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Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Cyber Official Provides Progress Update on Zero Trust Strategy Roadmap DoD News 18 May 2023 -- The Pentagon's senior information security official said today that the Defense Department is on track to implement its zero trust cybersecurity framework by fiscal year 2027 as planned.
• Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks' Meeting With Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane DoD 18 May 2023
• African Lion 23 Begins Army News 18 May 2023 -- 18 nations and approximately 8,000 personnel will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13-June 18, 2023.
• Sabrina Singh, Deputy Press Secretary, Holds a Press Briefing DoD 18 May 2023
• Readout of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Dr. John Plumb Meeting With Poland Ministry of National Defense Deputy Minister Mr. Marcin Ociepa DoD 18 May 2023
• U.S. Marines Resupply Ballistic Missile Submarine in Philippine Sea USMC News 18 May 2023 -- U.S. Marines from 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, provided a vertical replenishment operation for a U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarine in the Philippine Sea, last week.
• Operation Neptune's Storm unites military, local maritime law enforcement units in Tampa Bay US Air Force 18 May 2023 -- Tampa Bay witnessed a display of maritime power as Operation Neptune's Storm, a large-scale joint maritime demonstration led by the 6th Security Forces Squadron Marine Patrol Unit, took place in Hillsborough Bay, May 17.
• USS Canberra Will Join the U.S. Fleet in Australia to Honor Namesake US Navy 18 May 2023 -- The future USS Canberra (LCS 30) will join the U.S. Navy active fleet on July 22 with the U.S. Navy's first international commissioning ceremony at the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Base East in Sydney, Australia.
• Readout of U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday's Meeting with Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy Rear Adm. Rune Andersen US Navy Press Release 18 May 2023
• Readout of U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday's Meeting with Ireland's Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service, Commodore Michael Malone US Navy Press Release 18 May 2023
• Readout of U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday's Meeting with Chief of Italian Navy Adm. Enrico Credendino US Navy Press Release 18 May 2023
• Secretary General thanks Portugal for its contributions to NATO and support for Ukraine NATO 18 May 2023 -- Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met Prime Minister Antonio Costa of Portugal, as well as foreign minister João Cravinho and defence minister Helena Carreiras in Lisbon on Thursday (18 May 2023) to discuss preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July.
• NATO expansion harms talks on European security: Russian FM People's Daily 18 May 2023 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) "reckless expansion" undermines the prospect for further normal dialogue on European security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
• Germany says not capable of being part of coalition to provide Ukraine with warplanes Press TV 18 May 2023 -- Germany has insisted that it lacks military capabilities to contribute to a British-backed initiative to supply Ukraine with warplanes in efforts to satisfy Kiev's desperate pleas to access air power in its war against Russia.
• UK calls on other States not to provide Russia with military assistance: UK statement at the Security Council UK FCDO 18 May 2023 -- Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
• China showcases weapons during Lao war games Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- Lao troops got firsthand experience using modern Chinese weapons during joint China-Laos military exercises, which analysts say neighboring Vietnam is watching warily.
• Japan-circling PLA Navy flotilla completes 'routine drills,' shows capabilities of national defense Global Times 18 May 2023 -- Far sea exercises by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy are routine and display its capabilities, experts said on Thursday, after Japan hyped it spotted a PLA Navy flotilla led by a 10,000 ton-class large destroyer as the latter completed a full circumnavigation around the country.
• Army shows flexibility during exercise Australia DOD 18 May 2023 -- The Australian Army deployed a range of capabilities on Exercise Croix du Sud, the French Armed Forces-led humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training activity in New Caledonia.
• Saudi Chief of General Staff and U.S. Central Command Chief Discuss Mutual Cooperation SPA 18 May 2023 -- The Saudi Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, received in Riyadh on Wednesday the commander of U.S. Central Command, Lieutenant General Michael Eric Corella, currently on an official visit to the Kingdom.
• The Israeli Navy Participates in Exercise "ARGONAUT 2023" in Cyprus Israel Defense Forces 18 May 2023
• Weapons from China and Russia fuel Myanmar's bloody civil war Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- Chinese and Russian entities have sent more than US$660 million in weaponry and other arms-related equipment to Myanmar's military since its coup two years ago, enabling the junta to wage its brutal campaign to retain power.
