PM greets the people of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, on their Statehood Day
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the people of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, on their Statehood Day. read more
Tag Archives: Governmental
Major problems with overseas aid for Eastern European countries
I was surprised to read in the Sunday press that some people think it a good idea to divert overseas aid to Eastern European members of the EU to “buy” a better deal with that organisation.
As I have explained before, there is no Treaty power to require a UK leaving payment above and beyond completing our annual payments to their budget for the period of our continuing membership. Nor is it legal under WTO rules to pay for more favoured trade with a particular country or group of countries than the rest. Payment for trade under WTO rules takes the form of accepting tariffs, and these have to be limited to the current mfn schedules the EU has agreed.
The trade choice is for the rest of the EU to make. The Uk would be quite happy to carry on tariff free. That will help the rest of the EU more than us. It would mean registering our current trade arrangements as a Free Trade Agreement at the WTO. Or we can trade under mfn arrangements under the WTO. Most of UK trade will be tariff free, whilst EU sales of agricultural products would suffer heavy tariffs into the UK. The UK could agree lower or no tariffs with other cheaper suppliers of food around the world through the WTO process. I have said it is in the EU’s interest to accept the tariff free offer, and they may do so after much huffing and puffing. I have also always said that they might decide to harm themselves by accepting WTO terms instead. Under the general WTO arrangements the UK will be fine.
The overseas aid idea also falls well foul of the overseas aid rules. The Eastern countries in the EU do not qualify for overseas aid under the international definition, as they are too well off. UK Ministers by law have to hit the 0.7% Aid target under international definitions, so they could not switch this aid money to Eastern Europe unless they repealed the 0.7% requirement. It would not be easy to achieve repeal, given the likely fact that all the opposition parties would oppose repeal other than perhaps the one UKIP MP. The government might be able to persuade enough Conservative MPs to get it through the Commons, but the Lords would be likely to have a big majority the other way. As it would not be a Manifesto pledge, and does not stem directly from a referendum, the Lords might become very difficult.
In circumstances where the EU Commision and one or two large countries were not wanting a free trade Agreement with the UK for political despite their interests in having one, it is difficult to see how offering to send money to Eastern countries would buy a change of heart.
read more‘Historic’ day as last FARC-EP members gather to turn in arms – UN mission in Colombia
20 February 2017 – About 300 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) today arrived in central Colombia’s Agua Bonita zone, bringing the number to close to 6,900, to lay down their arms under United Nations verification, and to begin a transition to social, economic and political life, the UN Mission in the country said today.
“In the past 19 days they rode cars, buses, boats or walked some 8,700 kilometres […] across the country, accompanied by over 860 [members] of the tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM),” read a news release from the UN Mission in Colombia.
The Mission’s Chief Observer and MVM coordinator, Major General Javier Pérez Aquino, called the day “historic.”
“The UN Mission in Colombia and the MVM consider that the FARC-EP’s decision to move into the zones – in spite of the limited logistics in the majority of them – very positive,” he said.
“This decision considerably reduces the possibility of armed contact […] and we also hope that their presence will accelerate the construction works in these camps, creating the appropriate conditions to continue with the process that will lead to their reinsertion into the social, economic and political life,” he added.
The Chief Observer also noted that despite limited logistics, the deadline for the completion of the laying down of arms – 180 days after the Final Agreement, which came into force on 1 December – stands.
Working hand-in-hand so that ‘our children and grandchildren live in a conflict-free country’
In Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, as well as at eight regional and 26 local sites, FARC-EP and Government members, along with 350 UN observers, are working together to verify the parties’ commitments towards the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.
“We work together to implement the Final Agreement and I feel hopeful that this process will lead to a country with more social justice,” said 45-year-old Esperanza Fajardo, who jointed FARC-EP in the 1990’s, now working with Government and UN Mission counterparts.
Mayor Alejandro Cruz, from the Government, echoed: “I feel very committed to this process because I want our children and grandchildren to live in a conflict-free country.”
Mr. Cruz was twice injured in combat with the FARC-EP and bears a large scar on his chest while Ms. Fajardo joined the rebel group to escape the killings of left-wing Unión Patriotica political affiliates.
In early October 2016, Colombian voters narrowly rejected the historic peace accord between the Government and the FARC-EP. That deal led to a cessation of hostilities and agreements on key issues such as political participation, land rights, illicit drugs and victims’ rights and transitional justice. The two sides signed a new agreement in late November.
read moreLong-time Russian Ambassador to UN, Vitaly Churkin, dies suddenly in New York
Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, briefing journalists late last year at Headquarters. UN Photo/Amanda Voisard
20 February 2017 – The General Assembly today held a moment of silence honouring the memory of the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, who died suddenly this morning in New York.
During a meeting of the Assembly on the reform of the world body, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Petr Iliichev, informed those present about Ambassador Churkin’s sudden passing.
The seasoned diplomat, who would have turned 65 tomorrow, served as Permanent Representative since 2006.
UN Security Council condemns latest terrorist attack in Mogadishu
20 February 2017 – Strongly condemning the latest deadly terrorist attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, the United Nations Security Council today reiterated that its determination to support peace, security and development in the long-troubled country would not be swayed by this, or any other such attack.
In a press statement that follows yesterday’s terrorist attack at a market in Mogadishu that killed at least 39 people and injured many more, the members of the Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and Government of Somalia. They also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Council went on to commend the swift response of Somalia’s security and first responders.
It also reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, as well as reaffirmed the need to combat the scourges in accordance with international law.
Further to the statement, the Security Council paid tribute to all Somali and international actors working to bring peace and stability in Somalia. The 15-nation body reiterated its determination to support peace, stability and development in Somalia and underlined that “neither this nor any other terrorist attack would weaken that determination.”
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