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Foreign AffairsUNCAC- United Nations Convention against CorruptionDublin Regulation Vienna convention diplomats 1948 genocide convention1951 refugee conventionUNHRC report on Sri lanka- hybrid courts (India abstained from voting on Sri Lanka issue in the UN)Nepal 12 point agendaMunroe Doctrine Arctic Council The only thing that is certain about the Myanmar elections is that no matter what the result, the military will hold on to its constitutionally guaranteed 25% seat share in the parliament and Suu Kyi will not be the president, as the new constitution bars her from the postThe strife-torn Palestinian enclaves of the West Bank and Gaza still rank one place above India in DB report, with both registering property and paying taxes far easier in the combined territoriesWith government-to-government ties at a standstill, civil society-led initiatives — trade expositions, cultural festivals, and Track Two dialogues — could play a major role in building links between Indians and PakistanisIndia SAGAR approachRefugee treaty? APEC, SCOIndia has 127 Missions across the world, plus 39 honorary consulatesThere are 12 OPEC members: 4 in Africa: (Algeria,?Nigeria, Angola, Libya); 6 in Middle East:?(Iran, Iraq, Kuwait,?Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), and 2 in Latin America (Venezuela, Ecuador)Sri Lanka- 13th amendment: Old agreement; aimed to devolve powers to the northern province (Indo-Sri Lanka accord)India and Sri Lanka entered into the Indo-Sri Lanka peace accord (13th amendment), according to which the Sri Lankan government was to devolve power to the provinces, the Sri Lankan troops were to be withdrawn, and the rebels were to give up arms 13th amendment is meant to create Provincial Councils, and accept both Tamil and Sinhalese as national languages, with English as the link languageHowever, LTTE wasn’t made a part of the talks, and they quickly went back on the agreement and launched an insurgency, this time fighting the Indians as well; India’s retaliatory stance made us extremely unpopular amongst Sri Lankan Tamils Mathripala Sirisena recently said this will be implemented after the next pollsSri Lanka 19th amendment: aims to dilute the powers of the Executive Presidency, and give more powers to the Parliament (reduction of term to 5 years, two-term limit etc., mandates the President has to consult PM before appointing ministers, establishment of a ‘constitutional council’ that will exercise some of the President’s erstwhile executive powers)Sri Lanka 20th amendment: aims to increase the size of the Parliament by 12, to 237; 145 will be directly elected (FPTP principle); 35 nominated, rest via proportional representationIndia-Sri Lanka recently signed a Currency Swap Agreement (what is it?)India has recently signed a civilian nuclear agreement with Sri Lanka; under this deal, India will basically help Sri Lanka build its nuclear energy capacity (and not supply nuclear reactors or uranium)What is the ‘T’ in the TAPI project?- Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan; GAIL might implement it from India’s sideNuclear deal- Key FeaturesSection 17(b): The operators (in India’s case, the state run NPICL) could claim compensation from their equipment suppliers if it could be proved that the cause of the accident was faulty equipmentIn pursuing the safety of supply, Section 17(b) goes too far in keeping liability for suppliers entirely open-ended. If liability on suppliers is unlimited in time and quantum, the possibility of getting adequate insurance cover will reduce. Even if such insurance is available, it could make nuclear energy economically unviable To address this, Rule 24 of the CLND Rules dilutes the right of recourse conferred by Section 17(b) by limiting compensation payable by suppliers to a specified amount and for a specified time periodThis is perceived by some to be violating Article 14 (equality before law) of the constitutionAPEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation)APEC is a forum for 21?Pacific Rim?member economies?that promotes?free trade?throughout the?Asia-Pacific?regionIt was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional?trade blocs?in other parts of the world, to fears that?highly industrialized Japan (a member of?G8) would come to dominate economic activity in the Asia-Pacific region; and to establish new markets for agricultural products and raw materials beyond EuropeIndia?has requested membership in APEC, and received initial support from the United States, Japan and Australia. Officials have decided not to allow India to join for various reasons, one of which is that?India does not border the Pacific Ocean, which all current members do?However, India was invited to be an observer for the first time in November 2011APEC has long been at the forefront of reform efforts in the area of business facilitation. Between 2002 and 2006 the costs of business transactions across the region was reduced by 6%, thanks to the APEC Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAPI)Proposals for Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP):The proposal for a FTAAP arose due to the lack of progress in the?Doha round?of?WTO?negotiations, and as a way to overcome the "noodle bowl" effect created by overlapping and conflicting elements of the copious free trade agreementsThe FTAAP is more ambitious in scope than the Doha round, which limits itself to reducing trade restrictions. The FTAAP would create a free trade zone that would considerably expand commerce and economic growth in the regionSome criticisms include that the diversion of trade within APEC members would create trade imbalances, market conflicts and complications with nations of other regionsAPEC has also been criticised for promoting free trade agreements that would trammel national and