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geopolitics

US Congressman: Bush wants FTA with Colombia to curb Chávez
15-Jun-2007 El Universal
Charles Rangel, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, accused Thursday the government of US President George W. Bush of pressing the Congress to pass a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Colombia in order to counter Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
Minority opinion
30-May-2007
It remains unclear to me what the advantages of being part of the Saarc grouping are over entering into bilateral relations with each individual Saarc country instead. I have always like the concept of Bimstec instead.
The politics of Asia’s big deals
26-May-2007 Newsweek
The US-South Korea free trade agreement comes at precisely the moment when America’s military presence on the Korean Peninsula is rapidly diminishing, anti-US nationalism in South Korea is growing and China is playing an ever more important leadership role in the region. "This FTA is about countering China," says Yang Sung Chul, a former US ambassador to South Korea, now professor at Korea University in Seoul. "It’s much more significant in strategic than economic terms."
US and China tug at ASEAN unity
8-May-2007 Asia Times
ASEAN is being fragmented by intensifying US-China competition for regional influence, which is putting a premium on bilateralism with the big powers at the expense of ASEAN’s ambition toward more regional multilateralism.
Global trade talks stall as free trade agreements grow in Asia
3-May-2007 VOA
As the latest World Trade Organization round of talks loses momentum, bilateral and regional free trade agreements are mushrooming in Asia.
Israeli industrialists’ strategy in the global supply chain
27-Apr-2007
The aim of this paper is to try to understand the Israeli industrialists’ strategy in the globalization process in the course of the recent years. The new strategy was implemented in the days of the first Intifada (the Palestinian uprising) in the late 80s. At that time voices were heard in the Association of Israeli Industrialists, the strongest organization of Israeli employers, advocating an agreement with the Palestinians which would not oppose the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, as long as the Palestinian economic dependence on Israel is preserved.
Don’t let Kashmir stand in the way of trade ties: India
19-Apr-2007
Pakistan is in violation of the agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Vienna Convention by discriminating against India in the implementation of the regional accord, aside from risking its credibility as a negotiating partner, Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal told a conference.
Moratorium on free trade agreements
6-Apr-2007 FPIF
At literally minutes to midnight on April 1, the United States signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korean negotiators and rushed it to Congress. Congress now has 90 days to review the Korea, Peru, Colombia, and Panama agreements, before fast track authority expires on June 30.
Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods - A spearheading new initiative
2-Apr-2007 MMN
Members of J-BIG have joined the wider campaign for abolishing the special trade and economic benefits granted to Israel as part of its trade agreement with the European Union. Indeed a significant number of British MPs appear to support this campaign.
“Trade for Peace with Israel” falls short
29-Mar-2007 TCF
The next time your Wal-Mart sweatpants read “Made in Jordan QIZ” on the label, consider the relationship between economic integration and peace. The truth might not be what you expect.
Clark’s baggage ensures rock remains on road to trade deal
23-Mar-2007
Here’s my take on what really went down when Helen Clark met George Bush at the White House. The big international agenda - those issues that are really central to the security of the Western world, such as Iraq - was on the table.
Fran O’Sullivan: United States owes NZ a free trade deal
17-Mar-2007
Helen Clark needs to muscle up to George Bush this week and directly push the case for a bilateral free trade deal with the United States.
US Alliance a distinct liability for Australia
26-Feb-2007 Online Opinion
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade report estimated that the benefits to Australia from the US FTA would be $ 9.9 billion over 20 years. That would amount to a mere $26.05 per person per year. Common sense suggests that it would be ridiculous to bargain away Australia’s sovereignty for such a “benefit”.
Still allies, more or less
9-Feb-2007 Al-Ahram
The issue of an Egyptian-American free trade agreement figured prominently on the agenda of talks between Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Rashid Mohamed Rashid and US Deputy Secretary of Commerce David Sampson last week.
Malaysia: Iran deal clouds free trade plans with US
7-Feb-2007 IPS
A free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and Malaysia, in its final round this week, has run into opposition from trade unions and also from U.S. lawmakers opposed to an energy deal struck between this country and Iran.
Senior US official dashes FTA hopes
7-Feb-2007 Taipei Times
A senior US trade official on Tuesday dashed Taiwan’s hopes that Washington could enter into negotiations on a US-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) anytime soon, and said that Taiwan would have to gain strong support from the US business sector and Congress before an FTA could ever be considered.
US targets Malaysia in drive to sign Muslim countries to free trade agreement
4-Feb-2007 Media Monitors Network
FTAs are increasingly being regarded by many countries as Washington’s economic analogue of a nuclear bomb.
Malaysia threatens to halt FTA talks with US after call to scrap Iran deal: report
2-Feb-2007 IHT
Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz told Washington to stay out of Malaysia’s affairs and warned the government will not bow to any threats, the Malay-language Utusan Malaysia reported. "I am ready to advise the government to cancel the FTA discussions immediately," she was quoted as saying.
US asked to suspend free trade talks with Malaysia over Iran deal
1-Feb-2007 Channel News Asia
A key US lawmaker on Wednesday called on the administration of President George W Bush to suspend free trade talks with Malaysia in protest over its mega energy deal with Iran.
Chavez, Morales, Correa bypass US in deals with Iran, China
30-Jan-2007 Bloomberg
Presidents including Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales are bypassing the US in reaching trade accords and strengthening diplomatic and commercial ties with nations that compete with, or are hostile toward, US interests.