The Guardian 27 April, 2005
Global briefs
POLAND: Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski has announced that Poland’s 1700 soldiers will come home from Iraq when the UN mandate for the stabilisation mission ends at the close of this year. Szmajdzinski emphasised that the government of Prime Minister Marek Belka is carrying out “an exit strategy” and will not make new troop commitments. He added that the pullout was based on financial considerations as well as an assessment of the security situation. With parliamentary elections coming up in October, the current government is trailing in opinion polls, and observers say the Iraq mission is unpopular. Italy has also said it wants to withdraw its 3,000 troops as soon as possible, and the Netherlands and Ukraine have already started phased withdrawals.
BRAZIL: Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim has criticised the “lack of transparency” in the selection of the new General Director of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), when commenting on the elimination of Brazilian candidate Luis Seixas Correa. Member countries present a preference list, and the candidate considered less capable of obtaining a consensus is eliminated as happened to Seixas Correa at the WTO’s April 15 meeting. While Amorim didn’t question the confidentiality of the voting, he criticised the council’s failure to announce the voting data or the method used to calculate the results. The Foreign Ministry said Seixas Correa’s candidacy had been based on advocating a more democratic and transparent WTO, more capable of reflecting the different realities present in today’s world. The Ministry said Brazil will continue to uphold these principles and will work to strengthen multilateralism in commerce.
SUDAN: Three months after Sudan’s government and the southern rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army reached a peace accord on January 9 and after 21 years of civil war, analysts are worried about lack of progress in enforcing the pact and forming an interim constitution. “This peace has to be accompanied by action, and this action has to be sustained with both human and material resources”, said Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek Catholic Diocese. Mazzolari cited the need for resources to develop health centres, water sources and schools, and to support teachers and hospital workers.
PAKISTAN: Unions affiliated with the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) recently won recognition in two key factories, the union has announced. At Escort Meters Ltd., a large manufacturer of electric meters, a majority of the 1000 workers voted for the Escort Meter Workers’ Union despite management’s concerted campaign to swing the election to a “company” union. In another vote, Capital Industry’s 600 employees voted for the APTUF-affiliated Workers Union despite the presence of two “company” unions. At an election victory rally by workers and neighbourhood residents, APTUF General Secretary Gulzar Ahmed Chaudhary said that a new era was starting, with fair wages, dignity, respect and all basic rights.