local laws, which regulate and ensure labour rights, environmental protection, and safe and affordable access to medicineWhether it has accomplished anything constructive remains debatable, especially from the viewpoints of European countries that cannot take part in APEC and Pacific Island nations that cannot participate but will suffer its consequencesThe development of the FTAAP (if it happens) is expected to take many years, involving essential studies, evaluations and negotiations between member economies Shanghai Cooperation Organization: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan‘Mutual cooperation to fight again terrorism, separatism and extremism in Central Asia’India and Pakistan were recently inducted as full membersSCO is seen as a counter to NATOAdvantages for India: energy cooperation (like TAPI); SCO provides an alternative regional platform to discuss the Afghan issueLast summit was in Ufa in Russia; first ever in 2001 in ChinaNDBEstablished at the 6th BRICS summit in Fortaleza (Brazil) in 2014Unlike the World Bank, which assigns votes based on capital shares, here each participant country will be assigned one vote, and no country will have veto powerCountries apart from the BRICS countries will also be members- the bank will have some countries from ‘the south’ on a rotational basis, on the board of the bank, and they will be allowed to voteThe bank will allow new members to join but the share of BRICS countries cannot drop below 55%The bank will primarily lend for infrastructural projectsThe Contingent Reserve Arrangement, which is the twin organization of the bank but is yet to take off, will fulfill an IMF-type role. Every country will be able to tap into a multiple of its contribution, but anything above 30% of that amount will come with IMF-style ‘conditions’ (some say this shows the inherent fallacy in having such an alternative)Some claim that Since the BRICS Bank will be giving project loans, based entirely on the viability of the project itself, it will be unconcerned with the macroeconomic orientation of the government; hence its loans will lack the ideological coercion that the World Bank’s loans bring with themAIIBThis is an international financial institution proposed by ChinaChina will remain the biggest shareholder in the bank (India second largest), and the shares of non-Asian countries will be restricted to 25% of the totalIndia will be the second largest shareholder in AIIB; Russia, third Voting shares will be based on the size of each members country’s economy, and not their contribution to the bank’s authorized capital The purpose of the multilateral development bank is to provide finance to infrastructure projects in the Asia Pacific region AIIB is regarded by some as a rival for the?IMF, the?World Bank?and the?Asian Development Bank (ADB), which the AIIB says are dominated by developed countries like the United States and JapanArguments bandied about for establishment of yet another bank: WB and ADB might be working in Asia already, but the financing deficit is still huge; while ADB and World Bank loans support everything from environmental protection to gender equality, the AIIB will concentrate its firepower on infrastructureCritics (such as the US) warn that the China-led bank may fail to live up to the environmental, labour and procurement standards that are essential to the mission of development lenders. China says the AIIB will adopt international best practises. The UK, Germany, and France have now decided to join in as founding members, drawing protests from the USAChina’s decision to fund a new multilateral bank rather than give more to existing ones reflects its exasperation with the glacial pace of global economic governance reform. The same motivation lies behind the New Development Bank established by the BRICSAlthough China is the biggest economy in Asia, the ADB is dominated by Japan; Japan’s voting share is more than twice China’s and the bank’s president has always been Japanese. Reforms to give China a little more say at the International Monetary Fund have been delayed for years, and even if they go through America will still retain far more power. China is, understandably, impatient for change. It is therefore taking matters into its own handsADB: one method of raising funds for the ADB is issuing bonds on global capital markets; Japan holds the highest shares in ADBUnited Nations recently passed a resolution recognizing same-sex marriages (only for staff from countries where such marriages are recognized)What is the US L1-B visa? L-1 visas are available to employees of an international company with offices in both the United States and abroad. The visa allows such foreign workers to relocate to the corporation's US office after having worked abroad for the company for at least one continuous year within the previous three prior to admission in the USYemen conflictThe Houthis are a rebel Shia group primarily located in the north of YemenThe protests started by the Houthis demanding that the government in Sana’a take back the decision to reduce fuel subsidies, and bring the fuel price downHowever, the government is broke; it has also been fighting Al-Qaeda fighters in the southFrom the beginning, the ruling government tried offering concessions to the Houthis, but their demands kept getting larger; the intention from the very beginning was political control Under sustained pressure for more concessions and political privileges by the Houthis, the President, Mr. Hadi, resigned in January 2015, and fled the countryDuring the Arab spring, President Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to step down. Now, he is allied with the Houthi rebels, wielding effective controlMany people also see the Houthis being controlled by IranIMF SDRs: supplementary?foreign exchange reserve?assets defined and maintained by the?International Monetary Fund?