VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 2nd July, 2018

PAKISTAN
US criticizes Taliban, Pakistan over peace talks: Dawn
July 2, 2018

The United States has said the Taliban’s failure to engage in talks to end Afghanistan’s nearly 17-year conflict is “unacceptable” and called on Pakistan to exert more pressure on the militants. US envoy Alice Wells made the remarks during a visit to Kabul on Saturday, two weeks after an unprecedented ceasefire triggered spontaneous street celebrations involving Taliban fighters and security forces. “I think it [the ceasefire reaction] creates this impulse for everyone to renew their efforts to find a negotiated political solution,” Ms Wells, the principal deputy assistant secretary for the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, told reporters in remarks embargoed until Sunday. Click here to read....

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan, Pakistan Reach ‘Unique Deal’ On Peace: Tolo News
July 2, 2018

President Ashraf Ghani said on Saturday an agreement has been made with Pakistan – in writing – on rooting out terrorism. Addressing an event in Kabul, the president said achievements had been made with Pakistan on finding a solution to the Taliban problem in Afghanistan. “The issue of Taliban should be solved in our relations with Pakistan. Some things have been done in this respect and some things are still needed to be done. It has been agreed on paper for the first time. The Afghanistan-Pakistan negotiations framework is now on paper. Now, serious actions are required,” he said. He said there have been improvements in terms of uprooting terrorism. “We should clearly agree on this, on how we will work with each other in the future and how we will prevent other movements,” he added. Ghani did not however give details on exactly what the agreement entailed. Click here to read....

NEPAL
Powerful entities torn between PMO, ministries: Kathmandu Post

The KP Sharma Oli-led government’s bid to set up an all powerful Prime Minister’s Office by bringing three important entities under it has hit a roadblock in the absence of necessary laws. As a result, the National Investigation Department (NID), the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) and the Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DoMLI), which were brought under the purview of the PMO, are reporting to both the ministry under which they operated and the PMO. hiefs of the three entities are taking orders from Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, secretary at the PMO, while also reporting to the Home and Finance secretaries. “We are aware that they are also reporting to the ministries,” said Binod Bahadur Kuwar, spokesperson for the PMO. Officials said it was difficult for them to bring the entities fully under the PMO in the absence of specific laws. “We need to amend the laws to separate their jurisdictions,” said in official. Click here to read....

MYANMAR
Myanmar not ready for Rohingya to return, Red Cross chief says: The guardian
July 2, 2018

Conditions in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state are not ready yet for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled a military crackdown, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Sunday after visiting the region. Myanmar has said it is ready to take back the more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled Bangladesh since August last year. It has set up two reception centres and what it says is a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine to receive the first arrivals. Conditions in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state are not ready yet for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled a military crackdown, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Sunday after visiting the region. Myanmar has said it is ready to take back the more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled Bangladesh since August last year. It has set up two reception centres and what it says is a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine to receive the first arrivals. Click here to read....

CHINA
Self-buildup behind Party's 97th birthday: China Daily
July 2, 2018

The Communist Party of China, which celebrated its 97th birthday on Sunday, has kept its vigor and vitality as the world's largest political party through continuous Party building efforts. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said on Friday that the CPC must regard political building as the Party's fundamental way of growth to provide an important guarantee for the Party to march from victory to victory. Click here to read....

New list for FTZs opens key Sectors: People's Daily
July 2, 2018

China's new negative list for foreign investment in free trade zones will make it easier for foreign entry into the increasingly open market and benefit a global economy facing a wave of protectionism, experts said. The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce released the shortened negative list for FTZs on Saturday, two days after rolling out a list applicable nationwide. Click here to read....

China fails to attract foreign investors as US trade dispute continues to hit stocks, yuan: South China Morning Post
July 2, 2018

The Chinese government managed to persuade just one of its 287 “qualified” foreign institutional investors to put more money into the country’s stock market last month, according to figures released by the foreign exchange regulator. South Korea’s KB Asset Management Co added US$1 billion to its quota under the qualified foreign institutional investor scheme, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said on Friday. Click here to read....

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