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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012887

Monday’s border reopening is the first stage of New Zealand’s five-step reconnecting plan, which allows fully vaccinated Kiwis and other current eligible travellers from Australia to enter the country without the need for managed isolation.

New Zealand officially opened its borders on Monday, lifting the COVID-19 border restrictions after two years.

Monday’s border reopening was the first stage of New Zealand’s five-step reconnecting plan, which allowed fully vaccinated Kiwis and other current eligible travellers from Australia to enter the country without the need for managed isolation.

According to Auckland International Airport, four Air New Zealand flights and one Qantas flight arrived from Australia’s Melbourne, Sydney and Perth on Monday, with more than 900 passengers arriving.

More than 300 flights will be available between New Zealand and major Australian cities in March alone, said an Auckland airport spokesperson.

The airport’s arrival terminal was full of tears and hugs. Families who have not seen each other for over two years reunited on Monday.

People arrive at International Arrivals of Auckland Airport, New Zealand on Feb. 28, 2022. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)

John Davis, a New Zealander returning from Australia, told local media that all he wants to do was to spend time with his family, including his granddaughter who was three years older than last time he saw her.

Under New Zealand’s requirements, all passengers are required to have a negative pre-departure test, and undertake two rapid antigen tests on arrival and at day 5/6.

People hug upon their reunion at International Arrivals of Auckland Airport, New Zealand on Feb. 28, 2022. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)

Meanwhile, the government is removing the self-isolation requirements for vaccinated travelers to New Zealand and Kiwis returning from the rest of the world from Thursday.

“That means all Kiwis coming home and tourists entering the country will be able to step off the plane and immediately connect with family and friends and enjoy all New Zealand has to offer,” said COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

Travelers will still be required to be tested. If anyone returns a positive result, they will be required to report it and isolate for the same period of 10 days as a community case, Hipkins said.

People hug upon their reunion at International Arrivals of Auckland Airport, New Zealand on Feb. 28, 2022. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)

Published : March 01, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012880

The removal of Russia from the SWIFT international transaction system will have only a limited economic impact on Moscow, an economist said on Monday.

Assoc Prof Dr Anusorn Tamajai, a former board member of the Bank of Thailand and former dean of Rangsit University’s Faculty of Economics, said the economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union and United Kingdom could not do much against Russia.

Russia was removed from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) on Saturday.

Russia’s banking system is not completely cut off from SWIFT and Moscow could also turn to cryptocurrency to minimise the impact, Anusorn said.

The measure could have hurt Russia because up to 40 per cent of its revenue comes from sale of oil and gas, which accounted for 60 per cent of its export value, Anusorn said.

But due to a request by Germany, the boycott was carried out in a “targeted cut-off” manner, Anusorn said.

He said Germany feared that completely cutting Russia off from SWIFT would affect German energy firms and the financial institutions of both Germany and US by being unable to communicate with financial institutions in Russia.

He said the SWIFT system links over 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries. When Russia is unable to carry out transactions via SWIFT, its exports would be disrupted and its gross domestic product would contract by at least 5 per cent in a year. The estimated damage could be around US$85 billion, or Bt2.72 trillion, he said.

“So, the SWIFT measure is unlikely to have much political and military impact on the government of President Vladimir Putin. And Russia may turn to use China’s Cross-Border Inter-Bank Payment System or cryptocurrency, although these solutions cannot substitute the use of SWIFT,” Anusorn added.

He pointed out that Russia was not the first nation to be removed from SWIFT in a boycott. Iran was once blocked from using SWIFT and its foreign trade value disappeared by 30 per cent. Two or three years later, Iran succumbed to the pressure and agreed to enter into negotiations with western nations on its nuclear programme.

Anusorn said western nations have also blocked Russia from accessing technologies and their financial markets and had also seized the assets of Russian leaders who are close to Putin. They have also banned exports of certain goods to Russia. Anusorn said these measures would have more impact on Putin than the SWIFT measure.

“I see cryptocurrency playing a bigger role for transactions and for payments between countries in the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Anusorn said.

He said cryptocurrency cannot be controlled by a central government, so it can be used to cope with the economic boycott, and cryptocurrency can also be used to rally financial support for the Ukraine army.

However, he said, the use cryptocurrency created the risk of a bubble that could burst anytime, and the demand for cryptocurrencies in Russia and Ukraine would not shore up the falling prices of the digital currencies.

During this time of war, he said people in Ukraine were also turning to use Stablecoin type of cryptocurrencies, which are pegged to the US dollar, instead of carrying cash.

Anusorn said Thailand and financial institutions should be careful not to be used as a hub for Russia to circumvent the economic boycott measures.

