MYANMAR
Myanmar’s military authorities have released some rare photographs of Aung San Suu Kyi, 81, stating that officials had delivered books and letters to her from King Charles of England. The two books reportedly delivered are “The Land Gardeners: Soil to Table” and “Soil: The World at Our Feet”. Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained since February 2021, when the military ousted her government and arrested civilian leaders. The delivery represents a rare instance of contact from abroad with Suu Kyi, whose whereabouts and state of health have remained unknown since the 2021 coup. No foreign leader or envoy has met her publicly, despite requests. The Nobel Prize laureate was transferred to house arrest in April this year. In August, she met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
RUSSIA-CHINA-UNITED STATES
Donald Trump has stated that he is willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next month. The potential three-way summit would focus on denuclearisation, but could also address the war in Ukraine. Trump has also renewed his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, arguing that the time has come to entrust the negotiations on Kyiv’s behalf to someone else. The Kremlin had already mooted a trilateral meeting in Shenzhen, during an Asia-Pacific summit. According to the Wall Street Journal, Putin would like to facilitate a peace deal favourable to Moscow.
INDONESIA
Jakarta will deploy over 9,000 police officers to manage the protests marking the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto’s inauguration, after polls have shown a decline in his popularity. Students from at least two universities will organise protest rallies – against the recent forest fires and the stock market crash – at various locations across the capital, municipal police spokesperson Budi Hermanto told the press. It is unclear how many students will take part.
SOUTH KOREA – UKRAINE
South Korea is to withdraw further embassy staff from Ukraine following the controversy over North Korean prisoners of war. The South Korean government accuses Kyiv of breaching an explicit agreement of strict confidentiality regarding the operation, the disclosure of which risks putting the soldiers’ families still in North Korea in grave danger. The decision comes a few weeks after Seoul recalled its ambassador to Ukraine over the issue, and after receiving no constructive response from the Ukrainian side.
BANGLADESH – SAUDI ARABIA
The Bangladeshi authorities claim they were not informed of the execution of two Bangladeshi citizens in Mecca until after it had already taken place. Last Wednesday, a Bangladeshi man and woman were executed after being convicted of committing an ‘indecent act’ inside a mosque, according to the Saudi Ministry of the Interior. The ministry did not specify the nature of the alleged act. Bangladesh says it has contacted the Saudi Arabian government to request further details. The two countries enjoy close relations thanks to their religious affinity and strong economic ties. More than three million Bangladeshis work and live in Saudi Arabia.
GAZA – MOROCCO
Up to 500 Moroccan personnel have undergone training ahead of their deployment with the International Stabilisation Force in Gaza (ISF), an official from the Board of Peace told The Times of Israel on Monday, as preparations for the multinational force continue despite significant delays in the implementation of the US-backed plan for Gaza. According to the official, the training took place in Morocco, starting around the end of August, and initially involved a group of officers and instructors.
UZBEKISTAN
Uzbekistan has acceded to the Artemis Accords, the US initiative for “the peaceful, safe and responsible exploration of outer space”. The country has become the 77th signatory, as announced by the US State Department. Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed the document on 19 October in Samarkand, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the ceremony; the parties discussed strengthening their strategic partnership, space cooperation and opportunities for US companies in Uzbekistan’s developing space sector.
