Top 5 Diplomatic and Power Moves in 2009
It was a unique and troubling year in international affairs and global diplomacy. I am fully aware and admit that this list will not be complete, conclusive or correct in everyone’s opinion. I may even be lucky to agree with you on only 1, or perhaps, 2 events. Nevertheless, the intention is to invite your own lists, and suggestions for mine.
2010, or twently-ten, is going to be a rapid and complex period in international history. Twenty-ten does have a nice ring to it.
5) Seeing nuclear power developing in Iran, the rest of the Middle East’s/Persian Gulf’s powers aim for nuclear programs as well. The Middle East states say they only want atomic power. Some probably do. But United States government and private analysts say they believe that the rush of activity is also intended to counter the threat of a nuclear Iran.
4) US continues to grow UAV attacks in Pakistan, hunt and kill Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud. Issue becomes a major public outrage during Secretary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan in October. Reliance on robotic remote-control vehicles grew quickly in US armed forces.
3) Israel launched major offensive into Gaza. before declaring a unilateral ceasefire before the Obama inauguration. Israel said that it was discontinuing its 22-day-old assault on Hamas, saying the objective of disabling Hamas’s military capabilities had been achieved. Peace plan made no, if not backward progress in 2009.
2) Beijing and New Delhi get Nuclear Hotline. 
The leaders of India and China agreed to set one up between New Delhi and Beijing, highlighting concerns that a worsening border dispute could quickly become the first major conflict of the multipolar era.
1) Kim Jong Il says “skrew you, I’ll do whatever I want, bitches,” to the United States. In January 2009, Pyongyang refused to accept terms proposed by the US and decided to wait out the Bush administration, which foolishly took North Korea off its list of state sponsors of terrorism. In April North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile despite widespread international opposition, testing the young Obama Presidency. When the UN Security Council tightened sanctions Kim Jong Il expelled international nuclear inspectors.
On May 25, 2009, North Korea announced that it had successfully conducted its second nuclear test, again the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to tighten sanctions.
In August 2009, former President Bill Clinton paid a dramatic 20-hour visit to North Korea, in which he won the freedom of two captured American journalists, opened a diplomatic channel to North Korea’s reclusive government and dined with the North’s ailing leader, Kim Jong-il. The North Korean government, had sentenced the Current TV journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering North Korean territory. Mr. Clinton apologized to Mr. Kim for their actions, according to the North Korean state media. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton denied that Mr. Clinton had apologized.
Finally, North Korea keeps up its arms trade business. A shipment of arms and apparently sophisticated missiles from North Korea was seized in Thailand, on a tip from American intelligence agencies, as officials try to determine whether the cargo was headed to South Asia or the Middle East.
Do you agree? What are your top 5? Tell us.
China accuses Anglo-Australian giant of spying and the market responds..
China has held 4 Rio Tinto employees for weeks.
For several weeks, iron ore and steel markets around the globe have been closely monitoring a situation in China, involving senior executives from Rio Tinto the British-Australian mining conglomerate. Stern Hu, an Australian businessman of Chinese origin, was detained on July 5th, 2009 with three other Chinese colleagues of Rio Tinto by the Chinese government for suspected bribery and espionage. For weeks speculation around the case has hinged on slow diplomatic inquiries, but Chinese authorities refused to level official charges.
Analysts and journalists have guessed about the true motivation behind the arrests, but the possibilities are endless considering the strategic importance of iron ore to China’s economic development and the billion USD of business in China for Rio Tinto. On Sunday, China said that it had evidence showing that for at least six years, employees working for the British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto had engaged in commercial espionage, costing the country about $100 billion. The New York Times reported that this sensational allegation was published on (http://www.baomi.org) a Web site affiliated with China’s State Secrets Bureau. (source: David Barboza, NY Times, 8.9.09)
Sam Walsh, chief executive said, “Rio Tinto believes that the allegations in recent media reports that employees were involved in bribery of officials at Chinese steel mills are wholly without foundation. We remain fully supportive of our detained employees, and believe that they acted at all times with integrity and in accordance with Rio Tinto’s strict and publicly stated code of ethical behaviour.” (source: Rio Tino, Press Release, 7.17.09)
When markets open in New York Monday, I predict Rio Tinto (NYSE:RTP) will fall 2-5% more in early trading after ending last week at $163.71.
UPDATE: Concerns about the Anglo-Australian miner’s deteriorating relationship with China, one of its largest customers, took the stock down 5.25% in morning trading.
