Democratic.net: [RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, September 23, 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

[RED DEMOCRATICA] CFR.org Daily Brief, September 23, 2009

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September 23, 2009

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

-World leaders meet for climate summit.
-Palestinian, Israeli officials hold talks in New York.
-President Obama considering new Afghanistan policy options.
-Brazil requests Security Council session on Honduras.

Top of the Agenda: Climate Summit

In his first speech before the United Nations, U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States is "determined to act" (VOA) on climate change, pointing to efforts to invest in alternate energy sources.

Chinese President Hu Jintao announced plans (Times of London) to cut emissions by 2020, and to "vigorously" develop renewable and nuclear energy . But activists were disappointed that Hu did not commit to specific carbon limits. China is the world's largest carbon emitter.

The Washington Post says the recent commitments from the United States, China, and other major carbon emitters indicate the December international conference on climate change in Copenhagen could yield "a political deal that would establish global federalism on climate policy, with each nation pledging to take steps domestically."

Analysis

CFR's Michael Levi discusses the challenges of reaching a new international climate deal before the Copenhagen conference in December.

In an interview with CFR, Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh says India plans to outline unilateral greenhouse gas emissions cuts soon. But he says rich states must commit to greater cuts of their own before developing countries can agree on binding global targets.

CFR's Elizabeth Economy says it would not be "unreasonable" to seek binding commitments from China and India on emissions that would take effect a decade from now. She also recommends decoupling China from other developing nations in climate negotiations.

Background

The text of Hu's speech to the UN summit is available here.

The United Nations offset the carbon emissions the summit created by sending funding (NYT) to a power project in rural Andhra Pradesh, India that turns cast off agricultural products into electricity.

MIDEAST: Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations

In talks in New York, Palestinian officials reportedly dropped their demand that Israel impose a freeze on settlement construction in the Palestinian territories as a precondition for restarting Mideast peace negotiations. Obama called for an end (Jerusalem Post) to the delay in peace talks. "It is past time to stop talking about starting negotiations; it is time to move forward," Obama said after meeting with Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Egypt: Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni lost his bid to become chief of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Irina Bokova will take over the role (Sofia Echo) instead. Hosni had attracted controversy because of his threat last year to burn Israeli books, which he later apologized for.

PACIFIC RIM: Japan Emissions

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told the UN climate change summit that Japan will make a 25 percent cut (Japan Today) in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020. Hatoyama also said Japan can provide financial and technical support for developing countries to reduce emissions.

Myanmar: Maj. Gen. Nyan Win, Myanmar's foreign minister, quietly visited Washington late last week, the Washington Post reports. Nyan Win met with members of Myanmar's embassy, a U.S.-Asian business council and Sen. James Webb (D-VA). It was the first visit of a foreign minister from Myanmar in nine years.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Afghanistan Strategy

President Obama is reportedly considering alternatives (NYT) to increasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, including a plan put forth by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to draw down U.S. forces and target al-Qaeda's presence in the region. U.S. officials said intelligence agencies are conducting two new intelligence reports on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

India: India launched seven satellites (Times of India) in a single mission, including the Oceansat-2, which will study the oceans and their interaction with the atmosphere.

AFRICA: Threat to U.S. Presence in South Africa

The United States has shut down all its embassies and consulates (Business Day) in South Africa for a second day, in response to a security threat. The details of the threat were not made public.

Somalia: At least eight people were killed and twelve injured when insurgents from the al-Shabaab militant Islamic group attacked an African Union peacekeeping base (AP). A double suicide car bomb attack on the main AU base killed twenty-one people last week.

CFR profiles al-Shabaab in this Backgrounder.

AMERICAS: Brazil's Security Council Request

Brazil's UN ambassador, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, requested a meeting (Reuters) of the UN Security Council on the political crisis in Honduras, a day after ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya returned to the country and sought refuge in the Brazilian embassy.

Mexico: The busy U.S.-Mexico border crossing at San Ysidro, near San Diego, was shut down (LAT) after gun battle between U.S. border patrol and suspected human traffickers. Four people were hurt when agents fired on three vans carrying some seventy suspected illegal immigrants to stop them from storming the border checkpoint.

EUROPE: UK Sub Reduction

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to tell the UN Security Council that he will reduce (Times of London) the number of British nuclear missile-carrying submarines from four to three as part of a global disarmament campaign. Brown may also order a reduction in the number and power of Britain's 160 warheads.

France: French riot police detained 278 migrants while shutting down the camp (France24) known as the "jungle" near the northern port of Calais. Officials say the camp, populated largely by Afghans trying to reach Britain, has become a hot spot for human smugglers.

TRANSNATIONAL: New Role for IMF

The Wall Street Journal reports the Group of 20 will likely decide at its summit this week that the International Monetary Fund should be charged with monitoring countries to ensure their economic policies promote long-term growth.

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