News Archive February 16-28, 2013

EUROPEAN UNION:
European Union Loophole Allows Iran to Circumvent Full Force of Sanctions – Heritage.org, Feb 28, 2013 – At issue is the Iranian use of the European Central Bank’s Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer System—also known as Target 2. This allows Iran to convert Iranian rials into euros. With euros in hand, Iran has far more latitude to conduct foreign transactions than it otherwise could with their increasingly worthless currency.

GCC:
Qatar Offers ‘GCC+1’ to Include Iran
Al-Monitor, Feb 28, 2013 – Although it is my belief that the idea will not be implemented in the foreseeable future, any such organization must include Iraq. This is not to suggest through its current exclusion that there is any potential confrontation with Iraq, or that the organization in its current form is directed against the country, unless it is simply an Iranian-GCC forum with a different name.

REGION-BUILDING ASEAN, PIF
The Rebalance to Asia: Why South Asia Matters
U.S. Department of State, Feb 26, 2013 – And beyond our bilateral relationships, the United States is committed to continuing our high -level engagement in helping to develop effective and results-oriented multilateral institutions, not only with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), its affiliated institutions, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, but also through fora such as the Pacific Islands Forum and through mini-lateral dialogues aimed at building regional cooperation like the Lower Mekong Initiative.

GCC:
Multibillion Weapons Exports: Germany Arms the Persian Gulf Monarchies
Center for Research on Globalization, Feb 26, 2013 – In the past year, Germany has more than doubled its arms exports to the Arab Gulf monarchies….In 2012, arms exports valued at €1.42 billion were approved for the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM
Australia called on to refocus security in its neighbourhood
Radio Australia, Feb 26, 2013 – The Pacific Plan I believe has lost its way, sub-regional arrangements like the Melanesian Spearhead Group are challenging the Forum for pre-eminence. And regional associations that exclude Australia have grown in prominence and worryingly I believe from the point of view of Australia, in support in the islands.

EUROPEAN UNION:
European Commission Expects Italy to Stick to Commitments
Wall Street Journal, Feb 26, 2013 – Italy must continue complying with deficit-cutting and other commitments the outgoing government made to the European Union, a European Commission said Tuesday.

GCC:
Next two years crucial for Gulf union
GulfNews (Dubai, UAE), Feb 25, 2013 – Bahrain’s foreign minister has predicted that the next two years will be crucial for a proposed Gulf union. Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz in December 2011 called upon the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to move “from the phase of cooperation to the phase of union within a single entity”.

AFRICAN UNION – EAC:
East Africa: EAC Political Federation – Is It Achievable?
AllAfrica | New Times, Feb 24, 2013 – For East African citizens to fully benefit from the regional integration it’s stipulated that all the four stages should be fully implemented. The stages are the common market, single customs union, monetary union and a political federation that will see member states having one government.
Blow as EAC fails to meet over monetary union – Standard Digital News (Kenya), Feb 25, 2013 – Shakaba remained optimistic that the next round of negotiations will take place even though the transition period in Kenya could delay crucial EAC meetings. “We expect that Kenya will participate despite this being a political campaign period,” he added.
Non-tariff barriers obstructing EAC Common Market protocol – Standard Digital News (Kenya), Feb 25, 2013 – Regional trade experts should provide proposals to unlock the impediments blocking citizens from moving, studying, working, residing and generally doing business in East Africa. A review of implementation status of the East African Community ( EAC) Common Market Protocol as at December last year said all the five Partner States are lagging behind in execution of the protocol, albeit at different levels.

EUROPEAN UNION:
Merkel calls for renewed talks on Turkey’s EU membership
NZ Week, Feb 25, 2013 – As German Chancellor Angela Merkel headed for Turkey on Sunday for her two-day visit, people in the two countries watch closely what she called a new chapter in talks on Turkey’s membership of the European Union.

AUSTRALIA & SOUTH PACIFIC:
A fair indictment of Australia’s Pacific policy?
The Interpreter (Australia), Feb 25, 2013 – The first question inevitably requires a focus on the failure of Australia (and New Zealand) to foster the deeper economic, political and social integration with the Pacific islands promised by PACER Plus (Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations), which has been on the drawing board for a decade. Such integration is a global phenomenon, with the EU (however problem-ridden) a good example of former warring nations coming together….

