Democratic.net: [RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, July 28, 2009

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, July 28, 2009

July 28, 2009

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

-U.S.-China Dialogue continues.
-George Mitchell meets Benjamin Netanyahu.
-150,000 workers on strike in South Africa.
-North Korea signals it is open to nuclear talks.

Top of the Agenda: U.S.-China Talks

The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue continues today in Washington (WashPost), as about two hundred senior Chinese officials meet with top figures in the Obama administration, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Peter Orszag.

President Barack Obama opened the dialogue yesterday by emphasizing the importance of the U.S.-China relationship in dealing with economic issues, as well as matters like climate change, nuclear proliferation, and transnational threats. Full text and video of Obama’s opening remarks at the meeting is available here.

The talks also touched on some areas of controversy. David Loevinger, senior coordinator for China at the Treasury Department, said the United States raised concerns about the yuan’s exchange rate, while China called for reform of the International Monetary Fund to give developing nations a stronger voice.

Analysis:
China’s Global Times says some prominent Chinese scholars are voicing skepticism about U.S. economic recovery plans laid out in the talks.

Xinhua has a Special Report on the Dialogue.

A new World Politics Review briefing looks at tension between the United States and China surrounding power struggles between the two countries’ navies in the South China Sea.

Background:

Clinton and Geithner, who are co-chairing the talks, outlined their agenda in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

MIDEAST: Mitchell Meets Netanyahu

U.S. Envoy George Mitchell met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (WashPost) as part of a U.S. diplomatic tour aimed at reviving Mideast peace talks. Netanyahu did not agree to halt the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, but Mitchell said they made “good progress.”

Right-wing demonstrators gathered near Netanyahu's home (Haaretz) in Jerusalem on Monday to protest the Obama administration’s push to freeze the settlements. They are planning to set up 11 eleven new West Bank outposts next week.

Iraq: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Iraq today (NYT) for talks with U.S. military commanders and Iraqi leaders ahead of the major U.S. troop drawdown set to start early next year.

PACIFIC RIM: North Korea Open to Talks

North Korea said again it will not return to the Six-Party Talks (Guardian) on its nuclear program, but said it would be open to "a specific and reserved form of dialogue." Although the statement did not elaborate on the specifics of such a dialogue, the government has said in the past it would be willing to participate in direct talks with the United States.

In an interview with CFR, expert Roberta Cohen says Washington should develop a diplomatic strategy for Pyongyang that links human rights to economic and energy issues.

This CFR Backgrounder profiles the Six-Party Talks.

Philippines: Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said in her state of the union address that she would not extend her time (WSJ) in office past her current term 2010 limit that ends in June 2010, despite speculation to the contrary. Arroyo, who will meet with Obama on Thursday to discuss security and climate change, focused most of her speech on the Philippine economy.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Lashkar Linked to Attacks

Pakistani investigators told India they have found evidence (WSJ) linking Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba to last November's terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Investigators say they found proof in Lashkar camps that the group trained and armed the attackers.

A CFR Backgrounder profiles Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Oil Pipeline: RFE/RL looks at a dispute between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan over three hydrocarbon fields in the middle of the Caspian Sea, which are is posing an obstacle to the European Union's Nabucco gas-pipeline project.

AFRICA: South Africa Municipal Strike

About 150,000 South African municipal workers have gone on strike (Independent), demanding a 15 percent pay raise. The South African Municipal Workers' Union said the strike would continue until at least Wednesday.

Nigeria: Violence continued (NYT) between Islamic militants and police in towns across northern Nigeria. The death count has not been confirmed, but the BBC estimates at least 100 have died.

Clinton Trip: The U.S. State Department announced Secretary Clinton will visit seven African countries, beginning August 5 at the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Nairobi, Kenya. The trip will include stops in South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Liberia, and Cape Verde.

AMERICAS: Swedish Questions for Venezuela

Swedish officials asked the Venezuelan government to explain how Colombia’s left-wing FARC rebels came into possession of Swedish-made weapons (El Universal) that were sold to Venezuela in the 1980s. Colombian troops found the weapons in a raid on a FARC camp.

EUROPE: UK Taliban Strategy

In a speech at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband laid out a new political strategy (FT) to work with Afghanistan’s moderate forces and fight corruption.

Albania: Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha's center-right alliance won half the seats in parliament (BBC). The victory leaves Berisha’s Alliance for Change one seat short of a majority, meaning it will have to join a governing coalition with the left-wing LSI (Socialist Movement for Integration) party.

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