News Archive September 1-15, 2012

EURASIAN UNION & THE RUSSIAN PIVOT TO PACIFIC:
A tale of two pivots to Asia-Pacific
China Daily, September 15, 2012 – Obama’s empty chair in Vladivostok is a “nyet” to the coming out party of Russia’s new, and old, president, who is determined, as much as Obama, to pivot to Asia-Pacific….Before Vladivostok, Putin launched the “Custom Union” in 2010 and its fuller format, the Eurasian Economic Space, in early 2012. The final stage of these steps will be the Eurasian Union by 2015.
Moscow to Host 3 Summits in One Day – RIA Novosti (Russia), September 15, 2012 – The groups are the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Eurasian Economic Community and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Dmitry Peskov said.

EUROPEAN UNION:
Towards a federation of nation states
Times of Malta, September 15, 2012 – If we want economic and monetary union to succeed we must take parallel action for a political union….This is best achieved by a strengthening of the European Parliament and the emergence of real European political parties.

GCC:
GCC urges calm amid rage
Khaleej Times (Dubai, UAE), September 15, 2012 – The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Friday condemned an anti-Islam film as well as the violence it has triggered, as angry protests spread across the Muslim world…

AFRICAN UNION:
How ECOWAS Can Play Its Security Roles Effectively, By President Quattara
The Guardian (Nigeria), September 15, 2012 – Quattara, who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] Authority of Heads of State, posited that when ECOWAS takes a stand on any issue, the use of force should be a major component of its diplomatic positions.
ECOWAS Reiterates Call For Closer Cooperation Among Law Enforcement Agencies – Leadership Newspapers, September 14, 2012 – Creation of the West African Police Information System, targeting organised transnational crimes, should also boost intra-Community police anti-crime cooperation.

EURASIAN UNION:
Eurasian Union parliament idea under discussion
Belarusian Telegraph Agency, September 13, 2012 – Representatives of the parliaments of Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan are discussing the creation of a parliamentary body of the Eurasian Economic Union….The State Duma Speaker remarked that the sides would have to determine whether it would be a full-fledged parliamentary body to be elected via direct vote or whether it would be a parliamentary assembly with delegates sent by the parliaments of the three countries.

AFRICAN UNION:
Two new judges elected to Africa Human Rights court
IPP Media (Tanzania), September 14, 2012 – The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Court) is a continental court established by African countries to ensure protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa.
Regional Ministers Push for Universal Health Insurance – AllAfrica, September 14, 2012 – EAC [East African Community] member states agreed to establish the committee as a first step towards rolling out Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The universal health coverage, once implemented, will ensure that a patient is accorded treatment from any of the EAC state, basing on insurance acquired from his or her home country.
ECOWAS Seeks UN Mandate to Deploy Troops – Voice of America, September 13, 2012 – The Economic Community of West African States is seeking a U.N. Security Council mandate as regional defense chiefs gather to finalize plans to send peacekeeping troops to Mali, where Islamist militants control the north.
Police outfits join forces – The Citizen (Tanzania), September 13, 2012 – The agreement was reached here between the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (Sarpcco), which is under Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) and East Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (Earpcco), which is under the East Africa Community (EAC) and the Great Lakes Region.

UNASUR:
The war of the drones
Russia Today, September 13, 2012 (Google translation) – Unasur South American regional body established in Brazil, is ready to begin production of unmanned aircraft and recently, the Armed Forces of Ecuador presented its first unmanned devices, the Phoenix….Venezuela, which currently operates Russian drone, is also close to start mass production of its own UAVs as part of military cooperation with Iran and other allies, among which, according to Chavez, Russia and China are also.

SAARC:
Hina for achieving greater regional cooperation
Business Recorder (Pakistan), September 14, 2012 – Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Thursday urged South Asian countries to move forward for achieving greater regional co-operation and deeper integration….She also termed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and import of electricity from central Asian countries as necessary for the prosperity of the region, adding that Afghanistan will prove future gateway of trade for the central Asian countries.

GCC:
Outsourcing Its Security, Gulf Shows Fear of Public
Al-Monitor, September 13, 2012 – It is not enough to point to the security mania and fear of the majority of the population to explain the prevalence of the same phenomenon in the remaining GCC countries. The ruling families in these countries act out of conviction that they own these countries — as exclusive and private properties…

AFRICAN UNION:
East Africa: EA States to Conduct Joint Military Exercises
AllAfrica, September 12, 2012 – Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Cyrille Ndayirukiye the Director of Eastern African Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM) said EASFCOM is one of the five African standby forces on the African Continent. “This is in accordance with the African Union road map to build an African Standby force to deal with conflicts in those regions,” Ndayirukiye said.

GCC:
GCC common market to give huge boost to region’s economies
MENAFN | Kuwait News Agency,September 13, 2012 – The creation of the common market among Gulf Cooperation Council member states would have great positive impact on the economies of the region, economic experts and officials agreed Wednesday.

