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The European Union and Georgia held the 6th meeting of the Association council on 16 March 2021. The Association council took note of the 2021 Association Implementation Report on Georgia and assessed the state of EU-Georgia relations since the last Association council in March 2019.

The sides reaffirmed their continued and joint commitment to Georgia's deeper political association and economic integration with the EU in the framework of the Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free trade Area (DCFTA). The Association council welcomed the quality and frequency of ongoing high-level dialogue and noted the importance of active follow up on its results. Both sides acknowledged Georgias European aspirations, its European choice and the common objective of continuing to build a democratic, stable and prosperous country. The Association council welcomed ongoing negotiations on the Association Agenda for 2021-2027 to set priorities for the implementation of the AA/DCFTA. Georgia outlined its plans to further advance on its European integration path by 2024.

The Association council welcomed Georgias progress on its European path, including in the challenging COVID-19 context, and recognised the efforts of the Georgian Government to contain the virus as well as to ensure targeted social assistance to those in need. Both sides acknowledged the crucial importance of the EU rapid assistance to Georgia in the fight against COVID as a vivid sign of solidarity.

Both sides reaffirmed their continued commitment to bringing tangible benefits to the lives of Georgian citizens across key areas of cooperation: economic development and market opportunities; strengthening institutions and good governance; connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change; enhancing mobility and people-to-people contacts.

The Association council noted that the elections of 31 October and 21 November 2020 were competitive and that, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected. The Association council agreed on the importance of addressing all recommendations related to the shortcomings identified by international observers, including OSCE/ODIHR, through ambitious and inclusive electoral reform in order to strengthen the electoral environment and render it more favourable for the democratic conduct of elections.

The Association council strongly regretted the deepening political polarisation in Georgia. The EU called for a swift resolution to the ongoing political situation, for all parties to step up efforts to de-escalate the situation and come together to identify and agree on common ground. The Association council agreed that it was vital for all actors to continue working, in the EU-supported mediation, to find an early resolution to Georgias political crisis.

The Association council reiterated its call on all political actors to work together and to maintain open dialogue in Georgia, including with civil society, in order to further strengthen democratic institutions, consolidate pluralistic democracy and advance reforms. Both sides stressed the need to continue the successful cooperation between the EU and Georgia on strategic communication and countering disinformation.

The Association council welcomed the progress made to date by Georgia in the implementation of reforms in the rule of law and the penitentiary system. The Council also agreed that there are a number of areas where further progress was needed, including by strengthening the independence and accountability of the judiciary and bringing the appointment process for Supreme Court judges in line with European standards.The EU underlined its commitment to continue assisting Georgia in reform of the judiciary and in strengthening the rule of law.

The Association council recalled that a great number of Georgian citizens have benefited from short term visa free travel to Schengen countries in recent years. It welcomed the continuous efforts of Georgia to address violations of the visa-free travel requirements, including the latest legislative amendments to the Law of Georgia on Rules for Georgian citizens on Leaving and Entering Georgia and underlined the importance of its effective implementation. The Association council underlined the critical importance of sustained efforts by Georgia to continue to fulfil the visa liberalisation benchmarks, in particular in order to strengthen and maintain the recent decrease in the number of unfounded asylum applications lodged by Georgian nationals in the Schengen + area. The EU encouraged Georgia to further enhance cooperation with EU Member States to counter irregular migration and organised crime. Both sides welcomed a renewed working arrangement signed between Georgia and Frontex, as well as Georgia's acquisition of observer status in the European Migration Network.

The Association council welcomed progress made in the implementation of Georgia's Human Rights Strategy and its Action Plan, as well as the important work of the Human Rights Protection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The EU recognised Georgias efforts in this area and encouraged Georgia to continue efforts to effectively implement the anti-discrimination law and to ensure protection for all persons belonging to minorities, and to ensure gender equality. The Council recalled the commitment to the universality of human rights for all, regardless of religion or belief, race, ethnic origin, sex, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability or other. The Association council welcomed substantial progress made by Georgia to create an effective labour inspection system, in order to further improve working conditions and address the challenges in this area in line with international and European labour standards. It also discussed the importance of continuing efforts in this direction.

Both sides welcomed the progress made by Georgia in the implementation of the Association Agreement, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). The EU continued to be the most important trading partner of Georgia. The EU and Georgia agreed to identify further products with export potential to the EU, for which EU can provide assistance. Both sides welcomed successful implementation of structural reforms and underlined the importance of ongoing reforms related to the improvement of the investment climate in Georgia. The Association council welcomed the ongoing work to draft a new SME Development Strategy 2021-2025 and the EU side confirmed its readiness to support its implementation.

