Ireland has prided itself on neutrality and commitment to multilateral institutions, but the current government in Dublin is preparing a major change.

As multiple international conflicts test the West’s resolve to support the international order, Ireland is on the brink of fundamentally changing its policy toward global security. 

Micheál Martin, who currently serves as both defence minister and Tánaiste (deputy prime minister), told the Irish parliament this week that he is planning to reform the country’s longstanding “triple lock” policy, which says Ireland can only deploy troops abroad with the explicit consent of three parties: the government, the parliament, and the UN Security Council.

Explaining the plan, Martin said that Ireland’s military “agility and responsiveness” would greatly benefit from removing the UN requirement, which effectively means that the US, Russia, China, France and the UK all enjoy unilateral vetoes over Irish military deployments.

“By making this change in the future, we would be removing the veto power of Security Council members over Ireland’s engagement, while safeguarding the essential link with international law and good governance,” he said.

His remarks came after the Irish government convened a forum to discuss the country’s official policy of neutrality, which has held sway for decades. It is not a member of NATO, making it relatively unusual in the EU, and maintains a military of well under 10,000 servicemembers that has almost exclusively been deployed on UN peacekeeping missions.

While the forum did not lead to a mandate to end the policy of neutrality, it left open the possibly of “reform” to the triple lock policy. The reaction from much of the Irish left to Martin’s ensuing announcement has ranged from concern to anger.

In a parliamentary debate on Thursday, Martin was accused of trying to short-circuit public opinion with the policy, which a Sinn Fein opponent demanded he put to a referendum. Martin responded by pointing out that Sinn Fein’s current leader, Mary Lou McDonald, had “erected a statue to Seán Russell, who collaborated with the German Nazis. That is the history of your commitment to military neutrality.”

So why is this issue so heated, why is Ireland debating it – and why now?

The long view

Foreign policy expert Eoin McNamara of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs told Euronews that Dublin has little choice but to face up to reality. “Irish leaders have not been too interested in geopolitics, but geopolitics has started to become interested in their country,” he said.

“Ireland has been geopolitically sheltered for much of its independent history since 1922,”  McNamara said, “and crises involving major military conflict have usually not directly affected the safety of its population.

“Multilateralism and the UN are very important in Irish foreign policy, and the triple lock is an acknowledgement of this in some ways. There has been a paranoid fear that without a UN Security Council mandate, an Irish government at some stage might sanction significant Irish military involvement in a war of aggression.”

But as McNamara sees it, the explicitly pro-UN position held by many defenders of the triple lock does not take account of the full picture.

“Because of the country’s sheltered position, some naïve outlooks have been allowed to dominate the Irish debate. Multilateralism, humanitarianism and peacekeeping are all dimensions of the UN, but the UN also has other less idealist dimensions. It is also an arena for power politics, as is vividly illuminated by great power behaviour at the UN Security Council. This latter point is rarely raised in much detail in the Irish debate.”

This point was driven home by Martin in parliament, where he pointed to the unfolding conflicts in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine as examples of why waiting for the Security Council out of respect for multilateralism does not necessarily make sense.”We have to be honest about the fact that in respect of many of the worst crises internationally, where rapid, impartial and decisive international action is desperately needed, the Council has not been able to act,” he said.

Source : Euronews

The post Irish Government Proposes Dramatic Reform of Military Policy appeared first on Policy Print.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has signed an order approving the Military Personnel Policy Concept through to 2028, which focuses on meeting the human resources needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

Quote: “The document defines a strategic vision for developing military personnel policy in defence over the next five years, both during martial law and peacetime.

The main emphasis of the concept is to ensure that the needs of the AFU in personnel are met during a full-scale war, integration into the Euro-Atlantic security space, and interoperability of the AFU with the armed forces of NATO member states.”

