DOWNLOAD PDF File

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

DOWNLOAD PDF File Quote of the Day Chance www.outlookafghanistan.net The biggest risk” is not taking any risk...” In a world facebook.com/The.Daily.Outlook.Afghanistan that is changing really quickly, the only strategy Email: [email protected] that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. Phone: 0093 (799) 005019/777-005019 Add: In front of Habibia High School, Mark Zuckerberg District 3, Kabul, Afghanistan Volume No. 4492 Sunday December 06, 2020 Qaws 16, 1399 www.outlookafghanistan.net Price: 20/-Afs Political Leaders Attend First Ceasefire Will be on Agenda in Meeting of Reconciliation Council Talks: Taliban Spokesman DOHA - Amid a breakthrough in Doha soon. Considering the demand of Af- talks, Taliban spokesman Mohammad ghan people for a calm, our priority is to Naeem on Friday said ceasefire will be reach a comprehensive ceasefire,” said on the agenda among other topics in the Ghulam Farooq Majroh, a member of negotiations. the republic’s peace negotiating team in He said in a tweet that the agenda will Doha. be made in agreement of both sides. “We are in support of peace and cease- “A ceasefire upon which the Afghan fire. We want an end to the war,” said government insists and the establish- Ghezal, a resident in Kabul. ment of an Islamic system that the Tali- Despite calls for a ceasefire inside and ban urge could be there (at the talks),” outside the country, violence continues said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Tali- to grip Afghans across Afghanistan. ban commander. In the latest incident of violence, at least This comes a day after the US Special three members of the National Directo- Representative for Afghanistan Recon- rate of Security (NDS) were killed and ciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said that he 19 civilians were wounded in a blast that KABUL - Afghan political leaders Sat- a need for more consultations. “The guideline of the High Council for is heading back to the region to gather targeted a security patrol in Gardez city. urday attended the first meeting of the “The peace negotiations have reached National Reconciliation in its efforts to international support for the Afghan “Reports by our intelligence agencies High Council for National Reconcili- the second phase. The first phase achieve peace is the national interest of peace negotiations. indicate that it was a remote-controlled ation where they stressed the need for showed that the task was not easy, but the country. We will decide after con- In the first leg of his trip, the US envoy car bomb that was detonated on a mar- unity and consensus among political it succeeded,” Ghani said. sultation and fully accommodating the landed in Ankara where he met senior ket,” said Mohammad Halim Fedaee, leaders to move the peace efforts for- Abdullah Abdullah, who leads the rightful demands of the people of Af- Turkish officials on the current develop- the governor of Paktia. ward. council, stressed the need for consensus ghanistan,” he said. ments in the Afghan peace talks. The Afghan government has accused Addressing the meeting, President Gha- around peace and said it needed more He said that from now on, the regular “The modality of the participation of the the Taliban of killing 134 civilians and ni said the requirement is clear and that than ever. meetings of the leadership committee Taliban in the structure of Afghanistan’s wounding 342 more over the past one it is an agreement on the roadmap for He said the leadership committee of the will take place to discuss the peace pro- power structure will be transferred month. But the Taliban has hit out over peace. council represents all segments of the cess. to the next US administration,” said the allegations, saying the Afghan gov- He said the peace negotiations have en- society and the diversity of the Islamic “The first demand of the people of Af- Shukria Barikzai, a former diplomat. ernment forces have killed 68 civilians tered the second phase in which there is Republic. ghanistan ...( More on P4)...(1) “The talks will enter a new phase very just in ...( More on P4)...