(IMF). Their value is based on a basket of key international currencies reviewed by IMF every five years. Current currencies are USD, Euro, GBP, and Yen. XDRs are allocated to countries by the IMF.?Private parties do not hold or use them.India’s inclusion in the UNSC is being opposed by the ‘coffee club’: Uniting for Consensus?(UfC) is a movement, nicknamed the?Coffee Club, that developed in the 1990s in opposition to the possible expansion of the?United Nations Security Council. Under the leadership of Italy,?it aims to counter the bids for permanent seats proposed by?G4 nations?(Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan) and is calling for a consensus before any decision is reached on the form and size of the Security Council (members: Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Pakistan, South Korea, San Morino, Spain, Turkey)India recently gave away 3 Cheetal helicopters to AfghanistanChina is investing $46 billion in Pakistan; the Corridor will link China’s underdeveloped far-western region to Pakistan’s Gwadar deep-sea port on the Arabian Sea via PoK. This investment overshadows US’s investment in PakistanOperation Maitri- Indian Army’s effort for relief mission in NepalBangladesh recently awarded the ‘Friends of Bangladesh Liberation Award’ to VajpayeeIran nuclear dealPuts strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities for at least a decade and calls for stringent U.N. oversightIn return, Iran will get sanctions relief although the measures can ‘snap back’ into place if there are any violationsInternational arms embargo against Iran will remain for five years but deliveries would be possible with special permission of the U.N. Security Council Iran has accepted allowing the U.N. atomic watchdog tightly-controlled ‘managed access’ to military basesIran will slash by around two-thirds the number of centrifugesThe deal caps uranium enrichment at 3.67% and limits the stockpile to 300 kg, all for 15 yearsBCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar) Economic CorridorThe BCIM economic corridor is an initiative conceptualised for significant gains through sub-regional economic cooperation The multi-modal corridor will be the first expressway between India and China and will pass through Myanmar and BangladeshThe proposed corridor will pass through: China’s?Yunnan?Province,?Bangladesh,?Myanmar and?Bihar?in?Northern India?through the combination of road, rail, water and air linkages in the regionThis interconnectedness would facilitate the cross-border flow of people and goods, minimize overland trade obstacles, ensure greater market access and increase multilateral tradeIndia’s isolated north east stands to gain with greater cooperation with the other 3 countriesFrom the West Bengal capital, the corridor will head towards Benapole, a border crossing town in Bangladesh. After passing through Dhaka and Sylhet, it will re-enter the Indian territory near Silchar in Assam. The rest of the passage will be connected with Imphal and then pass through the India-built Tamu-Kalewa friendship road in Myanmar.Mandalay will be the next focal point of the corridor before the road enters Yunnan, after crossing Lashio and Muse in Myanmar. The Chinese stretch extends from Ruili before reaching Kunming through Longling and DaliMotor Vehicle Agreement between BBIN: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. BBIN countries will be benefited by mutual cross border movement of passenger and goods for overall economic development of the regionInternational North-South Transport Corridor: Ship, rail, and road route for moving freight between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central AsiaTechnology-control cartels: the NSG, Missile Technology Control Regime, Australia Group and Wassenaar ArrangementNepal’s new constitution will let it remain a parliamentary democracy (not making it a presidential system)India and Georgia recently signed an MoU for exchange of knowledge about electoral processesSocial Progress Index- launched in 2013 and is based on 52 indicators of countries’ social and environmental performance. It includes no economic indicators and measures outcomesKatchatheevu island was ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974 to ‘maintain friendly relations’ without any constitutional amendmentMagna Carta: No one is above the law, including the KingFirst step towards Parliamentary DemocracyWhat is UNESCAP? United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the PacificG4 countries: Brazil, India, Germany, Japan; the four countries are backing each other’s bids for permanent seats on the UNSCG7 countries: USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, JapanG8 countries: Group of eight highly industrialized nations-France,?Germany,?Italy, UK,?Japan, USA,?Canada, and?RussiaThe coastlines of the Caspian sea are shared by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and TurkmenistanBattle of Waterloo: 200th anniversary celebrated recently; Napoleon was finally defeated and sent to St. HelenaIndian Ocean Rim OrganizationThe IORA is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting co-operation and closer interaction among themThe region is vital to global shipping lanes, and thus of immense strategic importance to countries in the region as well as globally20 member states- South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Iran, Oman, UAE, Yemen, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia (Maldives, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Myanmar are not members)China has invested millions of dollars in recent years building seaports and highways in countries stretching from the Maldives to Sri Lanka that lie on vital shipping lanes through which much of its energy supplies and trade passesIndia, alarmed at the prospect of China building