Threats and opportunities in international affairs

With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a difficult situation in Pakistan. Sino-Taiwanese tension, an agitating Russia, a belligerent Iran and North Korea and continuing unrest in Zimbabwe (to name but a few) you could be forgiven for thinking that there was no silver lining on the cloud of international affairs.

Yet silver linings there are. If we do not grasp the opportunities now they will be gone forever.

So what are these opportunities?

The first lies with our natural allies in the Commonwealth. The members are the best link to our past and the most likely to stick with us in the future. They would not pose a threat to the “special relationship” nor NATO. Rather closer cooperation would enable another avenue to be pursued in times of crisis.

The second is to tap into previously untapped markets. These include China, India and the “tiger economies” of south-east Asia obviously. But they should also include the “Latin Lions” (particularly Brazil, Peru and to some extent Argentina) and the ‘antelopes’ of Africa; South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana.

Indeed greater economic co-operation with the “Latin lions” could lead eventually to the establishment of a South Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Again this would serve as a supplement to the main relationships we currently have, rather than a splinter.

The third opportunity lies in the harnessing of our “soft power”; particularly our aid contributions and peacekeeping. Domestic economic difficulties should not distract us from taking preventative measures to securing global health and prosperity. That is all I shall say on this third and final point as this is not the place to muse about “terrorism and the causes of terrorism”.