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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016454

Belgium’s King Philippe reaffirmed his deepest regrets on Wednesday for the exploitation, racism and acts of violence during his country’s colonisation of the Democratic Republic of Congo, but again stopped short of formally apologising.

Philippe became the first Belgian official in 2020 to express regret for colonisation, and some Congolese hoped he would issue a formal apology during his first visit to Congo since taking the throne in 2013.

The king arrived on Tuesday in the capital Kinshasa with his wife, Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo for a week-long visit that will also take him to the eastern cities of Bukavu and Lubumbashi.

In 2020, Philippe became the first Belgian official to express regret for the “suffering and humiliation” inflicted on Congo. But he stopped short of issuing an apology, and some Congolese have demanded he does so this time.

“The colonial regime itself was based on exploitation and domination,” he told a joint session of parliament in Kinshasa.

“This regime was one of the unequal relations, unjustifiable in itself, marked by paternalism, discrimination and racism,” he said.”It led to violent acts and humiliation. On the occasion of my first trip to Congo, right here, in front of the Congolese people and those who still suffer today, I wish to reaffirm my deepest regrets for those wounds of the past.”

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and many politicians have enthusiastically welcomed Philippe’s visit. Large numbers of ruling party supporters waved Belgian flags, and a banner hanging from parliament read: “A common history.”

Mutungilayi Nawezi, a Congolese student, attended his speech at the People’s Palace. He is very touched by what he was able to hear:” Saying a few words in Lingala is something that has touched me a lot. We didn’t expect the king to be able to speak in Lingala and also to acknowledge some of the wrongdoings we have had to endure, I really appreciated it. ” he explains.

” We hope that the king’s presence here will solve many problems, especially peace on the East side. In other countries, we see how they are supported by their colonizers, in many areas, like employment, and stabilization of social life, but us, we do not even know the language of the Belgians (Walloon, Flemish). We hope that the presence of the Belgian king here will bring us a solution for the good development of our country.” said Solange Ekudju, a Congolese woman.

But many Congolese were likely to be disappointed by the absence of an apology.

During the visit, He also returned a traditional mask to Congo on Wednesday as a goodwill gesture.

Philippe offered an initiation mask of the Suku people to Congo’s national museum as an “indefinite loan”. The mask has been held for decades by Belgium’s Royal Museum for Central Africa.

“I wanted, during our visit to the national museum and in your presence, to return to you this exceptional work in order to allow Congolese to discover and admire it,” Philippe said, standing next to Congo President Felix Tshisekedi. “It marks the symbolic beginning of the reinforcement of the cultural collaboration between Belgium and Congo.”

By some estimates, killings, famine and disease killed up to 10 million Congolese during just the first 23 years of Belgium’s rule from 1885 to 1960, when King Leopold II ruled the Congo Free State as a personal fiefdom.

Published : June 09, 2022

By : Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016427

The Royal Thai Government donates THB500,000 through UNICEF to support humanitarian assistance programmes for the affected Ukrainian children and their families.

The donation was delivered on Monday (June 6) by Mrs Vilawan Mangklatanakul, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs and was received by Ms Kyungsun Kim, Head of Mission of UNICEF Thailand. 

On this occasion, the Deputy Permanent Secretary expressed grave concern of Thailand on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, which have caused pervasive impacts on a large scale of its population, including children and their families. She stressed the importance of timely and adequate humanitarian assistance for the affected civilians, which was a shared responsibility of the international community. 

She said Thailand was pleased to contribute through international organizations like UNICEF to support its proactive and effective programmes to sustain help and provide support to those in need, especially the most vulnerables. In addition to this financial contribution, since February this year, the Royal Thai Government, together with Thai private sector, civil societies, and Thai people, have already provided over THB11 million of humanitarian assistance in total to the people of Ukraine through various channels, such as the Thai Red Cross Society, Polish Red Cross Society, Ukrainian Red Cross Society, the Embassy of Ukraine in Bangkok and Thai private sector operating in Europe.