a network of friendly ports in a ‘String of Pearls’ across the Indian Ocean, has stepped up its diplomacy, offering a range of civil and military assistanceThe distinct Indian vision of a security umbrella in the Indian Ocean is reflected in two landmark agreements signed during Modi's visits to Seychelles and Mauritius, whereby New Delhi acquired infrastructure development rights in Assumption Island and Agalega Island in Mauritius and Seychelles - two vital listening posts. By operating and sharing surveillance systems on these islets, India is explicitly helping their host nations "access the moves of unsavoury elements in the region?IAEA (is it a part of the UN?)Seeks to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to prohibit its use for any military purpose, including manufacturing of nuclear weaponsReports to the UNGA and the UNSC (although it is an independent body)The IAEA Board of Governors (which sets most of the policy) consists of 22 member states elected by the General Conference (163 states), and at least 10 member states nominated by the outgoing BoardIAEA promotes development of peaceful applications of nuclear technology, provide international safeguards against misuse of nuclear technology and?nuclear materials, and promote?nuclear safety?(including?radiation protection) and nuclear security standards and their implementationThree main areas of work that underpin the IAEA's mission are: Safety and Security; Science and Technology; and Safeguards and VerificationThe IAEA executes this mission with three main functions: the inspection of existing nuclear facilities to ensure their peaceful use, providing information and developing standards to ensure the safety and security of nuclear facilities, and as a hub for the various fields of science involved in the peaceful applications of nuclear technologyIAEA has been criticized for its advocacy of nuclear power, and also for its sluggish response to the Fukushima disasterIAEA recommends safety standards, but member states are not required to comply; it promotes nuclear energy, but it also monitors nuclear use; it is the sole global organization overseeing the nuclear energy industry, yet it is also weighed down by checking compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) these contradictions make its work complicated and slowEuthanasia in IndiaPassive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments, such as antibiotics, necessary for the continuance of lifePassive euthanasia occurs when the patient dies because the medical professionals either don’t do something necessary to keep the patient alive, or when they stop doing something that is keeping the patient alive such as: Switch off life-support machines; disconnect a feeding tube; don’t carry out a life-extending operation etc.Passive euthanasia?is legal in India:?On 7 March 2011 the?Supreme Court of India?legalised passive?euthanasia?by means of the withdrawal of?life support?to patients in a?permanent vegetative state. The decision was made as part of the verdict in a case involving?Aruna Shanbaug, who had been in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) until her death in 2015British Parliamentary system: see dropboxSilk Road Initiative (Basics, anticipated impact)How many total members does UNSC have? If UNSC’s structure was ever to change, what would be the procedure? (voting, but how?)UNHRC composition- how many seats? How many permanent members?Turkey- ErdoganBashir ICC editorial 10 JuneForum for India-Pacific Island Conference (FIPIC):It is a multinational grouping developed in 2014 for cooperation between India and 14 Pacific Islands nationsThe Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific. APEC has 21 members. APEC operates as a cooperative, multilateral economic and trade forum. There are no binding commitments or treaty obligations. Commitments are undertaken on a voluntary basis and capacity building projects help members implement APEC initiatives. Under Articles 29-31 of the?Vienna Convention?on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, any diplomat is “inviolable” and the state is bound to prevent any attack on him, his family and even his private residence, that “enjoys the same protection” as an embassy. The immunity of diplomatic agents may be waived by the sending State. While waiver of immunity in criminal cases is not common, it is routinely sought but rarely granted.There is also a geopolitical side to this issue. India and Saudi Arabia share cordial relations. Apart from the fact that Saudi Arabia is India’s second largest supplier of crude oil and its fourth largest trade partner (bilateral trade reached nearly $40 billion in 2014-15), it is also home to a sizeable diaspora of over 2.5 million Indians.‘Crowdsourcing’ help in online forums might be a good idea to counter the rising online influence of the ISG4: The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are four countries which support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. The G4’s bids are often opposed by Uniting for Consensus movement, and particularly their economic competitors or political rivalsIndia is not a signatory to the Rome Statuete- thus, it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) (relevant because India has invited the Sudanese President Omar-Al-Bashir to participate in a conferenceNepal constitution: 5th such constitution Defines Nepal as a secular country, despite widespread protests for it to be declared a Hindu stateFirst in Asia to specifically protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities: The state and the judiciary are prohibited from discriminating against sexual and gender minoritiesIndia doesn’t like this because the constituency delimitation is skewed against the Madhes population as half the population, that is the Pahadi (Hill) community gets 