• UK Carrier Strike Group Will Return to Indo-Pacific in 2025 Sputnik 18 May 2023 -- The carrier strike group of the United Kingdom will return to the Indo-Pacific in 2025 - four years after it first sailed in the region, the UK government said on Wednesday.
• UK and Norway to increase cooperation on undersea capabilities UK MOD 18 May 2023 -- The UK and Norway agree to develop a strategic partnership to counter shared threats in the undersea domain, including threats to our undersea infrastructure.
• United States and Moldova Sign Open Skies Agreement US Dept. of State 18 May 2023 -- On May 18 in Chisinau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma and Moldova Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Lilia Dabija, with Prime Minister Dorin Recean, signed an Open Skies Air Transport Agreement ("Agreement") between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Republic of Moldova — the first bilateral air transport agreement negotiated by the two countries.
• Secretary Blinken's Trip to Papua New Guinea US Dept. of State 18 May 2023
• Readout of President Joe Biden's call with Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea The White House 18 May 2023
• Analysts Say Biden Australia Trip Cancellation Damages US Credibility VOA 18 May 2023 -- Analysts say U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to postpone a trip to Australia is a major blow to Canberra. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will still make the trip to Australia next week, even though the Quad leaders' summit at the Sydney Opera House has been canceled.
• Postponing Biden's Pacific Trip Raises Criticism VOA 18 May 2023 -- Biden administration officials pushed back Wednesday against criticism over the decision to postpone a visit to Australia and a historic trip to Papua New Guinea, the first by an U.S. president.
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan The White House 18 May 2023
• Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 18 May 2023
• Background Press Call Previewing Day One of the G7 Summit The White House 18 May 2023
• Biden in Japan for G7 Talks VOA 18 May 2023 -- U.S. President Joe Biden arrived Thursday evening in Japan for a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven richest democracies, that will focus on countering what they have billed as China's "economic coercion," growing assertiveness and military buildup, as well as supporting Ukraine in its battle against a Russian invasion.
• Analysts: US Pivot From Middle East Is Myth VOA 18 May 2023 -- Some analysts in the Middle East argue that concerns over China's rapid military modernization and technology competition are pulling Washington's attention away from the Mideast region. While the United States may not be the only global player in the region, others say its retreat from the Middle East is a myth.
• Digital Press Briefing with Dr. John MacArthur, Regional Director, CDC Southeast Asia Regional Office, and Dr. Bill Davis, CDC Regional Influenza Program Director US Dept. of State 18 May 2023
• Department Press Briefing - May 18, 2023 US Dept. of State 18 May 2023

Defense Industry

• Contracts For May 18, 2023
• Austal USA awarded contract valued up to US$3.195 Billion for up to seven T-AGOS Surveillance Ships for the United States Navy AUSTAL 18 May 2023 -- Austal Limited (ASX:ASB) is pleased to announce that Austal USA has been awarded a US$113,906,029 fixed-price incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed-price contract for detail design of the Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance Ship T-AGOS 25 Class for the United States Navy. The contract includes options for detail design and construction of up to seven T-AGOS 25 class ships which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to US$3,195,396,097.

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• 18 May 2023 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 18 May 2023
• Afghanistan - A Children's Crisis: UNICEF Afghanistan Representative Fran Equiza's remarks at the Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General UNICEF 18 May 2023
• Children bearing the brunt of Afghanistan crisis: UNICEF UN News 18 May 2023 -- Roughly 90 per cent of the population in Afghanistan is on the brink of poverty "and children bear the brunt of it," the Representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the country, Fran Equiza, told journalists in New York on Thursday.
• UNICEF, Afghan Female Staff Delivering Aid Despite Taliban Edicts VOA 18 May 2023 -- The U.N. children's agency representative in Afghanistan says his agency, including its female Afghan staff, continue to work in the country despite a Taliban decree banning local women from working for the organization.
