Diplomatic Briefing
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Newsline: France, Britain, Australia and Canada expel Syrian diplomats
France, Britain, Australia and Canada are expelling senior Syrian diplomats, officials said Tuesday, increasing pressure on Damascus after a massacre in which the United Nations says families were shot at close range in their homes. French President Francois Hollande told reporters Tuesday that Ambassador Lamia Shakkour will be notified “today or tomorrow” that she must leave. British officials said Tuesday that the U.K. is expelling three Syrian diplomats in protest at the killings, among them Charge d’Affaires Ghassan Dalla, the country’s top ranking diplomat in London. In Canada, Foreign Minister John Baird said in a statement that the Syrian diplomats and their families have five days to leave Canada. Another Syrian diplomat expected in Canada will be refused entry. In Canberra, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Charge d’Affaires Jawdat Ali, the most senior Syrian diplomat in Australia, is to be expelled along with another diplomat from the Syrian Embassy. He said they were told to leave the country within 72 hours, in response to the massacre in Houla. In Vienna, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikolaus Lutterotti said the Syrian ambassador is being summoned to the ministry where officials will deliver a very hard protest about the massacre. When asked if the expulsions were EU-wide, Lutterotti said this had not yet been decided. He said the ambassador to Austria would not be expelled as he holds an additional function as the representative to the UN organizations in Vienna. The Syrian ambassador to Britain left the country in March. The United States and Britain have closed their embassies in Syria.
http://wcfcourier.com/news/world/europe/european-nations-australia-expel-syrian-diplomats/article_6ef36bb4-22de-50bb-8aa7-5db147aeaf00.html
Consular affairs: Iranian-Canadians cry foul at protest over visa rules
Immigration minister Jason Kenney has promised a town hall meeting in Richmond Hill this summer to discuss concerns among Iranian-Canadians over the closure of the embassy’s visa section in Tehran. Iranian-Canadians say the recent closure is hurting their families and not the intended target, the Iranian regime. Mr. Kenney was taking part in a Conservative party dinner with Richmond Hill MP Costas Menagakis while members of the Iranian community quietly demonstrated outside, waving flags and placards reading “Closure of the visa section is hurting 120,000 Iranian-Canadians” and “Punish the government, not the people of Iran”. The ex-pats are unhappy with the decision announced last month to close the visa section at Canada’s embassy in the Iranian capital and transfer services to the Canadian embassy in Ankara, Turkey. The move affects the processing of temporary resident applications. Permanent resident services were transferred to Ankara several months ago. Demonstrators said the decision, made without consulting the community, puts undue pressure on Canadian-Iranian families who look to Canada as a safe haven.
http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/1362196–iranian-canadians-cry-foul-at-protest-over-visa-rules
Newsline: Cleanup of Canadian embassies, official residences pose $7.7-billion toxic problem
Canada’s multibillion-dollar environmental liability for cleaning up polluted federal property stretches overseas, where nearly 130 international sites around the world – such as embassies and official residences – are on contaminated lands. The nearly 130 foreign locations are part of the more than 22,000 federal contaminated sites, highlighted in a new report this week by Canada’s environment commissioner, that will cost the government at least $7.7 billion to clean up. Canadian embassies, high commissions, official residences and other federal lands in countries such as the United Kingdom, Brazil, the United States, Sudan, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Egypt, Finland, Jordan, Mexico and Syria are listed on the federal government’s inventory of contaminated sites. While the cases of dozens of foreign sites are now considered closed (no further action is deemed required, but they’re not necessarily remediated), they are still listed as contaminated and remain on the federal inventory. Dozens more remain active and are in various stages of testing or remediation, although it’s uncertain how much they’ll cost the federal government to clean up. For example, the Canadian Embassy in Brazil, located in the capital of Brasilia, is listed as an active contaminated site that is currently in step three – an initial testing program – of a 10-stage process for identifying and cleaning up contaminated sites. Soil at the embassy site is contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, which could also affect groundwater, according to the federal inventory. An initial review of the site has been completed and additional “detailed testing (is) underway,” explains a summary report. A suspected contaminated site on the list is the Canadian High Commission to the United Kingdom (Macdonald House), located in trendy Grosvenor Square in the heart of London, where one tonne of contaminants are located, says the registry. Initial testing is underway. Canada House, another part of the Canadian High Commission located in Trafalgar Square, has five tonnes of contaminated material, although no further action is required. More than 60 of the contaminated sites that the federal government is responsible for are located in the United States, with the United Kingdom next at 15 and Mexico at 11. The U.S. sites include official residences and staff quarters in Washington, San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Denver, Miami and Seattle – although the diplomatic residences had historical reviews completed (step two of the process), and it was deemed no further action was required. A number of the other American locations where more detailed reviews are being completed, or cleanup has already been conducted, are along Canada-U.S. land and water boundaries. Heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons are present in many of the contaminated U.S. sites.
