Saturday, May 18

Diplomacy

The GER covers diplomacy, international organizations, and meetings. Looking beyond our individual political systems we find people and organizations working to make life better for people in both conflict-ridden places as well as secure, developed countries. It is not enough to focus on the end results of international relations. It’s worth focusing on the day-to-day work of diplomacy. Often, that’s where breakthroughs occur.

U.S. Targets Chinese, Malaysian Firms in New Sanctions
13Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Targets Chinese, Malaysian Firms in New Sanctions

In its latest round of sanctions against Iran, the U.S. Treasury Department targeted two firms based in Shanghai, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Both firms are accused of trading in export-sensitive goods and concealing that the buyers were Iranian firms barred under previous sanctions. And both firms risk having their any U.S.-based assets frozen and losing business ties with banks and companies under U.S. jurisdiction. Middle Men One of the firms is a large manufacturing and global trader with a business office in Shanghai, China. Bochuang Ceramic, Inc., makes and sells a specialized chemical that can be used in military weapons, such as torpedoes, mines, aircraft and surveillance. According to Treasury, Bochuang Ceramic sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of sensitive...
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China, France Strengthen Trade, Economic Ties
12Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Big Tech, Digital Economy, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Global Trade, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Types of News: Brief

China, France Strengthen Trade, Economic Ties

French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up a three-day state visit to China this week, strengthening the European Union's economic ties to Asia. Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to open their economies to trade and investment and strengthen the global economic governance system. It was Macron's first state visit to China since becoming president, and he pledged to return each year to foster face-to-face diplomacy. As a symbol of friendship, Macron gifted Chinese President Xi Jinping with a prized horse named Vésuve de Brekka, who had served the French Republican Guard. It was in the fashion of China's "panda diplomacy" of gifting its pandas to countries around the world, including France. Trade and Investment China is France's seventh largest export market. China acc...
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U.S. Rebuffed at UN Security Council Meeting on Iran
9Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Middle East, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

U.S. Rebuffed at UN Security Council Meeting on Iran

At its first formal meeting of the year, the UN Security Council met at the request of the United States to assess the situation in Iran after a near week-long protests in 80 cities. The meeting itself drew criticism from many members who accused the United States of using human rights as an excuse to meddle in Iran's internal affairs. The meeting also comes at a crucial time when leaders are trying to reach a political settlement to end the Syrian civil war. It also comes ahead of a Jan. 13 deadline for the U.S. President Donald Trump to decide whether or not to remove nuclear-related sanctions against Iran based on a 2015 international agreement. Under U.S. law, he must decide every 90 days whether or not to certify the deal, and therefore ease up on nuclear-related sanctions. Trum...
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Iran Protests Spark Bigger Diplomatic Conflicts
4Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Geopolitics, Middle East, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

Iran Protests Spark Bigger Diplomatic Conflicts

January 4, 2018 - In the aftermath of the multinational fight against ISIS-Daesh forces who had held large parts of Iraq and Syria, geopolitical divides are emerging as regional powers turn their focus to economic issues, sanctions and security alliances. One sign of the shift is the near week-long demonstrations in Iran, which started Dec. 28 near Iran's border with Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. The protests started in Mashhad, Iran's second most populous city, and quickly spread to other parts of the country. They are the largest mass demonstrations the country has seen since 2009 when protesters in Tehran disputed the presidential election. Most media outlets reporting on the recent unrest say the government has not used violence to tamp down on the protests as it did in 2009. The gove...
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UN Gives New Authority to Implement Sanctions on North Korea
29Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
International Law, Legal Battles, Sanctions, UN Security Council