(2) Taliban Warns U.S Over US Congress Moves to Block Violating Peace Agreement Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal DOHA - Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, a spokesman for the WASHINGTON - US lawmakers er announced plans to reduce Taliban, said US forces attacked the group’s posi- are moving to prevent the Trump US troop levels from about 4,500 tions in Helmand province last night in violation administration from reducing down to 2,500 by mid-January of the Doha peace agreement between Washing- troop levels in Afghanistan and 2021. ton and the Taliban. Germany before President-elect The bill, however, prevents the He stated on Friday, that US forces had attacked Joe Biden is sworn in on 20 Janu- department from reducing troop the village of Lavi Bagh in the Nad Ali district of ary 2021. levels below 4,000 – or the total Helmand province following repeated violations US news agencies report that the number left when the legislation of the Doha agreement. House and Senate conferees have is enacted – until the Pentagon, He claimed, Americans have attacked a region far hashed out the mutual terms for State Department, and the direc- from the battlefield, killing 18 civilians including the proposed fiscal year 2021 tor of national intelligence detail Taliban fighters, and wounding three others. National Defense Authoriza- how a drawdown affects threats According to Ahmadi, the US attack on Helmand ernment that “such reckless actions would not go un- tion Act and are set to vote on to the United States, the counter- province destroyed Taliban strongholds as a re- answered, and progress against the Doha agreement and approve the measure before lowing through with troop re- terrorism mission against the Is- sult of which civilian residential places were also will result in bad consequences”. sending it to President Donald ductions in Afghanistan and lamic State, and more, according damaged. This comes as, the press department of Herat’s Police Trump’s desk. Germany, according to a report to report by janes.com. A Taliban spokesman claimed that when people HQ stated on Saturday morning, that two soldiers The US lawmakers have includ- by janes.com. “The conferees note the South wanted to evacuate the dead and wounded, these and a civilian were killed by unknown gunmen in ed two provisions designed to Back in November, US acting De- Asia strategy emphasizes the im- people were attacked 7 times during the evacua- the Islam Qala port of Herat province. restrict the Pentagon from fol- fense Secretary Christopher Mill- portance ...( More on P4)...(4) tion process after the initial hit. According to the statement, unidentified Gunmen in Condemning the incident, he warned the US gov- a Corolla ...( More on P4)...(3) Pakistan to Build NDS Busts Haqqani 253 New Cases of COVID-19, Railway Line Between Leader in Kabul, 18 Deaths Reported in Afghanistan Chaman and Spin Boldak 8 Arrested: Saleh KABUL - Amidst an increase in the cases of the coronavirus, the Ministry of Public Health on Sat- urday reported 253 new positive cases of COV- ID-19 out of 1,400 samples tested in the last 24 hours across the country. The ministry also reported 18 deaths and 138 re- coveries from COVID-19 in the same period. Over the last five days, the number of deaths re- ported by the ministry has raised to around 20 from 3 to 5 COVID-19 deaths in a day. The positive cases have also increased to over 200 from around 100 cases a day. The new cases were reported in Kabul (73), Kan- by the Ministry of Public Health. dahar (17), Balkh (27), Nangarhar (22), Paktia (17), The cumulative number of total cases is now 47,641, ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Minister for Railways KABUL - Amrullah Saleh, the first vice president, Bamiyan (2), Baghlan (1), Parwan (20), Nimroz (2), the number of total reported deaths is 1,865, and the Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has announced plans to link said in the Morning meeting on Saturday, that the Ghazni (17), Logar (1), Helmand (5), Wardak (1), total number of recoveries is 37,485. Pakistan with Afghanistan by railway with a line NDS have arrested a leader of a Haqqani network Laghman (4), Khost (16), Paktika (12), Uruzgan So far, 157,316 samples have been tested in gov- from Chaman to Spin Boldak. along with seven others in Kabul. (1), Jawzjan (11), and Sar-e-Pul (4) provinces. ernment centers and there are 8,291 known active Ahmed said in the first phase Pakistan would lay According to him, this leader of the Haqqani net- The deaths were reported in Kabul (7), Nangarhar COVID-19 cases in the country, data by the ministry around 11km of railway track from Chaman to Spin work is known as Matiullah, who was arrested (3), Takhar (1), Paktia (1), Badakhshan (1), and indicates. Boldak, and that a ...( More on P4)...(6) with the ...( More on P4)...(7) Khost (5) provinces, according to data provided The number ...( More on P4)...(5) 2 December 06, 2020 Main Page Anti-Graft Youth Alliance Mujeeb Ur Rahman Tests Positive for Covid-19 Set Up in Nangarhar QUEENSLAND - In a statement KABUL - UNDP Afghanistan, released on Friday, the Brisbane in partnership with the Move- Heat said that Rahman was test- ment for Protection Organisation ed positive during hotel quaran- (MPO), recently established an tine in Queensland. anti-corruption youth alliance “The Afghanistan player traveled in Jalalabad, the capital of Nan- from his home of Kabul last week garhar province, Behsud and but reported symptoms during Kama districts. his mandatory quarantine period Via this alliance, UNDP has pro- this week,” the statement said.
