A US effort to build pressure against Iran’s influence in the Middle East is facing a setback after ministers from several European Union members opted out of the summit organised by Washington in Poland.
The meeting – due to take place in Warsaw on February 13-14 – will focus on stability and security in the Middle East and on countering Iran’s “destabilising influence” in the region.
But since US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announcement during his tour of the Middle East, a number of EU representatives have said they will skip the summit, co-hosted by Poland and the US.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said she will not take part in what her officials privately describe as an anti-Iran conference, according to Iranian and US media reports.
France is also unlikely to send its foreign minister, according to European diplomats. Luxembourg’s foreign minister said he would miss the event because of a prior arrangement. The UK and Germany have not yet taken any official positions.
The European Union is at loggerheads with the US over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as it seeks to retain economic ties with Tehran despite renewed US sanctions.
Mr Trump’s decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal in May 2018 and to reimpose sanctions –including on Iran’s oil sector – is part of a proclaimed effort by Washington to curb Tehran’s military presence in the Middle East, which the US accuses of causes tensions and promoting terrorism.
Iranian officials have denounced Poland for hosting a meeting “hostile to Iran” and warned that Tehran could reciprocate. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday criticised Poland for hosting the meeting by writing on Twitter: “Polish Govt can’t wash the shame: while Iran saved Poles in WWII, it now hosts desperate anti-Iran circus.”
Mr Zarif’s comments made reference to Iran’s role in hosting over 100,000 Polish refugees during the Second World War.
An official at the ministry of culture said that plans to screen a Polish Film Week in Iran would be cancelled if the summit plans will go ahead.
Iranian Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said the summit was being held because US sanctions had failed to bring Iran to its knees.
Iran’s national news agency IRNA reported that Iran expressed its discontent to Poland’s Chargé d’Affaires Wojciech Unolt, demanding that Warsaw not go along with the “hostile move”.
A statement quoting an unnamed Iranian said that Iran will resort to unspecified “counter-action” toward Poland should the summit go ahead.
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz rejected Iranian criticism and said he hoped the conference will provide a new platform for international dialogue and allow the US and European Union to find common ground on Iran.
Poland supports the EU efforts to preserve its nuclear agreement with Iran, but Mr Czaputowicz said the deal alone will not prevent Iran from “destabilising” the region.
The summit was announced by Mr Pompeo during a Middle Eastern tour earlier this month. He said the objectives include changing the “behaviour” of Iran, which Washington accuses of destabilising the region.
“We will gather around a number of different topics ... fighting ISIS is part of that ... and address how we can get the Islamic Republic of Iran to behave like a normal nation,” Mr Pompeo told reporters.
Tehran denies the accusations and says US military presence is to blame for tensions in the Middle East.
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Schedule:
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S
Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm
Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km
HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Australia squads
ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