ASEAN:
Asean growth train picks up steam
New Straits Times, Feb 25, 2013 – As Asean continues in its path towards integration — the Asean Community is coming closer, by 2015 — we should avoid the trap of creating two Asean that do not communicate with one another: a rich, upwardly mobile, savvy and connected Asean of professionals, entrepreneurs and technocrats; and a poor Asean made up of those who have been marginalised by capital-driven progress and development.

EUROPEAN UNION:
Ukrainian Parliament Votes for EU Integration
Sacramento Bee | PRNewswire, Feb 23, 2013 – Majority of Ukrainian MPs adopted a declaration of Ukraine’s European aspirations and signing of the Association Agreement (AA) between Ukraine and the European Union….The adopted declaration affirms Ukraine’s ambition to proceed with European integration.

ASEAN:
China operationalises key railway line to connect ASEAN bloc
Zee News (India), Feb 24, 2013 – Amid deepening dispute with Southeast Asian countries over South China Sea, Beijing has operationalised its 141-km long railway link connecting ASEAN countries to firm up the burgeoning trade links with the regional bloc. A railway that links China’s southwestern Yunnan Province with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries became operational this weekend
Indonesia’s ELT and the ASEAN Economic Community – Jakarta Post, Feb 24, 2013 – A single regional common market of ASEAN countries will be created when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) comes into force in less than three years. Under the AEC, there will be a free transfer of professionals in eight fields, namely, tourism, medicine, dentistry, engineering, architecture, surveying and accounting.

AFRICAN UNION
Western Africa: WAEMU – West African Economic and Monetary Union
The World Bank – Regional Integration in Africa – Feb 22, 2013 – An economic and monetary union, formally created in January 1994, but based on the pre-existing West Africa Monetary Union of the CFA franc zone1, with eight members, a currency guaranteed at fixed parity to the Euro (656 to 1) through an operations (overdraft) account arrangement, the French Treasury coupled with stringent zone-wide fiscal and monetary rules. Patterned after European Union….Institutions also include a Court of Justice, a General Accounting Office, regional Chamber of Commerce, and, eventually, a Parliament, none of which is fully functioning.

EUROPEAN UNION, TURKEY
A tiny thaw?
The Economist, Feb 23, 2013 – After 30 months in the deep freeze Turkey’s bid to join the European Union is for once warming a bit.

NEW WORLD ORDER:
John Kerry and the Blurring of the Foreign and Domestic
The Internationalist (Council on Foreign Relations), Feb 22, 2013 – Jefferson, America’s first secretary of state (1790-1793), had assumed his position “in a nation that was just getting used to its independence.” As the 68th occupant of the same office, Kerry noted, he did so “in a world that’s still getting used to our interdependence.”

AFRICAN UNION:
All roads lead to union
China Daily, Feb 22, 2013 – “….It will be the United States of Africa.” ….Africa will have a common currency, financial institutions such as a central bank, a monetary fund, a stock exchange and an elected parliament.
South Africa to push African agenda at BRICS summit – Zee News (India), Feb 21, 2013 – In line with these goals in achieving regional integration and enhancing BRICS-African interactions, the African Union (AU) along with some African Regional Groupings such as East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Central Africa (COMESA), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been invited to attend the summit.

SAARC:
Pakistan has no option but to win war on terror: Kaira
Dawn (Pakistan) | AFP, Feb 21, 2013 – The information minister said the government was proud that local media had been playing a vital role to improve Pak-India bilateral ties which had, had a deep impact on relations of Saarc countries as well. The information minister said only the media can play a role to soften and develop public opinion because the government and society were in dire need of the media’s effective role.
PM urges media to help build atmosphere of peace in SAARC region – Pakistan Today, Feb 21, 2013 – Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Wednesday urged media to help remove misunderstandings and build an atmosphere of peace and friendship among SAARC countries….“We believe that SAARC has a great potential to become a model of regional cooperation,” he said….

ASEAN:
Designing future borders
Bangkok Post, Feb 20, 2013 – The Asean Economic Community may hope to do away with borders, but there will still be challenges for the places where neighbouring countries meet. To tackle some of the issues and generate ideas, the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA) is holding the Border Competition, with the theme “Designing Future Asean Borders”.