UNASUR:
Brazil, Guyana deepen military cooperation
Demerara Waves (Guyana ), September 12, 2012 – The two countries reviewed the existing programme of defence cooperation and agreed to implement a number of measures aimed at expanding and strengthening collaboration at the bilateral and regional level within the context of existing initiatives of the Union of South American Nations.

AFRICAN UNION:
East Africa: Regional Council Calls for Universal Health Insurance
AllAfrica, September 12, 2012 – Ambassador Richard Sezibera, the Secretary General for the EAC [East African Community], said yesterday that there was urgent need for regional collaboration on the harmonisation of social health protection mechanisms….The conference will consider various approaches to providing universal health coverage in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi.
[Such “harmonization of health protection mechanisms” is occurring in North America as well, as Obamacare aligns the U.S. with Canada’s government healthcare system.]
Regional Council, European Bank Discuss Infrastructure Funding – AllAfrica, September 12, 2012 – The EAC Secretary General, Dr Richard Sezibera, Monday held talks with top officials of the European Investment Bank (EIB), in Luxembourg City….Regional projects that need funding are the Kenya-South Sudan road link, Lake Victoria safety and navigation project, energy interconnectors for the regional power pool, and Burundi control tower and other projects are estimated to cost $175 million.

EUROPEAN UNION:
Barroso Calls for EU Federation, Deep Political Union
Wall Street Journal, September 12, 2012 – Europe must become a “federation of nation states” to overcome its economic crisis and remain a global powerhouse, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said Wednesday as he laid out his vision of the bloc’s political future.
In Victory for Merkel, German Court Backs Euro Rescue Fund – New York Times, September 12, 2012 (Google link) – With the ruling, the 17 countries of the euro zone will be able to move ahead with the establishment of the European Stability Mechanism, something like a continental version of the International Monetary Fund.

ASEAN:
Southeast Asia economic bloc “likely to be delayed a year”
Reuters, September 12, 2012 – A planned economic union in Southeast Asia is likely to be delayed by a year until the end of 2015 because some countries are not ready, Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said on Wednesday.

‘MADE IN NORTH AMERICA’:
Groups sue Agriculture Secretary over meat-labeling rule
Legal Newsline, September 11, 2012 – The groups are alleging that Vilsack and Kirk failed to protect and preserve U.S. sovereignty by allowing the WTO to rule against COOL [Country of Origin Labeling], which requires all food such as fruit, vegetables, beef, chicken and fish to be labeled with its country of origin. The World Trade Organization claims COOL discriminates against foreign meat.

ARAB LEAGUE:
Arab Free Zone to boost trade
Oman Daily Observer, September 12, 2012 – The meeting will discuss Arab Free Trade Zone, Arab Customs Union and investments in Arab countries, among other topics.
Wooing U.S. Investors, Egypt Has Israel Issues – Bloomberg, September 11, 2012 – These days the boycott is sporadically enforced by Arab League members….The U.S. has long led the effort to end the Arab Boycott.

UNASUR:
Unasur Delegates discuss security and social development forum held in Quito
El Telegrafo (Ecuador), September 12, 2012 (Google translation) – One goal is to achieve universal social security, ie, that a citizen does not lose their social rights, despite having migrated to another nation.
Informador (Mexico), September 11, 2012 (Google translation) – UNASUR is offered to mediate between Colombia and the FARC – The Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), Venezuela’s Ali Rodriguez offered the cooperation of that entity in the peace negotiations in Colombia…

SAARC:
Fifth South Asia Economic Summit opens: speakers call for regional connectivity, trade liberalisation among South Asian states
Business Recorder (Pakistan), September 12, 2012 – Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri in his welcome speech praised the incumbent political leaderships of India and Pakistan for recent landmark initiatives such as new visa regime, MFN status to India by Pakistan and Indian decision allowing investment by Pakistani investors. “We can now see new clouds of hope amidst years of mistrust”, he said…

EURASIAN UNION:
Medvedev Invites Moldova to Apply for Customs Union
RIA Novosti (Russia), September 11, 2012 – If Moldova applies, Russia is ready to consider its possible entry into the Customs Union of three former Soviet republics, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday…
Russia is building a “bridge to Asia” – Russia & India Report, September 11, 2012 – “Developing regional economic integration is a strategic choice made by Russia and we will implement it in the best interest of this country and its partners in the Customs Union and the Common Economic Area with an eye to setting up a Eurasian Economic Union…”

NEW REGIONAL ORDER:
Socialist International Congress Demands Global Gov, Wealth Redistribution
The New American, September 10, 2012 – To accomplish its broad objectives, Socialist International hopes to use existing multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, the South American Union, and various other organs of coercion.
G20: How many around the table? – The Interpreter (Australia), September 11, 2012 – To broaden involvement and reflect geography, regional bodies such as ASEAN, the African Union, MERCOSUR, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Economic Cooperation Organisation were invited. The UN also found a place, with the Secretary-General and the heads of various specialised agencies also invited.

