Stiletto: Breaking records in the Philippines as Col Pot Returns

Published on Sep 6, 2013 by Luke Hunt

By Max Kolbe The Philippines reputation for violence against the media shows known signs of abating. Three journalists were murdered within 48 hours of each other in the start of August prompting a chorus of international outrage by media watchdogs. “Time and again, Philippine journalists are killed, circumstances remain a mystery, and the killers go unpunished,” Shawn Crispin, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) senior Southeast Asia representative, said. “Until President Benigno Aquino’s government takes serious action to address his country’s impunity problem, the killings of journalists will continue.” Killed were photographer Mario Sy, shot dead in front of his wife and daughter, at home in the city of General Santos. Bonifacio Loreto Jr, former publisher of the Aksyon Ngayon....

Turkey Threatens to Ban Australian Politicians from Gallipoli

Published on Sep 5, 2013 by Luke Hunt

MIDDLE EAST CORESPONDENT — Gallipoli, Turkey – A diplomatic row between Turkey and politicians from the Australian state of New South Wales is threatening the commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, which resulted in the deaths of more than 130,000 soldiers. Read more from Luke Hunt in The Diplomat. .

History the Weak Link in Beijing’s Maritime Claims

Published on Sep 1, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — Beijing’s claims to nearly all of the South China Sea are now embossed in new Chinese passports and official maps. Chinese leaders and foreign ministry spokespersons insist with increasing truculence that the islands, rocks, and reefs have been China’s “territory since ancient times.” Normally, the overlapping territorial claims to sovereignty and maritime boundaries ought to be resolved through a combination of customary international law, adjudication before the International Court of Justice or the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, or arbitration under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). While China has ratified UNCLOS, the treaty by and large rejects “historically based” claims, which are precisely the....

Plight of Sombath Somphone Back in Focus

Published on Aug 30, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — The inability of the Laos government to offer a credible explanation for the disappearance of prominent activist Sombath Somphone has again drawn unwanted headlines, with demands for donor nations to think twice before committing taxpayers dollars to the one-party Communist state. Read more from Luke Hunt in The Diplomat. .

Interview: Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr

Published on Aug 28, 2013 by Luke Hunt

FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — As a regional middle power perched on the crossroads of the Indo-Pacific region, Australian diplomacy has entered a more challenging era. In an interview addressing a diverse array of topics, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr spoke with The Diplomat’s Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe about the implications of Australia’s role as a non-permanent member on the UN Security Council, the growing importance of engaging with other middle power states, expanding bilateral relations with Africa and South American nations, Australia’s key transnational security concerns, and his foreign policy agenda in view of a looming federal election.   .