Argentinean president mocks Chinese accent on Twitter

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-02-07

Chinese president Xi Jinping and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. (Photo/CNS)

Argentinean president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner made fun of Chinese people, who often struggle to differentiate the "r" and "l" sounds in Spanish, on Twitter on Wednesday during her four-day visit to China to sign multiple political, economic and military cooperative deals, reports our Chinese-language sister paper China Times.

Fernandez replaced the "r"s in "arroz," the Spanish word for rice, "La Campora," the Argentinean political youth organization that supports Fernandez de Kirchner's government and "petroleo," the Spanish word for petroleum, with "l" in her tweet. Her tweet read, "More than 1,000 participants at the event. Are they all from La Campora and in it only for the rice and the petroleum?"

She pinned the tweet to the top of her account, but later apologized after being blasted as a racist, stating that there are so many ridiculous things in the world that can only be resolved with humor. The Chinese government has not responded to her tweet.

Her Twitter account has been the most popular social networking account among Latin American national leaders as she often tweets pictures and witty remarks.

She led around 100 Argentinean business people on a visit to China from Feb. 3-6. The two countries inked deals to enhance cooperation on politics, economics, trade, finance, electricity plants and aerospace. Argentina also acquired Chinese military weapons, including five Chinese P18 corvettes.

Abbas says recognitions hit Israel

The Jakarta Post, Associated Press, Brasilia | Sat, 01/01/2011

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Friday that a recent wave of nations recognizing a Palestinian state based upon 1967 borders is pressuring Israel and the US to return to negotiations and reach a peace deal.

Abbas, in Brazil to lay the cornerstone of a Palestinian Embassy and attend the inauguration of President-elect Dilma Rousseff, told The Associated Press in an interview that recent recognition of a Palestinian state by several Latin Ameican nations would help push the US and Israel into new talks.

"These recognitions of a Palestinian state will help us to convince the Israelis on the necessity to reach a two-state solution," said Abbas.

The current round of peace negotiations collapsed in late September, just weeks after they were launched, when Israel ended a slowdown on settlements in West Bank areas it captured in 1967, land where the Palestinians plan to build their state. By December, the US abandoned trying to persuade Israel to halt the settlements.

The Palestinians refuse to negotiate while Israel builds homes for Jews i the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Abbas said he expects other Latin American and European nations to soon join Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia in recognizing a Palestinian state.

Uruguayan officials have said they'll likely recognize the state soon. Cuba and Venezuela did so long ago.

Eventually, Abbas said, "It will only be Israel and maybe the United States who do not recognize the Palestinian state - and this will put pressure on them."

The Israeli government has reacted testily to the recognitions, saying that inaugurating an embassy for a nonexistent state - and Palestinians efforts for recognition of that state - is not the best way to achieve peace.

"The Israeli government has been trying to relaunch and re-engage Palestinians in direct talks for a very long time," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Shachar Azani told the AP. "Unfortunately, so far there has been no response."

Azani said that the Palestinians "must remember that at the end of the day peace is done with your neighbor and not in faraway continents or with the United Nations."

Earlier this week, Palestinian officials said they plan to ask the U.N. Security Council to declare Israeli settlements illegal and demand a halt to their construction. That would be a key element in a Palestinian campaign to rally international support for independence.

Abbas said the settlements were the cause of the stalled talks.

"It's not that we don't want the negotiations. We were extending our hand always to the negotiations with the Israelis," he said.

Despite the deadlocked talks, Abbas said he is "optimistic that 2011 will be the year of peace."

"The Palestinian people have suffered a lot. They need to live free in their own state and they hope this will be achieved in 2011," he said.

Earlier Friday, Abbas laid the cornerstone for a future Palestinian Embassy in Brazil.

"We seek peace. We demand this peace not only for our generation but also for our children, our grandchildren and their children," Abbas said at the ceremony. "We know the Israelis believe in this peace."

Brazil donated a plot of land in its embassy district in Brasilia - as it has done for nations in the past.

At the ceremony, white doves were released and a banner overhead read: "Palestinian Homeland" in Arabic.

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Shifting Sands: Jewish Women Confront the Israeli Occupation

“Those who love and care for Israel,” writes contributor Starhawk, “need to stand with her true interests now, by demanding an end to the occupation, an end to the siege of Gaza, the dismantling of the settlements, restitution, and real justice. These are the preconditions that will lead to true security and peace.”

