Democratic.net: [RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, July 27, 2007

Monday, July 27, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, July 27, 2007

July 27, 2009

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- U.S. envoys in Middle East to push peace process.
- Taliban attacks in Swat Valley.
- Clashes between Nigerian police and a radical Islamic sect.
- Movement on Honduran political stalemate.

Top of the Agenda: U.S. Envoys in Mideast

A team of top U.S. officials is in the Middle East this week in a new push to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process (BBC). Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Adviser James Jones, and Envoy to the Gulf States Dennis Ross are participating in talks with Israeli, Palestinian, Syrian, and Egyptian leaders on issues ranging from the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory to reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.

Gates, in Jerusalem, issued a warning (Haaretz) to Iran after talks with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Gates said the U.S. offer of diplomatic engagement with Iran is “not open-ended,” and that Iran should respond by the UN General Assembly meeting in September. Barak implied that an Israeli military strike against Iran is still a possibility.

Mitchell met with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad (The National), hoping to begin to repair the strained U.S.-Syria relationship. Mitchell also aims to convince Israel and Syria to resume peace talks over the disputed Golan Heights.

Analysis
Syria expert Joshua Landis says it is too early to assess the outcome of the Mitchell-Assad talks, but notes that some Syrian officials feel that “a few months of dialogue cannot break down the great distrust and misunderstanding” built over the Bush administration’s time in office.

The International Crisis Group warns against underestimating the importance of the West Bank settlements in reaching a sustainable Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Al-Jazeera says the multipronged U.S. diplomatic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “unprecedented.”

A recent Newsweek article looks at Fatah’s internal battles.

MIDEAST: Kurdistan Elections

Incumbent President Masood Barzani and the two main political parties were expected to win the presidential and parliamentary elections in Iraqi Kurdistan (Bloomberg). However, a new party called Goran, or Change, seems to have made a strong showing, a sign of Kurdish dissatisfaction with government corruption (CSMonitor).

In an interview with CFR, Iraq expert Daniel Serwer says the crisis between Kurdistan and the central government "needs to be resolved" to some degree before U.S. troops withdraw.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Taliban Attacks in Swat Valley

The Taliban have resumed attacks (WSJ) in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, two weeks after the Pakistan army declared the area secure and encouraged the hundreds of thousands of people displaced from the region to return home. The attacks indicate Pakistan’s military offensive in the region has not rid the area of the insurgency.

India: India launched its first nuclear-powered submarine (Business Standard) off the country’s southeast coast. India is the sixth country to launch a nuclear submarine.

AFRICA: Fighting in Nigeria

More than one hundred people were killed in fighting (BBC) between government security forces and fringe Islamist militant group Boko Haram in three separate incidents in northern Nigeria. The group opposes Western education. Nigeria is roughly half Muslim and half Christian, but sharia law is in place throughout much of northern Nigeria.

Guinea-Bissau: Former interim president Malam Bacai Sanha was expected to win (BBC) a run-off vote in Guinea-Bissau. The vote was held to replace President Joao Bernardo Vieira, who was assassinated in March. A June 2009 report from the International Crisis Group says the election is not enough to "halt the continued militarization of politics."

PACIFIC RIM: U.S.-China Dialogue

The United States and China kick off the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (Foreign Policy) today, a process started under former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. The Obama administration says the dialogue has been broadened from economic issues to include strategic issues such as climate change, Pakistan, and North Korea.

China: About thirty thousand Chinese steelworkers employed by the state steel company rioted in the northeastern city of Tonghua in response to news that Jianlong Steel, a private company, would buy a majority share of the state group. The workers were concerned they would lose their jobs in the subsequent restructuring. The deal was scrapped (FT) after the plant's general manager was beaten to death.

Taiwan: Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou was elected head of the ruling Kuomintang party (Taipei Times). The vote will allow Ma to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, and will make it easier for him to pass laws through parliament. The Chinese president sent a cable congratulating Ma on his election (Bloomberg), the first public exchange of messages between the leaders of China and Taiwan in sixty years.

AMERICAS: Zelaya Offered Return

The interim Honduran military government indicated it would allow the return (FT) of ousted President Manuel Zelaya, and that it would accept negotiations “within the framework of the San José Accord.” The accord, which was proposed by mediator Oscar Arias, would allow Zelaya to be reinstated, but with reduced powers.

Colombia: Colombia bombed a FARC camp (Latin American Herald Tribune) in the jungle, killing at least sixteen members of the left-wing insurgent group.

This CFR Backgrounder profiles FARC.

EUROPE: Suicide Attack in Chechnya

A suicide bomb attack (VOA) in a theater in the Chechen capital of Grozny killed at least six people and wounded several others. The bombing was the second in Grozny this month.

EU: EU foreign ministers meet this week (RFE/RL) to discuss issues from Iran to Georgia to Iceland's application to join the European Union.

France: French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from the hospital after suffering a minor vagal nerve attack while jogging.

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