4-Aug-2018: India third Asian nation to get STA-1 status from U.S.
India has become the third Asian country after Japan and South Korea to get the Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) status after the U.S. issued a federal notification to this effect, paving the way for high-technology product sales to New Delhi, particularly in civil space and defence sectors.
India is the 37th country to be designated the STA-1 status by the United States. The federal notification, issued on August 3, gains significance as the Trump Administration made an exception for India, which is yet to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Traditionally, the U.S. has placed only those countries in the STA-1 list who are members of the four export control regimes: Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), Australia Group (AG) and the NSG.
In its federal notification, the Trump Administration notes that India is a member of three of the four multilateral export regimes. Mainly because of the political opposition from China, India’s membership application has been pending before NSG, which takes decision by consensus.
Export control regimes: By placing India in the STA-1 list, the United States has acknowledged that for all practical purposes India adheres to the export control regimes of the NSG. This exception for New Delhi is intended to send a strong political message to China and the world, taking into account that America’s closest ally Israel is yet to be given this status, primarily because it is not a member of these multilateral export control regimes.
This rule is another in the series of rules that implement reforms to which the U.S. and India mutually agreed to promote global non-proliferation, expand high technology cooperation and trade, and ultimately facilitate India’s full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes.
According to the notification, the U.S. and India continue their commitment to work together to strengthen the global non-proliferation and export control framework and further transform bilateral export control cooperation to recognise the full potential of the global strategic partnership between the two countries.
This commitment has been realised in the two countries’ mutually agreed upon steps to expand cooperation in civil space, defence, and other high-technology sectors and the complementary steps of the U.S. to realign India in U.S. export control regulations, and support India’s membership in the four multilateral export control regimes.
Military modernisation: To date, with the effective support of the U.S., India has been admitted to three of the four multilateral export control regimes, the MTCR on June 27, 2016, the Wassenaar Arrangement on December 7, 2017, and the Australia Group on January 19, 2018.
These memberships, important to the two countries’ global strategic partnership, are enhanced by the U.S.’ recognition of India as a Major Defence Partner in the India-U.S. Joint Statement of June 7, 2016 titled, "The United States and India: Enduring Global Partners in the 21st Century". This recognition facilitates and supports India’s military modernisation efforts with the U.S. as a reliable provider of advanced defence articles.
As a result, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), formally recognises under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) India’s membership in the WA multilateral export control regimes and revises the EAR accordingly.
In addition, to export control-related benefits for India as a result of prior amendments to the EAR in furtherance of the U.S.-India global strategic partnership, BIS places India in Country Group A:5, which provides the benefit of greater availability of License Exception Strategic Trade Authorisation (STA) for exports and reexports to, and transfers within India under the EAR.
‘Major Defence Partner’: The federal notification states that because India has been admitted to the MTCR, Wassenaar and AG multilateral regimes and is a ‘Major Defence Partner’, it is listed in favoured country groups for purposes of license requirements, license application review policy and availability of license exceptions. Membership in favoured country groups generally reduces the number of licenses required and increases the number of license exceptions available.
India so far was listed in STA-2 category along with Albania, Hong Kong, Israel, Malta, Singapore, South Africa and Taiwan.
19-Jul-2018: Israel's parliament passes Jewish nation state bill
Israel's parliament has passed a controversial law characterising the country as principally a Jewish state, fuelling anger among its Arab minority. The "nation state" law says Jews have a unique right to national self-determination there and puts Hebrew above Arabic as the official language.
Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the bill's passage as a "defining moment" and said "A hundred and twenty-two years after [the founder of modern Zionism Theodore] Herzl made his vision known, with this law we determined the founding principle of our existence".
Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people, and respects the rights of all of its citizens. However, the law risks further alienating Israel's large Arab minority, who have long felt discriminated against.
What does the law say?
Called The Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People, the legislation essentially defines Israel first and foremost as a Jewish state. Among its 11 provisions, it describes Israel as "the national home of the Jewish people" and says the right to exercise national self-determination there is "unique to the Jewish people".
It also reiterates the status of Jerusalem under Israeli law, which defines the city - part of which is claimed by the Palestinians as the capital of a future state - as the "complete and united capital of Israel".
Controversially, the law singles out Hebrew as the "state's language", effectively prioritising it above Arabic which has for decades been recognised as an official language alongside Hebrew.
It ascribes Arabic "special status" and says its standing before the law came into effect will not be harmed.
In one of its clauses, the law stresses the importance of "development of Jewish settlement as a national value", though it is unclear whether this also alludes to settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Why was this law created?
The question of Israel's status as a Jewish state is politically controversial and has long been debated. Before now, it has not been enshrined in law.
Some Israeli Jewish politicians consider that the founding principles of Israel's creation, as a state for Jews in their ancient homeland, are under threat and could become less relevant, or obsolete, in the future.
Fears over the high birth-rate of Israeli Arabs, as well as possible alternatives to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which could challenge Israel's Jewish majority, have spurred on calls to anchor the Jewishness of Israel in law.
What are alternatives to a two-state solution?
The bill has been under discussion since it was first introduced in 2011 and has undergone multiple amendments, with the final version watering down or dropping altogether sections regarded as discriminatory.
Israel has no constitution but instead passed over time a series of Basic Laws which have constitutional status. The nation state law is the 14th such basic law.
The issue of Israel as a Jewish state has become increasingly important in recent years and a key dispute between Israel and the Palestinians.
Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that the Palestinians must recognise Israel as a Jewish state in any final peace settlement. He argues that the Palestinians' refusal to do so is the biggest obstacle to peace, saying it demonstrates that the Palestinians do not genuinely recognise Israel's right to exist.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meanwhile has said he will never recognise Israel as a Jewish state, arguing that the Palestinians have long recognised the State of Israel and should not be expected to go further.
Why does it matter?
It is important because it is hugely symbolic, and according to Israel's Arab minority, evidence that Israel is downgrading their status.
Israeli Arabs, many of whom identify as or with Palestinians, comprise about 20% of the country's nine million-strong population.
They have equal rights under the law but have long complained of being treated as second-class citizens and say they face discrimination and worse provision than Israeli Jews when it comes to services such as education, health and housing.
10-Sep-2017: UNSC unanimously adopts new sanctions against North Korea.
The United Nations Security Council unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea on Monday over the country’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3, imposing a ban on the country’s textile exports and capping imports of crude oil. It was the ninth sanctions resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member council since 2006 over North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
Sanctions include:
Limits on imports of crude oil and oil products. China, Pyongyang’s main economically, supplies most of North Korea’s crude oil.
A ban on exports of textiles, which is Pyongyang’s second-biggest export worth more than $700m (£530m) a year.
Measures to limit North Koreans from working overseas, which the US estimates would cut off $500m of tax revenue per year.
Pyongyang has staged a series of missile tests in recent months that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range. It followed up with a sixth nuclear test on September 3, its largest to date, which it said was a miniaturized hydrogen bomb. The United States and its allies argue that tougher sanctions will pile pressure on Kim’s regime to come to the negotiation table to discuss an end to its nuclear and missile tests. Russia and China are pushing for talks with North Korea, but their proposal for a freeze on Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear tests in exchange for suspending US-South Korean military drills has been rejected by the United States.