Oct-2011-International

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is killed
On October 20, 2011, Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years was killed by fighters who overran his home-town and final bastion Sirte. His bloodied body was stripped and displayed around the world from a cellphone video. The dictator was captured cowering in a drainage pipe full of rubbish and filth.

At the time of capture, Gaddafi was already wounded with gunshots to his leg and to his back.

Joyous government fighters fired their weapons in the air, shouted “Allahu Akbar” and posed for pictures. Others wrote graffiti on the concrete parapets of the highway. “Gaddafi was captured here,” said one simply. a small group of junior army officers who in September 1969 staged a bloodless coup, overthrowing King Idris while he was abroad for medical treatment.

Fiercely anti-western and inspired by Egypt's President Nasser, he governed according to his unique political philosophy—set out in his Green Book—based on a combination of socialism and Arab nationalism.

For four decades, the wilful, mercurial figure of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya with an iron grip while remaining a persistent thorn in the side of the West.

Branded “mad dog” by Ronald Reagan, the outlandish antics, flamboyant dress and bombastic pronouncements of the self-styled “Brother Leader” made him a figure of ridicule at times. During his travels abroad, a blonde Ukrainian nurse accompanied him and he insisted on staying in his Bedouin tent, protected by his team of glamorous female bodyguards.

He was also associated with some of the most notorious terror acts of the pre-9/11 era. He shipped arms to the IRA during the troubles in Northern Ireland and his regime took responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing.

At home in Libya, he ruthlessly crushed dissent against his autocratic rule while his agents hunted down and killed opponents abroad. When his people—inspired by the Arab Spring—finally rose up against him, he responded with a characteristic mixture of bluster and brutality calling for the “devils” to be cleansed.

But for all the outrage over his flouting of international norms, he was also seen by diplomats as a wily political operator, proving to be one of the great survivors in a turbulent region. Through assassination attempts, sanctions and US air strikes, he doggedly clung to power.

Commonwealth Summit
The 2012 Commonwealth Summit concluded in Perth, Australia on October 30, 2011.  The group collectively pledged to fight terrorism by preventing the use of their territories for terrorist acts or financing and also vowed to accelerate efforts to combat piracy and strengthening maritime security in the Indian Ocean.

The 54-nation bloc also committed to “unequivocally preventing the use of their territories for the support, incitement to violence or commission of terrorist acts”.

They also agreed to work towards implementing the necessary legal framework for the suppression of terrorist financing, and preventing the raising and use of funds by terrorists, their front organisations, and transnational terrorist organisations.

A commitment was also made to “accelerate efforts to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism”.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari represented India.

On the international security front, piracy was another issue that figured prominently in the communique as the group maintained their commitment to a stable and secure national and international environment.

CHOGM also called for encouraging the international community to mobilise additional funding for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), as also combating proliferation and trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons.

The Commonwealth leaders also advocated the embracing of moderation as an important value to overcome all forms of extremism, as called for in the “Global Movement of the Moderates” and improving legislation and capacity in tackling cyber crime and other cyber space security threats, including through the Commonwealth Internet Governance Forum's Cyber Crime Initiative.

The group also affirmed support to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and its Seventh Review Conference in December 2011 and pledged to continue tackling the root causes of conflict, including through the promotion of democracy, development and strong legitimate institutions.

Heralding an end to over 300 years of English Constitutional tradition, Commonwealth nations approved changes to the rule of succession, which passed the crown to the oldest male heir, to allow the first-born daughters to inherit the British throne. The changes to the outdated laws would also allow heirs who marry Roman Catholics to inherit the throne. Queen Elizabeth II is head of state of 16 Commonwealth “realms”, including Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

The 2013 CHOGM meet will be hosted by Sri Lanka.

IBSA Summit
The 5th IBSA Summit, which was held in Pretoria on October 18, 2011, came out with a declaration on major global issues with focus on reforms of multilateral organisations, including the UN Security Council, the IMF and the World Bank, to give greater voice to emerging countries like India.

