Comments & Briefs

The temporary hope of peace returning to the Korean peninsula following North Korea’s peace overtures dissipated no sooner than it started when North Korean negotiators walked out of the meeting room at the DMZ in Panmunjam.

A fresh look is required at the international level to deal with this scourge effectively. It is time for India to take the lead and push for a change in tack both regionally and in international fora.

Mubarak’s fall may bring Iran closer to Egypt than ever before. Iran has taken a pro-people stand and hopes to reap a harvest of good-will in the Arab world. The Iranian Opposition has also extended support to the movement, though for different reasons.

The people’s movement, in bringing down the former President Hosni Mubarak, has once again showed the power of peaceful protest and ideas. There are many lessons to be learnt from the transformative developments.

Realising the needs of a changing economy and to secure its growth, China’s financial institutions have already started the gradual process of integration. The aim is to learn from the workings of the global financial industry and create competitive global Chinese financial institutions.

Pakistan is the main outlier in negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament over a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). Its ceaseless quest for parity with India are not likely to meet with success. Meanwhile, nuclear stocks within Pakistan pose a danger to Pakistan itself.

Infrastructure development projects in the North and the Eastern province is undoubtedly important to banish poverty but cannot be a “major part of political solution” as pronounced by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The events in Tunisia and Egypt have raised hopes among the people and, on the other hand alarmed the undemocratic and authoritarian Arab rulers. Time has arrived for the rulers to take note of the aspirations of the people.

The political unrest in Egypt has shaken the world oil market and triggered fears of long-lasting economic damage if the crisis were to deepen.

In the past India has followed a policy of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. However, it cannot shy away from its commitment and support to a peaceful mass movement for political reform.