• Vietnam stews over Chinese hotpot restaurant on disputed South China Sea island Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- China has opened a huge hotpot restaurant on the main island it controls in the disputed South China Sea, a Hong Kong newspaper reported, drawing poor reviews from Hanoi for Beijing's latest move to bolster claims over islands and waters seized from Vietnam nearly 50 years ago.
• Despite gains, Iraq has not yet 'turned the corner', Security Council hears UN News 18 May 2023 -- Iraq's stability and hard-won gains require robust support amid concerns of shrinking civic space, postponed elections, and an unfolding climate emergency, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council on Thursday.
• UK reaffirms commitment to the stability and security of Iraq: UK statement at the Security Council UK FCDO 18 May 2023 -- Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN Security Council meeting on Iraq.
• Myanmar enacts Weapons Law aimed at keeping guns away from resistance Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- Myanmar's junta is threatening stiff prison terms and even the death penalty under a law regulating weapons ownership that analysts say aims to instill fear in supporters of the armed resistance.
• Airstrikes by Sudanese army rock Khartoum as fighting between rival forces continues Press TV 18 May 2023 -- The Sudanese army has launched new airstrikes against the positions of paramilitary forces in Khartoum, as fighting between the rival forces shows no signs of abating across the capital.
• Former Bosnian Prison Camp Supervisor Arrested In U.S. RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- Kemal Mrndzic, the former supervisor of the notorious Celebici Bosnian prison camp where Serbs were held and tortured during the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia, has been arrested in Boston for allegedly using false claims of persecution to obtain refugee status and citizenship in the United States.
• Joint Statement on Kosovo US Dept. of State 18 May 2023 -- The following is the text of a joint statement by the United States, France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
• UNICEF alert over 'sickening' levels of sexual violence in eastern DR Congo UN News 18 May 2023 -- The UN Children's Fund is calling for an urgent increase in funding to help tackle an escalating number of cases of sexual violence against children and women in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) North Kivu province, where armed groups proliferate amidst heavy fighting in recent months.
• UN, NGOs appeal for US$396 million for urgent response to alarming hunger and malnutrition crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states UNOCHA 18 May 2023 -- To prevent a widespread hunger and malnutrition crisis in north-east Nigeria from turning fully catastrophic US$396 million is urgently needed to scale up humanitarian action in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states.
• Cameroon Calls for Peace, Reconciliation Ahead of Country's National Day VOA 18 May 2023 -- In Cameroon, thousands of people are demonstrating this week, calling for peace and reconciliation ahead of National Day on May 20. Peace caravans led by activists, clerics and traditional rulers are calling for an end to hate speech and the separatist conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people in Cameroon since 2017.
• Somali Government Says It Seized Military Shipments Bound for Al-Shabab VOA 18 May 2023 -- Somalia's National Intelligence Agency (NISA) said Thursday that it had seized two illicit shipments of military hardware and explosive materials that were apparently bound for the al-Shabab militant group.

News Reports

• IARPA Kicks Off New Research Program to Detect Changes in Movement Patterns Director of National Intelligence 18 May 2023 -- The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) — the advanced research and development arm of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence — recently announced the launch of a research program to develop systems capable of modeling population movement patterns around the globe and providing alerts when concerning anomalies emerge.
• Indian Reporter Arrested on Espionage Charges VOA 18 May 2023 -- India's Central Bureau of Investigation arrested a freelance reporter on espionage charges this week, saying the journalist illegally collected sensitive information about the Indian army and shared the information with foreign governments.
• Meeting with Governor of Khabarovsk Territory Mikhail Degtyarev President of Russia 18 May 2023 -- Mikhail Degtyarev reported to the President on the region's socioeconomic development.
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's talks with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uganda Abubaker Jeje Odongo Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 May 2023
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement and answers to media questions during a joint news conference following talks with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uganda Jeje Odongo, Moscow, May 18, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 May 2023
• Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the Czech authorities' unfriendly decision regarding Russian property Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 May 2023
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's video message to the participants in the 7th Young Diplomats Forum of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries, Moscow, May 18, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 May 2023
• Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshenko Arrives in Cuba Sputnik 18 May 2023 -- Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has arrived in Cuba for a working visit, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
• G7 to Increase Financial Pressure on Russia VOA 18 May 2023 -- Members of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies will act at this year's G-7 summit to pile more sanctions on Russia and crack down on those helping it evade them — a move aimed at hampering Moscow's ability to fund its war in Ukraine.