Recommended publications
  • Afghanistan State Structure and Security Forces
    European Asylum Support Office Afghanistan State Structure and Security Forces Country of Origin Information Report August 2020 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION European Asylum Support Office Afghanistan State Structure and Security Forces Country of Origin Information Report August 2020 More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN: 978-92-9485-650-0 doi: 10.2847/115002 BZ-02-20-565-EN-N © European Asylum Support Office (EASO) 2020 Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, unless otherwise stated. For third-party materials reproduced in this publication, reference is made to the copyrights statements of the respective third parties. Cover photo: © Al Jazeera English, Helmand, Afghanistan 3 November 2012, url CC BY-SA 2.0 Taliban On the Doorstep: Afghan soldiers from 215 Corps take aim at Taliban insurgents. 4 — AFGHANISTAN: STATE STRUCTURE AND SECURITY FORCES - EASO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT Acknowledgements This report was drafted by the European Asylum Support Office COI Sector. The following national asylum and migration department contributed by reviewing this report: The Netherlands, Office for Country Information and Language Analysis, Ministry of Justice It must be noted that the review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations contributes to the overall quality of the report, it but does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO. AFGHANISTAN: STATE STRUCTURE AND SECURITY
    [Show full text]
  • The Biden Administration and the Middle East: Policy Recommendations for a Sustainable Way Forward
    THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND THE MIDDLE EAST: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WAY FORWARD THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE MARCH 2021 WWW.MEI.EDU 2 The Biden Administration and the Middle East: Policy Recommendations for a Sustainable Way Forward The Middle East Institute March 2021 3 CONTENTS FOREWORD Iraq 21 Strategic Considerations for Middle East Policy 6 Randa Slim, Senior Fellow and Director of Conflict Paul Salem, President Resolution and Track II Dialogues Program Gerald Feierstein, Senior Vice President Ross Harrison, Senior Fellow and Director of Research Israel 23 Eran Etzion, Non-Resident Scholar POLICY BRIEFS Jordan 26 Dima Toukan, Non-Resident Scholar Countries/Regions Paul Salem, President US General Middle East Interests & Policy Priorities 12 Paul Salem, President Lebanon 28 Christophe Abi-Nassif, Director of Lebanon Program Afghanistan 14 Marvin G. Weinbaum, Director of Afghanistan and Libya 30 Pakistan Program Jonathan M. Winer, Non-Resident Scholar Algeria 15 Morocco 32 Robert Ford, Senior Fellow William Lawrence, Contributor Egypt 16 Pakistan 34 Mirette F. Mabrouk, Senior Fellow and Director of Marvin G. Weinbaum, Director of Afghanistan and Egypt Program Pakistan Program Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) 18 Palestine & the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process 35 Gerald Feierstein, Senior Vice President Nathan Stock, Non-Resident Scholar Khaled Elgindy, Senior Fellow and Director of Program Horn of Africa & Red Sea Basin 19 on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs David Shinn, Non-Resident Scholar Saudi Arabia 37 Iran
    [Show full text]
  • Leveraging the Taliban's Quest for International Recognition
    Leveraging the Taliban’s Quest for International Recognition Afghan Peace Process Issues Paper March 2021 By Barnett R. Rubin Summary: As the United States tries to orchestrate a political settlement in conjunction with its eventual military withdrawal from Afghanistan, it has overestimated the role of military pressure or presence and underestimated the leverage that the Taliban’s quest for sanctions relief, recognition and international assistance provides. As the U.S. government decides on how and when to withdraw its troops, it and other international powers retain control over some of the Taliban’s main objectives — the removal of both bilateral and United Nations Security Council sanctions and, eventually, recognition of and assistance to an Afghan government that includes the Taliban. Making the most of this leverage will require coordination with the Security Council and with Afghanistan’s key neighbors, including Security Council members China, Russia and India, as well as Pakistan and Iran. In April 2017, in a meeting with an interagency team on board a military aircraft en route to Afghanistan, U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s new national security advisor, retired Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, dismissed the ongoing effort to negotiate a settlement with the Taliban: “The first step, the national security adviser said, was to turn around the trajectory of the conflict. The United States had to stop the Taliban’s advance on the battlefield and force them to agree to concessions in the process .... US talks with the Taliban would only succeed when the United States returned to a position of strength on the battlefield and was ‘winning’ against the insurgency.”1 1 Donati, Jessica.
