bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

geopolitics

The myth of free trade
12-Jun-2006 The Standard
Once we confront the flimsiness of the free trade ideal and admit that every deal has varied implications, the sleight of hand that characterizes so-called global free trade might begin to be broken down and something called fair trade might yet emerge.
Boycott of Israel still in effect, Omani official tells ’Post’
8-Jun-2006 Indepedent Media Review Analysis
Five months after signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US, Oman continues to restrict the import of Israeli-made goods despite a pledge made to the US that it would not boycott the Jewish state, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
Korea, US fail to agree on Kaesong-made goods
7-Jun-2006
The first round of free-trade negotiations between Korea and the US failed to produce agreement on products made at the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea.
FTA ’followed in letter and spirit’
29-May-2006 Gulf Daily News
The US government has confirmed that Bahrain is no longer part of an Arab boycott of Israeli products in line with its commitment to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Tensions stall Japan/South Korea FTA
27-May-2006 Stuff.co.nz
Negotiations for a free trade pact between South Korea and Japan have been deadlocked for more than a year partly due to differences over how the two sides view their history, South Korea’s commerce minister said on Friday.
US ’better free trade partner than Japan, China’
26-May-2006 Chosun Ilbo
The US is a much better free-trade partner for Korea than China or Japan, where issues of race and historical animosities would make an agreement difficult, Korea’s chief negotiator in free-trade talks with the US said Thursday.
US forum focuses on ways trade can produce political effects in Mideast
6-May-2006
The importance of trade as a vehicle that can also produce significant political effects was the focus of a Cato Institute briefing on Capitol Hill entitled "Building Foundations for Freedom, Commerce and Peace in the Middle East."
Yes Mr. Solana, the EU has abandoned the Palestinian people
4-May-2006 The Electronic Intifada
If Solana wants to demonstrate genuine support for the Palestinians he can start by calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, in accordance with its Article 2 which grants Israel trade privileges only on condition that it respects human rights.
Aziz links free trade to Kashmir
3-May-2006 Daily Times
Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday that free trade with India was not possible without resolving political disputes.
No benefit from free trade deals - PIDS
2-May-2006 The Daily Tribune
Policymakers should realize that free trade agreements (FTAs) are neither necessary nor sufficient for economic growth, Dr. Josef Yap, president of the government think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies, said in a study.
Qatar halts trade talks with US
29-Apr-2006 AP
Qatar has frozen bilateral free trade talks with the United States, saying Washington was imposing preconditions that were not in Doha’s interest.
Chavez says South America should unite, reject US trade pacts
27-Apr-2006 AP
South American nations will have to choose whether they want continental unity or individual trade agreements with the United States — but not both, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday.
Shifting centres of gravity in Latin America
26-Apr-2006 Scoop
COPA the Panamanian airline is now flying the Brazilian company Embraer’s E-190 commercial airliners on routes previously dominated by Boeing 737s. This detail highlights broader shifts in the economic balance of power in Latin America away from United States corporations.
Nuke policy still an issue in US trade talks - Brash
24-Apr-2006 stuff
New Zealand National Party leader Don Brash said it was "fairly clear" that some members of the US Administration felt there was no prospect of an FTA unless there was some change in New Zealand’s anti-nuclear position.
US ports deal: A bitter aftertaste
10-Apr-2006
As a consequence of the furore by the US congress over DP World’s acquisition of several American ports, the Dubai state-owned company decided to avert a long legal battle and agreed to put these assets up for sale.
Japan-China trade agreement opposed
10-Apr-2006 Reuters
Japan’s farm minister expressed scepticism toward the idea of a free trade pact with China, while its foreign minister said on Friday the two economic giants should avoid jockeying for power in the region.
ADB attacks bilateral trade deals
7-Apr-2006 Financial Times
“A lot of these bilateral deals have nothing to do with economics. Instead, they [Asian Development Bank’s members] are mostly doing it for diplomatic reasons, including efforts to gain access to natural resources.”
Inaugurating the Center for National Movements against the South Korea-US FTA
6-Apr-2006 IPLeft
Unless this FTA is blocked, Korean economy, nay, the whole Korean society will soon fall under US unilateralism built upon transnational capital, Korea-US military alliance, and of course the new gained strategic flexibility of the US forces in Korea.
Bolivia: Washington opening another front?
30-Mar-2006 Granma
Even before Evo Morales won the presidential elections on December 15, 2005 and took possession on January 22, his government entered one of Washington’s exclusion lists, in this case one of "populism," an epithet that serves the White House and the US State Department, in charge of issuing warnings, to denote an executive that does not please or suit them.
Free trade pacts are bad for business
25-Mar-2006 Forbes
The WTO on March 22 issued a report criticizing the US pursuit of free trade agreements. The report claims that US free trade agreements create political interests in other countries, which complicate the multilateral process.