On global governance reform, the three leaders reaffirmed their commitment to increase the participation of developing countries in the decision-making bodies of multilateral institutions.

They underscored the need for urgent reform of the United Nations (UN) to render it more democratic and consistent with the current geopolitical reality. They particularly emphasised that no reform of the United Nations will be complete without a reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC), including an expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of its membership, with increased participation of developing countries in both.

IBSA, as like-minded countries, will continue to strive to contribute to a new world order whose political, economic and financial architecture is more inclusive, representative and legitimate, the declaration said.

It also called for the early implementation of the targets for the reform of the International Monetary Fund in order to ensure that the body is democratic, responsive and accountable. The leaders reiterated that the governing structure of the Fund should reflect the changed realities of the global economy in the 21st century, through the increased voice and representation of emerging economies and developing countries.

The leaders also agreed that the Heads and senior leadership of all international institutions should be appointed through an open, transparent and merit-based process, beginning with the selection of the next President of the World Bank in 2012.

The declaration expressed concern at the ongoing deterioration of the global economic scenario, which presents particular challenges for the economic policy and growth prospects of developing and low-income countries. They stressed the importance of the implementation of a credible plan of macro-economic and financial policies and structural reforms by the Eurozone countries, as a necessary step to prevent further negative shocks to the world economy. They also highlighted the importance of complementary measures by other key developed economies to boost recovery and help the global economy as a whole.

The leaders stressed on the need to increase policy coordination amongst G-20 nations, with a view to avert a new recession and to promote a robust recovery in order to ensure strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy in the medium term.

The current impasse in the WTO negotiations is a source of serious concern, the declaration said.

Intra-IBSA trade has done well despite the economic slowdown of 2008 and its aftershocks. Trade between the three countries is already close to $20 billion, having in 2009 crossed the target of $15 billion set for 2012. India’s trade with Brazil and South Africa accounts for a majority of this trade.

Direct air connectivity is expected to give tourism a major boost and the IBSA trade ministers agreed to look at visa related issues so that the process for business visas is made easier. It was also decided to reconcile trade data and devise a common reporting format, as well as methods for capturing all the data of trilateral trade, including those occurring through third countries.

With the process on ratification of the Mercosur-SACU (Southern Africa Customs Union) free trade agreement advancing, and initiation of steps to implement the India Mercosur preferential trade agreement, the decks have now been cleared for making progress on a trilateral FTA involving India, SACU and Mercosur. This pact, linking developing countries in the three continents, is envisaged as one of the most ambitious free trade areas in the world and will be a symbol of growing South-South cooperation.

For further details CLICK HERE

Palestine wins UNESCO seat in a historic vote
On October 31, 2011, Palestine won full admission into UNESCO, the United Nations science, education and cultural heritage organization, in a closely watched vote in Paris. Global diplomacy hands view the 107-14 vote as a benchmark carrying larger implications for the Palestinians’ bid for State recognition before the UN Security Council. Both the United States and Israel have strongly opposed both initiatives.

The United States, Israel, Canada, Germany, Sweden and Australia were among the 14 nations voting against the Palestinians’ UNESCO bid, while 107 countries—including France, Spain, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, India, Russia, China, South Africa and Indonesia—voted in favour. Fourteen nations—including the United Kingdom and Italy—abstained.

Washington, which called the UNESCO vote “premature”, has threatened to cut off funding to UNESCO if Palestine is granted membership. The United States currently accounts for about one-fifth of the organization’s budget. The United States had earlier also pulled out of UNESCO under President Ronald Reagan, rejoining two decades later under President George W. Bush.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also rejected the UNESCO vote, and warned it would set back peace process.

Palestine’s successful UNESCO bid came as Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair was due to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House. Blair has been trying to advance the Quartet’s efforts to get the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table, asking each side to lay out their specific terms for resolving the issues of borders and security for a two-state solution. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have been depicting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as an unworthy peace partner.

UNESCO protects historic heritage sites and works to improve world literacy, access to schooling for girls and cultural understanding, but it has also come under criticism in the past as a forum for anti-Israel sentiment.