• New sanctions demonstrate G7 resolve on Russia UK FCDO 18 May 2023 -- Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will warn against complacency in defending our values and standing up to autocratic regimes, as he meets G7 leaders in Hiroshima.
• Prosecutor Asks Russian Court To Fine Kremlin Critic Roizman, But Doesn't Seek Jail Time RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- The prosecution has asked a court in Russia's Ural city of Yekaterinburg to fine the city's former mayor and outspoken Kremlin critic Yevgeny Roizman, for "repetitively discrediting the armed forces" involved in the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
• Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan Host a Welcome Ceremony and Banquet for Heads of State of Central Asian Countries and Their Spouses Attending the China-Central Asia Summit and Watch Together with Them Performances Marking the Opening of the Year of Culture and Art of the Peoples of China and Central Asia and the China-Central Asia Youth Arts Festival PRC MofA 18 May 2023 -- On the evening of May 18, 2023, President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan hosted a welcome ceremony and a welcome banquet for heads of state of Central Asian countries and their spouses attending the China-Central Asia Summit at the Tang Paradise theme park in Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province.
• Xi Jinping Meets with President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan PRC MofA 18 May 2023
• Xi Jinping Holds Talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan PRC MofA 18 May 2023
• Xi Jinping Holds Talks with President Sadyr Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan PRC MofA 18 May 2023
• Xi Jinping Holds Talks with President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan PRC MofA 18 May 2023
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on May 18, 2023 PRC MofA 18 May 2023
• China Holds Central Asia Summit; Ex-US Official Urges Pragmatism VOA 18 May 2023 -- China is hosting its first in-person summit with Central Asian leaders starting one day before the Group of Seven nations convenes for its annual summit in Japan.
• Central Asian Leaders Converge In China As Xi Touts 'Enduring' Friendship RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- Five Central Asian have arrived in China's historic city of Xi'an for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping to seal pledges of "enduring" friendship, paving the way for a summit expected to result in a regional pact with Beijing.
• Xi's footprints in Central Asian countries consolidate ties, vitalize Silk Road Global Times 18 May 2023 -- Xi'an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, is about to witness the ancient route shine with new vitality as the high-level China-Central Asia Summit is being held from Thursday to Friday. The national flags of China and five Central Asian countries are being flown alongside the airport highway in intervals, and banners saying "build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future" in both Chinese and Russian, can be seen at overpasses in the city.
• China-Central Asia Summit kicks off; high-level summit demonstrates Central Asia's growing importance on China's diplomatic agenda Global Times 18 May 2023 -- President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Central Asian leaders and their wives in Tang Paradise, a complex based on the site of the original relic of an imperial garden dating back to the Tang Dynasty, in Xi'an on Thursday night. China-Central Asia Summit kicked off on the same day.
• Chinese president: Summit with Central Asia leaders ushering in 'new era' of ties Press TV 18 May 2023 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has hailed a two-day summit with leaders of the Central Asian countries as ushering in a "new era" of relations.
• Ignoring Beijing, Korean rights group recognizes jailed Hong Kong barrister Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- Despite pressure from Beijing, South Korea's biggest human rights group went ahead on Thursday with an award to jailed Hong Kong barrister and rights activist Chow Hang-tung.
• Foreign Consultancies in China Wary of Expanded Counterespionage Law VOA 18 May 2023 -- International business consultancies operating in China that provide economic data to potential investors appear to be headed into a period of greater scrutiny as of July 1, when a revised espionage law expands the list of activities Beijing considers spying.
• China, Central Asia gear up for greater success after decade of Belt and Road cooperation People's Daily 18 May 2023 -- Ten years into Belt and Road cooperation, China and Central Asian countries have made historic achievements. With an upcoming milestone summit, they will strive for greater success and inject more impetus into global development.
