John Negroponte
Negroponte visit
The US deputy secretary of state, John Negroponte, is scheduled to visit Tokyo. He is due to meet senior figures from the Japanese government for talks on matters of mutual interest. The visit comes after the Asean regional forum meeting in the Philippines. The agenda is likely to include the nuclear programme of North Korea.
Jean-Marie Bockel
French show of support
The French secretary of state for cooperation and Francophony, Jean-Marie Bockel, is scheduled to visit Niger. While in Niamey, he is due to meet the president, Mamadou Tandja, to discuss bilateral relations and French support for the fight waged by Niger against trafficking and extremist elements.
Barack Obama
Presidential forum
The Yearlykos presidential forum is scheduled to take place in Chicago. Former Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama, and governor Bill Richardson, who are all candidates for the 2008 presidential nomination for the Democratic party, are due to take part. Yearlkos is an annual convention for people from Netroots, a US-based grassroots political action community which uses the internet and blogs as tools for expressing viewpoints and building consensus.
Railcar
Making tracks
Officials from the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) are scheduled to visit Syria. The visiting officials will meet with officials of Syrian Railways to discuss the specifics regarding the founding a joint-company, previously established in a protocol. The two railway administrations plan to build a factory in Aleppo to manufacture cargo and passenger rail-cars, as well as locomotives. After the construction of the Aleppo factory the company will be contracted to improve the infrastructure of the railways in Syria.
Rudy Giuliani
Republican showdown
A television debate between the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination is scheduled to take place in Des Moines, Iowa. It comes ahead of the Iowa 'straw poll' on August 11. Candidates are expected to include Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City; Senator John McCain; and Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts.
Hamid Karzai
Camp David talks
On August 5, US president George Bush is scheduled to meet his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai at Camp David. The presidents will discuss how to enhance Afghanistan's long-term democracy, prosperity, and security as agreed in the Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership of 23 May 2005. They will also talk about the implementation of Afghanistan's National Development Strategy, as well about how to improve governance and fight corruption, develop the justice sector, and economic development. Discussions will also focus on cooperation in the 'war on terror', US support for Afghan counternarcotics efforts, and cooperation with neighbouring states.
Robert Zoellick
World Bank charm offensive
The new president of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, is scheduled to visit Vietnam, as part of a tour of the Asia-Pacific. He is due to meet governmental officials, business leaders and members of social and non-governmental organisations, and call at poor rural areas that benefit from World Bank-funded development projects. The trip is aimed at listening and learning how the World Bank can play a more effective role in promoting global development.
Milan Milutinovic
Trial resumes
The defence case in the trial of former Serbian president Milan Milutinovic is scheduled to begin at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague. The prosecution completed its case on May 18, and a pre-defence conference took place on June 22. He was Serbian president from 1997 to 2002, and he is indicted together with Slobodan Milosevic on charges of crimes against humanity and violation of the laws of war allegedly committed during the 1998-99 Kosovo conflict.
Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad
Iran - Algeria talking shop
The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad is scheduled to visit Algeria in an official two day visit. Ahmadi-Nejad will meet with his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The two men will discuss bilateral ties, as well as pressing international issues and ongoing events in the Middle East. This visit follows a trip to Algeria by the Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki in early June.
John Holmes
Colombo visit
John Holmes, the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief co-ordination, is scheduled to visit Colombo, Sri Lanka. The visit follows increased voicing of concern from the international community about Sri Lanka's human rights record.
Brown's envoy
New envoy
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to appoint his own envoy to the Middle East this week. Michael Williams, who currently works with the UN secretary general as the special coordinator for the regional peace process, is expected to be confirmed for the job.
Nouri al-Maliki
Meeting in Mesopotamia
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is scheduled to visit Iran. Maliki is due to meet various Iranian officials during his stay and he is expected to be acompanied by a senior board of Iraqi officials. It is likely that Maliki and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will discuss various bilateral and regional issues, and that they will prepare for a scheduled trip by Ahmadinejad to Iraq. These meetings come during the Iraqi parliament's one month recess.
