FOREIGN SERVICE UPDATES

Sweden refused to renew a 10-year-old weapons deal w SaudiArabia Saudi ambassador recalled / diplomatic rift SaudiArabia = 3rd largest non-Western buyer of Sweden arms @ 338 million kronor ($39 million) 2014 Right-wing Svenska Dagbladet says:  Swedish industry “must be allowed to trade ... even with dictatorships.” http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Mar-12/290479-saudi-arabia-recalls-envoy-to-sweden-after-military-ties-cut.ashx DAILY STAR - EXTRACT [...] Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman Gabriel Wernstedt said the Saudis were recalling their ambassador because of “Sweden’s criticism regarding human rights and democracy” in the ultraconservative kingdom. The official Saudi Press Agency reported that the Saudi Foreign Ministry recalled its diplomat because it considered remarks by Sweden’s foreign minister about the kingdom as “blatant interference it its internal affairs. Saudi Arabia is the third largest non-Western buyer of Swedish arms. In 2014, Riyadh bought equipment worth 338 million kronor ($39 million). [... ] But an opening speech she was due to give in which she stressed human rights, with a particular emphasis on rights for women, was canceled. The speech was later published by the Swedish Foreign Ministry. Wallstroem has rarely commented on Saudi Arabia but in January she condemned the kingdom’s treatment of blogger Raef Badawi, who had been sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for insulting Islam. [...] Wallstroem told news agency TT Wednesday her government had made the “correct” decision by ending the agreement. “I feel that when I speak about democracy and human rights, I do with the support of the Swedish people.”  [Oh, please.  What about the human rights of ethnic-Russian citizens of eastern Ukraine & supporting their murder by supporting the Proshenko Ukraine puppet govt.?] [...] The Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said Tuesday only cooperation in medicine and gender studies would remain on offer. “What we have is an open invitation to partake in medical and gender training, but the Saudi side has not shown any interest.” [...] Commenting on the severed military ties, liberal writer Fredrik Segerfeldt wrote that Sweden’s objective was “to become a moral power” on the world stage. But taking a stance against Saudi Arabia today risked Sweden’s credibility as a business partner, according to some center-right opposition politicians and the Swedish business community. “Foreign policy is not only about other countries,” right-wing daily Svenska Dagbladet wrote in an editorial, noting that Swedish industry “must be allowed to trade ... even with dictatorships.” -- COMMENT RE SWEDEN ARMS DEAL CANCELLATION: "Swedish people must be so proud of their leaders. Exciting to see principles come before money for once." Ummm, I'm not actually convinced of this.  Swedish politics as a whole is not geared to serve 'principles before money'.  Some sectors of Sweden's politics may well genuinely believe in this, and there may have been a push that forced the cancellation; but overall, politics, trade and military (which serves trade & other interests) are not geared to function on bleeding heart principles. BANGLADESH EXAMPLE Dhaka Bangladesh Sweden Embassy + Business Sweden co-host Swe bus. delegation - power, telecommunications, roads, bridges + transport  Ambass: Johan Frisell - nonchalant re political climate for biz Sweden  11 large Sweden corporations delegates attend http://bdnews24.com/business/2015/03/11/swedish-business-delegation-in-dhaka-to-explore-investment-prospects Bangladesh / Sweden  Trade is dominated by the textile & ready-made garments. abt. USD$338-m (I think) {30bn Tk} Hey, Sweden ... Govt crackdown: civil & media Atheist bloggers arrested, activist in prison & more http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014/country-chapters/bangladesh If Sweden is to operate on human rights & principles basis, doing business in Bangladesh (& probably most of the rest of the world) might prove a problem.  Most Sweden business is in garments & textiles. I smell SWEAT SHOPS.   http://bdnews24.com/business/2015/03/11/swedish-business-delegation-in-dhaka-to-explore-investment-prospects Sweatshops in Bangladesh 3.5m workers produce goods for export global market, primarily:  USA & EU 85%  However, Bangladesh women producers have little improvement in lives: http://www.waronwant.org/overseas-work/sweatshops-and-plantations/sweatshops-in-bangladesh GOLDMINE  Not only SWEATSHOPS vs HUMAN RIGHTS but also WOMEN exploited vs FEMINIST GOVT SWEDEN ... -- USA - where's the transparency?  Report:  Only .00006 Percent of State Dept. E-mails Archived 2011 http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/email-fraction-archived-official/2015/03/11/id/629628/  Hillary Clinton --  Kenya US embassy Trivia: 19 federal USG agencies operating out of US Embassy Kenya as at 2012 -- Morocco has recalled its ambassador from Nigeria Morocco denies its King spoke on phone to Goodluck Nigeria insists phone conversations took place Morocco claims using King re election campaign Morocco denies Nigeria's further assertions http://www.360nobs.com/2015/03/morocco-closes-its-embassy-over-fallout-with-federal-government/ -- Pakistan US Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale reassignment to Pak. Not yet official nomination {extensive Middle East experience} http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Mar-12/290475-us-ambassador-hale-may-be-posted-to-pakistan.ashx -- Charles S Cohen Chairman of Cohen Media Group to be honoured France for promo French cinema in US http://www.prurgent.com/2015-03-11/pressrelease378605.htm  Film Media France Cultural Services of French Embassy = platform > French +  US artists, intellectuals, educators, students, tech etc -- Georgia Iran diplomatic spat Georgia Justice Min. Tsulukian China, Iran, Iraq + Egypt entry 'undesirable' http://www.eurasianet.org/node/72481 Georgia said to be pandering to anti-immigration voters Georgia says abiding by: association agreement signed w EU in 2014. -- D-Day Mission Bulgaria GREAT Mega Mission 2015 4-day initiative of UK largest visit of its kind to Bulgaria + Romania UKTI 2020 double trade aim [publics.bg] Bulgaria UK 50 top UK coys, 200 Bulgarian delegates Eyeing: >nuclear >oil + gas >mass transport >water & enviro http://www.publics.bg/en/news/12152/GREAT_Mega_Mission_2015_in_Bulgaria.html -- UK shadow foreign secretary says pursuing reopening of the UK embassy in Iran British grovelling ... mistakes made http://tehrantimes.com/politics/122509-shadow-foreign-secretary-says-he-pushes-for-reopening-uk-embassy-in-iran- -- UK Opened New Consulate in India, the Seventh [Prensa Latina] Ahmedabad Bangalore Chandigarh – new – {Large Punjabi Community in UK} Chennai Delhi - High Commission (embassy) Goa – tourist info office Hyderabad Kolkata Mumbai Pune – Commercial Office -- LOL... Timely UK suck job ingratiation {for trade}: Statue of Mahatma Gandhi for Parliament Square in London on Sat David Cameron attending Hammond attended opening new consulate. Slaughter of independence supporters by British Amritsar Punjab 1919 not mentioned. Amritsar Punjab 1919 Slaughter by British =  over 400 dead, incl. many women & children http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3610931&Itemid=1 -- #Turkey Syrian citizen, #Canada spy actively helped 3 teenage UK girls pass into Syria to join ISIS admitted on payroll of Canada intelligence #Canada - a #NATO ally knee-deep in #ISIS http://www.dailysabah.com/columns/ilnur-cevik/2015/03/14/canada-has-much-to-explain-about-isis-links #Canada Embassy Jordan run by Bruno Saccomani hand-picked former bodyguard to Stephen Harper linked to an interl terrorism & spy scandal #Canada   -   Ooh La La SPY SCANDAL - ISIS #Syria intel operative Mohammed Mehmet Rashid     — dubbed Doctor Mehmet Rashid     x3 London schoolgirls http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/13/safety-minister-silent-amid-claims-that-the-spy-accused-of-helping-girls-join-isis-was-working-for-canada/

