Connect with us

Diplomacy

Schiller Institute: 85 prominent figures back peace letter to Pope Leo XIV

Published

on

The Schiller Institute announced on May, 22 the names of 85 prominent international figures who have endorsed its Open Letter to Pope Leo XIV, a move intended to stimulate wider distribution of the letter and attract additional signatories. These individuals are part of a larger group of over 600 current supporters. The Institute underscored the critical nature of this initiative, particularly “in light of the unimaginable civilian death toll and suffering in Gaza as the Israeli government’s policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing intensifies, and other conflicts, such as that in Ukraine, which continue to menace humanity with the specter of nuclear war,” an Institute representative stated. The letter has been translated into Spanish, French, German, Swedish, Arabic, and Portuguese.

The Schiller Institute letter conveys a warm welcome to the new Pontiff. “We the undersigned, wholeheartedly welcome your Holiness to your Pontificate in these present extremely turbulent times, and we appreciate the fact that your first words were ‘Peace be with all of you,'” the letter states.

‘Not only are regional conflicts raging… but several… have the potential of escalating to nuclear Armageddon’

The letter highlights the severe global situation, noting, “Not only are regional conflicts raging in many parts of the world, but several of those conflicts have the potential of escalating to nuclear Armageddon, which could end civilization, and would thus be the ultimate sin against God’s creation.”

‘You have offered to facilitate peace talks among countries at war’

The signatories acknowledge the Pope’s readiness to mediate. “You have offered to facilitate peace talks among countries at war, continuing the mandate of Pope Francis, who had made peace an urgent demand in his last Urbi et Orbi message, and continuously denounced the arms trade, as well as those who profit from war,” the letter continues.

‘We wish to communicate… our commitment to try everything in our power… to establish a true peace order’

A strong commitment to peace is expressed by the endorsers. “We wish to communicate to your Holiness our commitment to try everything in our power, to reach out to all Christians, as well as believers of other religions and world outlooks, to unify in an effort to establish a true peace order in the world, one which eliminates the real causes for war by taking into account the valid security interests of all parties,” they affirmed.

‘Given the horrendous, satanic genocide going on in Gaza… we also appeal to you to speak out’

The letter makes a direct plea concerning the conflict in Gaza. “But, given the horrendous, satanic genocide going on in Gaza, and the unforgivable silence and inaction on the side of the governments in face of it, we also appeal to you to speak out on this ongoing genocide. We need a moral authority to condemn this genocide. Without that, we will lose any moral compass whatsoever,” the letter urgently requests.

‘We also fully support your rejection of the ‘Manichaean notions’ that divide people into ‘good and evil”

The letter also voices support for the Pope’s philosophical views. “We also fully support your rejection of the ‘Manichaean notions’ that divide people into ‘good and evil,’ because such notions deny people the chance to overcome evil through development. But that requires the mobilization of our free will, and it does not mean an automatic acquittal of those who decide to be the instrument of evil,” it explains.

Concluding on a constructive note, the letter states, “We support the idea that ‘the new name for peace is development!'”

The five initiating signatories of the open letter are:

—  Helga Zepp-LaRouche (Germany), Founder of the Schiller Institute and co-initiator of the International Peace Coalition (IPC)

— Ray McGovern (US), Former CIA analyst, co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS

— Liliana Gorini (Italy), Chairwoman, Movimento Solidarietà (Movisol)

— Anastasia Battle, (US), Co-initiator of the International Peace Coalition (IPC)

— Jacques Cheminade (France), former French presidential candidate, President of Solidarité et Progrès

Diplomacy

Armenia signals potential complete withdrawal from CSTO

Published

on

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan announced that Yerevan might decide to withdraw entirely from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) if member states fail to “demonstrate a clear political stance” regarding Azerbaijan’s actions. Kostanyan emphasized that Armenia is no longer making insinuations but is speaking very openly.

According to the Novosti-Armenia news agency, Kostanyan stated, “Ultimately, if our partners in the CSTO, including the Russian Federation, do not make the political statements that were mentioned several years ago after the aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, then Armenia will make a final decision.”

The Deputy Minister also underscored that Armenia, as a sovereign state, will determine the right time for its next steps.

Membership was frozen

Relations between Armenia, Russia, and the CSTO deteriorated following the conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, after which Yerevan formally requested support from its allies.

