US peace envoy back in Belfast for talks

AMERICAN envoy Richard Haass has returned to Belfast for a second attempt at quelling simmering disputes in Northern Ireland.

Haass, a former U.S. diplomat, was called in by the province's power sharing government to help resolve lingering disputes over flags, parades, and how to deal with the legacy of Northern Ireland's conflict.

All three issues have repeatedly tested the province's two-decade peace process, a series of agreements aimed at reconciling Northern Ireland's pro-British Protestants and pro-Irish Catholics after decades of bloodshed.

Haass failed to bring the parties to an agreement before Christmas, but saw enough potential to return for a second try.

In a Twitter message on Saturday, he said a "real opportunity for progress exists".

23.15 | 0 komentar | Read More

Zimbabwe ambassador goes into hiding

Zimbabwe's ambassador to Australia has gone into hiding after applying for a protection visa.

Jacqueline Zwambila was due to return home on Tuesday but instead appealed to the Australian government claiming her life would be in danger if she returned home.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says he will judge her request for asylum on its merits.

Ms Zwambila is aligned to Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

She said she knew it meant the end of her term when Robert Mugabe won elections earlier this year.

89-year-old Mr Mugabe has called on his opponents to accept defeat or commit suicide, telling the New York Times that "even dogs will not sniff at their flesh if they choose to die that way".

23.15 | 0 komentar | Read More