http://www.canada.com/Cleanup+Canadian+embassies+official+residences+pose+billion+toxic+problem/6608987/story.html
Newsline: Canada’s ambassador to Libya cleared of ethics charges
Canada’s former ambassador to Libya acted in an “ethical and transparent manner” during her posting in that country, according to a government report that probed her husband’s links to SNC-Lavalin. The internal review, by the Department of Foreign Affairs, clears Sandra McCardell of conflict of interest after her husband, Edis Zagorac, took a job with the engineering firm when it was doing business in the north African country before the fall of Moammar Gadhafi. McCardell has left her post and is awaiting a new deployment. “The main conclusion – is that Ms. McCardell acted overall in an ethical and transparent manner with regard to her spouse’s employment,” the report said.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Ambassador+cleared+ethics+charges/6406872/story.html
Newsline: Canadian Embassy in Mali closes following coup
Canada has closed its embassy in Mali, following a military coup that has plunged the West African country into chaos and violence. “The embassy in Bamako will be closed until further notice,” Foreign Affairs announced on Twitter. The department is warning Canadians in Mali – especially those in the capital Bamako – to hunker down and stay safe. “Those located in the Bamako affected neighbourhoods are advised to remain where they are,” the department tweeted. “Canadians in Bamako are advised to minimize their movements and stay away from the airport until further notice.” Barricades of burning tires have been lit in the streets of the capital, and gunfire was heard as soldiers raced through the streets in trucks, according to the BBC. Injuries have been reported. The Department of Foreign Affairs is urging Canadians in Mali to avoid all travel to Bamako, and to contact the embassy or consular services in Ottawa. “Canadians in Mali who are not yet registered with our embassy in Bamako should do so now,” the department said via Twitter. “Canadians in Mali requiring emergency assistance – contact us at 613-944-2471 or sosinternational.gc.ca.”
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canadian+Embassy+Mali+closes+following+coup/6345736/story.html
Consular affairs: Australians in Syria lose Canadian consular help
Canada has closed its embassy in Syria, leaving Australians in the strife-torn country with nowhere to get consular help if they need it. Canada on Tuesday announced it had closed its mission in the capital Damascus and withdrawn its diplomats due to the worsening security situation. Under a diplomatic agreement, Canada provides consular help to Australians in many places where Australia does not have its own posts – including Syria. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is now advising Australians who need help to contact our embassy in Cairo, about 600km away. There are 126 Australians registered as being in Syria, but DFAT believes the real number is likely to be significantly higher. DFAT is telling those Australians to get out of the country if they can. “If you are in Syria you should depart immediately by commercial means while it is still possible to do so,” the department says in its latest travel advice. The department warns the security situation in Syria is likely to deteriorate further.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8430509/australians-in-syria-lose-canadian-help
Newsline: Canada closing embassy in Syria
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced Monday that Canada will close its embassy in Syria because of the ongoing violence there. Baird shared the news following a meeting with with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, foreign affairs minister for the United Arab Emirates. He also announced further sanctions against Syria on Monday. “The continuing, appalling violence perpetrated by the Assad regime on the people of Syria compels us to again tighten the vice on those responsible,” he said in a statement. Baird visited the U.A.E., where an estimated 27,000 Canadians live and work, in November, 2011. Abdullah is in Canada on an official visit. Relations between the two countries stumbled in 2010 in a dispute over expanding landing rights in Canada for airlines from the country.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/05/pol-baird-foreign.html
Newsline: Iceland’s interest in Canadian dollar causes diplomatic embarrassment
