Eurasia

The overwhelming majority of refugees who fled the conflict in northern Mali were unable to vote in the first round of the presidential election because their identity cards had not reached them, according to a report by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Tunisia’s President Moncef Marzouki invited the Tunisian people as well as political parties and components of civil society to “leave their differences aside” during the 3-day Eid break, in a televised message

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Thursday called on all parties in Egypt to open dialogue, saying France is ready to assist any political process to reduce the conflict in the country.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry clarified a stance announced by the country’s presidency on the end of mediation efforts aiming to break the political deadlock that followed the ouster of elected President Mohamed Morsi.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday expressed “sadness” over the border clashes in Kashmir, and said India and Pakistan must take “effective steps” to restore normalcy on the frontier. Sharif told foreign ministry officials in Islamabad that he was sad over the incidents  involving Pakistani and Indian troops along …

Holland’s Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans affirmed here Thursday that Europeans were keen on the future of Egypt, stressing that his current visit to the country was to support the EU efforts to help create dialogue among Egyptian political factions.

Georgia marked today the fifth anniversary of the 2008 war with Russia over Georgia’s separatist territory of South Ossetia, with both sides still blaming each other for the costly conflict.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, “A mentality in Syria which has stepped on the holiness of Ramadan has massacred individuals fasting.” Referring to Syria, Erdogan said at a meeting

Croatian rights activists called on the Zagreb authorities to show respect for victims and deal with war crimes committed by the army during its 1995 Operation Storm. Croatian human rights organisations have sent a letter to the country’s president, prime minister

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is to pay a visit to Washington on Thursday and meet with U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.