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• Daily News Brief

  October 14, 2009

  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  - U.S. Seeks to Ease Pakistani Aid Concerns
  - U.S. Senate Passes Healthcare Reform Bill
  - Russia Withholds U.S. Support on Iran Sanctions
  - China Gains Global Trade Share

   

   

  Top of the Agenda: Pakistan’s U.S. Aid Concerns

  U.S. senators are seeking to reassure Pakistan (Al-Jazeera) about conditions attached to a $7.5 billion aid package bill, which Pakistan's parliament has criticized for violating the country's sovereignty and "micro-management" of military operations in Pakistan.

  The aid package, which is co-authored by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), would triple non-military aid to Pakistan, increasing aid to $1.5 billion per year for five years. According to the bill, the secretary of state would have to periodically certify that Pakistan is working to dismantle illegal nuclear proliferation networks and affirm that Pakistan is not supporting militant groups.

  During meetings in Washington, Senator Kerry told Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that there was no reason to be concerned (BBC) with the bill, which has been cleared by Congress, and that it does not need to be changed. The Washington Post reports that President Obama will sign the bill this week after Congress issues a statement aimed at easing Pakistanis' concerns about violating their sovereignty.

  Analysis:

  The BBC says the objections indicate a disconnect between the army and civilian leaders, which have lauded the Kerry-Lugar bill as a successful engagement with the United States

  The New York Times says the aid bill threatens to undermine Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who has insisted on greater civilian oversight of the military as a condition of the aid.

  Foreign Policy's Dan Twining says the dispute reveals Pakistani public hostility (FP) to the U.S.-Pakistan relationship.

  Background:

  A CFR Backgrounder discusses Pakistan's fragile foundations.

  A CFR Interactive Timeline explores the history of U.S.-Pakistan relations. 

   

   

  MIDDLE EAST: Russia Withholds U.S. Support on Iran Sanctions

  Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that further sanctions on Iran would be "counterproductive" (WashPost) during talks in Moscow on Tuesday.

  CFR's Richard Haass writes in an FT op-ed that, with or without the support of Russia and China, U.S. policymakers should consider expanding existing sanctions to Iran's gas sector and its Revolutionary Guard, as a way of pressuring an unsure regime.

  Goldstone Report: The U.N. Human Rights Council agreed to hold a special session (Al-Jazeera) on the Goldstone report on Thursday, after a request by the Palestinian Authority and co-sponsored by the eighteen member states of the Human Rights Council. News of the special session came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the report for criticizing Israel for deliberately targeting civilians during the Gaza war earlier this year.

  Energy: At the upcoming global climate summit in Copenhagen, Saudi Arabia plans to push oil-producing countries (NYTimes) to demand payment from rich countries that reduce their oil consumption, in an effort to curb global warming.

   

   

  PACIFIC RIM: China Gains Global Trade Share

  Chinese exports had their smallest decline (BBC) in nine months in September, suggesting improvement in global economic demand. The New York Times reports that China's growing share of global trade threatens to increase frictions with the European Union and the United States where it displaced Canada this year as the largest supplier of imports.

  North Korea: During his two-day visit to Beijing, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told reporters that the United States and North Korea's neighbors are trying to draw North Korea into nuclear disarmament talks (Reuters), despite recent skepticism about Kim Jong-il's stated willingness to return to six-party talks about dismantling his country's nuclear program.

   

   

  SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Afghan Insurgents Not Keen to Reconcile

  Afghanistan: The Washington Post reports that persuading insurgents to reconcile with U.S. forces is getting more difficult as the Taliban gains strength and Afghans grow uncertain about the U.S.'s long-term resolve in Afghanistan.

   

   

  AFRICA: Spain Charges Somali Pirates

  A Spanish judge charged two Somalis (BBC) with illegal detention, criminal association, and armed robbery on Tuesday despite repeated demands by the pirates holding the Spanish vessel that the two men be released before negotiations begin.

  Nigeria: The International Monetary Fund endorsed a Nigerian oil industry reform bill (All Africa) despite objections from international oil companies operating in the country, who believe the government is trying to create a monopoly for the national oil company.

   

   

  AMERICAS: Senate Approves Health Reform Bill

  The Senate Finance Committee voted 14 to 9 in favor of an $829 billion bill to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system (NYT) on Tuesday and put the legislation up for debate on the Senate floor. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) was the only Republican to vote "yes" to the bill, though she indicated that her vote Tuesday did not guarantee that she would vote in favor of the bill going forward. Snowe said she liked the Finance Committee bill because it would stop insurance companies from discrimination on the basis of health status or sex and would allow people to "shop" for coverage from a network of government-subsidized insurance exchanges. She also expressed her concern regarding too much government involvement and opposed amendments to create a government insurance plan.

  A CFR Backgrounder explores U.S. healthcare costs and its competitiveness.

  U.S. Financial Regulation: The House Financial Services Committee begins work on legislation to reform the regulation (Reuters) of U.S. financial institutions Wednesday and will focus this week on regulating the $450 trillion derivatives market and creating a consumer protection agency to guard against risky financial products.

  Hondurus: Ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya is insisting on being reinstated as president before elections scheduled for November 29. The demand proved to be a sticking point in otherwise "upbeat" discussions on Tuesday, the BBC reports.

   

   

  EUROPE: Britain Expected to Boost Afghan Troops

  British prime minister Gordon Brown is expected to announce in parliament on Wednesday that he will send 500 more soldiers (Guardian) to Afghanistan, adding to the 9,000 British troops already deployed there.

  Lisbon Treaty: EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said the Czech Reupblic should ratify the Lisbon Treaty (BBC) on Tuesday after a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer. The Czech Republic is the only EU member not to sign the treaty due to fears about possible property claims by Germans expelled from then Czechoslovakia after World War II.

   

   

  TRANSNATIONAL: Temperature Questions

  The BBC asks why no increase in global temperatures has been observed since 1998. That year was the warmest year on record, and the BBC says climate skeptics have used the eleven-year lull in temperature hikes as means to undermine calls for action on the issue.

   

• Latest Headlines

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  • Future of Climate Cooperation Updated 9:30 AM EST
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  • Myths in U.S.-China Policy Updated 10:00 AM EST
  • Broader U.S. Policy Needed on Iran Updated 3:28 PM EST
  • Skilled Immigrants Help U.S. Economy Updated 8:51 AM EST
  • 'Realistic' Emerging Economies Updated 2:43 PM EST

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