Diplomacy Archives

Syrian Constitutional Committee Begins in Geneva

30Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Middle East, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

Syrian Constitutional Committee Begins in Geneva

October 30, 2019-As fighting again broke out in northern Syria, representatives the Syrian government, opposition forced and civil society met today in Geneva to negotiate a new constitution for the country plagued by eight years of civil war. "The task you are about to take is momentous," UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told the 150 delegates. "You are mandated to prepare and draft for popular approval a constitutional reform as a contribution to the political settlement in Syria." UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen said he knows it "is not easy" for members to be present next to one another. (See video.) The directive is part of Security Council Resolution 2254, adopted unanimously in 2015, which sets out goals for a political solution for a sovereign state of Syria. Th...

Brazil, China Aim to Strengthen Economic Ties

28Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Types of News: Brief

Brazil, China Aim to Strengthen Economic Ties

October 28, 2019-Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and China's President Xi Jinping met in Beijing last Friday to bolster bilateral trade and investment between their two countries ahead of the APEC and BRICs summits next month. Bolsonaro, Brazil's new far-right leader, said the two leaders are meant to "were born to walk together" and that the two economies -- the second and ninth largest in the world -- are "completely aligned, in a way that reaches beyond our commercial and business relationship." The leaders established some common ground in trade and investment ahead the APEC Summit in Chile Nov. 11-17 and the BRICs Summit in Brazil Nov. 13-14. Strengthening Economic Ties Xi held a welcome ceremony for Bolsonaro and said he hoped to develop "strategic and long-term" relat...

South Korea Opts Out of Special Trade Status for Developing Countries

28Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Foreign Aid, International Development, Global Trade, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

South Korea Opts Out of Special Trade Status for Developing Countries

October 28, 2019-South Korea plans to give up a special status in the World Trade Organization. The status gives developing countries longer time periods to implement trade agreements and the ability to increase trade opportunities. South Korea Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki made the announcement late last week, saying it reflects his country's growing economy and external pressures. South Korea's economy is worth $1.5 trillion and is the 11th largest economy in the world. In July, U.S. President Donald Trump called on strong economies such as China to shed the special status. His July memorandum makes specific recommendations regarding the treatment of countries that he says should no longer be treated as developing economies. Singapore, Brazil, the UAE and Taiwan have also pledged...

Russia Signs Arms, Energy Deals with African Countries

24Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Arms Sales, Military Industry, Diplomacy, Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Geopolitics, Global Trade

Russia Signs Arms, Energy Deals with African Countries

October 24, 2019—In the first-ever Russia-African Summit being held this week in Sochi, Russia, Russia signed a series of memorandum of understandings and trade agreements with 54 African countries, the Moscow Times reported. The deals include $4 billion worth of Russian weapons, military helicopters, an investment cooperation deal on an oil pipeline, and potentially a nuclear power station in Ethiopia, according to the article. Debt Write-Off Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to write off $20 billion worth of African debt. Furthermore, he said he plans to double Russia's trade with the African continent within four to five years. Rosatom, a state-nuclear company is in talks with the government of Ethiopia to build a nuclear power station. The Russian enterprise already has...

22Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

Turkey-Russia Agree on Plan in Syria

October 22, 2019-As U.S. troops pulled out of northeastern Syria, Russia President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an agreement to share control of north east Syria. Under the plan, Turkey would control the area it currently has under its control while Russian and Syrian troops control the rest of the border, Haartz news reported. Under the Russian-Turkish agreement, Syrian Kurd fighters would need to move 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from the border area within 150 hour period that starts on Wednesday. Erdogan said 800 Syrian Kurdish fighters withdrew since Turkey and the United States agreed to a five-day pause in the operation and that 1,300 more are still expected to withdraw. "Syria should be free from the illegal military foreign presence," Pu...

Seized North Korean Cargo Ship Sold for Scrap Metal

22Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

Seized North Korean Cargo Ship Sold for Scrap Metal

October 22, 2019-A U.S. court made an order of forfeiture for a cargo vessel named "Wise Honest" that had shipped coal and machinery for North Korea in violation of U.S. and international sanctions. The U.S. Justice Department announced the decision yesterday, saying that it effectively ends the ship's "career as one of North Korea’s largest sanctions-busting vessels.” A Ship's Story In April, foreign maritime authorities intercepted and seized the ship. In May, DOJ Attorneys John Demers and Geoffrey Berman filed a civil forfeiture complaint in a U.S. court against the 17,061-ton, single-hull bulk carrier ship. According to a DOJ statement, it was the first-ever seizure of a ship evading sanctions. The Korea Songi Shipping Company had used the ship to export North Korean coal ...

U.S. Issues Sanctions Against Two Turkish Ministries, Three Officials

15Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Sanctions

U.S. Issues Sanctions Against Two Turkish Ministries, Three Officials

October 15, 2019-The U.S. Treasury Department issued economic sanctions against two Turkish ministries and three senior government officials on Monday, blocking them from international financial institutions that trade with the United States. The ministries include the National Defense and the Energy and Natural Resources Department. The officials include the ministers of those departments: Hulusi Akar, Suleyman Soylu, and Fatih Donmez. “The United States is holding the Turkish Government accountable for escalating violence by Turkish forces, endangering innocent civilians, and destabilizing the region,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a release. The level of sanctions appear to be moderate. According to an Associated Press reporter David McHugh, the sanctions ...

U.S. Preps Sanctions Against Turkey in Wake of Military Incursion in Syria

14Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Geopolitics, Middle East, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Preps Sanctions Against Turkey in Wake of Military Incursion in Syria

October 14, 2019-As Turkey continued its military operation into northern Syria on Monday, U.S. lawmakers prepared to impose economic sanctions against current and former Turkish government officials contributing to the "destabilizing actions." While U.S. troops moved out of Syria, U.S. leaders prepared an economic response. In a published statement released on Twitter, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is preparing an executive order to impose the sanctions against "those who may be involved in serious human rights abuses, obstructing a ceasefire, preventing displaced persons from returning home, forcibly repatriating refugees, or threatening the peace, security, or stability in Syria." Aside from sanctions against individuals, further actions could include raising tariffs on s...

EU-UK Talks Intensify Ahead of Oct. 31 Brexit

11Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Global Trade, Types of News: Brief

EU-UK Talks Intensify Ahead of Oct. 31 Brexit

October 11, 2019--With less than three weeks to go before the United Kingdom exits the European Union without a plan to trade with the rest of Europe, new hope for a deal emerged on Friday as the chief negotiator for the European Commission indicated that talks are intensifying "in a constructive spirit." "We are intensifying technical discussions with the United Kingdom over the coming days, in a constructive spirit," Michel Barnier, the European Commission's Chief Negotiator, said today on Twitter. Earlier in the week, Barnier suggested that an agreement would be "difficult, but still possible." EU Position: No Hard Border in Ireland The European Union would only support a withdrawal agreement if it "avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland, protects the all-island eco...

U.S. Adds Maduro’s Son to Sanctions Blacklist

29Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Adds Maduro’s Son to Sanctions Blacklist

June 28, 2019--The U.S. government added the son of Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro Moros to its sanction's list, blocking all his property that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons. In its release, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said it is targeting Nicolas "Nicolasito" Ernesto Maduro because he is "a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela," and the office would continue to target regime insiders. "Maduro’s regime was built on fraudulent elections, and his inner circle lives in luxury off the proceeds of corruption while the Venezuelan people suffer," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a release. "Maduro relies on his son Nicolasito and others close to his authoritarian regime to maintain a stranglehold on...