EU-flagEUROPEAN UNION: IMF’s Zhu Min: World should be confident in euro  – MarketWatch, September 10, 2012 – International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Zhu Min said Tuesday that the world should have confidence in the euro as a currency. Mr. Zhu, speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China, said the proportion of euros in global currency reserves has risen by 10 percentage points over the course of the euro-zone debt crisis.
Costly European Parliament ‘travelling circus’ must end – PublicServiceEurope, September 11, 2012 – Last year, the [European Parliament] voted to amend its calendars for 2012 and 2013 including a cross-parliamentary initiative to link two plenary sessions in October of each year – thereby reducing the amount of times that the parliament has to decamp to Strasbourg from 12 to 11….Unfortunately, France and Luxembourg refused to accept this decision and mounted a legal challenge.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Russia’s WTO entry not against Eurasian Economic Union  – New Europe, September 10, 2012 – Unification, synchronisation and harmonisation of the laws of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus should work for the achievement of common goal – creation of the single Eurasian Economic Union by the year 2015. That is why the parliamentarians of three countries have to intensify joint legislation, Federation Council of Russia Speaker Valentiva Matvienko said.
Ukraine wishes to be Eurasian Economic Commission observer – Kyiv Post (Ukraine), September 10, 2012 – The Eurasian Economic Commission was established by the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in late 2011….Decisions of the Commission are mandatory for the three member states.

SAARC FlagSAARC: Fifth South Asia Economic Summit to begin today  – Express Tribune (Pakistan), September 11, 2012 – The summit will frame the recommendations for the 18th Summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), to be held in Nepal and attended by the heads of the regional governments. The meeting coincides with gathering of world leaders in China at the platform of the World Economic Forum.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: SADC free trade agreement coming soon: Davies – Times Live (South Africa), September 10, 2012 – He said South Africa was making a priority of consolidating the Southern African Development Community (SADC) FTA….This agreement would also form the basis of a continent-wide FTA…
DRC Official Hails Regional Summit Outcome – Voice of America, September 10, 2012 – Mende said African Union (AU) and the United Nations would provide the command structures of the neutral force. He said countries such as Tanzania and member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have already made it clear that they are going to contribute troops in that force.

ASEAN FlagASEAN: Time for a new ASEAN way – Asia Times (Hong Kong), September 10, 2012 – ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] would be more effective if member states were willing to surrender a measure of sovereignty over certain international affairs. A supranational organization whose authority is legally binding would provide the teeth necessary for ASEAN to act when parties are in general agreement.
Customs agreements eyed – Business World (Philippines), September 9, 2012 – In turn, the NSW [National Single Window] will be connected to the ASEAN Single Window, which will track regional trade so that an export cleared in one country will automatically be documented as an import in another.

Arab League flagARAB LEAGUE: U.N. Syria envoy Brahimi to visit Tehran for talks – Reuters, September 9, 2012 – New U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi will visit Iran, a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after a fact-finding trip to Syria itself, an official in the Iranian foreign ministry was quoted as saying on Sunday.

GCC flagGCC: GCC has USD1.68tr worth of projects despite global downturn – MENAFN (Jordan), September 9, 2012 – The estimated total value of construction projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries hit USD1.68 trillion by August-end, defying the ongoing tough economic environment, BNC Network said in a report.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: East African Community to consider including Somalia  – Sabahi, September 9, 2012 – EAC members Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda agreed that Somalia’s ascension has the potential to reinforce regional stability and development, but that the matter “needed deeper consultation”. The Sabahi web site is sponsored by the United States Africa Command.
Biti seeks SADC’s help – Business Day (South Africa), September 9, 2012 – Zimbabwe will seek funds from Southern Africa to help finance its budget as the country battles effects of a nearly decade-long downturn, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said. “I am appealing to our colleagues in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] countries,” Biti said…

EU-flagEUROPEAN UNION: Monti calls for EU summit to confront populism – Associated Press, September 8, 2012 – “It is paradoxical and sad that in a phase in which one was hoping to complete the integration instead there is forming a dangerous counter-phenomenon that aims at the disintegration,” Monti said, according to the LaPresse news agency.
Protesters burn a European Union flag during a rally in the city of Thessaloniki– Reuters, September 8, 2012 – Protesters burn a European Union flag during a rally against planning new austerity measures in the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece September 8, 2012.

SAARC FlagSAARC: New visa norms likely to boost India-Pak trade: SAARC-CCI – Indian Express, September 9, 2012 – India and Pakistan, yesterday, signed the much-awaited liberalised visa agreement, introducing for the first time group tourist and pilgrim visas, separate visa for businessmen and visa on arrival for those over 65 years of age.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Putin’s Eurasianist Revolution: Myth Or Reality? – Eurasian Review, September 8, 2012 – Whereas some conspiracy theorists claim the CIA and various secret societies like the Skull & Bones are the real puppet masters of American politics, Parvulesco argued the situation in Russia is not much different. Nevertheless, unlike in the US where the “conspiracy” is often faceless, Parvulesco listed two people as Russia’s master conspirators.

