Chechnya, Gaza, North Korea's Plutonium, Condistas

Shamil Basayev, the Russia's most wanted, is dead, but the Chechen issue remains open, and Russia should now seize momentum and attempt peace talks with Chechen separatists. Here is a NYT editorial on this topic.



Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh publishes in today's Washington Post his opinion about the situation in Gaza, Aggression Under False Pretenses. He considers that Israel's unilateral movements of the past year will not lead to peace... there is a remedy, and while it is not easy it is consistent with our long-held beliefs. Palestinian priorities include recognition of the core dispute over the land of historical Palestine and the rights of all its people; resolution of the refugee issue from 1948; reclaiming all lands occupied in 1967; and stopping Israeli attacks... This means statehood for the West Bank and Gaza, a capital in Arab East Jerusalem, and resolving the 1948 Palestinian refugee issue fairly, on the basis of international legitimacy and established law. Meaningful negotiations with a non-expansionist, law-abiding Israel can proceed only after this tremendous labor has begun.

My Comment: We should say that this is an implicit recognition of Israel - but I think this is not the issue now. Israel was attacked with rockets - for the Palestinian government the choice was: either to consider these attacks as unlawful and to treat them consequently, or to consider them justified. Attacks with rockets are either an unlawful act, or an act de guerre. In this case they made the choice and they have the war on them. The same with the case of Corporal Shalit - he is either kidnapped, or prisoner of war. Mr. Haniyeh declares that Shalit is a prisoner of war, so he will be freed for an exchange. Well, he has the war. I do not think that the either/or for Mr. Haniyeh is related now to setting up a frame for the future - it is rather to understand the frame of the present.

Meanwhile, the Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert, declares that he would not negotiate (NYT).

My Comment: I think this is wrong, too. Consider the following scenario: both Mr. Abbas and Mr. Haniyeh realize that nobody in the Israeli government considers them seriously for negotiations - so both Mr. Abbas and Mr. Haniyeh resign and dissolve the Palestinian Authority - then Israel has to assume full responsibility for the whole Holly Land - the result: in less than a generation the majority would be Muslim. I think it is vital for the future of Israel to seek formulae of cooperation, based on common interests.

Nicholas D. Kristof has an op-ed in today's NYT - he believes that North Korean plutonium should be of much more concern than its long-range missiles. Says Mr. Kristof, North Korea’s test of a long-range missile that could reach the U.S. was dramatic. But it didn’t violate international law or disrupt the fundamental balance. An incomparably greater challenge is North Korea’s stealthy production of plutonium.
And he continues, granted, the hardest job in the world is devising a North Korea policy; the easiest is to criticize one. Escalating confrontation is a fool’s game, because North Korea has more taste for brinksmanship than we do. The only option we have is to negotiate seriously, both in the six-party talks and directly with the North.

What does it mean Condistas? Well, Rice for America, what else? It means Condy for president in 2008. She keeps on declining any intention, but, you know, they all say that, and she's smart, self-reliant, and is proving a great ability to manage today's over complicated international agenda. Food for thought, as Condipundits are saying.
The image shows Condy in Ankara this April.