He pointed out that damage from penalties would not be worth the financial returns from allowing Putin to use Thailand to circumvent the economic boycott measures.

Key points on SWIFT:

 SWIFT stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. The system was invented to replace telex in 1973. Its head office is in Belgium.

 SWIFT’s responsibility is to be the median for international transactions among over 11,000 financial institutions that use SWIFT payment system. The system covers 200 countries.

SWIFT works as a median for transferring and receiving international transaction information. It facilitates transactions no matter where the banks are located.

SWIFT is supervised and controlled by the Central Bank of Belgium and representatives from the US central bank, the UK central bank, the EU central bank, the Japanese central bank and central banks of other economic superpowers.

SWIFT operates only as a link, without having a deposit system or financial reserves. So it works differently from other banks.

 In 2021 alone, there were 42 million transactions made via SWIFT each day, including purchase orders, payment confirmations, and currency exchange.

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012856

The office of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced its envoy will meet with Russian diplomats in a bid to halt Moscow’s deadly assault on the country. The announcement said the move came after Zelenskyy talked with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Russia.

The negotiations will be held on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which was seized by Russian forces last week.

However, Zelenskyy later expressed scepticism over the talks in a video address.

“I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try,” Zelensky said. “No citizen of Ukraine should have any doubt that I, as president, did not try to stop the war, when there was even a small chance.”

Previously, Ukraine had declined Russia’s invitation for talks in Belarus, citing that country’s status as a launch pad for the Russian invasion.

Belarus on Monday renounced its non-nuclear status, signalling its willingness to host Russian nuclear weapons and troops permanently.

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First batch 236 Thai evacuees to arrive from Ukraine on Tuesday

Russian President Vladimir Putin placed his nuclear forces on alert on Sunday.

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012836

Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, “will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally,” said the statement.

The White House announced Saturday that the United States, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions.

This is a major move to escalate the West’s economic sanctions against Moscow for its ongoing military operations in Ukraine.

The White House said in a joint statement that in concert with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Canada, the United States is supporting the expulsion of “selected Russian banks” from SWIFT “within the coming days,” so as to “further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies.”

Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, “will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally,” said the statement.

Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2022 shows the sign of Sovcombank in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)

In addition, restrictive measures will be imposed to “prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves” in ways that undermine the impact of the Western sanctions, said the statement.

Measures will also be taken to limit the sale of the so-called “golden passports” to prevent “wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government” from becoming citizens of the aforementioned countries and to ensure that those individuals are unable to “gain access to our financial systems.”

The leaders of those countries also vowed to launch in this coming week a joint task force to enforce the implementation of the financial sanctions.

The joint statement also called on other governments to “detect and disrupt” the flow of those Russian elites’ gains and deny their ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012835

“The secretary-general conveyed to the president the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine,” according to a readout.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promised on Saturday to provide more humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“The secretary-general conveyed to the president the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine,” according to a readout about the secretary-general’s call with Zelensky.

The UN chief informed Zelensky that the world body “would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund UN’s humanitarian operations in Ukraine.”

In an email, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, told reporters that because of the escalating situation in Ukraine, Guterres will not travel to Geneva as planned. Instead, “he will send a video message to Monday’s meeting of the Human Rights Council,” he added.  

Published : February 27, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012834

On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone talk with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO’s eastward expansion, Russia’s legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, during which they exchanged views on the current situation in Ukraine.

Wang said that China pays close attention to the development of the situation in Ukraine, and supports all efforts that are conducive to de-escalating the situation and achieving a political settlement.

On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, he noted, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO’s eastward expansion, Russia’s legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.

Noting the Cold War has already ended, the senior Chinese official said it is necessary for NATO to reconsider its position and responsibilities, adding that the Chinese side believes the Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be completely abandoned. China supports NATO, the European Union and Russia to resume dialogue and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism so as to achieve lasting peace and stability on the European continent, he said.

People from Ukraine rest at a temporary resettlement site in Przemysl, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

Wang also noted that China does not approve of solving problems by sanctions, and even more strongly opposes unilateral sanctions not based on international law. Practice has already proved that rather than solving problems, sanctions can create new ones, he said, adding that sanctions will not only lead to a “lose-lose” situation or “multiple losses” in economy, but also disturb the process of a political settlement.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has always faithfully fulfilled its obligation of safeguarding world peace and stability, Wang noted, adding China believes that if the Security Council is to take action, it should facilitate a political settlement of the current crisis rather than instigate new rivalries and confrontations.

In view of this, Wang said, China has prevented the Security Council from citing expressions that involve the authorization of the use of force and sanctions, when discussing draft resolutions on the Ukrainian issue.

