David Petraeus
Defence on the agenda
Gordon Brown will meet General David Petraeus this week to discuss the UK's withdrawal from Basra. As well as meeting Brown, Petraeus will apparently hold talks with the defence secretary, Des Browne, and Sir Jock Stirrup, chief of the defence staff.
Condoleezza Rice
Middle East visit
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit the Middle East this week to press Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts amid doubts from some Arab states about the usefulness of an international meeting she plans to host in the fall. Rice will make stops in Israel and the Palestinian territories on Wednesday and Thursday.
Vets
Vetting UK meat
European Union veterinary experts will review an ban on UK exports of fresh meat, live animals and milk products imposed last Wednesday at a meeting this week.
Apple Computer
Product launch?
Apple Computer has organised a mysterious conference on Tuesday at its store in London. Historically, the company launches new products on a Tuesday.
Nicholas Burns
Iran talking shop
The six major powers working to resolve the controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program will discuss a draft UN sanctions text on Friday in Washington. Nicholas Burns, the State Department's number three official, will host the meeting, which will include the permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France -- plus Germany.
Mitt Romney
Nudging ahead?
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is poised to regain the lead in presidential campaign visits to Florida this week. Romney’s 15th Sunshine State visit is scheduled to include an 'Ask Mitt Anything' rally in Orange Park, near Jacksonville, on Tuesday night and a Wednesday public event in The Villages. He is also expected to attend some fund-raisers. Republican frontrunner Rudy Giuliani has made 14 campaign visits to Florida.
Pranab Mukherjee
Seoul visit
Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee is to visit Seoul from Sunday through Saturday, during which he will talk with his counterpart Song Min-soon. Mukherjee will also pay a courtesy call on President Roh Moo-hyun and meet with National Assembly Speaker Lim Chae-jung.
Jia Qinglin
Japan trip
The chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Jia Qinglin, is scheduled to visit Japan. He is expected to meet various government and parliamentary leaders during his stay for talks on bilateral relations.
Rama Yade
Haiti interest
The French foreign affairs and human rights secretary, Rama Yade, is scheduled to visit Haiti. She will meet the president, René Préval, in what will be the first visit by a member of the new government that came to office after the 2007 elections. The aim will be to discuss bilateral relations, and efforts by the government to set the country on the path to sustainable development.
Ecofin
The EU Ecofin Council is scheduled to meet informally in Porto. Economy and finance ministers from the 27 EU member states are due to attend. The meeting is chaired by Fernando Teixeira Dos Santos, the Portuguese finance minister. Discussions are expected to include the quality and reform of public finances, and the development of efficient financial markets.
Demo
Protests planned
A national demonstration is scheduled to take place in Berlin, and at other locations across Germany. It comes as the government prepares to bolster its presence in Afghanistan, where Germany is serving as part of the NATO force, part of which will include the deployment of Tornado aircraft.
European movement
Celebrating the Treaty of Rome
The European Movement is scheduled to hold conferences in Brussels and Paris to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. They take place at the Domaine de Val Duchesse in Brussels and the Quai d'Orsay and Maison de l'Europe in Paris. It is a part of cultural events which are also due to take place in other EU countries.
Tabare Vazquez
The president of Uruguay, Tabare Vazquez, is scheduled to visit Portugal, Spain and Belgium. In Lisbon, Vázquez is due to meet the prime minister and current chairman of the EU Council, José Sócrates. In Madrid, he is due to meet the prime minister, José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, and King Juan Carlos. Talks are expected to include the conflict with Argentina over the paper mill on the Uruguay river. In Brussels, Vázquez is due to visit the main EU institutions for talks with various officials.
Peter Mandelson
Trade trip
The EU trade commissioner, Peter Mandelson, is scheduled to visit New York. His engagements are expected to include an address the Council Foreign Relations at the United Nations.
George Bush
Spelling bee buzz
US President George Bush is scheduled to meet the Portuguese prime minister in the Oval Office of the White House. A press pool takes place at the end of the meeting. Later, Bush is due to take part in a photo opportunity with the 2007 National Spelling Bee Champion, also at the Oval Office.
YouTube forum
Video debate?
A Republican presidential internet forum, hosted by CNN and YouTube, is scheduled to take place in the United States. It will be the first such event in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. Senator John McCain, former governor Mitt Romney, and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani are expected to take part.
Ludmila Putina
First lady trip
Ludmila Putina, the wife of the Russian president Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to visit Bulgaria. Putina’s visit comes on the occasion of the 11th congress of the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature. The event takes place in Bulgaria’s coastal city of Varna, where Russia’s first lady will take part in the opening of the congress.
Intergovernmental Co-ordination Group
Watching the sea
The 22nd session of the Intergovernmental Co-ordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System is scheduled to meet in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The focus will be on assessing and improving tsunami warning and mitigation in the Pacific. The meeting, organised by Unesco's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), will hear reports from participating Pacific nations on their tsunami preparedness.
IAEA
Focus on India
Vienna is scheduled to host the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference. The discussion of Indian safeguards agreement is considered to be a focal topic.
Segolene Royal
Sego trip
The former Socialist presidential candidate in France, Ségolène Royal, is scheduled to visit Quebec. She is due to meet Jean Charest, the regional premier, and mark the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Quebec.
