ISDS Case Map
geopolitics
Two key figures in Chinese politics embarked on a tour of Latin American countries on February 9, in a sign that the Asian superpower is intent on consolidating its already substantial stake in the region.
Montrealers are occupying
the ministerial office of Raymond Bachand, Quebec's Economic Development
Minister, in solidarity with Gaza and to call on the Charest government
to immediately rescind the Quebec-Israel economic accord.
Two conflicting statements about EU-Israeli relations were delivered Jan. 14, as the number of Palestinians, about one-third of them children, killed in Gaza continued to climb. The European Commission's envoy in Jerusalem claimed that a proposed 'upgrading' in relations with Israel cannot "proceed business as usual." Yet his statement was soon contradicted by the foreign minister of the Czech Republic, which holds the EU's rotating presidency.
The European Union and Israel have put negotiations on upgrading their ties on hold due to the war in the Gaza Strip, an EU envoy said on Wednesday.
On the economic front, the two countries intend to pursue an Enhanced Bilateral Investment Treaty and to explore the possibility of a free-trade agreement.
There's an ugly plan afoot in the EU to reward Israel for its abominable and criminal conduct by enhancing the already handsome benefits enjoyed by the neighbourhood bully under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
The US officially shut out Bolivia from the benefits of the Law of Andean Trade Preference and Drug Enforcement Act (ATPDEA).
The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) formation could have enough clout to stand up to the European Union and the US but it needs the help of emerging superpower China. Alternatively it should align with the BRIC (Brazil-Russia-India-China) group.
India and ASEAN have announced that talks on services and investment are set to commence next month ahead of a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) to be signed later this year. This latest step in deepening regional economic integration is further evidence of an ever expanding matrix of competing regional economic interests, which Burma finds itself at the heart of.
The focus of this year's SAARC Summit was on terrorism. Economic cooperation, regional food security and the perennial issue of poverty reduction were among the economic issues that were deliberated. SAARC summits have tended to be high on rhetoric and low on achievement. Once upon a time, NATO was described as No Action Talk Only.
