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geopolitics

India keen on building strong ties wth Gulf states
9-Aug-2005 Sify
"We are looking at something more than FTAs. We would like to sign CECAs with the Gulf states. They are an important area of foreign policy," the Indian Prime Minister Office sources said.
APEC & free trade agreements in the Asia Pacific
22-Jul-2005
This conference provides a useful opportunity to reflect on the present and possible future role of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation). In recent years, veteran APEC-watchers have rather complacently dismissed the grouping as irrelevant. But we may have under-estimated its contribution to the new matrix of economic alliances that are emerging within the region.
GCC-EU Free Trade Agreement: a political imperative
14-Jul-2005 Dubai Quality Group
The way to counter the momentum of the US bilateral push would be to quickly bring to conclusion the deal between the GCC and the EU and through such a mechanism reinvigorate the multilateral approach to regional relations.
The price of free trade
12-Jul-2005 Asia Times
As the struggle for regional economic dominance in Northeast Asia heats up, the battle for free trade agreements (FTAs) has reached a new level, which may not only see the weakening of the multilateral trade system, but also the cancerous growth of geopolitical influence in regional trade.
Bahrain parliament approves FTA with the US
8-Jul-2005 Aljazeera
The Bahraini parliament approved a free trade agreement with the United States. Some lawmakers wanted to use the agreement to press Washington to release six Bahrainis detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But most MPs decided that they have a better chance to resolve the issue by ratifying the accord.
US cautions EU over Syria deal
6-Jun-2005 Al Jazeera
Washington has urged the EU to hold off on signing a trade and aid pact with Syria, citing its doubts that Damascus withdrew all intelligence agents from Lebanon and was allowing fighters to enter Iraq.
Racism, rights ’could hurt China FTA’
18-May-2005 Sydney Morning Herald
Racism and left wing politicians focusing on human rights could threaten a proposed free trade deal between Australia and China, a new report says.
Calls for more flexible US position in free trade talks
21-Apr-2005 IPS
During the ninth round of negotiations of a free trade agreement between the United States and three South American nations in the Andean region — Colombia, Peru and Ecuador — Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo called for ”greater flexibility” on the part of Washington.
Algeria offers business opportunities for the US private sector
16-Apr-2005 US-Algeria Business Council
The U.S.-Algeria Business Council is working to bring U.S. investment and trade to Algeria to bolster Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s strategic decision to integrate his country into the global economy.
Bush’s pointsman has his job cut out
21-Mar-2005
After weeks of uncertainty, President George W Bush has nominated as US Trade Representative Rob Portman, a Republican Congressman from Ohio, better known for his loyalty to the President than for any experience in international trade negotiations.
Egypt: Privatizing the Cabinet
21-Mar-2005 Business Monthly
Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rachid Mohamed Rachid is bringing three decades of private sector experience to his post, taking on the twin challenge of modernizing industry and expanding foreign trade.
Corporate conquest, global geopolitics: Intellectual property rights and bilateral investment treaties
17-Mar-2005 Seedling
Examines how bilateral investment treaties and free trade agreements which contain specific investment provisions reflect geopolitical concerns and redefine rights and privileges for transnational corporations, including with respect to commercial control over biodiversity through intellectual property rights.
Gulf Emirate says there are no political strings attached to free trade talks with Washington
8-Mar-2005 Middle East Online
The United Arab Emirates said on Monday it was not committing itself to any changes in foreign policy by entering into talks on a free trade pact with the United States. The statement followed reports that Washington would ask Abu Dhabi to drop a trade boycott of Israel during the negotiations, which kick off here on Tuesday.
Gloomy trade outlook
24-Feb-2005 UPI
Economic considerations are well down the list of reasons why bilateral trade agreements get negotiated
The US-Jordan FTA: Defogging the Myth
31-Dec-2004
The purpose of this article is to give an account of the history and some provisions of the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement and assess the extent to which the FTA provides a viable “model” to the proposed US-Middle East Free Trade Agreement.
US-Bahrain trade deal exposes GCC chinks
28-Dec-2004 Daily Star
The US-Bahrain deal undermines the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) as a collective body.
Amid protests, Jordan and Israel sign key trade accord
24-Dec-2004 Khaleej Times
Israel and Jordan agreed yesterday to tear down many of their remaining trade barriers in a deal that paves the way for the Jewish state’s first free trade accord with an Arab state by the end of 2010.
Turkey, Syria sign free trade agreement
23-Dec-2004 Tehran Times
Turkey and Syria signed a free trade agreement on Wednesday and discussed how to keep Iraq united and stable despite the violence sweeping their neighbor.
Japan adopts FTA policy focusing on partners in Asia
22-Dec-2004 Japan Times
The government on Tuesday approved a basic plan to promote free-trade agreements, prioritizing accords with Asian trading partners to help build an East Asian community. It also adopted a set of 12 criteria to choose potential FTA partners, envisioning future negotiations with trading partners outside East Asia.
US-Taiwan free trade agreement in pipeline?
16-Dec-2004 IPS
In last week’s parliamentary elections, Taiwan’s opposition party won a surprise victory which could spell trouble for a bilateral FTA with the United States.