The Association council welcomed the disbursements of Macro-Financial Assistance to Georgia in November 2020 and urged Georgia to continue the implementation of outstanding agreed policy measures in order to enable the disbursement of the second instalment of COVID Macro-Financial Assistance to Georgia (of which 75 million EUR was disbursed in 2020). The EU encouraged Georgia to ensure the sustainability of already implemented reforms and maintain macro-economic stability.

The Association council reiterated Georgia's strategic role in the field of energy, transport and connectivity and increasingly as a transportation and logistics hub in the region. The EU committed to continue engaging closely with Georgia on the connectivity agenda, including through the gradual completion of the indicative core Trans-European networks of Transport (TEN-T), as a step towards enhancing connectivity and international trade between Europe and Asia. The sides also highlighted the importance of Black Sea connectivity. The EU took note of Georgias request for support in the elaboration and implementation of a plan for better Black Sea connectivity.

The Association council reiterated Georgia's key role as a partner for European energy security and stressed the country's transit role for Caspian hydrocarbon resources to reach European markets, notably via the Southern Gas Corridor and through the Black Sea, with a view to strengthening EU-Georgia interconnections. The EU stressed its continued commitment to further supporting the roll-out of energy efficiency standards in public buildings, based on legislative reforms in key areas. The EU reiterated its continuous support to reinvigorating Georgias agriculture and rural sector to improve living conditions in rural areas. The Association council noted the importance of enhanced cooperation in the area of civil protection.

The EU recognised Georgia as a key partner in the region and acknowledged the importance of EU-Georgia cooperation in the field of foreign and security policy. The Association council recalled the issues discussed during the third EU-Georgia Strategic Security Dialogue in October 2019 and looked forward to the next meeting in this format. The EU expressed appreciation for Georgia's continued contribution to EU-led crisis management operations and missions in the Central African Republic and the Republic of Mali, as well as openness to supporting the strengthening of Georgias capacities and resilience.

The EU reiterated its firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders. The EU reiterated its firm commitment to peaceful conflict resolution in Georgia by using all instruments at its disposal including the policy of non-recognition and engagement. The work of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia and of the EU Monitoring Mission demonstrate this strong commitment.

The Association council took note of the judgement of 21 January 2021 of the European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber in the inter-State case concerning the armed conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation in August 2008 and its consequences which concluded that after the 12 August 2008 the Russian Federation, exercising effective control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia, violated several provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The Association council stressed the critical importance of the Geneva International Discussions for addressing and resolving the challenges stemming from the conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008. It also reiterated that full and effective Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) are essential for addressing the safety and humanitarian needs of conflict-affected population on the ground. In this regard, the Council welcomed the resumption of Ergneti IPRM meetings and emphasised the crucial importance of resuming the Gali IPRM.

The Council expressed concern about signing a so-called programme on the creation of a common socio-economic space between Russia and Georgian region of Abkhazia as well as other steps further undermining Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity, deterioration of the security and human rights situation in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, especially with regard to intensified military build-up, installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial barriers along the dividing lines, long-term closure of crossing points. Concerns also include the situation with ethnic discrimination of Georgians, restriction of freedom of movement, including for health care and access to other social services, arbitrary detentions, violation of property rights and education in mother tongue, the persistent obstacles to the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their places of origin, and deprivation of life of Archil Tatunashvili and Giga Otkhozoria. In this regard, the Association council reiterated that justice should be applied.

The Association council reiterated the obligation for the Russian Federation to fulfil its international obligations including under the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, notably to withdraw its military forces from the territory of Georgia and remove all impediments for establishment of international security mechanisms therein. The Association council further urged the Russian Federation to provide EUMM access to the whole territory of Georgia, in line with its mandate. The Association council also called for access for international humanitarian and human rights mechanisms of relevant international organisations.

The Association council stressed the importance of ongoing support to people-to-people contacts and confidence building measures across the divides. In this respect, the Association council recalled its support for the Georgian peace initiative A Step to a Better Future .

The EU commended Georgia's active participation in the multilateral dimension of the Eastern Partnership and underlined that continued reform efforts in the partner countries are key to the success of the Eastern Partnership and to the EaP Summit scheduled for later this year.