GCC flagGCC: Kuwait”s KCCI to hold seminar on joint GCC market Wednesday – Kuwait News Agency, September 8,2012 – The Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) will hold Wednesday a seminar on the joint market of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states.

nafta-flagNORTH AMERICA: Transport Canada joins United States Coast Guard to inspect vessels in theGreat Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway – Canada NewsWire, September 7, 2012 – It establishes a Canada-United States safety and security framework for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway that will align the two countries’ regulatory requirements. This pilot project will look for efficiencies in order to reduce duplicate inspections and impediments to trade.

Proponents of incremental ‘North American integration’ in their own words:
Book Launch: The North American Idea
YouTube video – uploaded on Sep 5, 2012 by WoodrowWilsonCenter
The Mexico Institute was happy to host Robert A. Pastor as he presented his new book, “The North American Idea.” Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and Canadian Minister Kevin O’Shea participated as discussants.

EU-flagEUROPEAN UNION: IMF’s Zhu Min: World should be confident in euro  – MarketWatch, September 10, 2012 – International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Zhu Min said Tuesday that the world should have confidence in the euro as a currency. Mr. Zhu, speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China, said the proportion of euros in global currency reserves has risen by 10 percentage points over the course of the euro-zone debt crisis.
Costly European Parliament ‘travelling circus’ must end – PublicServiceEurope, September 11, 2012 – Last year, the [European Parliament] voted to amend its calendars for 2012 and 2013 including a cross-parliamentary initiative to link two plenary sessions in October of each year – thereby reducing the amount of times that the parliament has to decamp to Strasbourg from 12 to 11….Unfortunately, France and Luxembourg refused to accept this decision and mounted a legal challenge.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Russia’s WTO entry not against Eurasian Economic Union  – New Europe, September 10, 2012 – Unification, synchronisation and harmonisation of the laws of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus should work for the achievement of common goal – creation of the single Eurasian Economic Union by the year 2015. That is why the parliamentarians of three countries have to intensify joint legislation, Federation Council of Russia Speaker Valentiva Matvienko said.
Ukraine wishes to be Eurasian Economic Commission observer – Kyiv Post (Ukraine), September 10, 2012 – The Eurasian Economic Commission was established by the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in late 2011….Decisions of the Commission are mandatory for the three member states.

SAARC FlagSAARC: Fifth South Asia Economic Summit to begin today  – Express Tribune (Pakistan), September 11, 2012 – The summit will frame the recommendations for the 18th Summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), to be held in Nepal and attended by the heads of the regional governments. The meeting coincides with gathering of world leaders in China at the platform of the World Economic Forum.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: SADC free trade agreement coming soon: Davies – Times Live (South Africa), September 10, 2012 – He said South Africa was making a priority of consolidating the Southern African Development Community (SADC) FTA….This agreement would also form the basis of a continent-wide FTA…
DRC Official Hails Regional Summit Outcome – Voice of America, September 10, 2012 – Mende said African Union (AU) and the United Nations would provide the command structures of the neutral force. He said countries such as Tanzania and member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have already made it clear that they are going to contribute troops in that force.

ASEAN FlagASEAN: Time for a new ASEAN way – Asia Times (Hong Kong), September 10, 2012 – ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] would be more effective if member states were willing to surrender a measure of sovereignty over certain international affairs. A supranational organization whose authority is legally binding would provide the teeth necessary for ASEAN to act when parties are in general agreement.
Customs agreements eyed – Business World (Philippines), September 9, 2012 – In turn, the NSW [National Single Window] will be connected to the ASEAN Single Window, which will track regional trade so that an export cleared in one country will automatically be documented as an import in another.

Arab League flagARAB LEAGUE: U.N. Syria envoy Brahimi to visit Tehran for talks – Reuters, September 9, 2012 – New U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi will visit Iran, a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after a fact-finding trip to Syria itself, an official in the Iranian foreign ministry was quoted as saying on Sunday.

