipedia


Broken glass is seen at the Bright Castle Motors building after reports of mortar shells landing near Erbil airport, in Erbil, Iraq
US Embassy in Erbil Activates Defense System

Feb. 19 - The US embassy in the Green Zone, central Baghdad, activated Wednesday its own air defense system without announcing the reason for this decision.

The system activation was accompanied by massive reconnaissance helicopters over the Green Zone and came after the missile attack on Erbil which killed one person and injured six US servicemen.


Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and conveyed his outrage at the multiple rocket attacks in Erbil.

They discussed efforts underway to identify and hold accountable the groups responsible for the attacks, as well as the Iraqi government’s responsibility and commitment to protecting the US and Coalition personnel in Iraq at the government’s invitation to fight ISIS.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg discussed with Kadhimi increasing NATO presence in Iraq.

Kadhimi’s office said the two sides addressed the joint cooperation and ways to enhance it, especially with regard to providing support to the Iraqi security and military institutions in the areas of training and intelligence.     more details
以色列模拟突袭剑指伊朗 伊核破僵局“核”其难 20210217 |《今日关注》 CCTV中文国际
Feb 18, 2021


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a visit by US President Joe Biden to the State Department in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2021.
US-Iran ‘path to diplomacy’ now open, says Antony Blinken

​Blinken reaffirmed Biden’s stance that if Tehran resumes compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, the US would as well

Feb. 19 - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that “the path to diplomacy is open” with Iran to discuss returning to the 2015 nuclear deal.

But he would not say whether the new administration has had any direct engagement with Iranian officials.

“Iran is still a way away from being in compliance [with the deal]. So we’ll have to see what it does,” Mr Blinken told National Public Radio.

Asked whether a move was under way to resume direct diplomacy, Mr Blinken pointed to US President Joe Biden’s public stance that if Iran resumes compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, Washington would do the same.

“The president’s been very clear publicly, repeatedly, about where we stand. And we’ll see what, if any, reaction Iran has to that,” he said.

The interviewer said Mr Blinken had not answered the question directly and asked: “But you’re not ruling out that direct diplomacy might be somewhere in the future here?”

Mr Blinken responded: “Well, at some point, presumably, if there’s going to be any engagement on this, that would have to require diplomacy. That’s what we’re in the business of.”      more details

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