    [Show full text]
  • Produced by the Human Security Centre Lead Author
    1 Human Security Centre – Written evidence (AFG0019) Produced by the Human Security Centre Lead Author: Simon Schofield, Senior Fellow, In consultation with Rohullah Yakobi, Associate Fellow 2 1 Table of Contents 2. Executive Summary .............................................................................5 3. What is the Human Security Centre?.....................................................10 4. Geopolitics and National Interests and Agendas......................................11 Islamic Republic of Pakistan ...................................................................11 Historical Context...............................................................................11 Pakistan’s Strategy.............................................................................12 Support for the Taliban .......................................................................13 Afghanistan as a terrorist training camp ................................................16 Role of military aid .............................................................................17 Economic interests .............................................................................19 Conclusion – Pakistan .........................................................................19 Islamic Republic of Iran .........................................................................20 Historical context ...............................................................................20 Iranian Strategy ................................................................................23
    [Show full text]
  • ITS | USFP Afghan Peace Process Diplomatic Brief
    Diplomatic Brief Afghan Peace Process Background • In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement that would eventually lead to the first direct talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government since 2001. • After months of negotiations, the Afghan government and the Taliban agreed in December 2020 to the principles and procedures that would govern the peace talks – the first big step towards a peace agreement. • On April 14, 2021, the Biden administration announced that the United States would be withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. • The peace talks are taking place concurrently with a campaign of targeted assassinations and attacks against Afghani civil servants, media figures, members of the judiciary, and other government o"cials. A vast majority of these attacks can be directly traced to the Taliban and their a"liates. Key Players United States of America Republic of India • Antony Blinken, Secretary of State • Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External • Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Special A#airs Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Islamic Republic of Pakistan Afghan Government • Mohammad Sadiq Khan, Special Envoy to • Mohammed Masoum Stanekzai, Chief Negotiator Afghanistan and Advisor to the President on Internal Security • Muhemmed Aejaz, Head of the Pakistani • Abdullah Abdullah, Chair of Afghanistan’s High Delegation Council for National Reconciliation Taliban Republic of Turkey • Mawlavi Abdul Hakim, Chief Negotiator • Mevlut Cavusoglu, Foreign Minister • Abdul Ghani Baradar , Deputy Chief Negotiator • Hakan Tekin, Director General for South Asia People’s Republic of China United Nations • Lui Jian, Special Envoy for Afghanistan • Deborah Lyons, Head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Russian Federation • Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister • Zamir Kabulov, Presidential Special Envoy for Afghanistan USFP Programme 1 Significance The United States’ invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 toppled the then Taliban-controlled government.
    [Show full text]
  • Qatar: the Limits of Nouveau Riche Diplomacy
    Qatar: The Limits of Nouveau Riche Diplomacy Gil Feiler and Hayim Zeev Ramat Gan 5290002 Israel Mideast Security and Policy Studies No. 131 www.besacenter.org THE BEGIN-SADAT CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY Mideast Security and Policy Studies No. 131 Qatar: The Limits of Nouveau Riche Diplomacy Gil Feiler and Hayim Zeev Qatar: The Limits of Nouveau Riche Diplomacy Gil Feiler and Hayim Zeev © The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies Bar-Ilan University Ramat Gan 5290002 Israel Tel. 972-3-5318959 Fax. 972-3-5359195 [email protected] www.besacenter.org ISSN 0793-1042 April 2017 Cover image: Doha skyline by Francisco Anzola, Flickr Creative Commons The Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies is an independent, non-partisan think tank conducting policy-relevant research on Middle Eastern and global strategic affairs, particularly as they relate to the national security and foreign policy of Israel and regional peace and stability. It is named in memory of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat, whose efforts in pursuing peace lay the cornerstone for conflict resolution in the Middle East. Mideast Security and Policy Studies serve as a forum for publication or re-publication of research conducted by BESA associates. Publication of a work by BESA signifies that it is deemed worthy of public consideration but does not imply endorsement of the author’s views or conclusions. Colloquia on Strategy and Diplomacy summarize the papers delivered at conferences and seminars held by the Center for the academic, military, official and general publics. In sponsoring these discussions, the BESA Center aims to stimulate public debate on, and consideration of, contending approaches to problems of peace and war in the Middle East.
