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geopolitics

Hostage rescue may not free U.S.-Colombia trade deal
3-Jul-2008
Colombia’s dramatic rescue of hostages held for years by a rebel group probably won’t lead to quick approval of a U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement that has been snagged for months in the U.S. Congress.
Bilateral accords quietly push neo-liberal agenda
17-Jun-2008 rabble
Right now through the European Union process there is a divide and rule strategy taking place, not only regionally but also within regions where some countries are signing bilateral trade and investment agreements and some aren’t.
Rifts threaten to overshadow South American union
24-May-2008
Twelve South American countries founded a union on Friday aimed at boosting economic integration and political cohesion, but the region’s bitter rivalries stymied ambitious plans on defense and trade.
US seeks power in Asia via FTA with Korea
25-Apr-2008
The United States is seeking to prevent Asian countries from pushing for closer economic cooperation while excluding Washington, a senior U.S. government official suggested Thursday.
The right to run their own economy: AIC policy paper on Palestinian trade
19-Mar-2008 AIC
Israel is not interested in the supposed “peace dividends” associated with free trade based on the sovereign economic policy of all parties. Israel evidently has other plans, most obvious of which are territorial expansionism and control of the population, both incompatible with Palestinian sovereignty.
The problem of preferential trade with larger partners
17-Mar-2008 Scoop
Chinese repression of Tibetan dissidents has pushed the issue of the impending Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and the Peoples Republic of China back into the news. In a diplomatic sidestep both Helen Clark and John Key claim that events in Tibet have nothing to do with free trade. Perhaps that is true, but there are other issues to consider.
Free trade agreements and international investments
14-Mar-2008 Ecoportal
Developed countries see free trade agreements as forming part of a two-pronged strategy: to use international law to lay down market rules; and to give the appearance of legality to a system that allows States and their people to be exploited, robbed of their resources and wealth by excluding them from the international community and then legitimizing this exclusion
USTR Schwab: "Time is now" on Colombia trade pact
6-Mar-2008
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab told Congress on Thursday "the time is now" to approve a free trade agreement with Colombia, signaling a fight with lawmakers seeking stronger rights for workers.
Bush urges Congress to pass Colombia trade pact
4-Mar-2008
President George W. Bush urged U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday to put aside differences over a free trade agreement with Colombia and approve the pact to show support for a strong U.S. ally at the center of a crisis in Latin America.
The Mediterranean Union: Dividing the Middle East and North Africa
13-Feb-2008 Global Research
The Middle East and North Africa are in the process of being divided into spheres of influence between the European Union and the United States. Essentially the division of the Middle East and North Africa are between Franco-German and Anglo-American interests. There is a unified stance within NATO in regards to this re-division.
Joining the fold
20-Dec-2007 Al-Ahram
The US since 2000 espoused even closer links between its strategic interests and trade liberalisation. Europe is not far behind.
Demerits of the EU trade agreements
19-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
The EU used a variety of unsavoury negotiating tactics to get its interim agreements with East African countries to the signing stage.
Africa united against EU arrogance
19-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
The recent summit between African heads of states and the EU has shown that Europe has failed to move beyond their colonial-era past-times of economic and political bullying.
China outwits the EU in Africa
13-Dec-2007 Asia Times
During the past several years, an increasing number of differences have arisen in the strategic partnership forged between China and the European Union. Among the many critical issues clouding the mutual agenda are differing policy approaches towards Africa.
Israeli, Palestinian businessmen urge trade talks
12-Dec-2007 The Guardian
Key members of the Israeli and Palestinian private sectors recommended in a joint study that peace negotiators adopt a "Free Trade Agreement Plus" (FTA Plus) as the basis for economic relations between Israel and any future Palestinian state.
Bush wields Colombia trade deal to halt Venezuela
8-Dec-2007 AFP
Bush is now presenting the FTA to Congress as the main US policy tool to halt the influence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Lessons from Morocco
16-Nov-2007 Middle East Times
Bilateral trade accords are driven by politics more than economics, and the US-Morocco free trade agreement, or FTA, is no exception.
Trade deal would be reward for Jordan’s moderate stance
14-Nov-2007 Embassy Magazine
Jordan’s Ambassador to Canada says free trade talks are a reward for his country’s moderation and peace efforts, but critics worry the government isn’t genuine in its trade relations.
Israel boycott office ’must be reopened’
5-Nov-2007 Gulfnews
A parliamentarian committee in Bahrain has called for the reopening of the Israel boycott office. Manama shut down the office in 2005 as part of the requirements by the US Congress before it ratified a free trade agreement with Bahrain
EU shuns discussion on NKorea enclave at trade talks
17-Oct-2007 EU Business
The European Union has shunned discussions on South Korea’s proposal to include a North Korean industrial park in their proposed free trade agreement (FTA), officials said. Meanwhile, European businesses have warned their leaders not to play politics with trade and exclude the park from any trade agreement with Seoul.