GCC flagGCC: GCC has USD1.68tr worth of projects despite global downturn – MENAFN (Jordan), September 9, 2012 – The estimated total value of construction projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries hit USD1.68 trillion by August-end, defying the ongoing tough economic environment, BNC Network said in a report.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: East African Community to consider including Somalia  – Sabahi, September 9, 2012 – EAC members Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda agreed that Somalia’s ascension has the potential to reinforce regional stability and development, but that the matter “needed deeper consultation”. The Sabahi web site is sponsored by the United States Africa Command.
Biti seeks SADC’s help – Business Day (South Africa), September 9, 2012 – Zimbabwe will seek funds from Southern Africa to help finance its budget as the country battles effects of a nearly decade-long downturn, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said. “I am appealing to our colleagues in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] countries,” Biti said…

EU-flagEUROPEAN UNION: Monti calls for EU summit to confront populism – Associated Press, September 8, 2012 – “It is paradoxical and sad that in a phase in which one was hoping to complete the integration instead there is forming a dangerous counter-phenomenon that aims at the disintegration,” Monti said, according to the LaPresse news agency.
Protesters burn a European Union flag during a rally in the city of Thessaloniki– Reuters, September 8, 2012 – Protesters burn a European Union flag during a rally against planning new austerity measures in the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece September 8, 2012.

SAARC FlagSAARC: New visa norms likely to boost India-Pak trade: SAARC-CCI – Indian Express, September 9, 2012 – India and Pakistan, yesterday, signed the much-awaited liberalised visa agreement, introducing for the first time group tourist and pilgrim visas, separate visa for businessmen and visa on arrival for those over 65 years of age.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Putin’s Eurasianist Revolution: Myth Or Reality? – Eurasian Review, September 8, 2012 – Whereas some conspiracy theorists claim the CIA and various secret societies like the Skull & Bones are the real puppet masters of American politics, Parvulesco argued the situation in Russia is not much different. Nevertheless, unlike in the US where the “conspiracy” is often faceless, Parvulesco listed two people as Russia’s master conspirators.

GCC flagGCC: Kuwait”s KCCI to hold seminar on joint GCC market Wednesday – Kuwait News Agency, September 8,2012 – The Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) will hold Wednesday a seminar on the joint market of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states.

nafta-flagNORTH AMERICA: Transport Canada joins United States Coast Guard to inspect vessels in theGreat Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway – Canada NewsWire, September 7, 2012 – It establishes a Canada-United States safety and security framework for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway that will align the two countries’ regulatory requirements. This pilot project will look for efficiencies in order to reduce duplicate inspections and impediments to trade.

Proponents of incremental ‘North American integration’ in their own words:
Book Launch: The North American Idea
YouTube video – uploaded on Sep 5, 2012 by WoodrowWilsonCenter
The Mexico Institute was happy to host Robert A. Pastor as he presented his new book, “The North American Idea.” Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and Canadian Minister Kevin O’Shea participated as discussants.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Putin touts ex-Soviet bloc as Asia-Europe bridge – AFP, September 7, 2012 – VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — President Vladimir Putin on Friday said Russia and a new bloc with ex-Soviet states were well-positioned to become a bridge between Europe and Asia, as he hosted a Pacific regional summit.
Putin: Asia can count on Russia for energy supply – Kyiv Post, September 7, 2012 – “The first and main thing we’re going to do is develop transport infrastructure,” Putin told regional business leaders. He played up Russia’s common economic space with neighbors Kazakhstan and Belarus as opening “a direct route to Europe for business in the Pacific region.”

EU-flagEUROPEAN UNION: Germany Cannot Be ‘Leader of the World’: Italy’s Prodi  – CNBC, September 7, 2012 – Germany must accept shared leadership of the European Union if the region is to prosper, ex-European Commission President Romano Prodi, told CNBC on Friday.

UNASUR FlagUNASUR: UNASUR received “enthusiastically” peace talks between FARC and the Colombian government – Europa Press, September 7, 2012 (Google translation) – The secretary general of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Ali Rodriguez Araque, has received “enthusiastically” peace talks between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government headed by Juan Manuel Santos.
Unasur expressed willingness to cooperate in the peace process in Colombia – TeleSur TV, September 7, 2012 (Google translation) – The Union of South American Nations (Unasur) on Friday expressed its willingness to contribute to the peace process in Colombia, if it is considered necessary and positive, said the regional bloc through a statement.

SAARC FlagSAARC: India And Pakistan: Diminishing Malice – Eurasia Review, September 7, 2012 – Diminishing malice is becoming the defining characteristic of Indo-Pakistan relations as our Foreign Minister, Shri S. M. Krishna, flies to Islamabad on the morning of September 7, 2012, for another joint review with Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, his Pakistani counterpart

GCC flagGULF COOPERATION COUNCIL – ‘Order out of Chaos’ (i.e., ‘Region-Building out of Conflict’)
Unspoken Israeli-Saudi alliance targets Iran – Asia Times (Hong Kong), September 7, 2012 – These circumstances are amenable to Israel because it does not perceive Saudi Arabia and its GCC allies as threats….In this context, Israel and Saudi Arabia not only have an interest in undercutting Iran; they are also heavily invested in the persistence of US-Iranian enmity.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: China helping African consolidation – China Daily, September 7, 2012 – The 42-year-old director of the Nairobi-based think tank Inter Region Economic Network says China’s involvement in Africa is leading to the sort of unification of the whole continent that was the aim of the post-colonial leaders of the 1950s and 1960s. “I see the Chinese coming as a godsend opportunity to now consolidate one continent as one country.”
U.S. Forecloses Setting Up AFRICOM Headquarters in Africa – AllAfrica, September 7, 2012 – [USAFRICOM Gen. Carter Ham] said they could only act in any part of Africa based on invitation, approval and collaboration of particular countries, regional blocks or under the auspices of the United Nations and African Union.
Infrastructure and policy delivery to form basis of World Bank’s future engagement with SA – Engineering News (South Africa), September 6, 2012 – Diop indicated that the bank also planned to collaborate with South Africa to support key African Union-backed regional infrastructure projects, particularly those in the area of energy.