The Association council was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Mr Josep Borrell. The Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Irakli Garibashvili led the Georgian delegation.

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Joint press release following the 6th Association council meeting between the European Union and Georgia - EU News

European Union joins hands with India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

AKIPRESS.COM - Accepting Indias invitation, the 27-member European Union (EU) has officially on-boarded as a member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), following its endorsement of the charter of the CDRI earlier, the EU Delegation to India and Bhutan said.

Launched in 2019 by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Change Summit, the CDRI is an international collaborative platform involving the public and private sector, aiming to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.

Prime Minister Modi had addressed the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure through video conference on March 17 and said the importance of the CDRI is "more evident" than ever. He had called for sustained and concentrated efforts to mitigate climate change.

Climate-related extreme events are increasing globally, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced the need for robust disaster preparedness and investment in renewable energy, green infrastructure, energy and resource efficiency, large-scale retrofitting, renovation projects and the circular economy.

The CDRI is a welcome initiative to help tackle these objectives in a multilateral approach, which will help implementation of the Paris Agreement, through both global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced climate change adaptation action.

Commenting on the development, Ambassador of the European Union to India Ugo Astuto said, We are happy to join CDRI, an initiative fully aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal and of the recently adopted EU Strategy on Adaptation. We wish to make adaptation smarter, swifter, more systemic and to step up international action. We look forward to exploring synergies and combining forces with CDRI in this respect. He added, We welcome the international leadership that India has taken on disaster resilience. Increased resilience, including development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure is also a key priority under the EU-India strategic partnership.

Welcoming the endorsement of the CDRI Charter by the European Union, Director General, CDRI, Sandeep Poundrik said, We are indeed delighted to welcome the European Union as the newest member of the Coalition. This is a clear expression of the commitment of the EU towards collaborative efforts for creating a more resilient and sustainable world. Climate and disaster risks have cascading impacts that are complex, multi-dimensional and transboundary in nature. Our response, therefore, also needs to be comprehensive, multifaceted and unified. We will work with the EU for making available highly specialised knowledge and expertise on resilient infrastructure planning and implementation.

The EU is already exploring how to maximise synergies in its work with the CDRI in its forthcoming project on enhancing climate-smart infrastructure in South Asia. Leveraging tools in research and innovation, like the EUs Copernicus space data instrument, and trilateral cooperation in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are also potential fields of collaboration between the EU and CDRI.

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European Union joins hands with India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure - AKIpress

Economic and finance ministers have, in the context of the discussion on the economic recovery, exchanged their views on fiscal policy response and the state of play of the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The European Commission presented its Communication to the Council One year since the outbreak of COVID-19: Fiscal policy response. The Commission's view is that fiscal policy needs to remain supportive in 2021 and 2022. The current forecasts also foresee the continued activation of the Stability and Growth Pact's general escape clause in 2022 and its deactivation in 2023. However, the European Commission's spring economic forecast will have to be released before final decisions.

Fiscal policy should maintain a supportive stance in 2022 as well. Despite the start of the vaccination which implies improvements, uncertainties remain high. In this context, it is important that the Member States work together and that a level playing field is ensured for all states. We are all in a difficult situation, and this requires exceptional circumstances and support. Of course, this does not mean that we forgot about medium- and long-term fiscal sustainability, said Minister ircelj.

Ministers had a lengthy discussion on the state of play and way forward on the taxation of the digital economy. In this respect, the European Union expects a consensus-based, global agreement at the OECD level in the middle of this year.

As regards the need for additional revenues following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the Commission will present a proposal for a digital levy in the first half of 2021 as a new own resource for the EU budget.

On Monday, 15 March, Minister ircelj attended the video conference of the Eurogroup.

Ministers discussed the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected different sectors of the economy unevenly. Tourism, hospitality, and entertainment are certainly among more affected, and their recovery is expected to last longer. In the future, policies will support structural changes, including retraining of employees, which will be, to a large extent, linked to digitalisation. Key challenge for the Member States in the future will be phasing out emergency measures and introducing measures to support the recovery.

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European Union Ministers for Finance and Economy Discussed the Fiscal Policy Response to the COVID-19 Crisis | GOV.SI - Gov.si

Elon Musk recently denied that Tesla vehicles were used to spy on foreign governments after the vehicles were banned from Chinese military bases and other sensitive sites. Other reporting indicates that even the off-duty use of Tesla vehicles is being restricted for key personnel, because the Chinese government suspects that the companys vehicles were already involved in the leaking of secret information.