UN Gives New Authority to Implement Sanctions on North Korea

Dec. 29, 2017 - The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a new resolution tightening sanctions against North Korea. It is the tenth Security Council resolution on North Korea since 2006 and the fourth in 2017. It follows 20 ballistic missile tests by North Korea (DPRK) in the past year that violate UN resolutions against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The consensus language in the December 22 resolution was opaque and loose enough to bring together the 15-member council. While it is too soon to know how effective new resolution will be, it is already having an effect. The latest resolution gives countries added authority to implement previous sanctions, and today South Korea put the new authority to use when it seized a Hong Kong-flagged ship suspected of illega...
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UN Announces $5.4 Billion Budget for 2018 & 2019
27Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council

UN Announces $5.4 Billion Budget for 2018 & 2019

The United Nations General Assembly approved a $5.4 billion budget for the next two years, reducing its operating budget by $286 million, or roughly 5 percent, from its current 2016-2017 period. The budget funds general operations for the U.N., including political affairs, international justice and law, regional cooperation for development, human rights and humanitarian affairs and public information. Most of the budget savings comes from operational expenses such as the use of consultants, travel expenses and information technology. Cut in U.S. Contribution? In announcing the budget cut in a Dec. 24 statement, U.S. Amb. to the UN Nikki Haley said, "We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked." That spurred speculation b...
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UN Security Council At Odds Over North Korean Sanctions
19Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, International Law, Legal Battles, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

UN Security Council At Odds Over North Korean Sanctions

Even as world leaders tried to display a united front against a nuclearized North Korea in the wake of 20 ballistic-missile tests this year by that country, UN Security Council members remained deeply divided on their willingness to engage economically with the rogue nation. The divide was clear at a December 15 UN Security Council meeting called by Japan after a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile crashed into the Sea of Japan on Nov. 28. Sanctions U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on countries to take unilateral action beyond the minimum requirements of the UN resolutions. In contrast, Russia, China and Bolvia positioned themselves against unilateral sanctions and said "sanctions had been imposed in order to spark negotiations, and were not an end in th...
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Foreign Policy: Trump Recognizes Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital
6Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Middle East

Foreign Policy: Trump Recognizes Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital

Following up on a campaign promise he made to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a September 2016 meeting, U.S. President Trump announced on Dec. 6 that he recognizes Jerusalem as the "ancient capital of the Jewish people" and as the state of Israel. “While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering,” Trump said. "Israel is a sovereign nation with the right like every other sovereign nation to determine its own capital. Acknowledging this as a fact is a necessary condition for achieving peace." The announcement drew immediate rebuke from leaders in Turkey, Jordan, the Vatican, the United Nations and across the Middle East and was seen as a shift in U.S. policy that could invalidate the U.S. role in negotiating...
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Xi Asserts China’s Authority to Lead
18Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Diplomacy, Globalization, Global Disintegration

Xi Asserts China’s Authority to Lead

China is set to be “a global leader in terms of comprehensive national strength and international influence” by 2050, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Oct. 17 as he addressed the country's Communist Party congress in Beijing. Mr. Xi outlined his vision for providing global leadership using the Chinese Socialist Democracy model of growth. International observers are calling the marathon three-and-a-half-hour speech to the party's 2,300 delegates and the world at large a "sweeping," "ambitious" and "epic" agenda. President Xi's address is significant not only for its embrace of global economic integration at a time when many in the West are turning inward, but also because China is seen as adopting an increasingly more authoritarian approach to governing. Since taking of...
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Greece Puts Debt Bills Up For Democratic Vote
27Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Democracy, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Foreign Aid, International Development, Global Economics, Types of News: Brief

Greece Puts Debt Bills Up For Democratic Vote

Greece is to hold a national referendum to decide whether the country will accept a deal offered by creditors over the country's debt obligations and tax, spending and pension policies. Caught between his government's promises to pay its debts and his own campaign promises to oppose fiscal reforms demanded by creditor institutions, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced today that he will let the people decide the fate of the country. "Our responsibility is for the future of our country. This responsibility obliges us to respond to the ultimatum through the sovereign will of the Greek people," Tsipras said. While it seems like a lot is riding on the national referendum, scheduled to take place Sunday, July 5, the vote might come too late. Greece owes a debt payment of €1.5...
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