flat world

Beijing’s diplomatic quarters were clouded by speculations and surprise accompanied by what experts described as a strange, highly mysterious, visit by the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.  To anyone closely following the North Korean issue, prospects of this abruptly planned visit of Kim to Beijing including a meeting with Xi raises questions on what North Korea is planning to signal, a sudden unforeseen surge of diplomacy after years of provoking nuclear threats on bombing the U.S territories interspersed by potential missile tests. Talks are scheduled first with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea in April and later with President Trump, perhaps in May.  According to various sources, Kim did his schooling in Switzerland near Bern, he had never traveled abroad since becoming the North Korea’s leader in 2011 after his father’s death. Nor he has never met any head of state or leader so far. . (Xinhua/Ju Peng) For China, meeting with their strategic neighbor ma...

The 46-year-old Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada with his family is in India for the first time on a week-long tour, and it is drawing out a mountain of comment. I thought I would wait a few days to let the dust settle a bit, and then add my own. Criticisms and opinions are coming from many quarters, policymakers, experts, think tanks, and journalists from both India and Canada. More interesting are the comments of independent thinkers and their tweets. To a lot of foreign policy participants, it is baffling when a rock-star premier of a country like Canada making no sound and weight on a visit. Normally, when any foreign premier visits India, until their departure the headlines are reserved for the news and dealings they make. Well, in case of Trudeau, the same pattern is being followed, only in a cold way. Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraces Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on Feb...

“The recent emergency United Nations General Assembly session summoned to mandate on President Trump's decision to shift the American Embassy to Jerusalem resulted in another toothless non-binding resolution against Israel. It is neither new nor surprising on seeing the UNGA votes on Israel – considering the U.S. veto at the UNSC, the UNGA has always been a popular forum for passing anti-Israel resolutions in the past. But, this time the resolution explicitly and strategically distanced many countries from the United States in its condemnation of President Trump's decision. Despite the threats from President Trump and his UN ambassador Nikki Haley, most countries voted against Washington. If the U.S. wants to really establish peace in Jerusalem, it is better they drop the plans to cut funds and work constructively in talks. Only diplomacy and negotiations, not bullying and hatred, can establish peace in the world especially in the Middle East.”  Despite the caveats torpedoe...

Mutual distrust, lack of personal chemistry and contradicting goals may not be the finest substance for a productive relationship, but for President Obama and President Putin, it seems they'll have to do. This is not the first time they confront each other. On the first day of the 70th session of the UNGA, both U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin gave their speeches, First President Obama, and then followed an hour later by President Putin; for sure these two speeches dominated the opening of the annual UNGA gathering of the world leaders.   Few interesting nuances are lost between speeches, as when President Obama said, “Nowhere is our commitment to international order more tested than in Syria.” And after a few lines he said “The United States is prepared to work with any nation, including Russia and Iran, to resolve the conflict”. President Obama also added that he commands the most powerful military force on the planet. But no matter how powerf...