First, lets talk some common sense. Its extremely unlikely that Tesla volunteered to cooperate with U.S. spy agencies. Theres nothing for the company to gain from doing that, while there are billions and even worse to lose. Tesla knows that if they were caught spying for the U.S. government, theyd be shut down and probably have all of their property seized in China. Key company officials (at least as many as Beijing could capture) would likely be arrested and tried for espionage. It wouldnt be pretty at all for the company or any involved employees.

The obvious counterargument is that Elon Musk, as a U.S. citizen, would consider the spying his patriotic duty, but that argument falls even flatter. The U.S. government hasnt been very hospitable to Elon Musk or his companies in many cases. There were the bogus SEC investigations over his tweets, which I call bogus because they were dismissed (and also, seriously, how childish is it to sue over tweets?), SpaceX accuses the U.S. Air Force of favoring other companies over them for political reasons, and recently the NTSB told NHTSA that it needs to crack down on Autopilot and the FSD Beta.

If you were Elon Musk, would you be doing the U.S. government illegal favors at great personal risk? Just think that over for a bit.

Im not even persecuted by them the way Elon Musk has been, and I know that our government is highly corrupt. On the spying front, we know from things Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers revealed that our own government is heavily involved in illegal and unethical spying. Theres a whole Wikipedia article detailing the dozens of programs that never should have been. Theres the deep, deep oil company corruption of the government, which we can see quite clearly in the ongoing persecution of Steven Donziger (Im writing a whole article about this once Im done with this one).

On top of that, none of this is new. Anyone taking an honest look at J. Edgar Hoover knows that his character was accurately portrayed in The Man in the High Castle,and he was the head of the FBI for decades. Nobody dared fire him because he had dirt on everyone. There was the fabricated Gulf of Tonkin incident, and the ammunition packed below civilians in the Lusitania, both lies we were told for decades after they were used to swing the U.S. into wars.

After the long train of abuses and usurpations weve seen, nobody in their right mind would want to risk their business and personal reputation to assist the U.S. government to do illegal things in other countries unless they were getting something for it (and thus were part of the corruption). Youd think that if Elon Musk did this, hed at least get some breathing room from the government, which he clearly isnt getting.

If anything, theyre going after him because he told them where to stick it.

The Chinese government wouldnt have invited Tesla into their country if they thought spying would occur, and they certainly want the company to help them achieve a better footing with regard to renewable energy. However, they do assert that sensitive details of some sort were leaked and they have reason to believe a nearby Tesla could have been involved in the leaking, and given the favored treatment the company has gotten in the past, they clearly dont have it in for Tesla.

As weve learned from Snowden, the supervillains in the CIA dont need anyones help to help themselves to things like laptop cameras. Laptop manufacturers arent giving away backdoors the NSA hacks their way into whatever hardware and servers it takes to get the information they want, and if they cant get in, they find someone to blackmail or otherwise coerce into giving them access.

I know some argue that accusing Tesla of spying is a retaliation for accusations and actions against Chinese companies like Huawei and DJI, who very well may be involved in spying. After all, the Chinese government are no angels, either. We would be fools to assume that they arent corrupt, too. Theyre spying on anything they can get away with spying on, and all while not even pretending to afford their citizens much in the way of civil liberties.

The more likely answer is that the U.S. government is actually using Teslas to spy on Chinese military and company officials without the companys knowledge. It fits their modus operandi, and they have great motivation to spy on Chinese officials. If officials are taking cameras into sensitive facilities and to their homes, its an extremely tempting target for hacking, and we know that they have the technical capability to do it.

Would they risk Musks rear to do this? Absolutely. In fact, that might be a plus for corrupt officials with dirty oil money lining their pockets.

I do have to be honest and say theres no direct evidence for any of this, but given the U.S. governments lack of scruples when it comes to things like spying, would you really put this past them? You cant sit there and seriously tell me that the NSA wouldnt do this in a heartbeat if they found a way to do it.

Either way, well know if I was right decades from now when anyone responsible for this is already dead or the statute of limitations has passed and old documents get declassified.

If I was running Tesla, Id have the best experts take a hard look at the cars and servers to look for the U.S. governments footprints. Theyre very likely all over the scene of the crime, and nobody covers their tracks perfectly.

Id also be looking at offering an optional airgap package for people dealing with sensitive information. Having a switch that disconnects all antennas and cuts power to all radios would be great. Having optional lens caps for all cameras would also be a great way to help protect trust in the companys vehicles. People guarding sensitive installations could verify that both features are enabled/in use before allowing a Tesla vehicle onto the facilitys grounds.

