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India recently invited an international group of 24 envoys to Jammu and Kashmir as part of efforts to showcase "normalcy" a year after the region was stripped of its special semiautonomous status.

Armed guards and officials from the Foreign Ministry accompanied diplomats from Europe,Africa, and Central and South Asian nationsthis week on a tour of Srinagar, Kashmir's largest city.

The envoys were then escorted to the western town of Magam, where they met several officials, including recently elected local body representatives.

"A curated tour of foreign dignitaries to showcase normalcy in the valley to the outside world is misleading," Mirwaiz Umar Farooq,a Kashmir separatist leader, told media.

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, head of strategic affairs at theAnanta Aspen Center think tank, said India simply "wants to show the envoys the progress made in the region."

"It is now up to the envoys to independently assess the situation," he told DW.

Muslim-majorityKashmirhas been divided between India and Pakistan since they became independent countries in 1947. Both countries claim the region in its entirety. Insurgents in Kashmir have been fighting Indian rule since 1989. Some estimates suggest more than 70,000 peoplehave been killed in the armed conflict.

Prior to the 2019 amendment, Indian-controlledKashmirenjoyed semiautonomous status that gave locals special rights in land ownership and employment.

In August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government enforced a harsh lockdown in the region, imposing monthlong restrictions on movement and suspending internet and telephone services. Additional troops were deployed, and all major Kashmiri politicians were placed under house arrest. Thousands of civil society members and activists were detained.

Though internet services have been restored, outside access to the region remains limited. Foreign journalists are not allowed in except ones approved by the government with a guided visit.

Reports of torture, disappearances and human rights violationsin Kashmir have raised concerns across the European Union.

In the months that ensued after the territory was stripped of its status in 2019, the bloc urged India and Pakistan to resolve the conflict through dialogue and come to a peaceful bilateral resolution.

The European Union emphasized a solution that respects the interests of the Kashmiri population on both sides of the India-Pakistan border, also called the Line of Control.

Analyst Chaudhuri said that, though the European Union has shown solidarity with Kashmiris regarding human rights, it regards India-administered Kashmir as "India's sovereign matter" and has failed to make the armed conflict a priority in recent years.

The European Union's statement atthe UN Human Rights Council in September 2019 did not mention Kashmir on its list of pressing human rights situations.

Mahum Shabir, a legal researcher on Kashmir at City University New York, believes that the recent Kashmir visit by some EU diplomats won't make a big difference.

"There is little that would signal an actual policy shift," she told DW, adding that the EU has a "legal obligation" to slap sanctions on India.

Shabir also criticized the EU for failing to address "the larger question of the military occupation of Kashmir and the aftermath of the abrogation of the region'sspecial status" in its 2019 parliamentary debates.

"Kashmir is inaccurately and exclusively viewed from a so-called national security lens This perspective will not help advance the security situation in the Indian subcontinent," Shabir said, adding that EU-India relations seem to have remained "unaffected" despite the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.

Following a visit to India in November 2019, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told journalists that the situation in Kashmir was "not good and not sustainable." She, however, focused on matters concerning bilateral cooperation in her official statements.

In late October 2019, members of the the European Parliament from largely far-right parties visitedIndian-administered Kashmir. Among them were two MEPs from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and six members from Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France.

The delegates, known for their anti-Muslim rhetoric, triggered outrage from opposition parties and civil society groups throughout India.

Chaudhuri thinks the move was a "public relationsstunt" by the Indiangovernment.

"It was completely unnecessary. This need for recognition showed insecurity. Modi's government needs to restart the democratic process in Kashmir so that there is no need for a PR stunt like that," he said.

In 1947, British India was divided into two countries - India and Pakistan. Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his All-India Muslim League party had first demanded autonomy for Muslim-majority areas in the undivided India, and only later a separate country for Muslims. Jinnah believed that Hindus and Muslims could not continue to live together, as they were distinctly different "nations."

The partition of British India was extremely violent. Following the birth of India and Pakistan, violent communal riots began in many western areas, mostly in Punjab. Historians say that more than a million people died in clashes, and millions more migrated from Indian territory to Pakistan and from the Pakistani side to India.

India and Pakistan clashed over Kashmir soon after their independence. The Muslim-majority Kashmir region was ruled by a Hindu leader, but Jinnah wanted it to be part of Pakistani territory. Indian and Pakistani troops fought in Kashmir in 1948, with India taking control of most part of the valley, while Pakistan occupied a smaller area. India and Pakistan continue to clash over Kashmir.

Liberal historians say that Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi wanted cordial ties between newly independent states. Jinnah, for instance, believed that ties between India and Pakistan should be similar to those between the US and Canada. But after his death in 1948, his successors followed a collision course with New Delhi.

Indian and Pakistani governments present very different accounts of the partition. While India emphasizes the Indian National Congress' freedom movement against British rulers - with Gandhi as its main architect - Pakistani textbooks focus on a "struggle" against both British and Hindu "oppression." State propaganda in both countries paints each other as an "enemy" that cannot be trusted.

Diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan have remained acrimonious for the past seven decades. The issue of Islamist terrorism has marred relations in the last few years, with New Delhi accusing Islamabad of backing Islamist jihadists to wage a war in India-administered Kashmir. India also blames Pakistan-based groups for launching terror attacks on Indian soil. Islamabad denies these claims.

Many young people in both India and Pakistan are urging their governments to improve bilateral ties. Islamabad-based documentary filmmaker Wajahat Malik believes the best way for India and Pakistan to develop a closer relationship is through more interaction between their peoples. "Trade and tourism are the way forward for us. When people come together, the states will follow suit," Malik told DW.

Author: Shamil Shams

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What is the EU's stand on the Kashmir conflict? - DW (English)

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Wine sellers struggling to survive the pandemic are now also getting slammed by Uncle Sams fight with the European Union over aircraft subsidies.

Mom-and-pop wine importers are facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in added expenses this year due to ever-increasingUS tariffs slapped on winesimported from Europe. Its forcing these businesses to cut pay and staff and raise prices on customers.

This is going to put some people out of business for sure, said David Bowler, owner of Bowler Wine of Manhattan, an importer and distributor. Its like getting kicked when youre already down.WINE SALES EXPLODE DURING CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINESThe family-owned company was forced to pay $28,000 in tariffs earlier this month, or $16,000 more than it would have paid had two shipments from Europe arrived when they were supposed to on Jan. 11.

The slight delay of the 1,987 cases containing 23,844 bottles from mostly France to New York City were immediately subject to tariffs that became effective on Jan. 12 despite the fact that the wines were ordered and shipped before the tariffs were put in place.

Wine sellers struggling to survive the pandemic are now also getting slammed by Uncle Sams fight with the European Union over aircraft subsidies. (iStock) (iStock)

Overnight a $12,000 bill turned into $28,000, Bowler lamented.

The money grab kicked off in October 2019, when the Office of the US Trade Representative slapped a 25 percent tax on certain wines imported from France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. The tariffs covered wines with less than 14 percent alcohol, including many Ross, Sancerres and Rieslings.

Things got worse on Dec. 30 when the USTR extended the tariffs to cover wines containing more than 14 percent alcohol delivering a crushing blow to the industry.

US importers, who had never paid anything more than pennies on the bottle in import duties are now forking out 25 percent taxes on some of the wines they import from the UK, Spain and on all of the wines they import from Germany and France, which is arguably the most important wine exporter in the world.

Premium cognacs that cost $38 or more per liter were also added to the latest round of costly import taxes.

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Bowlers company, which employs 37 people including his wife and two sons, took a 10 percent hit in revenues in 2020 only the second decline in its 17 years in business, he said.

Bowler already cut his and his wifes salaries by 20 percent and senior executives pay by 10 percent. The sales reps, whose commissions plummeted last year due to restaurant closures, were paid 90 percent of their 2019 income with the help of a Payroll Protection Program loan, Bowler said.

We were expecting to be up by five percent last year before the tariffs, he said.

Manhattan-based Vintus Wines, a family-owned importer and distributor to restaurants and wine stores, is facing an eye-popping $540,000 tax bill for orders scheduled to arrive in just the first two months of the year.

And thats on top of the extra $1.8 million in tariffs Vintus paid over the past 14 months during the first round of taxes, President Alexander Michas told The Post.

Its so frustrating, Michas said. We feel like we have no control over our business.

The tariffs are meant to pressure the EU over its subsidies to Airbus, which competes with US-based Boeing and which is politically backed by France, Germany, Spain and the UK.

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But American wine importers say they are the ones being punished instead.

We werent the point of the argument, Michas said. Weve just been dragged along and everyone feels sorry for us.

To afford the extra cash outlay, Vintus has eliminated its marketing expenses, and it will not fill three new positions it had hoped to add to the family-owned business early this year.

They are kicking US businesses in the gut in the middle of a pandemic, added Ben Aneff, president of the US Wine Trade Alliance.

Aneff, who is appealing to the Biden administration to lower the tariffs, says Bordeaux labels, which generally have a higher alcohol content, are going to be hit particularly hard.

The honeymoon is over for Bordeaux, sad Aneff, adding that Bordeaux from Frances Right Bank region and wines from its Rhone Valley will now see a spike in prices.

Its not just Bordeaux. A Karine Lauverjat Sancerre that sells for about $22 at retail will soon go up to about $28, according to Bowler, which might dissuade some consumers from purchasing it. Still, demand for less expensive wines from other parts of the world or even for American wines has not increased, say importers.

If someone wants a Sancerre, thats what they want, Bowler said. Wine is not one of these things that people are willing to compromise on. This is especially true for restaurants, which like to hold a robust selection of French wines, Michas said. They need to have products that consumers know and trust, he added.