The dream of some Icelanders of adopting the Canadian dollar as the country’s official currency turned into a diplomatic headache in Ottawa. The problem began when Canada’s ambassador to Iceland, Alan Bones, gave a radio interview saying Canada would be open to the idea of sharing its currency with its northern neighbour. “We’re certainly open to discussing the issue if Iceland makes that request,” Bones said in the interview with Iceland’s national broadcaster. “What we know about the nature of the final agreement depends very much on the expectations of both countries. But in a straightforward unilateral adopt of the Canadian dollar by Iceland where it’s clear there’s no input into monetary policy then we’d be certainly open to discussing the issue.” Bones comments came in advance of a speech he was to deliver Saturday at a currency conference in Iceland. But after his remarks hit the headlines, Ottawa said Bones would “not be participating in the Icelandic conference tomorrow on currency matters, and will not be speaking on the issue.” Ottawa also said it doesn’t comment publicly on other countries’ currencies. “This is an issue for the Icelandic government and people,” foreign affairs spokesperson Ian Trites said in a statement released late Friday. Part of the problem is the government of Iceland hasn’t made an official request. Instead, the currency issue is the subject of a developing political battle within Iceland. For the moment, it’s a group of Icelandic business leaders and opposition parties who are pushing the idea, with what they say is strong support from Icelanders themselves. “It’s quite popular with Icelanders,” said David Gunnlaugsson, chairman of the opposition Progressive Party, noting a recent poll found 70 per cent support for the idea of adopting the loonie. The Icelandic krona is worth less than one Canadian cent at current exchange rates. Nearly as many Icelanders live in Canada as live in Iceland, due to a massive exodus in the early 1900s to escape volcanic eruptions, he said. It’s no secret Iceland has been desperate to replace its wobbly krona with a more stable currency after the global financial crisis in 2008 decimated three of its largest banks, along with the country’s economy. Icelandic government’s response has been to apply to join the European Union with a view to eventually adopting the euro as its currency. That plans looks less appealing now that the future of the euro is threatened by the ongoing Greek debt crisis. Canada’s dollar and stable banking system look pretty good to some Icelanders these days. Iceland’s population is just over 300,000 and its economy is less than one per cent of Canada’s. There are precedents. El Salvador and Ecuador have both unilaterally adopted the U.S. dollar in the past dozen years, and Kosovo has the euro.
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1140013–iceland-s-loonie-idea-adopting-canadian-currency
Newsline: Canada’s embassy in Kabul suspends all meetings as Koran-burning protests spread
Canada’s embassy in Kabul has suspended all meetings at Afghan ministries as violent protests over last week’s Koran burnings continue to spread across Afghanistan. All Canadian staff — including diplomats, police, and Canadian Forces trainers and advisers — are safe and accounted for, said Yohan Rodericks, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs. “We issued our normal security protocol and everyone is staying put at their locations,” Rodericks said. The suspension of meetings is a temporary measure, Rodericks said, and the government of Canada continues to monitor the situation closely. Two U.S. officers were killed at the Afghanistan interior ministry on Saturday — a move which led NATO to pull all its advisers out of government ministries — and on Sunday seven more U.S. officers were injured in a grenade attack on their base. The protests have killed 30 people and wounded 200. More than 900 Canadian military advisers are scattered across more than a dozen bases in Kabul and western Afghanistan. On Thursday, Foreign Affairs advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Afghanistan as “the security situation remains extremely volatile and unpredictable.”
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/27/canadas-embassy-in-kabul-suspends-all-meetings/
Newsline: Security guards of Canadian and Australian embassies arrested in Pakistan
Police arrested six security guards working with Canadian and Australian embassies from the missing-persons camp staged at D-Chowk Friday on charges of spying and gathering information about said missing persons. According to police sources, intelligence agencies observed six personnel belonging to two different security companies and found them unlawfully collecting details about the families of the missing persons and passing on the information via mobile phones to unknown recipients. Intelligence agencies conveyed the mysterious activities to the secretariat police, who consequently arrested the accused from the camp on their involvement in illegal spying activities. The suspects were identified as Munwar Hussain, Wazira, Gazanfer who were working for the Australian Embassy, and Auranzeb, Saeed and Abdul Qayum who were attached to the Canadian Embassy.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=94587&Cat=2
