At a facility near the Defense Intelligence Agency,Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling,Washington,DC:US Ambassador NIKKI HALEY Presents Evidence of IRAN's UN Violations 12/1...

The Geneva Syria Talks:Change and Danger

Secretary of State John Kerry is headed for Geneva,Switzerland for two days of talks with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.Each side will bring technical experts to assess the proposed turnover of Syria's chemical weapons to international supervision and evaluate the way forward,according to White House spokesman Jay Carney.At the same time,there are discussions at the UN to frame a Security Council resolution on the matter.We are working with Great Britain and France on the resolution.
The process needs to be credible and verifiable.After 20 years,Syria suddenly acknowledges it has chemical weapons and says it will sign the convention against their use.This is significant.
The president never considered canceling his Tuesday night speech.It is still very important for the president to speak to the American people.We will continue to have this discussion in the days ahead.This is far too complex an issue to reduce to a single phrase or words.
Russia has made this proposal and is engaging with other members of the UN Security Council.Russia's prestige is on the line.
There's no question very significant changes have taken place from the recent past.We go into this with eyes wide open.The goal of the Geneva meeting is to test the seriousness of the Russian proposal,Mr.Carney indicated.
Congressman Peter King,R-New York,said I have multiple concerns about Russia.We have now made Russia a major player in the Middle East.They will have influence over the region,and we will be almost indebted to them.Iran is actually more of a threat than Syria.
We've pretty much given immmunity to Assad.We should be extremely sceptical,extremely wary and not make any more concessions.We have to take a tough line with Russia.Russian President Vladimir Putin strengthens Syria and Iran's position in the Middle East.Don't give the benefit of the doubt to Putin.He wants to reestablish Russia and assert himself in a powerful way,Congressman King warned.
Mr.Putin is being seen as a man who does business with Syria and Iran,obsessively cultivating a Cold War mentality of being the counterweight to the influence of the United States.The Russians are part of the problem in Syria;they are not credibly part of the solution,said Senator John Cornyn,R-Texas.

A Columbia University View:Occupy Wall Street and Beyond

The uncertainty is huge,notes Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs.Will the euro survive?Will Europe survive?We shouldn't underestimate how deep we've gotten ourselves into this bind we're in right now.
What's happening at the Occupy Wall Street protests is happening all over the world.Those kids are saying it's global.From the Arab Spring to Tel Aviv to Chile,they're saying we need help;we don't have the future.
We need to be attentive to the 99%.The inequality in this country is out of control.We've been on an economic path that's not working.That top 1% is gonna have to do more,in Dr.Sachs' opinion.
Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit said he would be happy to speak with the protesters.Their concerns are very understandable.
The protesters are active in nearly 200 U.S. cities now.In a recent poll,40% of those in the upper income bracket expressed support for the protesters-the most support of any bracket.
Dr.Sachs is Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia,which aims for a sustainable earth,and is a special advisor to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Citigroup(C)

Global Commodity Crunch Concerning

A global commodity crunch is driving prices up with little relief in sight.Freezes in China,droughts in Russia and Australian floods,coupled with emerging market diets that are tending toward more protein and sugar,are generating costs that lead to civil unrest worldwide.
Citigroup says that corn and soybean prices will remain elevated for the next 6-12 months.U.S. corn and soybean production are down.Algerians are paying up to 30% more for staples.
Abdolreza Abbassian of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation thinks we are entering a very precarious situation.We do not see any good news coming in from the crop side or the weather angle.In terms of prices,we are already as bad as 2008.Commodity exchange traded funds are also affecting prices as investor demand for shares continues to increase.
We would like rules and regulations and transparency by investors,Mr.Abbassian said.The weather will be the main driver in the months ahead.It is a very unpredictable and often unfavorable weather outlook,the FAO official noted.

IMF Addresses Today's Concerns

The International Monetary Fund,an autonomous UN agency,has been addressing the issues of the day recently.On the topic of trade imbalances,Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said not even full appreciation of the Chinese currency,the Yuan,will solve the total imbalances.Other measures are also necessary to achieve that:
1.Improve domestic demand in Asia.Asia is a global economic powerhouse.A country shouldn't hide behind its currency.
2.Maintain a strong focus on foreign investment.
3.Manage currency reserves.
4.Institute capital controls,if necesssary.
China has been bitterly criticized of late by German businessmen for hindering foreign companies,as well as by General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt.In response,China insisted foreign businesses were being treated fairly.
With regard to Friday's release of Euro-zone bank stress test results,IMF First Deputy Managing Director Joseph Lipsky hoped for broad coverage by the tests,transparency and remedial action as needed.We need a realistic scenario that provides stress and gives some good insight into the strength of the banking system.All the preconditions for the test that were needed are being fulfilled.
Mr.Lipsky wouldn't assume that any central bank is out of ammunition for dealing with the financial crisis.He doesn't fear for the political independence of the central banks,either.

IMF Helps Stabilize Greece

John Lipsky,First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund,says the 110 billion Euro aid package to Greece will restore financial stability and set the stage for renewed growth in the Greek economy.The European Union authorities have agreed to create a stabilization mechanism in conjunction with an IMF program where help is asked for and needed.
There's no question that the Greek adjustment program is a difficult one,Mr.Lipsky admitted,but it was designed by the Greek government and approved by Parliament,and the majority of Greeks support it.A combination of high debt,high deficits and a lack of competitiveness had reached a big proportion in Greece.
The IMF constitutes a revolving fund from its 186 member countries.The U.S. pays about 17% of the fund.It is replenished whenever it is used.There are no program negotiations with Spain or Portugal at this time,John Lipsky stated.
The IMF is an autonomous UN agency which promotes international monetary cooperation,currency stabilization and international trade.

Copenhagen Conference Begins Struggle

Opening the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen,Denmark on Monday,Connie Hedegaard,Conference President,said this is the time to commit.And it is doable.Fifteen thousand delegates will strive for agreement for two weeks.U.S. delegate John Pershing remarked that the science on the issue is incredibly robust.Ms.Hedegaard,however,felt that the delegates were not there yet.In the next few weeks,she explained,we have to work really hard and find both public and private money for the efforts.We must get it done now.Compromise,agree,find concrete solutions.Leaders have made it very clear:they expect to adopt an agreement 11 days from now.Let's mark this meeting in history:the entrance to the low carbon age.Let's get it done,and let's get it done now,Ms.Hedegaard urged.
The delegates were shown a video dramatization of a young Caucasian girl suffering at the hands of global warming.In spite of a last minute controversy over rambunctious emails from a conference supporter,most governments are on board with the vast majority of the world's scientists,and are determined to address the issue of climate change with definite measures.

IMF Takes Helpful Steps

The International Monetary Fund is providing special assistance to poor countries struggling through the financial crisis.Interest payments on outstanding loans will be waived through 2011.As well,up to 17 billion dollars in emergency aid will be granted through 2014.About half of that will be paid out through 2011.IMF gold sales will generate some of the funding.The IMF,based in Washington,D.C.,is an autonomous U.N. agency that is prominently involved in development issues along with The World Bank.

Inside the Food Crisis

The United Nations says that high food prices are here to stay for at least the next 10 years.Extreme weather,speculators,oil prices and crops set aside for biofuels are all to blame.About 800 million people spend half their income on food.They must drop meals,making tough choices.Bread is being bought by the slice.Monsanto(MON) thinks its research will double crop yields in 10 years.Outside Europe,there is a growing consensus that Genetically-Modified plants will be used to feed the world.Even within Europe,G-M products,such as animal feed,are already in use.