Consumers who pay on average $15 for a bottle are paying closer to $20 now or a $15 glass of Sancerre at a restaurant is likely $17 now, Michas said.

Among the wines Vintas is receiving this month and next are those from E. Guigal of the Rhone Valley, which range in price from less than $20 a bottle to hundreds of dollars.

A 2018 vintage of Chateau Troplong Mondot of the Right Bank, which sells for about $110 a bottle, will soon cost about $140 as they reach retailers, Daniel Posner owner of Grapes The Wine Co. in White Plains, NY, told The Post.

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Even though 50 percent of his sales are French wines, Posner is holding back on bringing in some of these tariffed wines.

Posner scaled back on the number of Sancerre labels he carries from 10 to four and on everyday wines from the Cotes du Rhone region that might have cost $12, but now $15 due to the tariff.

One of his wealthy customers recently asked for a case of 2018 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which typically goes for about $1,000 a bottle, but now itll cost $1,250 a bottle, Posner said.

I dont want my customers to pay $3,000 in tariffs, so I asked him to wait at least until the fall, when the tariff will be re-evaluated, Posner said, referring to the cost of the tariffs on a case of 12 bottles.

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US fight with European Union having unexpected affect on mom-and-pop liquor stores - Fox Business

Greece is in favor of maintaining communication and dialogue channels between the European Union and Russia, said the representative of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alexandros Papaioannou.

First of all, I would like to emphasise that we are talking about relations between the European Union and Russia and not about bilateral relations between Greece and Russia. This is different, said Papaioannou.

His response was to a question about the position of Greece regarding sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will deliver Russian gas to Germany via the Baltic Sea and whether Athens is expected to support these sanctions.

Greece believes that the European Union must maintain open channels of communication and dialogue with Russia because we have many common problems. Therefore, there must always be an open channel, he stressed.

According to him, it is not yet known whether the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will be discussed.

I do not know at this time whether such a discussion will take place, said a spokesperson for the Greek Foreign Ministry.

There will be a wide-ranging discussion on EU-Russia relations, and in this context we are among the countries that emphasize that we must maintain the channels of communication and dialogue, they added.

READ MORE: Dendias to Lavrov: Russias role in the Greek Revolution was important.

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Greece Wants The European Union And Russia To Have Open Channels Of Communication: Foreign Ministry - Greek - GreekCityTimes.com

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | BRUSSELS (IDN) As Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni bore down on rights groups and the opposition, the European Union (EU) Parliament responded with the threat of sanctions against Ugandan individuals and organizations they hold responsible for abuses during the recent general election.

Museveni apparently sparked the EU backlash when he instructed the Ministry of Finance, in a letter dated January 1, to suspend the activities of the Democratic Governance Facility, a basket fund of European countries that bankroll most Ugandan civil society organizations that work on governance, rights and related themes.

The development is the latest in the fallout between the West and Uganda government that has seen President Museveni and a number of his senior officials castigating unnamed Western powers over what they call interference in the affairs of Uganda.

In a televised address about Ugandas security following several reports of operatives kidnapping citizens, especially opposition supporters, Museveni accused foreigners of interference in the countrys affairs.

"I read in the newspapers about the EU Parliament sanctioning some Ugandans from travelling. For anybody to think that Africans are dying to go to Europe is something that shows a lack of seriousness. Well, personally I need a lot of persuasion to leave Uganda. Why would I want to leave Uganda? he asked rhetorically.

On February 11, the European Parliament adopted a resolution deploring the January 14 elections which they called neither democratic nor transparent. They condemned the excessive use of force by the police and armed forces during the election and their growing interference in political affairs.

They called for all those arrested and detained for participating in peaceful political assemblies or for exercising their right to freedom of expression and association to be released immediately and unconditionally and have their charges dropped. The text was approved by 632 votes in favour, 15 against and 48 abstentions.

More than 50 people were killed in the melee that followed the arrest of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, on Nov. 18, according to the State. Hundreds more were injured and thousands arrested during the elections.

The imposition of sanctions would be a major blow to Uganda government operations since the EU is Ugandas biggest development partner and gives more than US$130,000 in aid annually. The EU individual members also give substantial funding to Uganda.

Early this week, the United Kingdom also cut funding to security forces and also promised to review aid to Uganda over what they called human rights abuses. [IDN-InDepthNews 16 February 2021]

Photo: Security forces stand outside a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, on January 14, 2021. Source: The African Report.

IDN is flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate.

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Ugandan Election Rights Violations Elicit Threat of European Union Sanctions - IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters

On 15 January 2021, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2021/30[1] implementing Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP.

The Council added one person to the list of natural and legal persons, entities or bodies subject to restrictive measures in Annex I to Decision 2013/255/CFSP.

The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania[2], and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia align themselves with this Council Decision.

They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.

The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.

[1] Published on 15.01.2021 in the Official Journal of the European Union no L 12 I, p.3.[2] The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures against Syria -...