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US says it supports sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey

A senior Pentagon official said Wednesday that the US supports a deal for Turkey to get F-16 fighter jet upgrades, less than 24 hours after Ankara cleared the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

Turkey has been sanctioned and kicked out of the US F-35 program because it refused to get rid of Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems. But Ankara appears to have won some concessions from the international community, including from the US, for removing opposition to Finland’s and Sweden’s bid to join NATO.

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US officials have said over the last 24 hours that there was no deal-making between the Turkish president and US President Joe Biden, who reached out to his Turkish counterpart hours before Ankara signed a three-way deal with Finland and Sweden.

Talks between the US and Turkey have been ongoing for months in a bid to resolve the fighter jet dispute, including “dispute resolution discussions” that began last year.

After the NATO agreement on Sweden and Finland, Assistant Secretary for Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander was on a call with reporters and was asked about the US stance on selling F-16s to Turkey.

“So, the US Department of Defense fully supports Turkey’s modernization plans for its F-16 fleet. These plans are in the works,” Wallander said, noting that such plans would need to be worked through “our contracting processes.”

Wallander added: “But the United States supports Turkey’s modernization of its fighter fleet because that is a contribution to NATO security and therefore American security.”

In lieu of no longer being part of the F-35 program, Turkey has pitched a deal where it would buy new F-16s from the US while upgrading its existing fleet of 80 older F-16s, badly in need of modernization.

Congress must approve this, where there is strong bipartisan frustration with Ankara, but the Biden administration has signaled it is ready to greenlight the deal.

A top State Department official told Al Arabiya English that it is crucial for NATO to ensure that Turkey has fully functioning air capabilities. “Turkey desperately needs to upgrade its current fleet of combat aircraft [for NATO],” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

And according to the State Department official, the lifespan of Turkey’s current fleet of F-16s would be extended by “about five to 10 years” if the US provided specific technology. “It’s their decision and could be easy. They could just ship out the S400s to Ukraine,” the official said. Although this is unlikely, the official pointed out that this would almost certainly see a positive response from Congress.

Wallander, the Pentagon official, told reporters that Turkey was a “highly capable, highly valued, strategic NATO Ally.

“And Turkish defense capability — strong Turkish defense capabilities contribute to strong NATO defense capabilities,” she said.

Turkey is considered a key NATO ally, and its geostrategic importance has pushed member states to look at ways of appeasing a country that continues to crack down on freedom of expression and has purchased weapons from Russia, considered non-compliant with NATO.

Read more: First-of-their-kind ‘dispute resolution’ talks between US, Turkey over F-35 jets

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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