International and Bilateral Issues:

South Block thanked authorities in Beijing for the swift release of the two businessmen shortly after a meeting between Indian foreign Minister and Chinese authority.
The case was too insignificant an issue to shadow bilateral relations and felt the Chinese authorities should ensure their safe release now that a case was being heard in courts and the Indian Consulate in Shanghai had entered the picture.

Recent warnings from local authorities about “untrustworthy” Indian businessmen and a spate of trading disputes sparked by financial strains of West Asian companies, some of which were run by Indians, have created an atmosphere of distrust and tension in one of China's largest trading towns
The local authorities also cited a case two Indian businessmen, holding tourist visas, leaving China with 2.8 million RMB worth of goods two years ago.
Although the two Indian traders were unlawfully abducted and abused in captivity over two weeks, there was little sympathy for them among many Chinese traders.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday commenced a crucial visit to Iran to pursue a crowded agenda that includes revival of nuclear talks between Tehran and the global powers as well as ways to align perceptions of the two countries in their regional backyard.
Turkey is heavily dependent on Iranian oil, and is therefore uncomfortable with the new U.S. law, which can target foreign companies routing their payments for oil imports from Iran through the Iranian Central Bank.
Analysts point out that prospects of talks have brightened after Iran held naval drills — a show of military power near the Strait of Hormuz, the international channel for oil supplies.
On its part, the U.S. has threatened to throttle Iran's oil exports — a move that seeks to convey to its domestic audience, that if it does begins talks with Tehran, it would do so from a position of strength.
While Iran had openly welcomed Turkey's mediation on the nuclear issue, it might not sound as enthusiastic in endorsing the use of Ankara's good offices as it did in the past.
- Turkey claims that NATO's missile system aims to strengthen the alliance's ‘defence capacity and strengthen [Turkey's] national defence system,' and would not target any specific country.
- However… Washington has clearly implied on numerous occasions that Iran is the primary target of its so-called missile shield deployment in Europe.

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is scheduled to meet here this coming Friday on the eve of the commencement of the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2012 conclave.
It will also have GOPIO Annual Conference and Community Service Awards (CSA)
This year's award recipients are:
- Faisal Kottikollon (Bahrain): is the founder president and CEO of Emirates Techno Casting Synergy.
- Raghunath Manet (France): is a prominent Indian classic dancer and teacher with exemplary contribution to social and humanitarian activities that include active collaboration with UNESCO for promotion of art and Indian culture worldwide.
- Ved Prakash Nanda (United States),
- Rami Ranger (United Kingdom): is very successful businessman with recognition from the Queen five times
- Ajeet Singhvi (United States): the immediate past president of American Association of Physicians of India Origin (AAPI): worked for over 30 years towards better understanding between people of Indian and United States.
- Datuk A. Vaithilingam (Malaysia): is a dedicated national leader of NGOs for social service and community development in Malaysia.
- Hendry H. Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka): the Secretary/Consultant at the Office of Praba Ganesan MP, participated in the peace process activities in Sri Lanka at the grass root level, representing Indian origin Tamils.