EU Ukraine talks rattles

14052014

Separatist rebels killed seven Ukrainian soldiers in a bloody ambush in the restive east on Tuesday, rattling efforts by Europe to step up a diplomatic push to resolve the escalating crisis on its doorstep.

The violence flared as German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was in Ukraine to push Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels to come together at the negotiating table after the East-West security body OSCE drew up a roadmap aimed at easing tensions.  But the battle lines remained drawn, with fears that Ukraine could be threatened with collapse following weekend independence referendums in the eastern industrial provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk that have been rejected by Kiev and the West.  Russia, despite expressing support for the “extremely important” roadmap, said Kiev must halt its military operation in the east if rebels are to comply with the peace initiative.  And it accused Ukraine’s pro-West authorities of refusing “real dialogue” with the separatists. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which began life as a forum for East-West dialogue in the Cold War, said the initiative focuses on “restraint from violence, disarmament, national dialogue, and elections”.  Kiev is hosting a round table meeting on Wednesday involving the government, parliament and regional leaders but notably not any separatist representatives.  On the ground, the Ukrainian military suffered one of its bloodiest single days since the separatist insurrection in the east erupted. Kiev said seven soldiers were killed in an ambush by rebels armed with heavy weapons between the insurgent strongholds of Slavyansk and nearby Kramatorsk, bringing to 16 the number killed since mid-April.  Rebels in Lugansk claimed their self-styled governor Valery Bolotov survived an “assassination attempt” on Tuesday after assailants opened fire on his car with automatic rifles.  Violence has raged for weeks in eastern Ukraine as government troops carry out what it describes as “anti-terrorist” operations against well-armed rebels who seized cities and towns in the chaos that followed the ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych in February.  Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov insisted today that the offensive would continue despite the Kremlin’s demands.

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Lt. Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag named new army chief

14052014

 

Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag has been appointed the new army chief, He will take over from General Bikram Singh, who will retire at the end of July.

An alumnus of Sainik School, Chittorgarh, he joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1970 and was commissioned into 4/5 GR (FF) in June 1974.  He holds Masters Degrees in Management Studies from Osmania University and Strategic Studies from Chennai University.  The General Officer has attended various career courses in India and abroad which include LDMC at CDM, Secunderabad in 1997-98, NDC Course at New Delhi in 2006, Executive Course in USA in 2005 and Senior Mission Leaders Course (UN) in Kenya in 2007.  Lt. Gen. Suhag possesses tremendous operational experience which includes a tenure as a Company Commander during “Op Pawan” in Sri Lanka. He raised and commanded 33 RR (58 GR) in Nagaland from October 1994 to June 1997.  He commanded the 53 Infantry Brigade which was committed in counter insurgency Operations in the Kashmir Valley from July 2003 to March 2005.  He holds the distinction of commanding the 8 Mountain Division in Jammu and Kashmir, deployed on the Line of Control in High Altitude Area from October 2007 to December 2008.  Lt. Gen. Suhag took over as GOC-in-C, Eastern Command on June 16, 2012.  He has been the Chief of Staff 16 Corps in Northern Command. He has also held the coveted appointment of IG SFF, Cabinet Secretariat from April 2009 to March 2011.  He has been holding the appointment of Colonel of the Regiment, 5 GR (FF) from April 19, 2011. He is a recipient of the VSM, AVSM and UYSM for his distinguished service in the Indian Army so far.

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Turkey mine blast kills 205, hundreds more trapped

14052014

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Rescuers battled on Wednesday to reach hundreds of workers feared trapped after an explosion at a mine in western Turkey that has killed at least 205 people in one of the worst industrial disasters ever to hit the country.

As Turkey declared three days of national mourning for the victims, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said the toll could rise to exceed the 263 workers killed in the country’s worst ever mining disaster. “We are worried that human loss could increase,” he told reporters.  “The problem is more serious than we thought. It is developing into an accident with the highest worker death toll Turkey has seen so far.” Yildiz said 205 miners had been confirmed dead after Tuesday’s blast at the mine at Soma, in Manisa province.  He declined to say how many people remained trapped in the mine, although earlier reports said 787 workers were underground when the blast occurred.  Turkey’s disaster management agency AFAD said 93 people had been rescued, 85 of them injured.  Explosions and cave-ins are common in Turkey, particularly in private mines where safety regulations are often flouted.  Turkey’s worst mining accident happened in 1992 when 263 workers were killed in a gas explosion in a mine in Zonguldak.  Tuesday’s explosion was believed to have been triggered by a faulty electrical transformer. A security source said that there were pockets in the mine, one of which was open so rescuers were able to reach the workers, but the second was blocked with workers trapped inside. Hundreds of people gathered around the explosion site as rescuers brought out injured workers, who were coughing and struggling to breathe due to the dust. Sena Isbiler, mother of one of the miners, stood on top of piles of wood, craning her neck to see who was being led out of the mine. “I have been waiting for my son since early afternoon,” she told AFP. “I haven’t heard anything about him yet.” Arum Unzar, a colleague of the missing miners said he had lost a friend previously “but this is enormous.”