China will continue to play a constructive role in seeking and realizing peace, Wang said.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : Xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012833

The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Sunday.

Atotal of 471 Ukrainian servicemen have been detained and will be sent to their families after paperwork, he added.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : Xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012832

Asean foreign ministers in a joint statement on Saturday urged Russia and Ukraine to exercise restraint, make an effort to pursue dialogue and de-escalate tensions by seeking a peaceful resolution.

The ministers said this suggestion was in line with international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, adding that they were deeply concerned about the evolving situation and armed hostilities in Ukraine.

“We believe there is still room for peaceful dialogue to prevent the situation from getting out of control,” the statement said. “For peace, security and harmonious co-existence to prevail, it is the responsibility of all parties to uphold the principles of mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equal rights of all nations.”

Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, its neighbour to the southwest, on February 24, marking a dramatic escalation of conflicts that began in 2014. This is the largest conventional military attack on European soil since World War II.

The invasion was preceded by a Russian military build-up that started in early 2021, during which President Vladimir Putin criticised the post-1997 enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as a threat to his country’s security and demanded that Ukraine be legally prohibited from joining the military alliance.

Despite the military build-up since November last year, Russia repeatedly denied it was planning to invade Ukraine until February 20.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012828

Some of the NATO allies including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany on Saturday announced a series of decisions to provide weaponry and financial supports to Ukraine amid the ongoing “special military operation” launched by Russia.

On Saturday evening, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on phone, in which Johnson updated Zelensky on the progress of the British government’s assistance to Ukraine.

Both sides agreed to welcome the increased willingness to take action to exclude Russia from the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) payment system.

The two also expressed their concerns over Belarus’s role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

According to the British Ministry of Defence on Saturday, a new batch of British military forces, including naval ships, army units and air force fighter jets, have arrived in East Europe to reinforce NATO’s eastern front.

Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace said the deployments, along with NATO allies, would constitute a “deterrent” against the Russian military action.

On Friday evening, Wallace held an online donor meeting with officials from more than 25 other countries, including the United States, Canada and some countries outside NATO, to coordinate military aid to Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Saturday that the United States is offering 350 million U.S. dollars’ worth of “lethal defensive” weapons to Ukraine to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.

Blinken said in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized him to decide on such a move. As such, he has authorized the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help Ukraine cope with “the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing.”

The secretary of state said the latest sum was on top of the 60-million-dollar and 200-million-dollar immediate military aid to Ukraine that Biden delegated to him last year, bringing total U.S. security support to Ukraine over the past year to more than 1 billion U.S. dollars.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on social media on Saturday that Germany would provide Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” class surface-to-air missiles. He said Germany “has a responsibility to support Ukraine as much as it can against Russian forces”.

German government Spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said the weapons would be delivered as soon as possible to support the Ukrainian army.

The move marks a significant change of course for Germany, which had previously maintained a policy of not sending arms to conflict zones and refused to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine.

Germany had previously provided Ukraine with only about 5,000 military helmets and a field hospital, a move that was derided by German allies.

The German Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that Germany has approved the delivery of 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers from The Netherlands to Ukraine, and the approval has been confirmed by the Chancellery. The rocket-propelled grenades came from the stockpiles of the German military.

Reuters

Published : February 27, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012811

Russia resumed its military operation after Ukrainian authorities had refused negotiations with Moscow. The Russian Ministry of Defence said on February 26.

In a video released by the ministry, spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the resumption of military action came after Ukrainian authorities had refused negotiations with Moscow.

The Russian defence ministry said troops of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics with fire support of the Russian military advanced to a depth of up to 46 kilometres, having captured the settlements of Shchastia, Muratovo, Starognatovka, Oktyabrskaya, and Pavlopol.

Konashenkov accused authorities in Kyiv of deploying rocket and artillery units in residential areas in cities across the country and appealed to the Ukrainian citizens to demand the immediate removal of all heavy weaponry from their homes.

“In the evening of February 25, in the course of the evacuation of the 82 Ukrainian servicemen from Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, who had voluntarily laid down their arms, 16 boats of the Ukrainian Navy, using “swarm tactics”, tried to attack the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. I’d like to emphasize that some of the attacking Ukrainian boats operated under the cover of civilian vessels. The purpose of this attack was primarily to retaliate against the Ukrainian servicemen who had laid down arms and to accuse the Russian army of killing prisoners of war.

As a result of the naval battle, six boats of the Ukrainian Navy were destroyed. None of the 82 Ukrainian servicemen from Snake Island was injured. I want to pay special attention that during the attack of the Ukrainian boats, U.S. strategic unmanned aerial vehicles were flying above the frame-up area.” Konashenkov said.

Published : February 27, 2022