UN Dispatch

Tuesday Morning Coffee

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:56:37 -0500

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>>Iran - The IAEA announced yesterday that it had reached a "dead-end" in its efforts to ascertain whether there is a military dimension to Iran's nuclear program. In addition, the agency reported that Iran had increased the number of centrifuges it operates by a factor of six since May and now had roughly 300kg of low enriched uranium, an amount that some analysts saw is half of what they'd need to produce a nuclear weapon. China called on Iran to cooperate with the IAEA, but stopped short of joining those looking for new sanctions.

>>Ukraine - The Ukraine's governing coalition officially collapsed today due to infighting between President Yushchenko and Prime Minister Tymoshenko. In the next 30 days either a new coalition must be formed or elections will be held. There have been three such votes in three years. Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc pulled out of the coalition on September 3 after Tymoshenko joined with the pro-Russia opposition to curtail the powers of the President.

>>Georgia - Today in Tblisi, NATO's secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that Georgia remains on a "trajectory" toward eventual membership, a move likely to keep tensions high with Russia. The NATO SG was in Tblisi along with the alliance's 26 other ambassadors to inaugurate the NATO-Georgia commission. It is unclear whether Georgia will be given a "Membership Action Plan" when NATO meets in December.

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Monday Morning Coffee

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:14:51 -0500

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>>Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's governing ZANU-PF party has signed a peace-sharing agreement with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, as well as one of the MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara. Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, will serve as Prime Minister and Mutambara as his deputy. The opposition parties will hold 16 cabinet seats together. ZANU-PF will hold 15. Full details of the agreement are still emerging, and EU chief Javier Solana has said that the EU is postponing a decision on whether to lift sanctions.

>>Bolivia - South American leaders are meeting in Chile today amid rising concerns over the violent clashes in Bolivia between the government and protesters from regions that seek greater autonomy. Evo Morales has declared a "state of siege" in some provinces.

>>Pakistan - Two U.S. helicopters that had crossed into South Waziristan were turned back by Pakistani troops firing into the air. Roughly 20 people, including women and children, were killed in a raid by U.S. troops in this area this month. Pakistan's military denied claims both that the U.S. helicopters were in Pakistani territory and that the shots came from Pakistani troops.

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Thursday Morning Coffee

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:55:21 -0500

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>>Pakistan - According to information released today, U.S. President Bush gave orders in July allowing U.S. special forces to execute ground assaults in Pakistan without obtaining permission from Pakistan's government. This development clearly highlights the ongoing mistrust by the U.S. of Pakistan's military and intelligence services. It is unclear upon what legal grounds the U.S. can pursue such a policy.

>>North Korea - After days of speculation about the health of Kim Jong-il following his absence from North Korea's 60th birthday party parade, intelligence services from the U.S. and South Korea have reported that the leader suffered a stroke in mid-August. His death is not believed to be imminent. It is unclear which of his four children, if any, is next in the line of succession.

>>Bolivia - Evo Morales has expelled the U.S. ambassador, Philip Goldberg, after claiming that he was trying to break up the country. The U.S., apparently not informed of the decision in advance, called the claims "baseless." In the last few weeks, groups seeking greater autonomy from the central government have rioted in Bolivia's eastern provinces.

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Monday Morning Coffee

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:48:31 -0500

]]> The Beijing Olympics have ended. The U.S. won the most medals. China won the most gold.

The Democratic National Convention begins tonight. Stay tuned. Travis, our man on the ground, will be sending updates.

Thursday Morning Coffee

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:08:02 -0500

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>>China - Speaking in Thailand yesterday, President Bush denounced China's treatment of political dissidents and limitations put on the press and religion hours ahead of his arrival in Beijing. President Bush is in the middle of a seven-day trip to Asia, which also included a stop in South Korea and will culminate with his attendance at the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in China on Friday.

>>Pakistan - Pakistan's ruling coalition today agreed to initiated impeachment proceedings against President Musharraf, expected to begin next week in the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly. It is expected that Musharraf will be asked to call a vote of confidence, and, if he refuses, the impeachment will begin. In order to be impeached two-thirds of both the upper and lower houses would need to approve; Musharraf would be the first. It was also announced today that Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani will attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Games, not Musharraf as previously planned.

>>Mauritania - A bloodless coup d'etat was executed in Mauritania on Wednesday by a group of senior military officers who arrested the president and the prime minister, the first democratically elected government in two decades. The coup directly followed the president's firing of the officers, some of whom were instrumental in the 2005 coup that led to President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi's election and were his supporters. The officers have committed to holding elections soon. The UN, U.S., EU, and AU all condemned the coup.

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Tuesday Morning Coffee

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:11:40 -0500

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>>Iraq - On the third day of negotiations, political leaders in Iraq may have come to an agreement allowing provincial elections to proceed this year. The solution was put forth by a representative from the UN, who suggested that the law should contain an article calling for a solution to the controversial Kirkuk issue before the end of October, essentially decoupling the issue from the legislation. If a deal is worked out today, the elections can be held this year.