The UNICEF Thailand’s Head of Mission expressed appreciation to the Royal Thai Government and all parts of Thai society on behalf of the organization and of the Ukrainian children and their families. She stressed that Thailand’s support was meaningful and would help to alleviate the sufferings of a large number of Ukrainian civilians, which has been ongoing for over 3 months now.

Published : June 08, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016420

Air purifiers which once had been a must for many urban citizens in China have gradually fallen out of favor in recent years. This change has been brought about thanks to improved air quality from effective environmental protection measures.

ABeijing citizen, surnamed Cao, encountered a dilemma after moving house, as he did not know what to do with the two air purifiers he had purchased several years ago. They currently sit vacant in the corner of his home.
 

Air purifiers gained popularity in the Chinese market several years ago. They even became necessities for many homes.

“The popularity of purifiers is closely related to frequent smog and poor air quality,” said Cheng Baoping, a sales manager with Yadu Technology Group Co., Ltd., one of China’s air purifier manufacturers.

Cheng recalled that about 20 years ago air purifiers were not popular at all. To promote sales, the company even allowed customers to try the machines for free, however this marketing strategy was to little avail.

In the 2010s, the sales of air purifiers started to increase along with people’s concerns over air quality as air pollution had worsened in some places.

China’s air purifier industry began to surge from 2013, and peaked in 2017 with 7.25 million machines sold and annual sales totalling 16.2 billion yuan (about 2.4 billion U.S. dollars), according to an industry report released by the Shenzhen-based Zhongshang industry research institute.

The industry then continued to decline and the sales scale in 2021 shrank to 6.5 billion yuan, while the annual shipment was only about half of that in 2017, said the report.

In 2018, China launched a campaign against pollution and made specific targets for 2020. By the end of 2020, China had finished those targets ahead of time.

The environment continued to improve last year. The percentage of days with good air quality was 87.5 percent in cities at and above the prefectural level in 2021, up 0.5 percentage points year on year, according to an official report.

The average concentration of hazardous airborne particles PM 2.5 was 30 micrograms per cubic meter, down 9.1 percent year on year, according to the report.

By 2025, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the country’s GDP will be reduced by 18 percent from the level in 2020, according to a circular jointly released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council in 2021.

In cities at or above the prefectural level, the intensity of PM 2.5 will be decreased by 10 percent, the proportion of days with good air quality will reach 87.5 percent during the period, according to the circular.

The improved air quality has also forced these air purifier manufacturers to enhance the functions of their machines. “The purifier industry should meet consumers’ demand of health and green in the future,” Cheng said. 

Published : June 08, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016419

Many people in the U.S., especially the gun lobby groups and gun manufacturers, consider the weapons as an economic resource, so they create barriers to gun-control laws in the Congress, arguing that they would impact the economy, experts have said.

The United States has been shaken in recent weeks by a series of mass shootings that killed 10 African American residents in a supermarket in New York, 19 children and two teachers in Texas, and four people in a medical center in Oklahoma.

The unchecked gun violence is the result of racial injustice and the self-interest of political parties and powerful gun lobbying groups in the country, said experts in the Middle East.
 

RACIAL INJUSTICE

“Most of the violence victims are not white people,” said Ezzat Saad, director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, referring to the recent mass shootings in the United States.

He said the rampant gun violence in the United States is a result of the racism of the far-right extremists, who believe that “the white people are superior to other colors.”

“The problem is that such extremist ideas have reached the political parties and started to find their road inside the ruling institutions,” Saad added.

Saad’s viewpoint was shared by Suzan Ismail, a Lebanese lawyer, who said that although U.S. laws forbid racial discrimination, such practices are still widely spread in the country.

“Despite the fact that the U.S. government carries the slogan of human rights, we notice that such laws are regularly violated in the United States, especially when it comes to dealing with people with colored skin,” said the lawyer. “They are judged even if they were not proved guilty. They are also deprived of job opportunities just because they have colored skin.”