nafta-flag‘PRODUCED IN NORTH AMERICA’: COOL Act Moves to U.S. District Court in Denver  – Food Safety News, September 7, 2012 – An act that would require meat, chicken and fish to be sold with a label indicating their country of origin has made its way to district court after being struck down by the World Trade Organization….First adopted in 2002, COOL was never popular with U.S. neighbors and WTO appeals were eventually filed by Mexico and Canada.

ASEAN FlagASEAN: Will ASEAN step up to try to bridge Japan-China rift?  – Can this shift in regional order be transformed into a political and economic boon for Southeast Asia? In particular, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations depends on the region’s reactions and policy options, which by necessity must be equally compatible with Chinese and Japanese interests.

EU-flagEurasec FlagEUROPEAN, EURASIAN UNIONS: EU warns Russia to play by WTO rules or face action – Reuters, September 7, 2012 – Negotiations between Russia and the EU towards closer economic and political ties have also stalled, and Brussels is concerned by Putin’s plan to develop a “Eurasian union” of ex-Soviet states, including Kazakhstan and Belarus.

PIF FlagPIF: China to cancel debts of Pacific allies
Solomon Star, September 7, 2012 – “China will scale up assistance on infrastructure and production oriented projects…”….China has been a Post Forum Dialogue partner for the Pacific Islands Forum for 23 years.
A ‘final push’ pledge to achieve UN goals – Solomon Star, September 7, 2012 – Pacific Islands Forum leaders….also pledged to increased investment in basic infrastructure to improve access to water and sanitation and energy…

Arab League flagARAB LEAGUE: We will seek UN status upgrade – Palestinian leader  – Al Arabiya|Reuters, September 7, 2012 – Mahmoud Abbas told a meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers at the Arab League Headquarters in Cairo that international support for the Palestinian position had bolstered their determination to go forwards at the UN. Previous Palestinian attempts to improve their formal status at the global body — a U.N. observer “entity” with no voting rights — have failed.

UNASUR FlagUNASUR: Ecuador: Caracas, Lima and Bogota support creation of Unasur Criminal Court – Yahoo!| Reuters, September 5, 2012 (Google translation) – The Attorney General of Ecuador, Galo Chiriboga said today that in addition to his country, Venezuela, Peru and Colombia have already expressed their support for the creation of the Criminal Court of the Union of South American Nations ( Unasur).

Arab League flagARAB LEAGUE: Arab League welcomes Bahrain’s rights court proposal – Gulf News (Dubai, UAE), September 6, 2012 – The Arab League secretary-general has endorsed a Bahrain proposal to set up an Arab human rights court.
Morsi wants central Arab role for Egypt – News24 (South Africa), September 5, 2012 – Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi….told ministers at the Arab League headquarters that he wanted Egypt to “regain its natural place in the Arab world…

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: So, are we Yanukovych’s subjects, or directly Putin’s?
Sadly, at present there are hardly any other options left for us
The Day Weekly Digest (Ukraine), September 6, 2012 – Now Russia demands that Ukraine join not only the Customs Union, but also the Eurasian Union as well. This all suggests an old joke: you climb the platform and dive, and if you do good, we may even fill the swimming pool with water later.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: Regional Court Sub-Registry to Open Office in Capital – AllAfrica, September 6, 2012 – The EACJ [East African Court of Justice] is one of the organs of the East African Community (EAC) established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (EAC).
East Africa: Kenyan President Backs Larger EAC
AllAfrica, September 5, 2012 – “I am also looking forward to the future expansion of the EAC [East African Community]. We welcome the interest of Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Somalia in joining the EAC. We should facilitate their membership,” he told a multitude of EALA legislators.
Southern Africa: Regional Police Chiefs Meeting Opens – AllAfrica, September 5, 2012 – Heads of police forces from Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member states under the auspices of Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (SARPCCO), are expected to meet on Wednesday in Zanzibar to discuss and approve proposed strategies in addressing international crime and cross border criminal activities.

nafta-flagNORTH AMERICA: Mexican drug wars in Chicago – what now?  – By Robert Pastor, Latitude News, September 4, 2012 – We need to devise new ways to collaborate with Mexico and our neighbor to the north, Canada, to address the drug war as well as the many other challenges that ignore the borders and fences we build. Some in the U.S. oppose integrating law enforcement with Mexico and Canada as a betrayal of American sovereignty. I personally have been attacked as the “architect of the North American Union”…
Robert Pastor is Professor, Founder, and Director of the Center for North American Studies at American University in Washington and the author of The North American Idea: A Vision of a Continental Future. He was National Security Advisor for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs in the White House during the Carter Administration.

