In The News

Central Asia: Conference Asks What Lessons Can Region Learn from EU

Breffni O’Rourke March 5, 2003
Can the kind of economic integration that the European Union (EU) now enjoys be applied to Central Asia? The development of a single European market has raised standards of living across Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is looking for ways to develop a similar system for Central Asian states. But with a markedly different history, and given the current...

US Prepares Blueprint for Businesses to Export to Asia

March 4, 2003
Only one percent of small and medium businesses in America export abroad, and most of those export to Mexico and Canada. The US Commercial Service in cooperation with 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific is working on a plan to help such businesses get access to Asian markets. – YaleGlobal

Does the “Hyper-Power” Have Feet of Clay?

David Dapice March 3, 2003
If you look past its formidable military machine, America is not as powerful as it seems. Tufts University economist David Dapice points out that the current view of the United States as a “hyper-power” fails to take into account the country's many economic vulnerabilities. A country that relies on over $1.3 billion in capital inflow each day to finance its import appetite may not be able...

Food First or Trade First?

Vandana Shiva February 25, 2003
Implementation of the WTO’s trade liberalization rules marginalizes and hurts developing countries, says this opinion article in The Hindu, one of India’s largest newspapers. Trade liberalization is designed to eliminate tariffs and other barriers to trade, but developing countries cannot compete with foreign agricultural producers. The author further argues that developing countries should be...

Road to Pyongyang through Beijing?

William C. Triplett II February 21, 2003
China and North Korea have had a close relationship since the Korean War, making it unlikely that North Korea could have developed a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) program without China’s knowledge. Does that mean that China knew—and presumably approved—of North Korea’s weapons development? The author’s answer is yes. He suggests that the Bush administration should be wary of treating China...

Negotiators Meet Again; Minds Don't

February 19, 2003
Negotiations over cheaper medicines for developing countries and agricultural tariffs have again failed to make headway in preparation for the next meeting of the World Trade Organization's Doha round. The inaugural meeting of the Doha round, with the September 11 tragedy still in mind, seemed to unite rich countries in recognizing the need to tackle the problems facing developing nations....

WTO ministers still worlds apart

JUN SAITO February 17, 2003
The prospect of freeing up world trade darkened at the first meeting devoted to agricultural liberalization held in Tokyo. A draft proposal submitted by Stuart Harbinson, the chair of WTO's agricultural negotiations, calling for deeper cuts in tariffs and subsidies on farming products was opposed by a large number of countries. The US and the 17-member Cairns Group of agricultural...