WASHINGTON: US presidential envoy Richard Holbrooke on Friday voiced the Obama administration’s full confidence in the ability of the democratic Pakistani government to deliver services for its people as he rubbished media reports implying that Washington might be concerned about the performance of the elected government to the point of seeking change. Referring to stories […]
On April 28, the five Central Asian states met to discuss water issues in a summit in Almaty. To no one’s surprise, no agreements of substance were signed. Instead, the leaders bickered and stalled, and in the end, signed an agreement that did not address regional water management. Continuing to provoke its neighbors, on April […]
Dexter Filkins reports in the New York Times that part of Obama’s new Afghanistan policy is an emphasis on curtailing Taliban profits from the opium trade. To do this, US commanders have authorization to attempt to take control of the opium-heavy growing regions of Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul Provinces. I could not discern whether a […]
An excellent, view here of the European Parlaiment Elections and voter’s unenthusiatic reaction towards them. The skilled author, Timothy Garton Ash suffers, however, from having only a national view of the importance of the elections. At European level, the elections are vital and, given the current state of economic collapse, could influence many global policies, potentially for centuries. The nation-centric view […]
The number of Americans opposing settlements jumped 23-percent since 2002 to approximately 75-percent, according to a new poll. The U.S.-backed Road Map for Peace calls for an immediate freeze on settlements while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s posture towards settlements remains in question. Almost exactly half of those questioned, though, expressed equal sympathy for both […]
The second major event of the week in Tromsø was the biennial Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting. Representatives from all of the permanent member states of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States were in attendance, along with representatives from observer states. Climate change was of course high on the agenda this […]
A judge has ordered the release of four generals that were being held in connection with the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. Belgian judge Daniel Fransen ordered the men to be freed Wednesday after it was determined that the evidence being used to hold them was insufficient. The four generals […]
The most recent Palestinian reconciliation talks concluded with only one breakthrough, as negotiators postponed the renewal of negotiations to May 16 and 17. Both Hamas and Fatah officially state that they are willing to compromise, but many observers deem the process futile. The delay to mid-May occurred to permit faction delegates to discuss proposals with […]
KARACHI: At least 25 people were killed and over 40 others injured in a fresh wave of ethnic violence in different parts of Karachi on Wednesday. About 20 vehicles were torched. Tension and panic gripped parts of the city as unidentified attackers went on a shooting spree, killing most of the victims at point-blank range. […]
Next Wednesday negotiations will begin on a possible EU/Canada trade deal. A study has estimated that the deal could bring real income gains of €20billion annually for both partners. Which only makes the absence of a similar EU/US deal more conspicious. In fact it is the increased protectionist feeling in the US that has blocked momentum toward such […]
Two items of note: Weak Opposition to Karzai, So Far… The Afghan Election Commission started excepting nominations for presidential and provincial offices for the upcoming August elections and one thing seems clear, incumbent President Hamid Karzai appears to have a strong chance at retaining his position. No other major candidate has so far put in […]
The schools are closed. Soccer matches are played in empty stadiums and movie theaters have closed their doors. There are no public events and it is no longer possible to have lunch in a restaurant. The army has been giving out masks out on the streets. Shopping malls are nearly empty, as well as the […]
Has the Speaker of Kenya’s Parliament come up with a temporary palliative to the proximate cause of tension between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga? Speaker Kenneth Marende has stepped in as temporary chair of the House Business Committee in Parliament, a disputed post that has been the source of tensions between Kibaki and […]
Following Jordanian King Abdullah’s visit to the White House last week, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh spoke with Middle East Progress, stressing the need for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike representatives from other Arab nations, he stated that the Arab Peace Initiative does not expire, but he urged a quick resolution to the […]
This is a busy week for the normally sleepy town of Tromsø, Norway a city over 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, as it is hosting two conferences: one on global warming, and the annual Arctic Council meeting. Global Warming Conference On Tuesday, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and former Vice President Al […]