    [Show full text]
  • Trade, Doha, and Development00 Public Disclosure Authorized a Window Into the Issues
    39650 Trade, Doha, and Development00 Public Disclosure Authorized A Window into the Issues Richard Newfarmer Public Disclosure Authorized Editor Public Disclosure Authorized THE WORLD BANK Trade Department Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Vice-Presidency Washington D.C. Public Disclosure Authorized TRADE, DOHA, AND DEVELOPMENT: A WINDOW INTO THE ISSUES Copyright © 2006 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First Printing: November 2005 1 2 3 4 5 07 06 05 The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank of the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission promptly to reproduce portions of the work. For permission to photocopy or reprint any part of this work, please send a request with complete information to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA, Tel: 978-750-8400, Fax: 978-750-4470, www.copyright.com.
    [Show full text]
  • Qatar: Governance, Security, and U.S
    Qatar: Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy Kenneth Katzman Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Updated September 25, 2019 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R44533 SUMMARY R44533 Qatar: Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy September 25, 2019 The State of Qatar has employed its ample financial resources to exert regional influence separate from and independent of Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Gulf Cooperation Council Kenneth Katzman (GCC: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman), an alliance of Specialist in Middle six Gulf monarchies. While fostering a close defense and security alliance with the United States, Eastern Affairs Qatar has intervened in several regional conflicts and has, at times, engaged Sunni Islamists, Iran [email protected] and Iran-backed groups, and Israeli officials. Qatar has maintained consistent dialogue with Iran while also supporting U.S. efforts to limit Iran’s regional influence and U.S. combat against For a copy of the full report, major regional terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State organization. please call 7-.... or visit www.crs.gov. Qatar’s support for regional Muslim Brotherhood organizations and its Al Jazeera media network have contributed to a backlash against Qatar led by fellow GCC states Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, joined by Egypt and a few other governments, severed relations with Qatar and imposed limits on the entry and transit of Qatari nationals and vessels in their territories, waters, and airspace. The Trump Administration has sought, unsuccessfully to date, to mediate a resolution of the dispute, hindering U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Qatar: Background and U.S
    Qatar: Background and U.S. Relations Christopher M. Blanchard Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs November 4, 2014 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL31718 Qatar: Background and U.S. Relations Summary Qatar, a small peninsular country in the Persian Gulf, emerged as a partner of the United States in the mid-1990s and currently serves as host to major U.S. military facilities. Qatar holds the third- largest proven natural gas reserves in the world, and is the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. Its small citizenry enjoys the world’s highest per capita income. Since the mid-1990s, Qatari leaders have overseen a course of major economic growth, increased diplomatic engagement, and limited political liberalization. The Qatari monarchy founded Al Jazeera, the first all-news Arabic language satellite television network, in 1995. Over time, the network has proven to be as influential and, at times, as controversial as the policies of its founders, including during recent unrest in the Arab world. In June 2013, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani abdicated in favor of his son Tamim bin Hamad, marking the first voluntary and planned transition of power in Qatar since it became an independent country in 1971. In a 2003 referendum, Qatari voters approved a new constitution that officially granted women the right to vote and run for national office. The constitution envisions elections for two-thirds of the seats in a national Advisory Council. However, elections have not been scheduled, and the term of the current Advisory Council has been extended to 2016. Central Municipal Council elections were last held in May 2011.
