Morgan Stanley: HK property market has bottomed out
Iran warns of 'surprise' move to be 'remembered for centuries' as Middle East crisis deepens
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South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Europeans' meeting with top Iranian diplomat yields hope of more talks but no breakthrough
A meeting between Iran's foreign minister and top European diplomats on Friday yielded hopes of further talks but no indication of any immediate concrete breakthrough, a week after the crisis centred on the Iranian nuclear programme erupted into war between Israel and Tehran. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3½ hours after Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. In a joint written statement issued after the talks ended, the three European nations and the EU said that they 'discussed avenues towards a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear programme'. They reiterated their concerns about the 'expansion' of the nuclear programme, adding that it had 'no credible civilian purpose'. 'The good result today is that we leave the room with the impression that the Iranian side is fundamentally ready to continue talking about all important issues,' German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, adding both sides had held 'very serious talks'. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'We are keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue their talks with the United States.' He added that 'we were clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon'.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Xia Baolong holds 3-hour closed-door talks with Hong Kong business leaders
Beijing's top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs held a three-hour closed-door discussion with local tycoons and business leaders on the third day of his inspection trip to the city on Friday. Advertisement Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also visited Ocean Park in the afternoon before taking a boat trip to Lamma Island. The exchanges on Friday morning, held at the government headquarters in Admiralty, marked the first time since last November that Xia had direct talks with local business elites in Shenzhen. Tycoons at the meeting included Peter Lee Ka-kit, chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development; Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, chairman of Hopewell Holdings; Stephen Ng Tin-hoi, chairman and managing director of the Wharf Holdings; and Sonia Cheng Chi-man, executive director of New World Development. Wingco Lo Kam-wing, president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, and Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, were also among those seen streaming into the venue. Xia Baolong meets the city's tycoons and other business leaders at government headquarters. Photo: Handout Financial sector heavyweights, including Carlson Tong Ka-shing, chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, and Haywood Cheung Tak-hay, chairman of the Hong Kong Gold Exchange, also showed up.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Putin says Russia has shared peace proposals with Israel and Iran
President Vladimir Putin said Friday he has secured Israel's pledge to keep Russian personnel at Iran's Russia-built nuclear power plant secure and that he has reached out to both sides to try to end the week-old war. Answering questions on a variety of issues at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin also warned Ukraine that it could lose more territory if it keeps rejecting Russia's conditions for peace. Putin said Russia has proposed 'some ideas' for a possible settlement between Iran and Israel that are currently being discussed. He said Moscow asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure the security of Russian personnel who are working to construct two more reactors at the nuclear power plant in Iran's port of Bushehr and that he also raised the issue with US President Donald Trump. 'Prime Minister Netanyahu has agreed with that, and President Trump has promised to support our legitimate demands,' Putin said. But he strongly rejected allegations that Moscow has failed to back its ally, Tehran, saying the Kremlin has maintained good ties with both Iran and Israel. He noted that Israel is home to nearly 2 million people from Russia and other former Soviet nations, 'a factor that we always have taken into account'.