GEORGIA - EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT - GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT

Association agreement to be ratified by late 2014 21 August 2014, 14:18 (GMT+05:00) By Victoria Moiseyeva The Georgian foreign minister said ratification of the EU Association Agreement with the EU countries has been suspended due to summer holiday. "Only four countries managed to ratify it, namely, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania," Maja Panjikidze stressed. "I am sure that this process will continue in other countries in September," she said, adding that the vast majority of the countries will ratify the agreement by the end of the year. "We had consultations with many countries. They know our position. They believe that this process should speed up. The second speaker of the Austrian Parliament, who was on a visit to Tbilisi, promised that the country will quickly ratify the agreement," Panjikidze noted. Regarding the EU representatives' statements, Panjikidze considers this as an important support for Georgia. "The authors of the statement are friends of Georgia," she said. "They are well aware of importance of the Association Agreement for Georgia." It does not hamper the temporary use of the agreement due to the fact that most countries have not yet ratified it, she stressed. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, President of European Council Herman Van Rompuy and President of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso signed an association agreement between Georgia and EU in Brussels, on June 27. Georgia first put forth the signing of an association agreement with the EU at the Vilnius summit dedicated to the European Union's 'Eastern Partnership' countries - former Soviet states on November 29, 2013. The EU believes that Association Agreement with Georgia will significantly deepen political and economic ties between the two sides with a long-term perspective of closer political association and economic integration. "The Association Agreements aims to deepen political and economic relations between the EU and the other signatories and to gradually integrate these countries in the EU's Internal Market, the largest single market in the world," the EU reported. Furthermore, the EU statement in particular noted that Georgia will benefit from new trading opportunities and easier access to the EU market. The agreement should allow the Georgian economy to catch up with the EU in terms of competitiveness and thereby gradually find its place in the world economy. This will open up new opportunities not only in the EU-Georgia trade, but in Georgia's trade with the rest of the world, given the worldwide recognition of EU norms and standards. The EU also signed the association agreement with Ukraine and Moldova. The EU and Ukraine signed only the economic section of the agreement. http://www.azernews.az/region/69859.html

Another US-EU-NATO incursion into Russia's backyard.

