Le Monde diplomatique on Wed, 12 Jan 2000 23:50:15 +0100 (CET)


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<nettime> January 2000



   Le Monde diplomatique
   -----------------------------------------------------


                                January 2000


    LEADER

    A new dawn *

    by IGNACIO RAMONET

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/01leader>

                                                  Translated by Ed Emery


    MIDDLE EAST HOLDS ITS BREATH

    Israel and Syria on the brink of peace

    by ALAIN GRESH

     In January negotiations have begun near Washington between Israel's
     prime minister, Ehud Barak, and Farouk Sharaa, the Syrian foreign
     minister. Although we can expect several months of tough
     negotiations, both sides are bent on reaching a settlement, helped
     by the direct involvement of the United States and the personal
     interest of President Clinton who hopes to end his administration
     with a historic foreign policy success. This will close a chapter
     in the history of the Middle East that began with the Israeli-Arab
     war of 1948-49 - but will leave a question mark over an equitable
     outcome for the Palestinians.

                                              Translated by Barry Smerin


    FROM EMBARGO TO EXILE

    Road to Calvary for Iraq's Christians

    by our special correspondents HANA JABER and KHALIL KAMOUK

     A year after Operation Desert Fox, the UN Security Council has
     adopted a new resolution on Iraq. The abstention by three of its
     permanent members - France, Russia and China - emphasises that it
     was essentially an Anglo-American decision. At whatever cost the
     United States is determined to maintain a murderous embargo. In
     these circumstances the cancellation of Pope Jean-Paul II's visit
     is causing vast disappointment, especially among Iraq's Christians.

                                        Translated by Derry Cook-Radmore


    IN EGYPT AND MEXICO, A NEW TYPE OF CONFLICT

    Zapatistas and Islamists fight the odds

    by DAN TSCHIRGI

     There are things in common between the rebellions of the Mexican
     Zapatistas and the Egyptian Islamists. As surprising as it may
     seem, these violent internal conflicts have similar features. They
     spring from marginalised groups in outlying regions impoverished by
     the withdrawal of state support and the end of hopes raised by the
     development policies of the 1960s. And in both cases, religion has
     encouraged the insurgents to engage in a cause they consider just -
     against all the odds.

                                                Original text in English


    THIRD WAY, BRITISH-STYLE

    Blair's march to market modernity

    by KEITH DIXON

     Half-way through its term of office, Tony Blair's government is
     keener than ever to set its stamp on European social democracy.
     President Clinton's undisguised support has become less important
     to the Labour leadership. What counts now is ideological
     consistency and a party line perfectly tailored to neoliberal
     globalisation. Hence Blair's ruthless determination to prevent
     old-style "leftie" Ken Livingstone from becoming mayor of London.

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/05blair>

                                              Translated by Barry Smerin


    RUSSIA IN TRANSITION

    Lost pride of the working class

    by KARINE CLÉMENT

     Boris Yeltsin's surprise resignation makes Vladimir Putin -
     Yeltsin's fifth prime minister in 17 months - the front-runner for
     Russia's presidential elections, now brought forward to 26 March.
     Putin's strong stand in the Chechen war has brought him strong
     popular support as seen in the December parliamentary election -
     support now rated at 60% to 75%. But will the campaign for the
     presidency address the issue of labour?

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/06clement>

                                             Translated by Harry Forster


    SEATTLE TURNING POINT

    Fixing or nixing the WTO *

    by SUSAN GEORGE

     After the WTO fiasco at Seattle, many neoliberal commentators set
     about rewriting history. They said, somewhat improbably, that the
     US had emerged victorious and Europe and the countries of the South
     had lost out, Europe because it had not managed to table new rules
     and the South because it had failed to get more markets opened in
     the North. In fact, despite suitable noises from President Clinton,
     the failure of the trade talks shows the limits of Washington's
     power in the WTO, where for the first time delegates from the South
     turned the consensus rule to their advantage. As for the Fifteen
     and the European Commission, it is true that they had wanted to
     extend the agenda, but only in order to deregulate more areas for
     the benefit of their own multinationals. The true victors at
     Seattle are the citizens' movements. They have struck a blow
     against the proposal to use trade as a means of general
     deconstruction of all collectives and governments of the South, of
     whatever persuasion, that have now staked a claim to full
     partnership in the future. This is the birth of world public
     opinion. What we need now is national and international recognition
     of the peoples' elected representatives. - B. C.

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/07george>

                                            Translated by Barbara Wilson

    The day the South cut up rough *

    by our special correspondent AGNÈS SINAI

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/08sinai>

                                              Translated by Barry Smerin


    AFRICA'S FORGOTTEN TRIBE

    Who would be a mother?

    by ELISABETH LEQUERET

     According to the International Labour Organisation, sub-Saharan
     Africa is one of the parts of the world where women work most. Of
     course, there's a world of difference between the prosperous
     businesswomen of Togo or Nigeria and those who sell a few items on
     a pavement in Dakar. Only a minority of African women have gained
     their independence, usually at a high price, leaving the vast
     majority vulnerable and dependent. And there is a gulf between
     their real economic role and their social and political power.

                                        Translated by Derry Cook-Radmore

    Ill-used, overworked, undervalued

    by COLETTE BERTHOUD

                                              Translated by Julie Stoker

    No child, no role *

    by GÉRALDINE ZAMANSKY

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/11senegal>

                                              Translated by Julie Stoker


    DEFINING THE WORLD'S PUBLIC PROPERTY

    A global public good *

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/12a>

    Apartheid of pharmacology *

    by MARTINE BULARD

     Twenty-two million people in Africa are seropositive - 65% of all
     the people infected with the Aids virus world wide. South Africa,
     which is particularly badly affected, has made fighting the scourge
     a priority. But rather than help, in their determination to protect
     their patents, the pharmaceutical laboratories are putting
     treatment beyond the reach of the poorest patients and countries.

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/12bulard>

                                         Translated by Malcolm Greenwood

    Safeguarding the future? *

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/13aids>

                                         Translated by Malcolm Greenwood

    Who owns knowledge? *

    by PHILIPPE QUÉAU

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/14queau>

                                         Translated by Malcolm Greenwood

    International Protection

    Plants above ground *

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/16plants>

    On the Web *

           <http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/en/2000/01/17web>


    TYRANNY OF THE 35-HOUR WEEK

    A production-line dictatorship

    by GILLES BALBASTRE and STÉPHANE BINHAS

     For a long time Renault factories served as an industrial and
     social showcase for the entire car industry, but with privatisation
     the firm has come to resemble its competitors. Increasingly
     international in outlook, Renault is now exporting its most brutal
     methods for rationalising operations (at Nissan for example) and
     importing Japanese-style production techniques.

                                             Translated by Harry Forster


    BACK PAGE

    Should outsiders have the vote?

    by MONIQUE CHEMILLIER-GENDREAU

                                                  Translated by Ed Emery



           English language editorial director: Wendy Kristianasen

     _________________________________________________________________

     (*) Star-marked articles are available to every reader. Other
     articles are available to paid subscribers only.

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