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geopolitics

A helping Chinese hand
29-Apr-2009 Asia Times
A new investment fund and loan package to help alleviate the impact of the global financial crisis for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) represents the latest overture of China’s "soft power" campaign towards the region.
US Muslim group seeks to nix US-Israel Free Trade agreement
23-Apr-2009 Haaretz
Global pharmaceuticals companies, which often argue that Israel should pass stricter legislation to protect intellectual property, have received support from an unexpected corner recently: the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep) has filed an urgent petition to the United States Trade Representative demanding the immediate suspension of preferential Israeli access to the US market under the Free Trade Area agreement.
US Security Council ’wants FTA with Korea ratified’
21-Apr-2009 Chosun Ilbo
"Inside US Trade", an American magazine, last Saturday quoted sources as saying NSC officials believe that the passage of the FTA bill will cement the Korea-U.S. alliance at a time when tension is mounting on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of North Korea’s launch of a long-range rocket.
Social organizations oppose signing economic agreement with China
15-Mar-2009 Taiwan Church News
Farmers, medium-sized and small businesses will lose out while capitalists will reap the most benefits if an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between Taiwan and China is signed. An ECFA is also a prelude to reunification.
China seeks ‘comprehensive’ economic pact with Taiwan
6-Mar-2009 Bloomberg
China will push for a comprehensive economic accord with Taiwan and wants to broaden discussions to involve military issues, Premier Wen Jiabao said.
Activists demand referendum on CECA proposal
26-Feb-2009 Taipei Times
Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan representative Tsay Ting-kuei said that if Taiwan signs a CECA under the “one China” principle, the agreement would symbolize Taiwan’s surrender to China.
Maltese civil society: Suspend EU-Israel agreement
23-Feb-2009 Electronic Intifada
In view of the recent three-week premeditated campaign of bombing of the population of Gaza and its infrastructure by the State of Israel which came after a crippling, illegal two-year siege, we, 14 member organizations of SKOP, the Maltese national platform of development non-governmental organizations, call for a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Taiwan, China negotiating a landmark free-trade sgreement
23-Feb-2009 Washington Post
Taiwan and China are negotiating a wide-ranging free-trade agreement that represents an important step toward the possibility of unification of the longtime adversaries.
China’s latest geopolitical assault on Latin American commodities and bilateral trade
18-Feb-2009 COHA
Two key figures in Chinese politics embarked on a tour of Latin American countries on February 9, in a sign that the Asian superpower is intent on consolidating its already substantial stake in the region.
Montrealers occupy Minister’s office in solidarity with Gaza. "Tear up Quebec-Israel bilateral accord! Condemn Israel’s attack on Gaza!"
15-Jan-2009
Montrealers are occupying the ministerial office of Raymond Bachand, Quebec’s Economic Development Minister, in solidarity with Gaza and to call on the Charest government to immediately rescind the Quebec-Israel economic accord.
Thousand deaths do not put off EU
15-Jan-2009 IPS
Two conflicting statements about EU-Israeli relations were delivered Jan. 14, as the number of Palestinians, about one-third of them children, killed in Gaza continued to climb. The European Commission’s envoy in Jerusalem claimed that a proposed ’upgrading’ in relations with Israel cannot "proceed business as usual." Yet his statement was soon contradicted by the foreign minister of the Czech Republic, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
EU talks with Israel on upgrading ties put on hold
15-Jan-2009 Reuters
The European Union and Israel have put negotiations on upgrading their ties on hold due to the war in the Gaza Strip, an EU envoy said on Wednesday.
Georgia, US sign strategic accord
10-Jan-2009 AFP
On the economic front, the two countries intend to pursue an Enhanced Bilateral Investment Treaty and to explore the possibility of a free-trade agreement.
What part of Article 2 don’t you understand?
6-Jan-2009 Middle East Online
There’s an ugly plan afoot in the EU to reward Israel for its abominable and criminal conduct by enhancing the already handsome benefits enjoyed by the neighbourhood bully under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
US cuts Bolivian duty free export law
16-Dec-2008 Prensa Latina
The US officially shut out Bolivia from the benefits of the Law of Andean Trade Preference and Drug Enforcement Act (ATPDEA).
India, Brazil and South Africa should gang up with China
15-Oct-2008 IPS
The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) formation could have enough clout to stand up to the European Union and the US but it needs the help of emerging superpower China. Alternatively it should align with the BRIC (Brazil-Russia-India-China) group.
Junta benefits from regional economic tug-of-war
20-Aug-2008 Mizzima
India and ASEAN have announced that talks on services and investment are set to commence next month ahead of a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) to be signed later this year. This latest step in deepening regional economic integration is further evidence of an ever expanding matrix of competing regional economic interests, which Burma finds itself at the heart of.
SAARC rhetoric and economic realities
10-Aug-2008
The focus of this year’s SAARC Summit was on terrorism. Economic cooperation, regional food security and the perennial issue of poverty reduction were among the economic issues that were deliberated. SAARC summits have tended to be high on rhetoric and low on achievement. Once upon a time, NATO was described as No Action Talk Only.
Sri Lanka develops cold feet on trade pact with India
28-Jul-2008 Live Mint
An India-Sri Lanka trade and investment agreement billed as a landmark is being delayed, ostensibly because the island nation’s President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, an avowed Sinhala nationalist, doesn’t want to be seen as authoring such a close partnership with New Delhi, diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
’ROK postpones FTA talks over Takeshima reference’
20-Jul-2008 Daily Yomiuri
Talks between Japan and South Korea on resuming negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement have been postponed indefinitely after Seoul said it was unhappy over a reference to the Takeshima islets in school handbooks