She added that the spread of drugs and violence in the areas inhabited by colored people in the United States and the inability of the police also expose those people to gun violence.

Students wearing bulletproof vests hold a rally near the Capitol Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., the United States, June. 6, 2022. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

SELF-INTERESTED PARTIES, GUN LOBBIES

In the past five years, gun violence in the United States has recorded an upward trend despite the call for imposing stricter gun control.

According to a recent report released by U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were 61 “active shooter incidents” in 2021, up by 52.5 percent from 2020 and by 96.8 percent from 2017.

Ismail attributed the increase in gun violence in the United States to the absence of proper laws to prevent common people from access to guns.

“The easy access to weapons, and the affordable prices of weapons enable even students to buy them and use them in wrong places,” said the lawyer.

Many people in the United States, she added, especially the gun lobby groups and gun manufacturers, consider the weapons as an economic resource, so they create barriers to gun-control laws in the Congress, arguing that they would impact the economy.

Similarly, Ismail Hakki Pekin, a Turkish security expert and retired lieutenant general, said no matter what the U.S. president says, the status quo of gun violence in the country can hardly be changed.

Powerful U.S. gun lobbies, he said, have been active in protecting their own interests through making “very large donations” in election campaigns.

The National Rifle Association (NRA), the largest organization of U.S. gun owners which claims to have about 5 million members, has been actively lobbying against passing any gun-control laws in the Congress through spending millions of dollars on political lobbying annually.

Worse still, both Republicans and Democrats, who need funds for campaigning to get the necessary votes, are wary of offending the gun lobbies led by the NRA. 

Published : June 08, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016413

In Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay, the lack of fish due to high levels of water pollution has driven fishermen to go from fishing to cleaning the ocean.

The project involves 25 fishermen’s families and is promoted by Ogyre, an Italian enterprise dedicated to cleaning oceans, and the Brazilian environmental organization BVRio Institute.

Circular economy expert at BVRio Pedro Mendes told Reuters that besides having an environmental impact, the project also helps local fishermen who have seen their trade affected by the polluted waters.

“Before it was wonderful. In your front door, you could catch plenty of shrimp and fish. Today, to catch fish you need to travel far. You need to buy gas for a boat like this and it’s expensive to come here,” 47-year-old Francinaldo Alves da Silva said.

“If you see the sea 50 years ago and the one that exists now, it’s horrible! Nowadays people aren’t conscious. They throw anything that doesn’t work in the sea. They think the sea is a dump. The sea is not a dump. The sea is how we all survive. The fish and turtles have freedom, without trash,” another fisherman Ayton Rodrigues Martins said.

Through the initiative, for two days of work, the fishermen are paid above the minimum wage.

This is the project’s second phase. It is expected to last 12 months during which organizers hope 100 tonnes of trash will be collected.

Published : June 08, 2022

By : Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016411

The Swedish government said on Tuesday that it will not inject new capital into loss-making airline SAS and does not aim to be a long-term shareholder in the company. The announcement, by Industry Minister, Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson, sent its shares down 14% to all-time lows.

SAS said last week a restructuring plan announced in February depended on it raising 9.5 billion Swedish crowns ($968 million) in cash and converting 20 billion crowns of debt to equity, warning of liquidity problems if it fell short. But no shareholders, including main owners Sweden and Denmark with 21.8% stakes each in the carrier, have committed to the plan.

Thorwaldsson said he would, however, propose to parliament that SAS be allowed to convert the debt it owes to the government into equity capital. Long-term, the government still wants to exit SAS altogether, he added, reiterating a years-long stance.

The airline said in a statement that Sweden’s decision to support the debt conversion was an important step for a transformation to succeed. CEO, Anko van der Werff said last week that to attract new investors, SAS must slash costs for leased planes that stand unused due to the closed Russian airspace and slow recovery in Asia.

Denmark’s finance ministry was not immediately able to comment. The Danish government has said before it sees itself as a long-term owner of the group.

