kind regards and enjoy your reading. this is the last time that I post it
around the world; if you continue to be interested, follow the instruction
at the end.
kind regards
arno tausch from warsaw
----------
> From: Le Monde diplomatique <dispatch@Monde-diplomatique.fr>
> To: English edition <dispatch@london.monde-diplomatique.fr>
> Subject: March 1998.
> Date: Donnerstag, 12. März 1998 12:50
>
> LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUE
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> Le Monde diplomatique
>
> english edition
>
> March 1998
>
> edited by Wendy Kristianasen
>
>
>
> LEADER
>
> Lessons of a non-war *
>
> by Ignacio Ramonet
>
> There are three lessons to be learned from the recent Gulf crisis.
> First, the United States is now tempted to act in an authoritarian
> manner, as the world's only superpower. Second, it has no overall
> strategy for the Middle East and third, Europe has ceased to exist.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/en/1998/03/01leader.html
>
> Translated by Barbara Wilson
>
>
>
> UNITED STATES' DOMINATION PUT TO THE TEST
>
> Gulf scenario frustrated
>
> by Eric Rouleau
>
> Another Gulf war has been averted thanks to the intervention of UN
> Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The United States has been forced,
> for the time being, to bow to the will of the international
> community and the United Nations has restored some of its
> credibility. Unlike in 1991-92, the crisis has been characterised
> by the refusal of public opinion to believe the disinformation put
> out by the US spin doctors; and also by Washington's loss of
> support from its former Middle East coalition partners on account
> of its enduring double standards.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/02iraqer.html
>
> Translated by Wendy Kristianasen
>
>
>
> What strategy to topple Saddam Hussein?
>
> by Faleh A. Jabbar
>
> Washington and Baghdad remain on a fundamental collision course
> despite the eleventh-hour agreement brokered by Kofi Annan. In
> addition to its declared aim of eliminating Iraq's weapons of mass
> destruction, the US - frustrated by Saddam's masterly tactics - now
> has a more ambitious goal: his removal. Any future air campaign
> might fail to get rid of the weapons, still less get rid of Saddam.
> But Washington would seek to bring into play a political agenda
> based on two elements: civil insurrection and army disaffection.
> Which it hopes would bring about the fall of the regime when the
> storm clouds next gather.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/03iraqfj.html
>
> Original text in English
>
>
>
> When our "friend" Saddam was gassing the Kurds
>
> by Kendal Nezan
>
> Baghdad's refusal to allow UN experts to inspect the presidential
> sites on which chemical and biological weapons were allegedly
> hidden was taken to justify a new bombing campaign on Iraq last
> month. Times have changed. Ten years ago, the systematic gassing of
> the Kurdish population of northern Iraq had far less impact on
> America. Only six months after the slaughter at Halabja, the White
> House lent Saddam Hussein another billion dollars. And in 1991, at
> the end of the Gulf war, US troops stood idly by while Saddam's
> presidential guard ruthlessly suppressed the popular uprising by
> the Kurds for which the American president had himself called.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/04iraqkn.html
>
> Translated by Barry Smerin
>
>
>
> Western allies divided
>
> by Antoine Sanguinetti
>
> Despite the agreement between the United Nations and Baghdad, the
> United States has decided to maintain its military presence in the
> Gulf. In material terms, everything remains ready for military
> action against Iraq. But the legality of such action is
> questionable and Washington is having trouble enlisting the support
> of its allies.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/05iraqas.html
>
> Translated by Barry Smerin
>
>
>
> Issues unresolved and resolutions ignored *
>
> With or without air strikes against Iraq, the Middle East will
> continue to be a region of instability, full of unresolved
> problems. Here is a concise background to each of the following
> issues: the future of Iraq, the question of the Kurds, the
> Palestinian problem, the occupation of the Golan Heights, the South
> Lebanon "security zone" and weapons of mass destruction.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/en/1998/03/06iraqgen.html
>
> Translated by Ed Emery
>
>
>
> THE DANGERS OF THE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT ON INVESTMENT
>
> Wielding power behind the scenes *
>
> The cat is out of the bag and the world now knows just how
> unbalanced are the proposals coming out of the current OECD
> negotiations. The nature of this international organisation, which
> is devoted to free market principles, explains why the MAI has been
> conceived there.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/en/1998/03/07mai1.html
>
> Translated by Julie Stoker
>
>
>
> Shackling the state *
>
> by Nuri Albala
>
> If signed, the current MAI proposals would form a benchmark for the
> global investment economy, taking precedence over most existing
> national obligations and agreements. The multinational corporations
> would be given powerful ammunition against sovereign states and the
> legal means to enforce their new "rights". It is a dynamic
> agreement which would ultimately "rollback" all national laws which
> did not conform.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/en/1998/03/08maialba.html
>
> Translated by Julie Stoker
>
> Is this the end of copyright?