As if they're not racing to get Georgia stitched up.  LOL

UKRAINE and US 'boy scouts'

California has worked with Ukrainian troops Guido J. Portante Jr., Special to The Desert Sun 6:43 p.m. PDT July 26, 2014 After the breakup of the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991, the leadership of our country in the Defense Department and the administration saw an opportunity to keep those countries that were once a part of the Soviet Union and newly independent on the path to democracy. Further, they wanted to minimize instability in the region by supporting the principals of responsible government within those countries. In the early 1990s, a national program called Partnership for Peace, now called State Partnership Program, was established by our government. The State Partnership Program is an innovative program managed by the National Guard Bureau given to each participating state to execute. The State Partnership Program is an extraordinary effort by the U.S. to familiarize newly independent countries with American values and principles, to include law, public safety, agriculture, business, and military capabilities and training. Further, helping to build long-term national security strength for the newly independent nation’s we partnered with. In this process, we strengthened the national security of the United States. And, we built a coalition of forces that are mutually supportive to each other. California has been aligned with the country of Ukraine since 1993. Many states throughout our country and their National Guards are aligned with countries such as Alabama with Romania, Georgia with Georgia. There are currently 48 states that are aligned with countries of the old Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact countries and the debunked country of Yugoslav. [Debunked Yugoslavia?] Countless exercises revolving around peace keeping, homeland defense, military and cultural exchanges have been conducted. The National Guard’s dual federal and state mission make this program ideal for guard units to promote democratic institutions at the national, state and local levels of governments. The National Guard of each state is responsible to the federal government in time of war and national emergency. It also is responsible to each state governor for state emergencies such as natural disasters or civil unrest. The latter is important in working with partnered countries. I had an opportunity to train with the military members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and with Ukraine’s political leaders. We developed programs that were conducted both in the Ukraine and in California. Integrated into these military exercise, were cultural exchanges between the two partners. These exercises shared lessons learned, ideas and concepts of both cultures. They promoted the American way of life, while taking into consideration those issues facing a new independent country on the road to democracy. The success of this program lies in the partnered nation’s participation when fighting alongside of us in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost to partner in the State Partnership Program has been low and has paid dividends. With our continued sharing of interpersonal relationships with each partnered country, we can enhance each newly independent nations chance to succeed at democracy, freedom and the ability to prosper as a people and a nation. When individuals get to know each other while sharing the belief for freedom and democracy we begin to find out that as people we are all cut from the same mold. Getting along becomes much easier. For those who might want to tear us apart, the job becomes harder. Guido J. Portante Jr. of Rancho Mirage is a retired U.S. Army brigadier general. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/07/26/california-worked-ukraine-troops/13227433/

PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE

Partnership for Peace
[wikipedia]

Blue      = NATO (1994)
Orange = Partnership for Peace (PfP)
Green    = Current NATO members (former PfP members)
Red        = aspiring PfP states [wikipedia]

The Partnership for Peace (PfP) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 states are members.  It was first discussed by the Bulgarian Society Novae, after proposed as an American initiative at the meeting of NATO ... in 1993, and formally launched ... January 1994 (NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium). [wikipedia]

Partnership for Peace is now:  the State Partnership Program (SPP) - here.


Following is a list of other partners to the US State Partnership Program:

(transcribed from Wikipedia)

Bahamas (C'wealth) Bangladesh Belize Bolivia Botswana Cambodia Chile Columbia Costa Rica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Ghana Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Indonesia Jamaica (C'wealth) Jordan Kazakhstan Kyrgyz Republic

Liberia  Mongolia Morocco Nicaragua Nigeria Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Senegal South Africa Suriname Tajikistan Thailand Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands

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COMMENT

Partnership for Peace (now 'State Partnership Program') sounds like an altruistic US government sponsored 'boy scouts' mission spreading the message, getting together to grow, share, develop and commune with underprivileged and unenlightened 'boys' from all over the world.

But, hey, there's dividends to be had by the US, at a bargain basement low outlay.

I'd wager that these US dividends are enormous.

The Program is seen to:

• Strengthen national security of the US.
• Build a 'coalition of forces' for mutual support.
• Be ideal for promotion of 'democratic institutions' at NATIONAL, STATE and LOCAL levels of external participating governments.

The Program also happens to:

• Provide MILITARY connections.
• POLITICAL leader connections.
• Afford promotion of 'the American way of life' -- and, let's be real -- whatever the US agenda wishes to promote.

The article indicates involving participating nations in supporting US military causes and actions is key to the success of the Program.

And there's plenty to be said for making individual connections that the Program affords.

It looks like the US has been dabbling (with this single arm of the worldwide dabbling machine) in Europe since the early 1990s -- and in Ukraine since 1993.

Is anybody else blown away by that?  

It means that the US (and its agenda) has had 20 years to gain -- and execute -- influence at a military, political, individual or personal, cultural, government, national, state and local level, in the Ukraine.

It looks like there's something to be said for these evangelistic 'boy scout' missions beyond borders and, yes, they most definitely pay dividends given enough time communing around 'Camp US Love-in'.