Bolivia recognizes Palestine as Independent state

Antara News, Saturday, December 18, 2010

Itaipu, Paraguay (ANTARA News/AFP) - Bolivia recognized Palestine as an independent state Friday, following the lead of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

Bolivian President Evo Morales said his government would send a letter to Mahmud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, recognizing Palestine as "an independent and sovereign state."

Speaking at a news conference in Paraguay, Morales said Bolivia would officially notify international institutions of its decision next week.

He charged that "genocide" was being committed in the region and called on the international community to assume responsibility for preventing it.

Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay recognized Palestine as an independent state earlier this month, drawing a rebuke from Israel.

Caretaker Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (L) listens
to Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere in Oslo.

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Argentina recognition of Palestine `regrettable`: Israel

Antara News, Tuesday, December 7, 2010 03:54 WIB

Jerusalem (ANTARA News/AFP) - Israel on Monday described as "regrettable" a decision by Argentina to recognise a "free and independent" Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, just days after a similar move by Brazil.

"This regrettable decision will not help at all to change the situation between Israel and the Palestinians," foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP.

"It is a disappointing declaration which goes against the spirit of the agreements between Israel and the Palestinians and against negotiations for peace," he said.

Brazil announced its recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders on Friday, prompting a similar response from Israel which expressed its "sadness and disappointment."

Brazilian president Lula da Silva is said to have asked his ministers to restrict
foreign ownership of land. ( Photo: Rolf Adlercreutz / Alamy)

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"The End of History" – Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Muhammad, Jesus, God, Jews, Arabs, EU, US, Israel, Iran, Russia, Africa, South America, Global Unity,..... etc.)

(Live Kryon Channelings was given 7 times within the United Nations building.)

Máxima special advisor to UN head

DutchNews.nl, Tuesday 22 September 2009

Princess Máxima has been named a special advisor to United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon in the field of financial services.

Máxima's role will be to advise Ban Ki-moon on how to make banks accessible to everyone, including in developing countries where it is often impossible to open a bank account or borrow money. The princess will give a speech in her new role in New York on Tuesday.

Máxima has been a member of a UN committee on bank accessibility for the past few years and is a known supporter of micro-financing in developing countries.

India To Assist Indonesia To Set Up Its First Commodity Exchange

RTTNews , 3/24/2009 4:09 AM ET

(RTTNews) - India has offered to help Indonesia in setting up its first such bourse. The move is part of the proposed India-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA, for which the talks are scheduled to begin by this year-end, media reports said.

The Joint Study Group that finalizes the CEPA text has asked the commodity market regulator Forward Markets Commission (FMC) and leading commodity exchanges like National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) and Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) to hold talks with Indonesian authorities and companies in assisting the setting up of commodity exchanges.

Leading IT companies like TCS, which played a significant role in the set up and running of NCDEX, will also be roped in to develop the back-end IT infrastructure for such an exchange in Indonesia, the release said.

Though Indonesia is one of the largest producers of palm oil, rubber, coal and iron ore, it lacks a functioning commodities exchange, while other Asian nations like India, China, Japan, Singapore and Pakistan all have vibrant commodity bourses. The other main countries with commodity exchanges are Brazil, the US, Argentina, Iran, the Netherlands, UK and the city of Dubai.

Presently, most of the commodity traders from Indonesia hedge their positions in Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange and other Asian bourses.

As far as India is concerned the country not only has thriving commodity bourses, but also required technology to support the functioning.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

RI widely accused of price dumping

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/10/2009 2:44 PM  

More than 20 countries have accused Indonesia of "dumping" its export products on the international market, a Trade Ministry official says. 

"Countries that have lodged reports include India, South Africa, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, several countries in the European Union (EU), Malaysia, the US, Turkey, Canada, Peru, Argentina, Egypt, Brazil, Colombia and South Korea," Trade Ministry trade security and monitoring director Martua Sihombing said, as quoted by Antara recently. 

Dumping is the practice where a manufacturer exports products to another country at prices below those charged on the market in its home country or even below home production costs, while anti-dumping measures are those adopted to counter such practices (for example, by imposing additional import duties). 

"Dumping accusations have become somewhat of a trend in the current economic climate," Martua said. 

A list of 20 products Indonesia has been accused of dumping includes paper, toilet paper, stationary, aluminum, dry batteries, tires, steel, textiles, ready-to-wear garments, synthetic fibres, pharmaceuticals, bicycles and motorcycles, he said. 

