Foreign Service Updates

Cuba relations thaw: 1) leverage to promote US trade interests & cleaner energy in LatAm 2) deprived LatAm govts (eg  Venezuela) of criticism opportunity re issues Being pals w/ Cuba makes ppl less receptive to Venezuela accusations of Yankee bullying less effective Cuba thaw buys US credibility when bullying other LatAm states US has: insisted on ability of US diplomats to travel freely around the island {to document HR abuses ... lol & stir up a bit of dissent, no doubt} http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2015/04/21/thaw-cuba-relations/eexslqwmqwn4xjv7wsBi9N/story.html The strong man in SaudiArabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman in charge Yemen bombing http://www.dawn.com/news/1177394/the-young-prince-who-led-saudi-arabias-war-in-yemen SaudiArabia orders National Guard on ground incursion into Yemen US + Gulf Arab backed campaign vs Houthi rebels Saudi ground attack & airstrikes have pushed Yemen (Arab world's poorest country) to the brink of collapse. SaudiArabia bombings flattened houses & sent villagers fleeing Saudis accuse Iran of arming Houthis Iran accuses SaudiArabia of supporting Sunni militants, incl. ISIL ISIS {Islamic State} Iran President Hassan Rouhani said: Saudi Arabia a country with dashed dreams in Iraq, Syria + Lebanon Iraq President Rouhani says: All Saudi failures have accumulated & caused mental & emotional imbalance of SaudiArabia US Navy beefing up presence in Gulf of Aden & southern Arabian Sea aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt sent US aircraft carrier to join other US ships prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to Houthi rebels Army Colonel Steve Warren, Pentagon spox, denied US aircraft carrier was sent to block Iranian arms shipments. More interference in domestic affairs of Yemen UN Security Council resolution imposed arms embargo on Houthi leaders Yemen x9 US warships in region incl. cruisers & destroyers carrying teams that can board & search other vessels. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-arabia-king-salman-national-guard-yemen-iran-houthi-rebels/ Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt & escort guided missile cruiser USS Normandy deployed to join 10 other US warships waters near Yemen USA acting as UNSC enforcer re arms embargo on Houthis in Yemen & backer of SaudiArabia aggression http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/04/21/iran-signals-ceasefire-in-yemen-after-us-nears-more-ships-to-yemens-shores/ Communist Party of Bohemia & Moravia Czech Vojtech Filip promo ties with Vietnam trade:   USD$670 million 2014 http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/128843/government-news-22-4.html Czech supports Vietnam stance re:  Bi?n Ðông (East Sea, aka East China Sea, aka Sea of Japan - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Japan_naming_dispute) East Sea = name dispute maps show 'Sea of Japan' but 'East Sea' used 2,000 years by Korea reference to SoJ emerged late 18thC International Hydrographic Org + UN involved in naming dispute 1929 IHO naming SoJ, Korea cut out of IHO b/c under Japan rule 2012 - IHO announced that it had decided to use only 'Sea of Japan' * 2017 IHO due to reconvene & issue to be revisited. UN using SoJ the term most widely used, until the parties resolved the disagreement UN no authority to determine. Vietnam + Azerbaijan trade at USD$422.4 million 2014 Oil & gas is the key pillar in bilateral co-op http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/128843/government-news-22-4.html Switzerland interested in further intensifying its relations with ASEAN + its member states, esp. economic co-op http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/128843/government-news-22-4.html Greece US designates Greek guerilla members, Christodoulos Xiros & Nikolaos Maziotis, as terrorists Maziotis associated w. series of attacks by Revolutionary Struggle group, incl. firing a rocket-propelled grenade at US emb. http://nation.com.pk/international/22-Apr-2015/us-designates-greek-guerrilla-members-as-terrorists US embassy strips US-born Yemenis of passports, leaving them stranded in war-zone Yemen >> Suing State Dept.  http://sfist.com/2015/04/21/yemeni-american_man_from_san_franci.php Iran has arrested reporter from WaPo accused of espionage - 