Sweden has over recent decades injected 8.2 billion crowns ($834 million) into the airline, including via loans to rescue the company from collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic when global air travel drew to a near halt.

The carrier was already struggling before the pandemic in the face of growing competition from low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Norwegian Air and has sought deals with labour unions on cost cuts.

Published : June 08, 2022

By : Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016410

Spain voted on Tuesday in favour of a proposal to draw up legislation to abolish prostitution, cracking down further on pimping and introducing tougher penalties for men buying sex in a controversial initiative that has split the women’s rights movement.

Until now, prostitution has been tolerated in Spain, with many brothels operating as hotels or other lodging establishments, although sexual exploitation and pimping are illegal.

The move is part of a progressive drive by the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to extend women’s rights and would see sex workers treated as victims to be protected rather than criminalized as they would be under any outright ban on prostitution.

A total of 232 lawmakers voted for the proposal, 38 voted against it and 69 abstained. It now faces a lengthy process during which lawmakers can suggest amendments that can be approved or rejected.

At the end of the process, lawmakers must vote again and only then will the law be sent to the Senate.

The Socialists, who rule in a minority coalition with far-left junior partner Unidas Podemos, want to introduce longer jail sentences for pimping, removing the present requirement for police to demonstrate that an exploitative relationship exists with the sex worker.

The proposal would also punish anyone using premises for prostitution, and men buying sex, with aggravated sentences if the victim is a minor or classed as vulnerable.

The proposal has sparked intense debate in the local women’s rights movement.

Some organizations who work with trafficked and prostituted women, such as Medicos del Mundo, view it as a step in the right direction, while others like Antigona, a group of academics who are in favour of legalizing prostitution, say it risks driving undocumented migrants underground and leaving them more vulnerable to trafficking networks.

Natalia, a former sex worker now employed by the sex workers’ union Otras, said the current legislation “infantilises” women in the trade.

“Obviously this work has problems, and we need help to obtain rights, but not from the point of view of victimization.”

Trabe, which provides accommodation for victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation, said any new laws should grant social protections to prostitutes, while Medicos del Mundo said the Socialists had to refine their proposal or risk organizations which help women being accused of facilitating prostitution.

Published : June 08, 2022

By : Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016388

Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Phankham Viphavanh and his spouse paid an official visit to Thailand as guests of the Royal Thai Government during June 1-2. They were also granted an audience with Their Majesties the King and Queen at Amphorn Sathan Palace, and an audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at Sa Pathum Palace on June 2.

The Prime Minister of the Lao PDR had a meeting with Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha in the evening of June 1 at the Government House to discuss a broad range of issues covering all dimensions of Thai – Lao relations in an atmosphere of friendship and good neighborliness. They agreed to open a new chapter of relations by elevating the bilateral cooperation to a “Strategic Partnership for Growth and Sustainable Development.”

The topics discussed by both Prime Ministers are:

1. Economic cooperation
– The two PMs agreed to work closely to expeditiously revive the livelihoods of peoples and economic activities along the border areas that have been adversely affected by impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Prime Ministers were pleased that all international border points of entry between the two countries have reopened and agreed to further coordinate to resume the remaining temporary border points of entry at the earliest opportunity.

– Expeditiously revive tourism cooperation to create jobs and income for the peoples of both countries by working together to conclude an action plan to promote tourism linkages between the two countries, especially the tourism route between Luang Prabang Province of the Lao PDR and the Northern Provinces of Thailand. On this occasion, the Prime Minister of Thailand reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to support the Lao PDR on the construction of Xieng Man – Luang Prabang Bridge to promote tourism connectivity along this corridor.

