One Week Later....

NATO: new members

In  Can NATO evolve? , we wrote that while Croatia, Macedonia and Albania can expect to receive invitations next week to join NATO, this is less likely for Russia's neighbours Georgia and Ukraine. 

• Last week, Albania and Croatia were invited to join NATO. The process will take about a year.
• Consensus could not be reached over a third candidate, Macedonia, which also has a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to prepare for membership; Greece exercised its veto.
• Granting MAPs to Georgia and Ukraine has been postponed to the NATO foreign ministers' summit in December.
• NATO's priority should be improving military effectiveness, not enlargement.

Colombia: FTA challenge

In Undermining Chavez,  we wrote that US President George Bush was in a race to ink a free trade agreement (FTA) with Colombia before he leaves office.

• US congressional ratification would be a powerful symbol of continued support for Colombia, which is the Bush administration's most important regional geopolitical ally. While the FTA would benefit the United States, economically it is far more important to Colombia.
• The Bush administration will campaign intensively for FTA ratification over the next three months.

Argentina: unrest dies down

In Argentina: agro aggro  we wrote that although agricultural sector unrest was likely to die down, it may represent a serious blow to the government's credibility and stability. 

• Agricultural organisations last week suspended strikes and roadblocks for a 30-day period and called for negotiations with the government.
• There is a risk that the government will interpret the suspension of the strike as capitulation, following Tuesday's pro-government rally orchestrated as a show of force by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Political Masterstroke

The World Next Week Political Masterstroke award goes to Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for getting preliminary votes posted outside polling stations, thereby severely restricting ZANU-PF's fudge factor in last minute rigging.

Analytica™

Worthy of note, or news to us.

NATO approves shield

NATO member states say they will endorse controversial US plans for a missile defence shield based in Europe. (BBC)

Ledra St. reopens

Greek and Turkish Cypriots reopen Ledra Street in the divided capital of Nicosia amid a new push for reunification. (BBC)

And finally…

British Airways, which is hoping to put the Terminal 5 fiasco behind it by returning to a full schedule this Saturday, estimates that the crisis cost it £16 million ($32 million) in expenses and lost revenue. (Forbes)