Headlines:
- Trump Withdraws from TPP
- Trump gives Palestinians a Shock
- Syria Talks begin in Kazakhstan
Trump Withdraws from TPP
Donal Trump has formally pulled the United States out of a massive 12-nation trade deal that covers 40 percent of world’s economy. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal was negotiated by former President Barack Obama’s administration but was never approved by Congress. It was signed by 12 countries, with the aim of countering growing Chinese influence in the region. Its signatories are Australia, Vietnam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Brunei. They together represent 40 percent of the world economy. Trump has also sparked worries in Japan and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific with his opposition to the TPP and his campaign demands for US allies to pay more for their security. With the end of the TPP agreement, China will continue to grow in its dominance within the region, particularly as a trade partner with the 12 countries involved in the TPP.
Trump gives Palestinians a shock
The new US president, Donald Trump has come in aiming to deliver on some of the promises he made during his election campaign. One of these has been the transfer of the US embassy in the Jewish entity, currently in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem which has sparked an outcry from Palestinians. From the Palestinian perspective, this undermines their attempts on striking a deal on the peace process which since the inception of Jewish entity has only seen the Palestinians being left with less and less land. It seems on the outside that trump is out do all the good work of his predecessor whilst in reality, all negotiations and meetings have been used to either support Israel or keep them at bay when the slave starts to irritate its master. For the Muslims and Palestinians specifically, thinking that the USA was representing their interests in the first place was a critical mistake.
Syria Talks begin in Kazakhstan
Talks began in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Monday 23rd for a solution to the half decade old battle in Syria. These talks take place after the fall of Aleppo in December 2016 but only saw the National High Command (HNC) and elements from Ahrar al-Sham attend form the rebel groups. These are groups who have been funded and armed by Saudi Arabia. None of the other rebel groups were invited or represented. The talks take place with all sides ageing that the talks are not an alternative, but complement the Geneva process. The main objective of the talks will be to resolve the conflict though the Geneva process. The Geneva process at its heart has the regime in Damascus remaining in power and the rebel groups entering into a coalition government with the murderous regime. For these reasons, it will not be a surprise when this latest initiative fails.