Still Busy

I'm still focusing on my AIB application, so little time for a proper update. I had an excellent weekend - a great Halloween party on Saturday followed by a run on Sunday, co-hared by myself, and a milonga to follow.

As for international relations, it's nice to see the fears of many people not realised. The Bush administration seems to have learned a lesson or two from the mess in Iraq, and are taking a softer diplomatic route with Syria, and for that matter with Iran. John Bolton may not be the best tool for the job, but his rhetoric, along with others in the administration shows an understanding that a unilateral policy will not work here (Russia and China must be on board regarding action in the UN Security Council), and that careful diplomacy will bring better results than antagonism.

It's also nice to see an opportunity for some reconciliation not being wasted (as I'd feared) between India and Pakistan. It's just a shame we can't manage disaster diplomacy without the disaster.

Interim report

I've had a great weekend running, drinking and eating with the Prague Hash House Harriers on their 6th Turkey Run weekend. My ankle is doing very well, and preparations for AIB are going smoothly.

If you want my thoughts on Iran's recent nuclear offering, drop me a line. I'm a bit short of time right now. I'm cleaning the flat, and have a milonga later.

The weekend IHT has an interesting article on French agricultural policy here. It basically conforms with my views on the topic, although I'm a little more inclined to put it all down to (wounded) prestige.

Still a long way to go

It's nice to see some progress in reducing Western subsidies and tariffs on agriculture, with the American administration's opening gambit of a steep reduction of tariffs for the coming WTO trade talks in Geneva. But Oxfam is right to complain that the cutting of tariffs alone won't help the developing world - subsidies need much more attention (much more than the 2% currently being discussed over there). The American administration's goal of an end to all tariffs and subsidies by 2023 is also laudable, but too long-sighted! 17 years is ample time for future administrations to cancel those plans many times over.

As for the EU, quite simply we should meet and exceed these proposals, as the Commission has been trying to do. But we won't. Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelssohn has announced a 70% cut in subsidies, which will need the support of the majority of EU members, notably France, Portugal and Spain, who will resist the proposals. The 'olive branch' offered by American and EU policymakers faces strong opposition not only from EU members, but also from Japan, upon whose reciprocal cuts they have made their cuts conditional.

The EU's domestic subsidies, tariffs, and export subsidies which still take up 44% of the EU's total budget artificially elevate a mere 2% of the Europe-wide economy, distorting the market to overproduce, and then dumping the product on external markets (i.e. pushing down the prices for produce across the developing world). The upshot is that I pay more for my fruit and veg, harm some Asian farmers in doing so, and help support some of the remaining European aristocrats and a host of big agri-businesses. Did I mention that the EU's subsidies benefit smaller farmers the least?

The CAP needs to go. This is untenable in the EU, at least until the new member's subsidies reach old member levels in 9 years. When that happens, there will still be resistance, but I still hope, perhaps naively, for the day when EU agribusinesses decide that a return to nature is the best way for masses of uncompetitive EU farmland.