– Further accelerate and expand transport connectivity, particularly the rail linkage between the two countries through the construction of a new railway bridge near the First Thai – Lao Friendship Bridge (Nong Khai – Vientiane) in order to realise the full potential of Laos – China Railway for the benefits of both countries. Moreover, both sides agreed to expedite key infrastructure projects and further harmonise relevant standards and regulations. These include the construction of the Fifth Thai – Lao Friendship Bridge (Buengkan – Bolikhamxay) and the Sixth Thai – Lao Friendship Bridge (Ubon Ratchathani – Salavan), improvement of Road Number 12 (R12) in the Lao PDR (Nakhon Phanom – Khammouane – Napao), and the commencement of the Common Control Area (CCA) at mutually agreed international points of entry to minimise cost and time for customs clearance at border crossings which will benefit the peoples of both countries.

– Promote the recruitment of Lao workers to work in Thailand only through legal channel based on the Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Cooperation between the two countries. For investment cooperation, the two sides agreed to promote a greater flow of investment with emphasis on projects which create local employment and are environmentally friendly.

– Strengthen cooperation on digital economy which is vital for national development in the modern economy. The Prime Minister of Thailand conveyed Thailand’s readiness to support the Lao PDR on the development of digital skills and capacity-building of human resources, as well as the improvement of international payment system.

2. Security cooperation
– Step up border patrol to prevent illegal border crossings and further strengthen cooperation in the prevention and suppression of drug trafficking. On this occasion, the Prime Minister of Thailand conveyed Thailand’s readiness to support the Lao PDR on further investigation of perpetrators, arrest cases and provision of modern equipment. They agreed to fully cooperate to tackle organised crimes such as “Call Centre Gangs” and human trafficking in order to prevent the peoples of both countries from falling victim to these criminal networks.

3. Cooperation at the people-to-people level
– The two PMs reiterated the importance of forging closer cooperation at the people-to-people level in order to lay a strong foundation for advancing bilateral relations in all aspects. Both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral development cooperation in public health, particularly between sister hospitals along the Thai – Lao border, as well as cooperation in agriculture and human resources development. On this occasion, the Thai PM announced that the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand is ready to provide over 700 scholarships to young people from the Lao PDR to pursue higher education in Thailand. Both sides also agreed to forge closer cooperation between the mass media of both countries to help promote better and deeper understanding at the people-to-people level.

4. Sub-regional and regional cooperation
– Both leaders agreed that both countries should closely coordinate and enhance cooperation at both sub-regional and regional levels in order to address present and future challenges. The Prime Minister of Thailand reaffirmed Thailand’s full support for the Lao PDR as the host of the 10th ACMECS Summit this year and ASEAN Chair in 2024.

After the meeting, the Thai PM handed over to the PM of the Lao PDR the support of the Royal Thai Government on the establishment of Thai – Lao Friendship Centre for Social Development in Xaythany District of the Vientiane Capital, which is aimed at providing a one stop service and support for victims of human trafficking. The two Prime Ministers also witnessed the signing of “the Five-Year Action Plan on Thai – Lao Strategic Partnership for Growth and Sustainable Development (2022 – 2026) and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Lao PDR on Thai – Lao Arboretum Project, as well as the exchange of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Lao PDR regarding Cooperation on the Development of Electrical Energy in the Lao PDR 2022.

Both PMs then held a joint press conference on the outcomes of their discussion (remarks by the PM of Thailand as attached) and attended a dinner hosted by the PM of Thailand in honour of the PM of the Lao PDR and his delegation.

During this visit, an honorary doctorate degree in political science was presented to the PM of the Lao PDR by Maejo University in recognition of his outstanding role in laying a strong educational foundation for the Lao PDR. The PM of the Lao PDR also gave a keynote speech at the Thai – Lao Business Talk and Networking event, which was organised in conjunction with this official visit and was attended by a large number of members of the private sector from both countries to network with each other and discuss investment opportunities in the Lao PDR and transport connectivity at the regional level.
 

Published : June 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016383

President Joe Biden waived tariffs on solar panels from four Southeast Asian nations for two years and invoked the Defence Production Act to spur solar panel manufacturing at home, the White House said on Monday.

The tariff exemption applies to panels from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam and will serve as a “bridge” while U.S. manufacturing ramps up, the White House said.

