North Korean Weapons | Pakistan Bailout Plan | Syria's Daraa

Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. July 31, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA Images Show Construction at North Korean Missile Site Satellite imagery appears to show the construction of new buildings (WSJ) at a missile production site outside of Pyongyang, raising concerns that North Korea is moving ahead with weapons development weeks after a summit between the U.S. and North Korean leaders that was focused on denuclearization. The images, which were captured by the San Francisco-based Planet Labs and analyzed by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, appear to show two buildings on land at the Sanum-dong missile plant that was vacant as of early June. Several U.S. media reports citing unnamed officials say U.S. spy agencies have detected the construction of new missiles (WaPo) at the facility. Officials have yet to comment publicly on the reports. ANALYSIS “The Trump administration needs a denuclearization road map that outlines the order in which nuclear dismantlement will take place and the corresponding concessions it is willing to provide in return for each step,” Duyeon Kim writes for Foreign Policy. “Diplomacy can work if the administration is ready to give up on its maximalist goals and engages in the give and take of compromise with North Korea—and if Trump and Pompeo accept that negotiations will be drawn out and difficult, not a quick, easy win,” Aaron David Miller and Richard Sokolsky write for the Washington Post. “The international community must push the North to seize the moment, stop wasting resources on nuclear weapons and missile development, and launch a comprehensive economic-reform program. Vietnam should be its model,” Lee Jong-Wha writes for Project Syndicate. PACIFIC RIM Australian Archbishop Resigns Over Sex Abuse Case Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson, who is accused of failing to report cases of child sexual abuse. Wilson said he had planned to stay in office while appealing his conviction (SMH) but decided there was “too much pain and distress” caused by his doing so. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA U.S. Opposes Pakistan Bailout Proposal U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a Monday interview that there is “no rationale” for the International Monetary Fund to bail out Pakistan (CNBC) if that money then goes to Chinese bondholders. Pakistan’s new government, inheriting debt to China, is expected to soon request the country’s thirteenth bailout (Dawn) from the IMF. CFR’s Alyssa Ayres discusses Pakistan’s expected foreign policy under Imran Khan. TAJIKISTAN: The self-proclaimed Islamic State claimed the killings of four foreign tourists who were run over by a car while cycling (NYT) and then stabbed. The Tajik government blamed the attack (RFE/RL) on a banned local Islamist party and said one assailant was trained in Iran. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Trump Offers to Meet With Iranian Leadership U.S. President Donald J. Trump, during a press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte yesterday, said he would meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (WaPo) anytime and without preconditions. The statement came days after Trump appeared to threaten Iran. SYRIA: Government forces have reclaimed territory in the province of Daraa that was controlled by an Islamic State affiliate, meaning the regime now has full control (Guardian) of the southern areas where protests against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. In Foreign Affairs, Suha Maayeh and Nicholas A. Heras discuss the fall of Daraa. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Malian Presidential Election Could Go to Runoff President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and candidate Soumaila Cisse, a former finance minister, are likely headed toward a runoff (Reuters) following a Sunday election, Cisse’s party said Monday. A presidential spokesperson said Keita was ahead in vote tallies but that a runoff was possible.  NIGER: U.S. Africa Command confirmed that it began armed drone missions (AP) over Niger earlier this year as part of ongoing operations against extremists in the country. EUROPE France’s Macron Faces No-Confidence Vote Lawmakers from the far-right Republicans party and the Socialist Party introduced motions of no confidence (DW) against President Emmanuel Macron for mishandling allegations of assault by a presidential aide. A no-confidence vote would likely be unsuccessful, as Macron’s party holds a majority in the lower house. UK: In a new report, UK lawmakers accused aid groups of “abject failure” to address sexual abuse by employees across the sector. The parliamentary committee launched an inquiry (Guardian) following reports of sexual misconduct by Oxfam staff working in Haiti. AMERICAS U.S. Penalizes Nicaraguan Government The White House said it is revoking or restricting U.S. visas (White House) for top Nicaraguan officials implicated in recent violence against anti-government protesters and is cutting equipment sales to Nicaragua’s security forces. It also announced $1.5 million in additional funding for human rights groups and independent media in the country. MEXICO: Hundreds of top-ranking government officials are expected to take pay cuts (WSJ) when President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office in December. Analysts say the move could spur an exodus from institutions such as the central bank. CFR’s Shannon K. O’Neil discusses the potential for a blow-up between Trump and Lopez Obrador. UNITED STATES Australia, Japan, U.S. Team Up on Indo-Pacific Investment The three countries said they will invest in infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific in a bid to counter China’s rising influence (Bloomberg) across Asia through its Belt and Road Initiative. Secretary of State Pompeo said the United States will help the region keep its people “free from coercion or great power domination.” In Axios, CFR’s Alyssa Ayres writes that Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy doesn’t stack up to that of Beijing.         Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org

Date: July 31, 2018 at 10:02PM