Tuesday, March 9, 2010

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily News Brief, March 9, 2010

 

From the Council on Foreign Relations

March 9, 2010

View this newsletter as a web page on CFR's website.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- Biden Opens Talks with Israel
- Iraqi Voter Turnout Announced
- China Voices Support for U.S. Treasuries
- Pound and Euro Fall on Credit Warnings

Top of the Agenda: Biden Opens Talks with Israel

U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden commenced talks with Israeli leaders (NYT) as part of a U.S. effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Biden called U.S. ties to Israel "unshakeable" during a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres. He is expected to meet Palestinian and Jordanian leaders and give a speech at Tel Aviv University emphasizing American solidarity with Israel. The peace talks will be the first in over a year but have not garnered much enthusiasm among Israelis and Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports two states but wants the Palestinian side demilitarized and an accepted Israeli military presence on its future eastern border.

U.S. Special Envoy George Mitchell's announcement Monday that Israelis and Palestinians had agreed only to indirect talks provoked criticism that the peace process has regressed (WashPost) under Obama administration. The Palestinians' chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Israel's Army Radio that this was likely the last chance to achieve two states.

Analysis:

A Washington Post editorial says the Obama administration must aim for a quick transition to direct negotiations and should avoid raising expectations about what they can accomplish.

In the Jerusalem Post, Gershon Baskin says although proximity talks reflect a retreat in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, they could be the best way to reach an agreement.

In this interview, CFR's Elliott Abrams says progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will come through development and building a legal system in the West Bank, not negotiations when the conditions aren't ripe.

MIDDLE EAST: Commission Announces Iraqi Voter Turnout

Iraq's independent electoral commission announced more than 60 percent of Iraqis (al-Jazeera), or 11.7 million people, voted in parliamentary elections despite violent attempts to disrupt the vote.

PACIFIC RIM: China Voices Support for U.S. Treasuries

Yi Gang, head of China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange, expressed renewed commitment to U.S. Treasuries (Reuters) and said China would be wary of boosting its gold holdings.

Japan: A Japanese government-appointed panel confirmed the existence of once-secret Cold War-era pacts (AP) between Japan and the United States on nuclear arms, amid a strained U.S.-Japan security alliance.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Gates Praises U.S. Troops in Southern Afghanistan

During a visit to a small outpost north of Kandahar, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told U.S. troops (AP) in Afghanistan that their heavy losses helped push back against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.

Pakistan: Officials say the U.S.-born operative held in Karachi is not al-Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn (LAT), who is wanted on U.S. treason charges.

AFRICA: Clinton Urges Arrests for Nigerian Killings

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Nigeria to arrest and try (BBC) those responsible for killing hundreds of people near the Nigerian city of Jos. Human Rights Watch says violence has continued because no one was held responsible for previous killings.

Somalia: Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed welcomed U.S. air support for an expected offensive (Reuters) aimed at retaking control of areas from al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab rebels.

AMERICAS: Officials Debate Civilian Trials on Terrorism

Former national security officials say eliminating civilian trials for foreign terrorism suspects would tie the government's hands, reports the New York Times.

Brazil: Brazil announced it would levy a total of $591 million in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods (MercoPress) under a WTO ruling against U.S. cotton subsidies granted last year.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent trip to Brazil may reflect a desire to make the country a strategic priority for the U.S., writes CFR's Julia Sweig in the International Herald Tribune.

EUROPE: Pound and Euro Fall on Credit Warnings

The pound and euro fell Tuesday (WSJ), as warnings about deteriorating credit in Europe pushed investors to the dollar and the yen.

Europe: European countries are blocking Wall Street banks from lucrative deals (Guardian) to sell government debt as payback for their role in the financial crisis.

TRANSNATIONAL: Poor Countries and Climate Change

The International Monetary Fund unveiled plans for an African "green fund" (WSJ) as part of its efforts to address the unfilled need to help poorer nations cope with climate change.
 

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