>
> by Jack Ralite
>
> The need to defend the principles of copyright has never been more
> important, since the twin pincers of the MAI proposals and a recent
> EU Commission Green Paper on "convergence" would together result in
> the separation of authors from their works. Unless stopped,
> copyright works will be turned into commodities and investments,
> and current European protection mechanisms will be sacrificed to
> the corporate gods of America.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/09maira.html
>
> Translated by Barbara Wilson
>
>
>
> A TANGLED WEB OF POWER POLITICS AND BIG BUSINESS
>
> Who holds the power in Russia?
>
> by Nina Bachkatov
>
> As Russia moves to its own brand of democracy, a new balances of
> forces is taking shape. Boris Yeltsin has skilfully overseen the
> changing political arena, with much of the power now held in the
> regions. But it is above all the business barons who have implanted
> themselves at the centres of power. There is a consensus that,
> despite economic reform, the national market should still be
> protected. And a system of complementarity has developed between
> business and state - so far to the satisfaction of most. The danger
> for Russia is not of relapsing into dictatorship but of turning
> into a liberal "post-democracy".
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/10russia.html
>
> Translated by Francisca Garvie
>
>
>
> THEY SEE YOU, BUT YOU DON'T SEE THEM
>
> Big Brother is watching you on video
>
> by André Vitalis
>
> The cameras are everywhere. On streets, in railway stations, banks,
> shopping malls and car parks. They may have their use in reducing
> crime, but there are dangers of abuse. Video surveillance can be a
> preventative device, but also a more sinister control mechanism.
> Pictures and sound recordings of people are now defined as personal
> data - for which proper protection is required. For a start, people
> must be warned when and where they are being filmed. For
> safeguarding individual rights is crucial if a proper balance is to
> be struck between our freedom and our security.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/11video.html
>
> Translated by Barry Smerin
>
>
>
> AFRICA IN TRANSITION
>
> Washington sets out to conquer "virgin territory"
>
> by Philippe Leymarie
>
> At the end of March President Bill Clinton will be making his first
> visit to Africa. Just as the ex-colonial powers are apparently
> retiring from the scene, at a loss to come up with any constructive
> ideas, the United States is starting to focus on the continent as
> one of the last virgin territories for US investors. If Nelson
> Mandela has set the pace in South Africa, there are plenty of other
> success stories in terms of political "reliability". As economies
> are growing, Africa is now ripe for integration into the US-style
> market economy.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/12africa.html
>
> Translated by Lorna Dale
>
>
>
> TECHNICAL ADVANCE, IDEOLOGICAL PROJECT
>
> Selling off a heritage *
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/en/1998/03/13telecom.html
>
> Towards a worldwide communications oligopoly?
>
> by Pierre Musso
>
> Technological change, followed by deregulation, has changed the
> face of global telecommunications and new corporate players have
> moved in. In many cases, it is the same US companies but in new
> combinations and international alliances. The break-up of ATT and
> privatisation of BT stimulated the process which is still far from
> stable, as recent attempted or successful mergers have shown.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/14telemus.html
>
> Translated by Ed Emery
>
>
>
> Convergence, European style
>
> by Serge Regourd
>
> Deregulation of the telecommunications, media and information
> technology sectors is the guiding principle of the EU Commission's
> Green Paper on "convergence". Globalisation is assumed to be
> positive and there are alarming parallels with the MAI proposals.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/15telereg.html
>
> Translated by Barbara Wilson
>
>
>
> FREE ZONES BUT FEW RIGHTS
>
> Central American workers in the hands of the maquilas
>
> by Maurice Lemoine
>
> The maquilas are factories working under contract to foreign firms,
> designed to manufacture exports at minimum cost. They first
> appeared in Mexico in the 1960s and are now proliferating in
> Central America's free zones as part of the move to relocate from
> the North and create jobs in the South. But this is far from
> utopia. Trade unions are gagged and workers' rights are violated on
> a grand scale. Employers are free to impose a 70-hour week (or
> longer) on a largely female workforce. And pay them starvation
> wages.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/inside/1998/03/16zonesla.html
>
> Translated by Malcolm Greenwood
>
>
>
> The Turkish model *
>
> by Emine Usakligil
>
> Turkey has nine free zones: three in Istanbul and six in different
> cities in Anatolia. Mersin was the first of these and is also the
> most productive. With the volume of trade increasing by an average
> of 50% a year, the free zones are an economic success story.
> Workers enjoy similar social security to their counterparts outside
> but, as companies pay no taxes, wage are often higher.
> http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/md/en/1998/03/17zonestk.html
>
> Translated by Malcolm Greenwood
>
>
>
> (*) Star-marked articles are available to every reader. Other
> articles ar available to paid subscribers only.
>
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>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
>
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