>>Iraqi Refugees - Through a resettlement program announced today by the UNHCR, some of Iraq's most vulnerable refugees will be moved to Iceland and Sweden. The refugees affected by this effort are Palestinian, persecuted in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein primarily because of his support before being deposed.

>>Russia - After several days of fighting in South Ossetia, Russia stated today it will not stay on the sidelines if conditions worsen. South Ossetian separatists have claimed that Georgian troops are targeting civilians as they shell Tskhinvali.

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Monday Morning Coffee

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:48:35 -0500

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>>China - In what the state news agency has called a "terrorist attack," 16 policemen in Xinjiang were killed and 16 were injured when a truck rammed a group of police jogging and then attacked with explosives and knives. Xinjiang is home to a Muslim Uighur population that feels oppressed by Chinese rule.

>>Bangladesh - Bangladeshis voted in the first stage of local elections today, the first poll held since the military took power through an interim government in 2007. All candidates were "independents" as political parties have been banned. A series of local elections will be held, concluding in October. No voting irregularities have yet been reported.

>>AIDS - The Global Aids Conference opened in Mexico today, 25 years after the disease first became prevalent. Ahead of the meeting, new figures show that the number of affected people worldwide has decreased, although some nations are still seeing an increase in infections and many cannot get access to the correct treatment. Over 20,000 officials, scientists, and others, including President Clinton and Mark Goldberg, will be in Mexico for the meeting.

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Friday Morning Coffee

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:47:36 -0500

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>>Pakistan - Members of Pakistan's intelligence agency were involved in planning the July 7 bombing of India's embassy in Afghanistan, according to U.S. intelligence agencies, which recently intercepted communications relating to the bombing. The U.S. agencies also said that there was new information showing an increase in the amount of intelligence that the members of Pakistan's intelligence agency are providing to militants targeted by the U.S.

>>Israel - According to the most recent polls in three major newspapers, Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni has a clear lead (8 to 18 points) over transport minister Shaul Mofaz in the campaign to replace Ehud Olmert as leader of Kadima. Olmert retired on Wednesday. However, two of the three papers show Livni running even with Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu were snap parliamentary elections to be held.

>>China - In the lead-up to next week's Olympics, China has partially lifted the great firewall, allowing greater access at the main press center for the Games after scrutiny by Olympic officials, journalists, and Western officials. President Hu has also suggested that China might be primed for greater economic and politic reforms after the Games, if the actual event is not politicized.

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Tuesday Morning Coffee

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:19:43 -0500

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>>Zimbabwe - President Mugabe's negotiators have left power-sharing talks in Pretoria to return to Zimbabwe for a fresh round of consultations, what most analysts have declared a sign of near collapse. The sticking point is over opposition leader Tsvangirai's position in the new government. Mugabe's negotiators are only authorized to offer him the vice presidency, a position the MDC finds untenable. There is no word on when or if talks will resume.

>>Pakistan/India - Soldiers from Pakistan and India engaged in a 12-hour gunfight last night, in what some have called the most "serious violation" of the ceasefire agreement in five years. India claims that the fighting was sparked by a raid by Pakistani soldiers that left an Indian soldier dead. Pakistan claims that Indian troops were attempting to build a post on Pakistan's side. Some analysts have suggested that this may simply be an attempt by Pakistan's military to grab power from the new government by making it look weak on national security.

>>Australia - Australia will no longer immediately detain asylum seekers who arrive without visas. This controversial policy had left many immigrants in jail for up to three years while their status was being resolved. The UN has censured Australia 14 times for the policy.

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Morning Morning Coffee: Bombings Everywhere

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:04:54 -0500

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>>Turkey - In the worst case of terrorist violence in Turkey in over five years, two bombs exploded in a pedestrian area in Istanbul on Sunday, killing 16 and injuring over 150. Initial speculation suggested that it was the work of the P.K.K. Turkish jets had attacked 12 Kurdish targets in Iraq earlier on Sunday.

>>Iraq - In one of the deadliest coordinated attacks in Iraq this year, four female suicide bombers in Baghdad and Kirkuk killed at least 48 people and wounded 249 on Monday. The Kirkuk attacks were targeted at Kurdish demonstrators at the provincial headquarters, protesting a controversial local elections law. Local Kurds immediately suspected ethnic Turkmen and responded with violence. The Baghdad attacks targeted Shiite pilgrims.

>>India - Sixteen bombs exploded in Ahmedabad on Saturday killing over 45 people, a day after eight bombs were detonated in Bangalore. Both areas are ruled by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and are growing at a quick clip. A little-known group, the Indian Mujahedeen, claimed responsibility in an email to a TV station.

Thursday Morning Coffee

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:26:36 -0500

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>>Iraq - While Senator Obama is wrapping up his, by all accounts, successful tour of the Middle East, the liberal blogosphere is jumping on Senator McCain's assertion that the "Surge," which is generally defined as beginning in January 2007, spawned the "Anbar Awakening," which is generally thought to have begun in summer 2006. McCain's campaign responded by saying that they occurred at the same time and that they were both spawned by U.S. troops.

