Security News

Queen to miss Commonwealth meeting

mai 8, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

For the first time since 1973 the Queen will not be attending the Commonwealth heads of government meeting this year, Buckingham Palace has said.

She will be represented by the Prince of Wales at the summit in Sri Lanka in November.

Buckingham Palace said it was reviewing the amount of long-haul travel the Queen undertook.

The Queen, 87, is the head of the Commonwealth and every two years leaders meet to discuss global issues.

The Queen was first present at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in Ottawa, Canada, in 1973 – missing the first one in 1971 – and has been at every summit since. The last one, in 2011, was held in Perth, Australia.

President Mohamud and David Cameron discuss Somalia

mai 8, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says Somalia has entered a new era that will herald the end of more than two decades of conflict.

He was speaking at a major international conference in London to help Somalia rebuild itself.

The UK and other donors pledged some $130m (£84m) in aid for Somalia.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said huge progress was being made in curbing piracy and tackling an Islamist insurgency in Somalia.

Somalia is widely regarded as a failed state, hit by numerous conflicts since the overthrow of long-serving ruler Siad Barre in 1991.

The United Nations (UN) estimates that nearly 260,000 people died during a famine in the East African state from 2010 to 2012.

Russia and United States agree to hold Syria Conference

mai 8, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Russia and the US have agreed to work towards convening an international conference to find a political solution to the conflict in Syria.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State John Kerry announced it would follow on from an Action Group for Syria meeting in Geneva last June.

Mr Kerry said they would try to « bring both sides to the table ».

Relations between Moscow and Washington have been strained in the last two years by differences over Syria.

G8 ministers condemn North Korea nuclear moves

avril 11, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Foreign ministers from the G8 group of nations have condemned in the « strongest possible terms » North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Tensions have risen on the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.

The ministers also expressed « deep concerns about the increasing human tragedy of the conflict in Syria ».

They also endorsed what they called a historic pledge on preventing sexual violence in conflict.

The Group of Eight nations comprises the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia.

Britain currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the G8 and the talks are a prelude to the annual G8 summit later this year in Northern Ireland.

Lady Thatcher funeral guest list released

avril 11, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Downing Street has released an initial list of invitations to Baroness Thatcher’s funeral next Wednesday.

All surviving US presidents and British prime ministers are on the guest list, as well as a representative of the Reagan family.

Ronald Reagan’s widow Nancy is understood to be too frail to travel.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will also not be attending owing to health problems, his spokesman has said.

The guest list for the event was drawn up by Lady Thatcher’s family with the assistance of the government and the Conservative Party.

More than 2,000 invitations will be sent out, with most set to be dispatched on Friday.