100 seats but the other half consisting of the Madhesi and the Janjatis get only 65 seatsThe first “South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise” (SAADMEx) – 2015 was recently inaugurated. The exercise provides a platform for strengthening regional disaster response mechanism amongst the SAARC countries.India and Bangladesh recently signed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to operationalize the “Agreement on Coastal Shipping” signed between the two countries. The SOP contains provisions which stipulate that India and Bangladesh shall render same treatment to the other country’s vessels as it would have done to its national vessels used in international sea transportation. The opening of coastal shipping between India and Bangladesh would enable the movement of cargo to the North East through coastal shipping upto Chittagong and thereafter by road/inland waterways.What China means for world steel today, Britain meant in 1875 with a nearly 50 per cent share of the global pig iron production and 40 per cent share of steel production. There already is a major Darwinian cull of British steel and steel processing industry. Much of the remaining capacity is likely to go under as world steel prices, down athird so far this year, are at their lowest in over a decade. A toxic cocktail of high energy bills, green taxes on emissions, crippling business rates and a strong pound makes Britain a very high cost steel production centre. The Chinese steel industry, roiled by the slowest economic growth in the country since 1990 which has caused adecline in steel demand, is under increasing pressure to export the metal. In Europe, Britain is seen as the softest target where bargainhunting traders and consumers are snapping up low- priced Chinese commodity steel in growing quantities. China, the world’s largest producer and user of steel, is nursing over half of the excess global capacity estimated at 645 million tonnes by OECD. But Beijing is not finding it easy to weed out all the “ polluting and uneconomic capacity” because of provincial concerns of unemployment and social unrest.Emergency has been imposed in Maldives (‘suspension of democracy’)A pilot project to install high-resolution surveillance cameras along the China border, undertaken in 2013 to monitor the movement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has failed to give the desired results and the government is now rethinking its strategyPakistan and Russia have signed an agreement to build a gas pipeline stretching hundreds of kilometres from Karachi on the Arabian Sea to the eastern city of Lahore (important because Russia had traditionally been a close Indian ally)The Kaladan project connects Sittwe Port in Myanmar to the India-Myanmar border in Mizoram (sea connectivity between West Bengal port and Sittwe port in Myanmar, and from there, development of a highway to connect Sittwe port with Mizoram (India-Myanmar border). It is expected to open up sea routes and promote economic development in the North-eastern states, and also add value to the economic, commercial and strategic ties between India and MyanmarThe BRICS nations have decided to allow free movement of “skilled professionals” among member countries by setting up a liberalised visa regime. This joint declaration was issued at the first-ever ministerial meeting on migration held recently in Sochi, RussiaThe Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal and voluntary partnership between 34 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying a 500 kg payload for at least 300 km. India and China are not members, but India had been tryinh level hard to gain entryFood and Agriculture Organization is an agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.It acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policyGermany has expressed its inability to sign the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with India, citing its provision for “death penalty” for heinous crimes and terror activitiesWhen evidence or other forms of legal assistance, such as witness statements or the service of documents, are needed from a foreign sovereign, states may attempt to cooperate informally through their respective police agencies or, alternatively, resort to what is typically referred to as requests for ‘mutual legal assistance’Under the new Silk Route, the Chinese want to open up the transportation channel from the Pacific to the Baltic Sea, from which would radiate rail and road routes, which would also connect with East Asia, West Asia, and South AsiaG20: The Group of Twenty is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members include 19 individual countries and the European Union. The G20 operates as a forum and not as an organisation. Therefore, it does not have any permanent secretariat or management and administrative structure'Like Minded Developing Countries' (LMDCs) is a negotiating block. For climate change negotiations, their demand is that the resulting framework not only be mitigation-centric, but also focus on adaptation, finance, capacity building, and tech and resource transfers as wellIf India signs the CTBT, it will be beneficial for helping India gain access to the NSG, Australia Group, Wassenaar Arrangement, and the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime); would also make the case for India gaining a UNSC seat strongerIndia doesn't want to sign the CTBT/ NPT because it creates a global nuclear apartheid, and doesn't check vertical proliferation within nations that were first to develop nuclear powerIndia's 'Look West' policy focuses on better bilateral relations with countries in West Asia/Middle East (Gulf Cooperation Council- GCC)CGPCS: Contact Group of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia ................
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