>>Trade - After three days of negotiations, ministers from 35 nations meeting in Geneva are no closer to moving forward on the WTO's Doha trade negotiations. In a breakout session last night, the seven main players -- the EU, United States, Australia, China, India, Brazil and Japan -- met in a marathon 12-hour session, that several sources have described as "tense." The main point of contention is over the reduction of domestic farm subsidies in developed nations and the opening of developing nations' borders to industrial good and services. Talks will move forward, but it's unclear whether they will disintegrate before the Saturday close or push through into next week. Robin Pomeroy provides some color.

>>Sudan - President Omar al-Bashir traveled to Darfur yesterday in what some observers have called a "charm offensive." ICC lead prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo recently submitted a request to a three-judge panel to indict Sudan's leader on charges of genocide in the Darfur region.

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Wednesday Morning Coffee

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:21:17 -0500

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>>Iraq - Kurdish lawmakers boycotted critical legislation Tuesday that sets new rules for provincial elections. The sticking point was the status of Kirkuk, which Kurdish lawmakers believe should come under the control of their autonomous region. The bill, which would bring more power to Iraq's regions and empower Sunnis, is now unlikely to be ratified by the Presidency Council, headed by President Jalal Talabani, an ethnic Kurd.

>>Thailand/Cambodia - Thousands of Thai and Cambodia troops have moved into disputed land near the Preah Vihear temple on the border. Tensions were sparked when UNESCO listed the temple as a Cambodian World Heritage Site, which prompted protests by local Thais and their subsequent arrest by Cambodian authorities. Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has suggested that Cambodia's Prime Minister, Hun Sen is just using the row to gin up votes for the imminent general election.

>>India - India's government survived a vote of confidence on Tuesday, clearing the way for a controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States. At one point during the debate, opposition members carried duffel bags full of cash into parliament, alleging that it had been used to try to buy votes. Under the deal, which still needs to be approved by the IAEA, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and the U.S. Congress, India would open its civilian nuclear reactors to international inspectors in exchange for the ability to develop its civilian nuclear program without having to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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Tuesday Morning Coffee

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:04:12 -0500

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>>Serbia - The wartime leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadzic, who is wanted for genocide and crimes against humanity, was arrested in a Belgrade suburb yesterday (the Guardian has his rap sheet). On the run since 1996, Karadzic had been practicing alternative medicine in the open under an elaborate disguise. He had been under surveillance for a week after a tip from a "foreign intelligence agency." He will be taken the the UN war crimes court in the Hague. Karadzic's arrest was one of the preconditions for Serbian advancement toward EU membership.

>>Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's ruling party and two factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change begin negotiations today in Pretoria on a power-sharing deal. All parties signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday that committed them to two weeks of talks. It was the first time that Tsvangirai and Mugabe had met face-to-face in a decade. The NY Times thinks more pressure need be put on China, Russia, and South Africa by President Bush.

>>China - Two public buses exploded yesterday morning in Kunming, killing at least two. It is not yet known whether the perpetrators are foreign or domestic. Many residents received a text message prior to the blasts warning them off public buses.

Yesterday in UN Dispatch

Monday Morning Coffee

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:53:42 -0500

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>>Sudan - Today, ICC lead prosecutor Moreno Ocampo filed charges against president Omar al-Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Ocampo has charged that, through the "state apparatus," al-Bashir killed at least 35,000 directly and caused the "slow-death" of up to 265,000. Sudan is not party to the court and has refused to cooperate with any investigation. A "carefully choreographed" protest against the charges was held in Khartoum.

>>South Korea - South Korea announced today that it would recall its ambassador to Japan in protest of Japan's announcement that it would publish details about the two nations' dispute over the Dokdo/Takeshima islands in school teaching guides. In the middle school guides, the islands will be referred to as Japanese territory. The islands are uninhabitable but are surrounded by fertile fishing grounds.

>>Malaria - Researchers in Melbourne believe they may have made a major breakthrough in the fight against malaria by removing a protein that makes the parasite "sticky" and more difficult for the body to flush. The protein is one of eight that allows the parasite to attach itself to the walls of blood vessels and keep from being destroyed by the spleen.

Yesterday in UN Dispatch

Monday Morning Coffee

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:47:30 -0500

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>>Ireland - On Friday voters in Ireland rejected the carefully negotiated Lisbon Treaty, which would have provided a much needed restructuring to the European Union's governing apparatus, by a margin of 53.4 percent to 46.6 percent. An aggressive "no" campaign appealed to voters' fears. In order to come into effect, the Treaty needs to be ratified by all 27 EU nations. Some European leaders aren't giving up.

>>China - Some areas in southern China already devastated by the May 12 earthquake are now suffering under torrential floods, which have killed at least 57 and displaced over 1.25 million. The Guangdong province, an important export area for China, has been one of the regions worst hit.

>>Afghanistan - President Hamid Karzai threatened yesterday to send soldiers to fight Taliban militants in Pakistan if cross-border attacks continued. In response, Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to receive a formal protest.

Yesterday in UN Dispatch