[The drug war crisis was enabled by the deliberate dereliction of public officials to control the border and by nefarious false flag programs such as “Fast and Furious,” not only as a pretext for more gun control, but also to install Robert Pastor’s North American “solutions.” Conveniently for the globalists, Obama and Canada’s Harper were right on time with their cross-border law enforcement scheme.]

GCC flagGCC: U.S., Israel to hold anti-missile drill in fall: Pentagon – Xinhua (China), September 5, 2012 – To forestall an Israeli strike at Iran, Washington is also considering launching cyber attacks to slow down Iran’s nuclear program, and working with Gulf countries to set up a regional missile shield by integrating the anti-missile systems based in six Gulf Cooperation Council nations, which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

SAARC FlagSAARC: New liberal visa policy to boost trade ties with India, says Malik  – Oman Tribune, September 5, 2012 – The former High Commissioner of Pakistan in India, Shahid Malik, said that the betterment of relations between Pakistan and India will have a positive effect on the whole SAARC region. Malik stated that the draft of new liberal visa policy between Pakistan and India has been prepared, according to which business community will be given one year multiple time visa.
Business visa norms to be liberalized – Greater Kashmir, September 5, 2012 – The new visa agreement is aimed at facilitating multiple entry for businessmen from both sides on a no-reporting basis for one year at a time. The proposal also includes non-business visas for divided families, particularly for those aged over 65 years, and for those wanting to attend marriages and funerals.

ASEAN FlagASEAN: Taiwan likely to forge energy ties with Russia: minister – Central News Agency (Taiwan), September 5, 2012 – Asked by CNA on reports that China would be willing to assist Taiwan to join the free trade area of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) under the “one China” principle, Shih said ASEAN is a very important trade partner of Taiwan.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: Mali requests ECOWAS to help free north – Radio Netherlands, September 5, 2012 – Leaders of the west African bloc have been waiting for a formal request from Malian authorities, which will enable the bloc and the African Union seek a United Nations Security Council mandate to send troops to the country.
The Future Kingdoms of Africa? – AllAfrica, September 4, 2012 – Why are there still so many monarchies among the 193 states of the world?….Recently there has been a trend by African rulers to hand on their countries to their sons or brothers. Here is a list:
The New Cancer in Africa – AllAfrica, September 4, 2012 – Neo-colonialism is not a new phenomenon in economic development, especially in developing countries. It is a system of continued domination economically by former colonialists despite gaining political independence.
Harmonisation of SADC seed policy yields results – Independent Online (South Africa), September 5, 2012 – Wynand van der Walt, a senior partner at Food N Crop Bio, a company that deals with biotechnology, legislation and seed industry issues, said it was important for SADC countries to embrace globalisation but not lose their heritage. He said many countries in the region did not have intellectual property rights on their plant variants.
[This “harmonization” will allow multinational agriculture corporations to impose their patented, genetically modified seed variants to overpower the fields. The neocolonialism continues.]

Arab League flagGCC flagSAARC FlagARAB LEAGUE, GCC & SAARC – INTER-REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE: Toward New Glory of Silk Road – China Daily, September 4, 2012 – Wen Jiabao, Premier of China – China Daily, September 4, 2012 – Regional and sub-regional cooperation has flourished, and the influence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Arab League, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been on the rise. The ancient Silk Road has regained its past vigor and vitality….A multi-dimensional silk road consisting of roads, railways, air flights, communications and oil and gas pipelines is taking shape.regained its past vigor and vitality….A multi-dimensional silk road consisting of roads, railways, air flights, communications and oil and gas pipelines is taking shape.
[Logistics for “the way of the kings of the east” (Rev. 16:12) is coming more into focus.]

SAARC FlagSAARC: India Considers Selling 500 MW Electricity To Pakistan – Bernama (Malaysia), September 4, 2012 – The discussions are part of efforts to create a strong electricity grid between India and other SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) countries…