Shares in U.S. solar companies including SunPower Corp, Enphase Energy Inc and Sunrun Inc climbed after Reuters earlier reported that Biden would issue a proclamation that ensured panels accounting for some 80 per cent of U.S. imports would not face tariffs, which could have been levied retroactively as part of a Commerce Department probe.

The move comes in response to concerns about the freezing of solar projects nationwide and the resulting impact on the administration’s plans to fight climate change. The investigation, announced in March, is considering whether solar panel imports from the four countries were circumventing tariffs on goods made in China.

The probe had prompted the largest solar trade group to cut its installation forecasts for this year and next by 46% as developers including NextEra Energy Inc, and Southern Co warned of major project delays.

The White House said the Defence Production Act would also be used to expand the manufacturing of building insulation, heat pumps, transformers, and equipment for “clean electricity-generated fuels” such as electrolyzers and fuel cells.

“With a stronger clean energy arsenal, the United States can be an even stronger partner to our allies, especially in the face of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war in Ukraine,” the White House said in a statement.

Manufacturing makes up a small portion of the U.S. solar industry, with most of the jobs concentrated in project development, installation, and construction. Proposed legislation that would encourage domestic solar manufacturing is currently stalled in Congress.

The Commerce Department investigation – kicked off in response to a complaint from a small solar panel provider, Auxin – essentially halted the flow of solar panels that make up more than half of U.S. supplies and 80 per cent of imports.

Top U.S. panel manufacturer First Solar said the administration’s move “undermines American solar manufacturing.” Its shares were down more than 2% in mid-day trade on the Nasdaq.

Published : June 07, 2022

By : Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40016377

A U.S. court on Monday issued warrants for the seizure of two luxury planes owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich under U.S. measures imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, court records showed.

But the U.S. government’s likelihood of gaining control of the aircraft worth nearly $400 million was uncertain.

A Department of Justice official said the $350 million Boeing 787 Dreamliner and $60 million Gulfstream G650 ER were not in U.S. custody, and the official declined to say if the U.S. government knows their locations.

A federal judge in Manhattan issued the warrants on the grounds that recent flights violated U.S. export controls imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. The U.S. Department of Commerce filed related administrative charges against Abramovich.

But the official said the warrants are likely to dissuade companies from helping to move the aircraft. U.S. authorities are seeking to pressure business leaders close to Russian President Vladimir Putin to get him to halt what Kremlin calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

A spokesperson for Abramovich did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Abramovich has denied having close ties to Putin.

The Commerce Department said that the Gulfstream flew from Istanbul to Moscow on March 12, left the following day for Tel Aviv and flew from Istanbul to Moscow again on March 15. The Boeing flew from Dubai to Moscow on March 4, the department said.

Because the planes were U.S.-made, and the flights took place after export restrictions went into effect, Abramovich, a Russian national, would have needed a license from Commerce to fly them to Russia. No licenses were requested, but an administration official told reporters the department’s policy is to deny such requests.

The department may seek to fine Abramovich up to $328,121 per unlicensed flight, or nearly $1 million for the three flights, among other penalties.

“Russian oligarchs such as Abramovich will not be permitted to violate U.S. export regulations without consequence,” Commerce official John Sonderman said in a statement.

Commerce in March moved to effectively ground Abramovich’s Gulfstream, along with 99 other planes it said had recently travelled to Russia, for allegedly violating export controls.

Abramovich owns both planes through a series of shell companies registered in Cyprus, Jersey and the British Virgin Islands, prosecutors said. In February he reorganized the ownership structure to make his children the beneficiaries of a trust that ultimately owns both planes.

But he continued effectively to own and control the planes when they flew to Moscow the next month, according to the Commerce Department.

Abramovich, who helped mediate talks between Moscow and Kyiv during the early days of the war, has not personally been sanctioned by the United States. He has been sanctioned by the European Union and Britain.

Published : June 07, 2022

By : Reuters