"The most common products we have been accused of dumping are made from steel and metals. This is because such products are in a volatile sector vis-a-vis imported products," he said, adding that the government would need to step in to resolve the complaints. 

Between 1995 and 2008, Martua said, around 180 accusations of dumping were lodged against Indonesia. 

"But 85 of these were dismissed because there was no proof ... We followed through with 76 of the complaints and are currently processing 19 others," he said. 

Last December, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) predicted the number of dumping cases and accusations would soar this year, as countries move to protect their local industries in the global economic slowdown. 

Recently the Indonesian government was urged by manufacturers to take Australia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) after it imposed anti-dumping duties on Indonesian tissue paper. However, the government would first need to analyze all necessary legal aspects of this case before making such a decision, Trade Ministry international trade cooperation director general Gusmardi Bustami said recently. 

The Australian Customs Service imposed additional anti-dumping duties of 8 percent and 40 percent on top of the existing 5 percent tariff on tissue paper products, after it found in December that China was dumping those products on the Australian market. 

Another case involved the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association (APKI), which lodged a protest with the Malaysian government for extending its anti-dumping duty on imported newsprint paper. 

According to APKI, Malaysia should have revoked its anti-dumping policy in September last year, after slapping on a safeguard duty since 2003. APKI argued that the anti-dumping policy could only be applied for five years based on the existing regulations of the World Trade Organization. 

However, Malaysia eventually decided to extend the policy and relaunch an investigation into the dumping allegations - which may take six months until March. (hdt)

Indonesia gets $5.5 billion in loans to plug budget deficit and stimulate economy

Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Thu, 03/05/2009 10:54 AM  

Indonesia has officially agreed US$5.5 billion of loans from Australia, Japan, the World Bank  (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help fill shortfalls in  the state budget, as well as to stimulate the weakening economy. 

Australia supplies $1 billion and Japan $1.5 billion, WB supplies $2 billion and ADB $1 billion.

The loans, coming under the Public Expenditure Support Facility (PESF), will only be used if  the government fails to raise enough funds from bonds and other borrowing. It is also known as a deferred drawdown option (DDO) scheme.

“The DDO means the money can be used when it’s needed and it’s not all spent at once. It can be spent at other times as the need arises,” WB  acting country director Chris Hoban said in a press conference on  Wednesday.

The WB loans are payable over 24.5 years, with  a 10-year grace period for repayments, the Washington-based lender said in a statement.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said the finalization of their loan would be made this month, and the funds would be available starting in April.

“We’re in the middle of finalizing the details.”

As to the loan from Japan, it will be available as  a guarantee on the yen-denominated bonds Indonesia plans to sell. Should Indonesia cancel the Samurai bond plan, the loan will be converted to an ordinary loan to help finance the budget deficit.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Japanese Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Shinsuke Suematsu forged the loan deal during the special ASEAN+3 Finance Minister’s meeting in the Thai resort island of Phuket on Feb 21.

The ADB has not revealed any details over its loan pledge yet.

Liquidity shortages in the global financial market have forced the Indonesian government to turn to multilateral and bilateral  deals to ensure its budget financing remains intact should it fail to raise needed funds from the regular market.

Mulyani said the $5.5 billion in loans could be drawn down up to 2010, and would be “enough” to finance the gap in this year’s budget.

She said the loans would only be used if the government failed to issue and sell enough bonds to finance gaps in the budget.

The predicted budget deficit stands at Rp 139.5 trillion ($11.6 billion). The government last month sold $3 billion of medium-term notes to help plug the budget gap.

According to the Finance Ministry, the government has so far issued Rp 56 trillion worth of bonds.

Mulyani said that aside from the deficit, the loans would also be used to  help maintain the financial sector and sustain public expenditure, as well as supporting exports -- all of which are crucial so as to ensure that the economy can expand by 4.5 percent this year, as planned.

The loan will be on top of the Rp 73.3 trillion economic stimulus package approved recently by the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, Mulyani also said the G-20 (group of finance ministers and central bank governors from the world’s 20 largest economies) should approve a planned $200 billion package designed to help emerging markets cope with the deepening global economic crisis.

“What we expect from the G-20 meeting (in London next month) is a more concrete commitment, such as some hundreds of billions of dollars that can be mobilized to support developing and poor countries,” she said.

The G-20 nations include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the US, and UK , with the EU also present.