International and Bilateral Issues

Arab League suspends Syria

The Arab League on Saturday suspended Syria until President Bashar al-Assad implements an Arab deal to end violence against protesters, and called for sanctions and transition talks with the opposition.
It also called for the withdrawal of Arab ambassadors from Damascus, but left the decision to each Arab state.
The statement also called for the protection of civilians and said Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi would contact international organisations concerned with human rights, “including the United Nations,” if the bloodshed continued.
Mr. Assad's regime agreed on November 2 to an Arab roadmap which called for the release of detainees, the withdrawal of the army from urban areas and free movement for observers and media, as well as negotiations with the opposition.
Instead, human rights groups say, the regime has intensified its crackdown on dissent
With NATO ruling out operations and U.N. Security Council sanctions unlikely because veto-wielding permanent members Russia and China are allies of Mr. Assad's regime, regional actors have come to represent the best avenue to pressure Damascus.

U.S.-China tensions colour APEC meet

This week even the stunning sunset-and-white-sands setting of Hawaii was not enough to take the edge off sharp divisions between United States and Chinese delegates in Honolulu for a summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation organisation.
Two distinct areas of disagreement between the two nations were in the spotlight — trade policy and human rights in Tibet.
On the trade policy front, the APEC summit saw U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Chinese Assistant Commerce Minister Yu Jianhua go head to head over the question of membership in the evolving Trans-Pacific Partnership, a initiative to create a free-trade zone in the APEC region.
Reports quoted Mr. Yu Jianhua saying bluntly that Beijing had not been asked to join the discussion on the TPP but “if one day we receive such an invitation, we will seriously study the invitation.”
“China needs to take steps to reform... China must allow its currency to appreciate more rapidly and end the measures that disadvantage or pirate foreign intellectual property.”

27 dead in Iran military base blast

Initial investigations show the blast occurred as ammunition was being moved.
Hossein Garousi, a lawmaker from the area, ruled out the blast being the result of “an act of sabotage or in any way political.”

India remains a key market for Airbus

From selling its first passenger aircraft to India way back in 1974, leading European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has come a long way with nearly 200 of its aircraft being in service today in India which has also emerged as the seventh biggest operator of Airbus planes worldwide.
Airbus is also launching a fuel-efficient, advanced version of A-320, called the NEO (New Engine Option) equipped with bigger wingtips ‘sharklets'.
Airbus has already received nearly 1100 firm orders from 22 customers worldwide for the newer A320 version. Among the Indian operators, IndiGo and GoAir, have placed orders for A320 (NEO) which will result in 15 per cent fuel burn reduction translating into fuel savings of nearly $2 million a year for airlines.

NMDC and Russia's Severstal sign implementation protocol

State-owned NMDC and Russia's second-biggest steel-maker Severstal have signed an Implementation Protocol with respect to the memorandum of understanding they entered into in December 2010, for a joint venture steel plant in Karnataka.
The protocol also confirms the intention of NMDC and Severstal to fully meet the joint venture's captive requirements of both iron ore and coking coal so that it becomes fully integrated for these primary raw materials.

In pact, India, Maldives flag security and development

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed on Saturday, a day after the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, also announced $100 million in credit to the island nation for stabilising its fiscal position.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed on Saturday, a day after the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, also announced $100 million in credit to the island nation for stabilising its fiscal position. Th
The Maldives faces a serious credit crunch; it has allowed its currency, Rufiyaa, to float in a limited band.
India's offer of enhanced security and assistance comes days after China opened its mission here, though it is meant to cater to its increasing business interests and employment to its personnel in the hospitality industry.
India and the Maldives signed agreements on combating terrorism and drug-trafficking; disaster management and coastal security; transfer of sentenced prisoners; cooperation in culture for 2012-2015; construction of 10,000 houses costing $40 million; developing a police training academy; enhancing ferry services and port development; and upgrading the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male, the referral hospital in the island nation. The renovation work is expected to be completed in 2013.
This is the first time in the 78-year-old history of the Majlis that a foreign head of government or head of state is addressing it.
Later, in a joint statement, the two leaders agreed, among other things, to strengthen cooperation in enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region through coordinated patrolling and aerial surveillance, exchange of information, capacity-building and the development of an effective legal framework against piracy.
It was agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in issues of common concern, including piracy, terrorism, organised crime, drugs and human trafficking. It was also agreed to intensify cooperation in training and capacity-building of police and security forces

Raytheon in race to provide missiles for combat aircraft

The United States may have lost the competition for the Indian Air Force Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft but companies in the country remain in the race to support the fourth-generation fighter aircraft with missiles and other technology.
The loss of Boeing F18 Super Hornet and F16 Super Viper notwithstanding, American defence contractor Raytheon remains hopeful on the missiles
Part of the confidence arises from the fact that at least two missiles — all-weather Paveway and Advanced Multirole Air-to-Air Missile (AAMRAAM) that are being pitched to go with the aircraft — have been tested by the IAF.
Raytheon is also seeking to enlarge its engagement with India into a full-fledged relationship.