Correa Reiterates Warning Against U.S. Interference
President Rafael Correa reiterated his warning to U.S. Ambassador, Adam Namm, to comply with his diplomatic role instead of involving himself in anti-government political activities.
In conversations with reporters in the city of Guayaquil, the Ecuadorian president discounted the expulsion of the U.S. ambassador for now, but recommended that he be more considerate with this country.
Correa described the U.S. ambassador’s participation in an activity organized by a journalists’ guild opposed to the government, as “rude,” where the alleged lack of freedom of speech in Ecuador was criticized.
“Why don’t the other ambassadors participate?” Correa asked. “Rarely have we seen so much betrayal of a calling by the U.S. ambassador, who is really trying to create an uncomfortable situation,” the president said.
Citing Namm’s words that Washington is very concerned, Correa replied that he could go home and worry from there.
“This fact, I think, was a slip by the ambassador, which says a lot about his vision. He believes that he comes to impose conditions, and who has told him that is his role?” Correa asked.
According to Correa, the action is scarcely relevant, but warned against it continuing. “Make no mistake, we are facing immense power,” he said.
Russia, USA Agree to Hold New Int’l Conference on Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry agreed to organize a new international conference on the Syrian conflict, Lavrov confirmed today.
Moscow and Washington agree on the fact the forum must be held in May in Geneva with the participation of the two conflicting parties and must be based on the June 2012 communiqué issued in that city, said Lavrov.
Referring to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s concern, but insisted the issue is very delicate and said it was recommendable to be “100 percent sure this is not a matter of rumors and provocations.”
Lavrov recently stated that the use of chemical arsenals is too serious to be a cause for manipulation, responding to U.S. and U.K. insinuations about the supposed use of these arsenals by Syrian government forces.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Kerry recognized the need to put an end to extremism in Syria and achieve stability in the region.
However, the press was not informed whether Kerry’s visit responded to conflicting Syria-related issues between Moscow and Washington such as support from the White House and Israel for attacks on Damascus.
It was also unknown whether the cornerstone of U.S.-Russian contradictions – the Pentagon’s and NATO’s missile system in Europe – was included in the meeting’s agenda.
Rural Chinese Students Benefit from Free Lunch Program
Some 30 million students in rural areas in China benefit from a program launched by the government, offering them free lunch at school daily, reported the Education Ministry.
In a videoconference on the project, aimed at reinforcing the country’s nine-year compulsory education, Deputy Education Minister Lu Xin said one fourth of rural students are already benefiting from the program, started in 2011, which now covers one third of all the counties in China.
Lu urged education officials at all levels to strengthen food safety supervision in schools, calling for coordinated work with other departments.
Via PL