EUROPEAN UNION:
Le Pen slams ‘Soviet European Union’ in UK speech
Global Post | AFP, Feb 19, 2013 – French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen called for a “New Deal” on immigration and slammed the emergence of a “Soviet European Union” during a fiery speech at Britain’s Cambridge University on Tuesday.
Overview of the EU’s free trade agreements
Balkans.com, Feb 20, 2013 – Here is an overview of the most important free trade deals currently under negotiation or under consideration.
Single European patent officially signed – EurActiv, Feb 20, 2013 – After 40 years, one of the longest negotiations in the trading bloc’s history, the European Union yesterday (19 February) formally signed on a new unitary patent for 24 participating member states.

ARAB LEAGUE:
Russia, Arab League offer to broker talks between Syrian government and opposition
Russia and the Arab League are offering to broker talks between the Syrian government and the opposition to end the country’s two-year civil war.

‘GCC AND THE ARAB SPRING’
New book on GCC and Arab Spring launched
The Peninsula (Qatar), Feb. 20, 2013 – In the preface, the author speaks from a pure Arab point of view….“Although the GCC states have relatively escaped the chaos of the Arab Spring, it has not been left unaffected by the consequences of the protests and political and economic changes that have rocked the Middle East.

EURASIAN UNION:
New concept of Russian foreign policy released
Vestnik Kavkaza (Russia), Feb 20, 2013 – The priority goal is formation of the Eurasian Economic Union to make maximum use of economic ties on the CIS space. The union will become an effective link between Europe and the Asian-Pacific Region.

AFRICAN UNION:
Commentary: China sees Africa as true friend
Xinhua (China), Feb 20, 2013 – “No matter how situations change, China will attach importance to ties with Africa, remain a reliable friend and faithful partner of African nations,” CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping told visiting African Union Commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Sunday.

EURASIAN UNION:
Russia includes integration with Ukraine in its foreign policy concept
Black Sea Assn. of National News Agencies, Feb 19, 2013 – Russia will build its relations with Ukraine…and promote its involvement in the deep integration processes, according to the document posted on the Russian foreign ministry’s website. As noted, Russia considers the task of forming the Eurasian Economic Union a priority.

EUROPEAN UNION:
Ukraine could create FTA with EU and Customs Union in 2013, says minister
Interfax (Ukraine News Agency), Feb 19, 2013 – Ukraine hopes to create a free trade area (FTA) with both the European Union and the Customs Union in 2013, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara has said.
Just a third of Britons want to stay in European Union – poll
Yahoo! News | Reuters, Feb 18, 2013 – Only a third of Britons would vote to stay in the European Union in a proposed referendum, a poll showed on Monday, underlining the scale of Prime Minister David Cameron’s task in persuading voters to back his flagship EU policy.
Drones could spy on Ulster farms to cut out European Union payment fraud – Irish Central, Feb 18, 2013 – Northern Ireland minister admits to varied uses for unmanned planes.

AFRICAN UNION – EAC:
EAC court to hear customs disputes – Daily Nation (Kenya), Feb 19, 2013 – East Africa’s regional court delivered a judgment that is bound to cement its role in resolving trade disputes in the East African Community. In the judgment…the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) for the first time declared its power over quarrels arising from the implementation of the region’s Customs Union and Common Market protocols.
Bank of Kigali becomes first East African bank licensed in Kenya – Afrique en Ligue, Feb 19, 2013 – With the on-going East African regional integration, Bank of Kigali’s presence in Kenya stands to greatly benefit from the business opportunities that are expected to increase tremendously across the East African Community member states,” the CBK said.
EAC Countries Sign Peace and Security Protocol – AllAfrica, Feb 19, 2013 – The EAC Project on Curbing the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the East African Community has for last six years received support from the German government.

NORTH AMERICA:
Leaked immigration proposal draws sharp criticism
MyFox Phoenix, Feb 18, 2013 – According to a draft that was leaked to USA Today, the President wants to create a special new Visa specifically for illegal immigrants that would allow them to stay in the country while they wait for permanent legal status.

UNASUR:
Plans Reviewed for Construction of UNASUR Parliament Building
Los Tiempos (Bolivia), Feb 18, 2013 (Google Translate) – President Evo Morales on Saturday received a model of the Parliament of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) made by Bolivian architects and guaranteed funding for the development of the final design study and an early start of construction of the project in the municipality of San Benito.
SAARC:
How India, Bangladesh can help SAARC follow the EU model
Firstpost (India) Feb 17, 2013 – India and Bangladesh have a whale of an opportunity to show to the world that the eight-nation SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) can truly emulate the 27-nation European Union (EU). This can only be done if the SAARC countries put their political differences on the back burner and focus on boosting the intra-SAARC infrastructural connectivity.