Following this process, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly criticized the CSTO for not assisting Yerevan.

Pashinyan described the organization as a “bubble alliance,” claiming it was “planning a war” against Armenia alongside Baku.

Last February, Prime Minister Pashinyan announced that Armenia had frozen its participation in the CSTO. By May, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the country would refuse to finance the organization’s activities.

Intelligence report points in the same direction

In January of this year, a public report released by the Armenian Foreign Intelligence Service stated that the country has no intention of returning to full participation in the CSTO in the near future.

The report noted, “We find it highly unlikely that the reasons that led to Armenia suspending its membership will change in 2025. Based on this situation, the organization’s prestige continues to be seriously questioned and has become a ’cause for reflection’ for other member countries.”

Continue Reading

Diplomacy

BRICS internal trade volume hits the $1 trillion mark

Published

on

Kirill Dmitriev, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), announced that the internal trade volume among BRICS countries has reached $1 trillion.

In a statement on his Telegram channel, Dmitriev noted that surpassing this significant milestone confirms the strengthening of economic ties between member states and the bloc’s growing role in shaping the new global economic architecture.

He also emphasized that Russia continues to strengthen trade relations, particularly through the BRICS Business Council, in line with the directives of President Vladimir Putin.

BRICS’ share will continue to grow, Putin says

During a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin recalled that at the beginning of the 21st century, BRICS countries accounted for only one-fifth of the global economy, whereas today this figure has reached 40%.

The Russian leader stated that this share will continue to grow, describing it as a “medical fact.” According to Putin, this growth will primarily be driven by the countries of the Global South.

In April, Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, also said that the BRICS countries, operating on principles of consensus, have become a key force in the world economy.

BRICS expansion agenda

Initially composed of five countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—BRICS expanded in 2024 with the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

In January of this year, Indonesia became the bloc’s tenth full member.

Continue Reading

Diplomacy

Xi Jinping to miss BRICS summit in Rio for the first time

Published

on

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro next week.

According to multiple sources cited by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday, this marks the first time Xi will miss the gathering of leaders from major emerging economies.

Officials familiar with the matter stated that Beijing informed the Brazilian government of a scheduling conflict. Premier Li Qiang is expected to lead the Chinese delegation in Xi’s place, a similar arrangement to the 2023 G20 summit in India.

Chinese officials involved in the preparations suggested Xi’s absence is due to his two meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva within the past year. The first occurred during the G20 summit and a state visit to Brasília last November, while the second took place at the China-CELAC forum in Beijing this May.

Xi has never before missed a BRICS summit. In 2023, he was scheduled to deliver a speech at the meeting in South Africa but, at the last minute, sent Commerce Minister Wang Wentao instead. Beijing provided no official explanation for the change.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi participated in BRICS meetings virtually, with Russia hosting in 2020 and China in 2021.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry told the Post it “would not comment on the internal deliberations of foreign delegations.” The Chinese embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, “information regarding participation in the summit will be shared at the appropriate time.” Guo added that China supports Brazil’s BRICS presidency and aims to “promote deeper cooperation” among member nations. “In a volatile and turbulent world, the BRICS countries are maintaining their strategic resolve and working together for global peace, stability, and development,” he said.

In Brasília, officials have not concealed their disappointment regarding Xi’s absence. A source informed the Post that Lula had traveled to Beijing in May as a “show of goodwill” and had hoped “the Chinese president would reciprocate the gesture by attending the Rio summit.”

There was also speculation that Lula’s invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state dinner after the BRICS summit may have influenced Beijing’s decision, as Xi might have been “perceived as a supporting actor” at the event.

Lula’s special adviser for international relations, Celso Amorim, met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, where he clearly expressed Brazil’s desire to host Xi. “I told them, ‘BRICS without China is not BRICS,'” Amorim stated, recalling that then-President Hu Jintao attended the first BRICS summit in Brazil despite a major earthquake in China at the time. “He only stayed for one day, but he came.”

Amorim emphasized the particular importance of Xi’s attendance in the current global context, citing the “US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization” as a “violation of international rules.”

Premier Li is expected to arrive in Brazil next weekend for the summit, which is scheduled for July 6 and 7 in Rio.

Continue Reading

MOST READ

Turkey