9mths ago WaPo Tehran bureau chief, Jason Rezaian WaPo's Jason Rezaian incarcerated in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison where political prisoners are held & interrogated http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/post-reporter-jailed-in-iran-faces-4-charges-including-espionage/2015/04/20/3ea79ac8-e757-11e4-aae1-d642717d8afa_story.html Qatar-US bilateral trade increases 5-fold increase in decade:  nearly $7bn US exports to Qatar in 2014 = $5.17bn Qatar’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in US was about $3.2bn in 2014. {higher w private business investment} Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Gulf CoOperation Council (GCC)  - incl. Qatar - ON HOLD for some time Qatar’s ‘Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Texas (US) can now be used to distribute gas to other countries in region USA - world's largest consumer of energy, no longer requires Qatar gas b/c shale gas boom / US energy self-reliant USAhas become world’s largest producer of energy & soon to be largest net EXPORTER Golden Pass LNG in Texas (US) - joint venture = >Qatar Petroleum 70% >ExxonMobil 17.6% US >ConocoPhillips 12.4% US note:  majority state = Qatar  {Qatar Petroleum} http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/business/qatar-business/333904/qatar-us-bilateral-trade-increases Singapore Maritime Week 'Norway Night' hosted Norway embassy 240 senior execs fm global maritime industry attend http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/all-on-board-for-norway-night/ Singapore Norway Singapore is home to over 250 Norwegian companies, many focused on maritime +  offshore business {1 of 2} Leading Norway maritime sector businesses: >DNB Bank >Thome Group >Wilhelmsen Maritime Services >DNV GL {2 of 2} >BW Offshore >Norwegian Shipowners’ Association >Norwegian Business  Association, Singapore http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/all-on-board-for-norway-night/ Kuwait - Popular Action Movement (PAM) deported a prominent opposition figure (Saad Al-Ajmi) to SaudiArabia months after revoking his citizenship Citizenship revoked / article in nationality law that bans dual citizenship. Secret police on Tuesday. Dozens targeted. http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/215025/t/Ajmi-deported/Default.aspx Japan small drone, low levels of radioactive cesium found on roof of the Japanese PM’s office in Tokyo Stand by for legislation re sophisticated toy drones / unmanned aerial vehicles Note prior attacks -  Toy-based technology: 1) Red Army faction 1980s US Embassy & 2) 1995 sarin gas cult attack http://atimes.com/2015/04/drone-with-radiation-found-on-roof-of-japan-prime-ministers-office/ Pakistan negotiating Prisoners Exchange Agreement w/ China 260 Paks imprisoned China 193 sentenced / majority drug trafficking & serious Pakistan embassy in China seeks consular access. Source:  http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=262523 Hungary joined Poland in denouncing remarks by FBI dir. James Comey re Holocaust roles / FBI no public response Polish American Congress representing abt 10 million Americans of Polish descent called for FBI dir, James Comey resignation. http://www.officer.com/news/11927324/countries-call-fbi-directors-remarks-insensitive Denmark ambassador to Islamabad Jesper Moller Sorensen said  Pak playing key role in countering terrorism Ambassador Denmark visiting military college. UK & Denmark sponsoring training program to counter IEDs (C-IED). UK-led training schedule / UK initiative since 2006 Denmark since 2013 Danish contribution USD$1.5 million for 2 years Denmark’s Defence attaché, Colonel Thor Hilton says program well received by the Pakistan military. http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=262522 Marie Harf passed over for promotion Rear Admiral John Kirby (Pentagon spox) shifting over to State Dept. http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/04/marie_harf_passed_over_for_promotion_in_favor_of_white_male.html  OTHER Israel Iran Efraim Halevi - Ex-Mossad Chief: Iranians Will Regret Attacking Israel  / Israel is indestructible No such thing as a “good agreement.” Iranians will uphold an agreement only if it is worth their while. http://jpupdates.com/2015/04/22/ex-mossad-chief-iranians-will-regret-attacking-israel/