• China rolls out red carpet for Central Asian leaders ahead of milestone summit People's Daily 18 May 2023 -- China on Wednesday staged hearty welcome ceremonies for Central Asian leaders attending a milestone summit that is expected to draw up new blueprints for China-Central Asia cooperation.
• U.S., Japan leaders determined to maintain peace in Taiwan Strait CNA 18 May 2023 -- United States President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio reiterated their "resolve to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait" after the two leaders met in Hiroshima, Japan on Thursday ahead of the start of the G7 Summit.
• 12 allies appeal for Taiwan's inclusion in WHA CNA 18 May 2023 -- Twelve of Taiwan's diplomatic allies have written to the World Health Organization (WHO), calling for Taiwan to be included in its decision-making body, which has excluded Taiwan for the seventh consecutive year, as it prepares to hold its annual meeting next week.
• Legislative Speaker You meets Pelosi, McCaul in Washington CNA 18 May 2023 -- Taiwan's visiting Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) met with former United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul separately in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to discuss relations between the two countries and issues of mutual concern.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan May 18, 2023 ROC MND 18 May 2023
• Analysts: Taiwan's Opposition Party Pick for President Aims to Win Back China-Wary Voters VOA 18 May 2023 -- Analysts say the decision by Taiwan's biggest opposition party, the Kuomintang or KMT to pick a popular home-grown politician as its candidate in the island's upcoming presidential election is a departure from its past practice but something the party sees as its best hope to return to power after eight years and improve relations with China.
• Chinese mainland calls Taiwan's DPP authorities "real threat" to cross-Strait peace People's Daily 18 May 2023 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities pose a real threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
• Mainland calls on DPP authorities to scrap cross-Strait flight restrictions People's Daily 18 May 2023 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday called on Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to scrap unreasonable restrictions on fully restoring direct cross-Strait passenger flights as soon as possible.
• Spox dismisses US concern over Iran's expansion of ties with neighbors IRNA 18 May 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has rejected as unjustified and invalid certain concerns voiced by the Biden administration over Tehran's expansion of trade cooperation with other states.
• Iran dismisses US concern over expansion of cooperation with neighbors Press TV 18 May 2023 -- The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has rejected as "unjustified and invalid" concerns voiced by the Joe Biden administration over Tehran's expansion of trade cooperation with other states, saying the latest agreements with Russia and Pakistan are in line with Iran's emphasis on the policy of good neighborliness.
• Opening border projects, Iran, Pakistan vow to boost ties Press TV 18 May 2023 -- Heads of states of Iran and Pakistan have said in a meeting held at the border of the two countries that they would seek to expand economic and trade ties to levels not seen before.
• Iran, Pakistan explore ways to enhance bilateral ties Press TV 18 May 2023 -- Iran's President Ebrahim Raeisi and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have exchanged views on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two neighboring countries, especially in commercial, economic and border fields.
• Iran, Pakistan Open Border Marketplace, Power Transmission Line VOA 18 May 2023 -- Leaders of Iran and Pakistan jointly inaugurated a marketplace and a power transmission line along their shared border Thursday in a significant move aimed at boosting regional trade and energy cooperation.
• Iranian President Warns Afghanistan To Abide By Treaty On Water Flows RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has warned the de facto Taliban regime in Afghanistan that its noncompliance with joint agreements on water rights in regions along their shared border is escalating tensions between Tehran and Kabul.
• US Asks Iran Not to Execute 3 Protesters VOA 18 May 2023 -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday called on Iran not to carry out the possibly imminent execution of three men that Tehran arrested during anti-government protests that spread throughout the country last year following the death of a young Iranian Kurdish woman who morality police detained for improperly wearing a hijab.
• Two Iranian banks plan to set up offices in Russia: CBI official Press TV 18 May 2023 -- Two Iranian banks are planning to launch offices and branches in Russia, according to a Central Bank of Iran (CBI) official and amid growing trade and business ties between the two countries.
• Myanmar's junta shuts down 3 Mandalay hospitals Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- The junta has revoked the business licenses of three private hospitals in Myanmar's central Mandalay region, it announced this week.