Either way, the company could probably use some more paranoid thinking like mine, because nobody is paranoid when there is actually someone out to get them (or their data). We have to always be on the lookout for bad actors and put ourselves in their shoes to think about what theyll do.

Featured image: People enthusiastically greet a Teslas Sentry Mode when they see its recording them, as described in this CleanTechnica article.

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Is The NSA Screwing Tesla? - CleanTechnica

Iran has made threats against Fort McNair, an Army base in the nation's capital, and against the Army's vice chief of staff, two senior US intelligence officials said.

They said communications intercepted by the National Security Agency in January showed that Iran's Revolutionary Guard discussed mounting USS Cole-style attacks against the base, referring to the October 2000 suicide attack in which a small boat pulled up alongside the Navy destroyer in the Yemeni port of Aden and exploded, killing 17 sailors.

The intelligence also revealed threats to kill Gen. Joseph M. Martin and plans to infiltrate and surveil the base, according to the officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss national security matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The base, one of the oldest in the country, is Martin's official residence.

The threats are one reason the Army has been pushing for more security around Fort McNair, which sits alongside Washington's bustling newly developed Waterfront District.

City leaders have been fighting the Army's plan to add a buffer zone of about 250 feet to 500 feet (75 meters to 150 meters) from the shore of the Washington Channel, which would limit access to as much as half the width of the busy waterway running parallel to the Potomac River.

The Pentagon, National Security Council and NSA either did not reply or declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.

At a virtual meeting in January to discuss the proposed restrictions, Army Maj. Gen. Omar Jones, commander of the Military District of Washington, cited credible and specific" threats against military leaders who live on the base. The only specific security threat he offered was about a swimmer who ended up on the base and was arrested.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the district's sole representative in Congress, was skeptical. When it comes to swimmers, I'm sure that must be rare. Did he know where he was? Maybe he was just swimming and found his way to your shore? she said.

Jones conceded that the swimmer was not a great example there, but our most recent example of a security breach.

He said the Army has increased patrols along the shoreline, erected more restricted area signs and placed cameras to monitor the Washington Channel.

Puzzled city officials and frustrated residents said the Army's request for the buffer zone was a government overreach of public waterways.

Discussions about the Fort McNair proposal began two years ago, but the recent intelligence gathered by the NSA has prompted Army officials to renew their request for the restrictions.

The intercepted chatter was among members of the elite Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and centered on potential military options to avenge the U.S. killing of the former Quds leader, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in Baghdad in January 2020, the two intelligence officials said.

They said Tehran's military commanders are unsatisfied with their counterattacks so far, specifically the results of the ballistic missile attack on Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq in the days after Soleimani's killing. No U.S. service members were killed in that strike but dozens suffered concussions.

Norton told the AP that in the two months since the January meeting, the Pentagon has not provided her any additional information that would justify the restrictions around Fort McNair.

I have asked the Department of Defense to withdraw the rule because I've seen no evidence of a credible threat that would support the proposed restriction, Norton said. They have been trying to get their way, but their proposal is more restrictive than necessary.

She added: I have a security clearance. And they have yet to show me any classified evidence that would justify the proposal. Norton pointed out that the Washington Navy Yard and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, which also have access to district waters, do not have restricted zones along their shorelines and have not requested them.

The proposed changes, outlined in a Federal Register notice, would prohibit both people and watercraft from anchoring, mooring or loitering" within the restricted area without permission.

The notice specifies the need for security around the Marine Helicopter Squadron, which transports American presidents, and the general and staff officers' quarters located at the water's edge. The southern tip of Fort McNair is home to the National War College, where midlevel and senior officers gunning for admiral or general study national security strategy.

The Washington Channel is the site of one of the city's major urban renewal efforts, with new restaurants, luxury housing and concert venues. The waterway flows from the point where the city's two major rivers, the Potomac and Anacostia, meet.

It's home to three marinas and hundreds of boat slips. About 300 people live aboard their boats in the channel, according to Patrick Revord, who is the director of technology, marketing and community engagement for the Wharf Community Association.

The channel also bustles with water taxis, which serve 300,000 people each year, river cruises that host 400,000 people a year and about 7,000 kayakers and paddleboarders annually, Revord said during the meeting.

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Iran threatens US Army base and top general - Economic Times