World Map wRegions 150 x 88NATO & NWO: Nato going global as it forges new partnerships – Gulf Times (Qatar), September 4, 2012 – In Libya and the Gulf of Aden, the Alliance pooled members’ military assets and contributions from other partners. The participation of troops from Australia, South Korea, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, among others, and the leading role of the United Nations and the Arab League in legitimising these campaigns, demonstrated Nato’s emerging role as the hub of a global network of partnerships.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian MPs to discuss Eurasian Parliament creation   Trend (Azerbaijan), September 4, 2012 – Parliamentarians from Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus will meet in September to discuss the issue of creating the Eurasian Parliament, the speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, Valentina Matviyenko, said in an interview with Trend.
European or Eurasian?: Armenia continues its search for foreign policy priorities – Armenia Now, September 4, 2012 – A real public debate is now on in Armenia over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal on the establishment of the Eurasian Union, with advocates of the “back to the USSR” mode still failing to provide any solid arguments for such a move.
Russian Federation Council head: No adverse effect with Russia’s accession to WTO – Trend (Azerbaijan), September 4, 2012 – Russia is the first country of the Customs Union to join the WTO…. “It’s necessary to consider the fact that all of these integration unions, such as the Customs Union and the same Eurasian Economic Community, are based on the principles of the WTO. All the major requirements of the World Trade Organisation have been incorporated in all their fundamental documents,” the Federation Council speaker said.

AU-FlagAFRICAN UNION: Dot Africa ( .africa) Project; Much Awaited African Dream – Sudan Vision, September 4, 2012 – His Excellency confirmed that realizing this goal necessitates that African peoples and governments work together to form and reinforce big alliances in light of the nature of the world today; a world that does recognize neither the individual nor the weak entities….He commended the role played by the African Union and its different branches to accomplish these goals as well as its relentless efforts to security and stability in Sudan.
Sudan, South Sudan Apply To Join East African Community – Bernama (Malaysia), September 4, 2012 – Speaker Margaret Natongo Zziwa said she was optimistic and determined to ensure that EALA would become more receptive to the general public in the EAC region, as it moved towards Monetary Union in November before embarking on becoming a political federation.
Hydropower Potential in East Africa– Afribiz, September 4, 2012 – The EAC [East African Community] and the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) are also developing a Regional Power Master Plan and Interconnection Code to take account of developments since the EAPMP was completed in 2005….Emphasis will be put on increasing the energy mix in order to extend the lives of the region’s powerhouses, the hydro plants. Geothermal in Ethiopia and Kenya and thermal in Uganda have been identified as contributors.
Africa: Continental MPs Root for Intra-Africa Trade – AllAfrica, September 3, 2012 – This call was made by African Parliamentary Speakers yesterday during a meeting in South Africa, held under the auspices of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP)….According to experts, African leaders must also consider the issuing of regional visas like Ecowas Visa, EAC Visa, SADC/COMESA Visa, and abolish the individual country visas. This would also enable foreign investors or visitors the opportunity to visit many African countries on a single visa while avoiding all the long visa queues at the various African embassies.
[A similar concept is currently being pushed for the North American region.]

ASEAN FlagASEAN: Clinton to urge ASEAN unity on South China Sea – Associated Press, September 3, 2012 – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is calling for Southeast Asian states to present a united front to the Chinese in dealing with territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

GCC flagGULF COOPERATION COUNCIL: Gulf Arab ministers say integration plan needs more discussion – Reuters, September 2, 2012 – The GCC has in the past focused on closer economic integration. The six monarchies have agreed to a customs union, but are still hammering out how to divide revenues, have discussed a single currency, but are divided on where to locate its central bank, and are considering introducing value-added tax at a unified rate.
Nato after Assad (and Khamenei) – NewEurope, September 2, 2012 – The GCC kicked off a similar process with Australia in 2011 and in June 2012 announced agreement with Japan for similar. The GCC set up its similar dialogue with Turkey in 2008. Given the strong commonality of strategic interests between these countries, all allied in some way to the United States, this is alliance building in all but name.

SAARC FlagSAARC: Towards regional electricity trade  – Kuensel (Bhutan), September 2, 2012 – “This would call for construction of numerous cross-border transmission lines and pooling stations, both within Bhutan and India…” ….SAARC countries can share energy through cross border interconnections.

Eurasec FlagEURASIAN UNION: Kyrgyzstan should make long way to be CES member – Lukashenko – Itar-Tass News Agency (Russia), September 1, 2012 – Commenting on Kyrgyzstan’s drive, the Belarusian president said, “Why not to support the country’s intention. This is a big problem if Kyrgyzstan is a member of the future Eurasian economic union. Much should be done to become a member of the common economic space.” In his view, there is no need to compare with the European Union because “it had a common currency. But the common economic space has [no currency] yet”.

PIF FlagPACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM: Pacific is big enough for all, insists Clinton – Sydney Morning Herald, September 2, 2012 – In her much anticipated trip to the South Pacific, widely seen as an attempt to curb Beijing’s growing influence, she told the Pacific Islands Forum that the US considered the region strategically and economically vital ”and becoming more so”.

EUROPEAN UNION: Single supervisor for all eurozone banks in 2014 – Malta Independent, September 2, 2012 – There are disagreements between the 17 eurozone members as well as in the wider European Union over how fast and to what extent to centralise the current system which relies on national supervisors loosely monitored by the London-based European Banking Authority (EBA).

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