• Kazakh Activists Jailed, Fined For Rally Plans Amid China-Central Asia Summit RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- A number of Kazakh activists who planned to hold protest rallies against the government's plan to introduce visa-free travel for Chinese citizens coming to Kazakhstan have been jailed or fined ahead of the China-Central Asian summit in the ancient city of Xi'an.
• Expected Return of Syria's President to Highlight Arab League Summit VOA 18 May 2023 -- Arab heads of state are slated to attend Friday's Arab League summit in the Saudi Red Sea resort town of Jeddah, including the president of Syria for the first time in over a dozen years. The crises in Syria and Sudan are expected to be major topics of discussion at the meeting.
• Transcript of the Media Briefing by the Spokesperson on Thursday 18 May 2023 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 May 2023
• Transcript of Special Briefing by Foreign Secretary on Prime Minister's visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia India MEA 18 May 2023
• India's Modi to Visit Papua New Guinea in Outreach to Pacific Island Countries VOA 18 May 2023 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Papua New Guinea later this week for a visit aimed at shoring up India's outreach to Pacific Island countries, with an eye on countering China's growing footprint in the Pacific.
• Joint Statement on the official visit to the Philippines of Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong Australia MFA 18 May 2023 -- At the invitation of Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, Senator the Honorable Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, undertook an official visit to the Philippines on 16-18 May 2023.
• Japan, South Korea Aim to Strengthen Ties at G7 VOA 18 May 2023 -- The top leaders of Japan and South Korea will try to maintain momentum toward improved relations when they meet on the sidelines of a Group of Seven summit that begins Friday in Hiroshima.
• PM meets with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan: 18 May 2023 Gov.UK 18 May 2023
• Statement from Bjørn Arild Gram meeting Ben Wallace in Northwood Government of Norway 18 May 2023
• Joint Press Release on the Official Visit to the Philippines of Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong Philippines DFA 18 May 2023 -- At the invitation of Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, Senator the Honorable Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, undertook an official visit to the Philippines on 16-18 May 2023.
• Statement by the Philippine Government on the Conclusion of Bilateral Talks with Kuwait Philippines DFA 18 May 2023 -- In affirmation of the friendly and historic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the State of Kuwait, both countries engaged in bilateral talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Kuwait from 16-17 May 2023.
• Asia's heatwaves 30 times more likely due to climate change, scientists say Radio Free Asia 18 May 2023 -- The record-breaking humid heat wave that hit India, Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand in April was made at least 30 times more likely as a result of human-induced climate change, while the next five years are expected to be the warmest period on record globally, according to two reports by scientists.
• Moldova Is Distancing Itself From The CIS, But Leaving Might Not Be So Easy RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- In a move likely to increase tensions with the Kremlin, Moldova has distanced itself further from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) this week by revoking key agreements with the Russian-led intergovernmental organization.
• Uzbekistan 'Opening Up To The World,' But Politically Shuttered RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- May has been a month for messages in Uzbekistan. On the one hand, President Shavkat Mirziyoev's announcement of a snap presidential election and his participation in the vote alongside three friendly candidates confirmed the status of Central Asia's most populous country as a closed shop in the political sense.
• Bulgaria Angry At Supposed Macedonian Entry 'Blacklist' RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- A cold shoulder for a Bulgarian member of the European Parliament (MEP) traveling to North Macedonia is just the tip of the iceberg.
• Moldova Sees EU Membership As Shield Against Russian Aggression, Says President Sandu RFE/RL 18 May 2023 -- Moldovan President Maia Sandu says membership in the European Union is the tiny country's best way to protect itself against potential Russian aggression and its current status of neutrality can always be revisited at some point.
• Thai Opposition Coalition Takes Shape VOA 18 May 2023 -- Thailand's opposition has announced an eight-party coalition in a bid to create a new government following Sunday's general elections.
• Thai PM Candidate Faces Disqualification Bid VOA 18 May 2023 -- Thailand's Election Commission is weighing a last-minute legal challenge to the pro-democracy front-runner in the country's race for prime minister in a case that could derail the political career of one of the military-backed government's fiercest critics.