Democratic.net: [RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, August 13, 2009

Thursday, August 13, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, August 13, 2009

August 13, 2009

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

-WTO ruling against China.
-Lockerbie bomber may be freed.
-India to create Environmental Protection Agency.
-Russia pledges funding for Abkhazia defense.

Top of the Agenda: WTO Ruling Against China

The United States won a case (Dow Jones) before the World Trade Organization (WTO) against China's restrictions on imports of U.S. DVDs, books, and music. The WTO ruled that China's policy allowing only state-run groups to import the good violated global trade agreements. It also urged China to allow foreign companies to begin selling music over the Internet (LAT).

China's double-digit economic growth in recent decades can partly be attributed to the country's exporting of manufactured goods. Imports, however, have grown more slowly, the New York Times notes. Chinese demand for imported books, movies, and other such content has largely been met by rampant piracy that allows Hollywood movies to be sold cheaply and within days of their release.

Chinese piracy of movies, movies, music, and software cost companies as much as $2.2 billion in 2006 sales (Bloomberg), according to an estimate by lobbyists representing Microsoft Corp., Walt Disney Co., and Vivendi SA.

China said it regrets the WTO's decision (Xinhua) and is considering appealing the ruling.

Background:
The WTO's 469-page report on the case is available here (PDF).

Analysis:
Forbes says it remains unclear how much the ruling will slow piracy in China, and says the decision could give China the opportunity to show its willingness to "play by international rules and protect intellectual property rights."

BusinessWeek says the ruling has implications for the U.S. auto industry in China as well.

Reuters says China has become enthusiastic about its WTO membership recently, despite this ruling against it.

MIDEAST: Iran Rape Questions

Ali Larijani, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, denied claims by opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi that opposition protesters were raped (NYT) in the country's Kahrizak and Evin prisons. Karroubi called for an investigation into alleged rapes earlier this week. Larijani called the claims "totally baseless."

Yemen: Yemen's government set terms to end a military offensive (AFP) against Zaidi Shia rebels that has killed at least fifteen people in three days. The rebels operate in the Saada province, near the Saudi Arabian border.

PACIFIC RIM: Typhoon Rescue Effort

Taiwan's government is sending four thousand extra troops to assist in rescue efforts (Reuters) after Typhoon Morakot caused mudslides and at least 108 deaths. Morakot caused at least $225 million in agricultural damage, and nearly 30,000 homes remain without power. Some 750,000 homes are without water.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: India's Environmental Plan

The Indian government will overhaul its environmental regulation (FT) and will create an Environmental Protection Agency, Jairam Ramesh, the country's environment minister said. His announcement comes after a new report said at least 45 percent of Indian land is environmentally "degraded," (IANS) citing deforestation, over-grazing, forest fires and agro-chemicals as the main culprits.

H1N1: Mumbai ordered its schools, colleges, and movie theaters closed as the H1N1 virus spreads across the region (Hindu). Officials have confirmed more than 1,000 cases of the H1N1 flu across India.

AFRICA: Clinton Wraps Up Africa Trip

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised the Nigerian government (WSJ) for implementing an amnesty for militants in the Niger Delta, and commended the country's peacekeeping role in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Clinton is in Liberia today and will finish her seven-nation African tour in Cape Verde.

CFR expert Princeton Lyman says it would be hard for Clinton to "do more than establish some important lines of communication" between the Obama administration and the Nigerian government.

AMERICAS: Argentina-Venezuela Trade Deal

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed a billion-dollar bilateral trade agreement (MercoPress) that will bring agricultural machinery, leather goods, and poultry products to Venezuela. Venezuelan agreed to import some 10,000 cars from Argentina this year instead of Colombia.

United Nations: U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said the age of "stiff-arming the UN and spurning our international partners" is over. In a speech at New York University, Rice said the Obama administration is revamping its role at the United Nations, and would work more closely with the international community on issues such as nuclear proliferation and resolving armed conflicts. Full text of her speech is available here.

EUROPE: UK May Release Lockerbie Bomber

Numerous reports say Britain will release from a Scottish prison Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan secret service agent convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people (Telegraph). Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill denied the reports that a decision has already been made, but said he is considering whether al-Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should be freed on compassionate grounds (AP).

The reports that al-Megrahi would be released sparked intense debate (NYT) between family members of the Lockerbie victims. Al-Megrahi is serving a life sentence for the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. Most of the attack's victims were U.S. citizens.

Analysis:
Reuters considers the implications of al-Megrahi's release for Libya.

The Times of London looks at divisions between U.S. and British relatives of Lockerbie victims over the news that al-Megrahi may be freed, noting that many British family members have long doubted his guilt and are supporting his release.

Background:
The BBC has an audio slideshow of the Lockerbie bombing.

The Guardian profiles al-Megrahi.

Abkhazia: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pledged to allocate $500 million (Moscow Times) to strengthen the breakaway territory of Abkhazia's defense capabilities in 2010. Putin said the money would be spent on bolstering security on Abkhazia's borders and military bases in the territory.

TRANSNATIONAL: New Planet in Retrograde

Astronomers have discovered a planet (BBC) that orbits in the opposite direction of its star's spin. The planet is being called WASP-17b, after the group that discovered it, the Wide Area Search for Planets (WASP) consortium of UK universities.

EXPLORE CFR'S WEBSITE

Browse Content by

Region

Issue

Publication Type

The Think Tank

For the Media

For Educators

About CFR


		Privacy Policy The Council on Foreign Relations does not share email addresses with third parties. Council on Foreign Relations 58 East 68th Street New York, NY 10065 Tel. +1 212.434.9400 Fax: +1 212.434.9800 Learn about this and other newsletters offered by the Council on Foreign Relations. To pause your subscription, to switch between HTML and text-only versions of the newsletter, to change your email address, or to unsubscribe, click here.

Email list management powered by http://MailerMailer.com

__._,_.___

Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

Red Democratica 10 years "On line" (1998-2008)!
Http://reddemocratica.blogspot.com
Boletin Diario :
Http://reddemocratica01.blogspot.com
Foro Debate :
Http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eleccion

Ahora en FACEBOOK : Red Democratica

Http://www.caretas.com.pe/2000/1631/articulos/protesta.phtml
Http://www.caretas.com.pe/2000/1612/articulos/debate.phtml

Celebrando 10 anos "On Line"..2009

Keep the candle burning

I have a dream
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/about_king/interactiveFrame.htm

FORUM TPSIPOL: RED DEMOCRATICA (1998-1999).
Informacion : Http://tpsipol.home-page.org

Para enviar un message , enviar a: eleccion@yahoogroups.com
Para suscribirse al Forum , enviar un mensaje a : eleccion-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Para salir del Forum, enviar un mensaje en blanco : eleccion-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com