    [Show full text]
  • Bringing Multilateralism Back In: Ending the War in Afghanistan Is Not a One-Nation Job
    Bringing Multilateralism Back in: Ending the War in Afghanistan is Not a One-Nation Job Afghan Peace Process Issues Paper March 2021 By: Neamat Nojumi and Thomas J. Barfield Summary: The United States’ unilateral deal with the Taliban in February 2020 needs to be expanded if it is to achieve success. Because the war in Afghanistan was never purely a domestic one, only a multilateral international agreement can end it and simultaneously empower Afghan stakeholders to determine their country’s future governance. A dual-track United Nations-led mediation platform, bolstered by a collaboration between Washington and Brussels, offers the best means to achieve this end. At the international and regional level, its goal would be conflict management: to end outside support for any faction unwilling to take part in the domestic peace process and to pledge support for any final negotiated peace agreement acceptable to a majority of the Afghan people. Since neither the Afghan government nor the Taliban can win a war or dictate the structure of a future constitutional order without such outside support, this would lay the groundwork for lasting conflict resolution within Afghanistan itself. The need for a multilateral forum is urgent because the current agreement focuses on the terms of departure of U.S. forces and fails to address the most significant local and regional priorities needed to bring about a lasting peace. Without the resolution of these issues, Afghanistan could fall into a new civil war like that of the 1990s once international troops withdraw. Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s administration did not condition the departure of U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • WTO Doha Round: Implications for U.S
    WTO Doha Round: Implications for U.S. Agriculture Randy Schnepf Specialist in Agricultural Policy October 10, 2014 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS22927 WTO Doha Round: Implications for U.S. Agriculture Summary The Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, launched in November 2001, has been at an impasse since 2009 and presently shows no signs of restarting, despite an interim agreement reached at the December 2013 Bali Ministerial. The goal of the Doha Round’s agriculture negotiations is to make progress simultaneously across the three pillars of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) 1994 Agricultural Agreement— domestic support, market access, and export competition—by building on the specific terms and conditions established during the previous Uruguay Round of negotiations. Negotiators have attempted to maintain a balance across the three pillars by simultaneously achieving concessions from exporters and importers alike in the form of tighter spending limits on trade-distorting domestic support; elimination of export subsidies and new disciplines on other forms of export competition; and expansion of market access by lowering tariffs, increasing quota commitments, and limiting the use of import safeguards and other trade barriers. However, as a concession to poorer WTO member countries, the degree of new conditions is to be less stringent for developing than for developed nations. Substantial progress had been made by 2008 in narrowing differences in Doha Round negotiating positions. As a result, a “modalities framework” (i.e., specific formulas and timetables for reducing trade-distorting farm support, tariffs, and export subsidies, and for opening import markets) was released in December 2008, in an attempt to lock in the status of negotiated concessions, while adding detail to outstanding issues as a basis for further, more specific talks.
    [Show full text]
  • The Merits of a Doha Round
    THE CASE FOR REVIVING THE DOHA TRADE ROUND DANIEL K. TARULLO GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS January 2007 Executive Summary The Case for Reviving the Doha Trade Round The suspension last July of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations has generally elicited indifference, or at most mild regret, in American political and policy circles. This is an unfortunate irony because a careful look at the Doha agenda suggests that an eventual agreement could avoid the unproductive, polarized debate produced by many of the Bush Administration’s bilateral and regional trade agreements. Instead of remaining stuck in an argument over the merits of trade agreements in general, we should assess whether the elements of this specific negotiation are consistent with impor- tant national economic and security interests. The components of the Doha Round indicate that it passes that test. In fact, it is the kind of trade negotiation that should command widespread support. The Doha Round is a back-to-basics trade negotiation. Because it focuses mostly upon tariffs and trade- distorting subsidies, it avoids the controversial inroads into domestic economic and regulatory policies that have characterized the Uruguay Round and many bilateral agreements. Its modest ambition is a virtue, rather than a flaw. Although the gains to U.S. export interests—while real—will not be as great as many would like, the harm to trade losers will also be moderated. This limited scale is prudent given current uncertainty as to where, and how, large numbers of good new jobs will be created. The Doha Round emphasis on agricultural policies and trade allows us to negotiate increased inter- national market access for competitive U.S.
    [Show full text]