Details: The Ukrainian Defence Ministry expects the following effects:

The AFU will switch to contract military service. Conscript military service will be replaced by intensive military training for citizens of draft age;

Ukraine will have an effective system of recruiting professional and motivated personnel for the AFU;

A human-centred approach to career management of military personnel, taking into account their education;

Professional development, and gender equality. Equal opportunities for men and women in the AFU;

Improved electronic military registration system;

Automated and digitalised personnel management processes;

Expanded cooperation between Ukrainian higher education institutions and those of NATO and EU member states;

An effective and transparent system of financial support for servicemen and women and provision of housing;

Improved psychological support;

A new style of relations between commanders and subordinates;

Proper conditions for transitioning from military career to civilian life for service members subject to discharge from military service.

Source : Yahoo

The post “Recruitment Instead of Conscription”: Ukraine’s Defence Minister Approves New Military Staffing Policy Concept appeared first on Policy Print.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that was effective from Feb. 28, 1994, to Sept. 20, 2011.

Sept. 20, 2011, was “a historic day for the Department of Defense that made our military stronger,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said at a Pentagon news briefing today.

Hicks also said the Defense Department is now working to upgrade veterans’ discharges that were less than honorable as a result of the policy.

DOD Instruction 1304.26, widely known as the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy,” prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing non-heterosexual service members who did not reveal their sexual orientation, while barring openly LGBTQ+ persons from military service.

Some LGBTQ+ service members were given discharges that may have resulted in denied access to veterans’ benefits — including home loans, health care, GI Bill tuition assistance and even some government jobs, she said.

Since the repeal, DOD has helped eligible veterans discharged because of their sexual orientation access the benefits they deserve. More than four out of five veterans who’ve applied for discharge upgrades or records corrections have been successful — but others might not have taken the opportunity, she said.

Hicks said some veterans haven’t gotten their discharges upgraded because:

• The application process was harder to navigate than it is today.
• They’re worried about whether they would be treated with dignity and respect after the painful experiences suffered.
• They didn’t know it was an option.

Over the last two-plus years, DOD has worked to make the process easier, she said, explaining steps the department has taken.

The department is re-doubling its outreach to LGBTQ+ veterans discharged under “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” to encourage anyone who might be eligible to apply for corrections to their military records, including to their discharge paperwork, she said.

This outreach campaign will be online, by mail, through nonprofits and veterans service organizations, and other avenues. It starts today with a new online resource, which will be continuously updated with relevant information, she said.

There will be more information, including on podcasts and webinars, to explain how the process works and encourage those who aren’t sure if they’re eligible to consider applying, she said.

Also, beginning today, DOD will, for the first time, begin proactively reviewing the military records of veterans discharged because of their sexual orientation to identify those who may be eligible for discharge upgrades, but haven’t yet applied, Hicks said.

DOD will first identify veterans discharged during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” period and then take steps to retrieve their relevant military records, for example from the National Archives. After a preliminary review and an assessment that an upgrade in discharge may be warranted, DOD will transmit the names to the service secretaries for consideration and potential correction through the Military Department Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records.

DOD will seek to collaborate with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Archives in cases where they might have digitized records that can help expedite the review, she said.

“When we find indications that someone’s less-than-honorable discharge was due to their sexual orientation, we’ll put their name forward to their respective military department’s review board for consideration,” Hicks said.

This will be done with measures to preserve the privacy and dignity of each veteran, she added.

Even as DOD begins these systematic records reviews, it may not catch everyone who’s eligible. For instance, if someone’s military records or discharge papers don’t say why they stopped serving, then it might be hard to discern whether Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a factor, she said.

Hicks encouraged everyone to visit the new webpage, Spotlight: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Resources, and share it with others.

“We know correcting these records cannot fully restore the dignity taken from LGBTQ+ service members when they were expelled from the military. It doesn’t completely heal the unseen wounds that were left. It doesn’t make people whole again, even for those many who received honorable discharges.

“But this is yet another step we’re taking to make sure we do right by those who served honorably despite being forced to hide who they are and who they love while serving the country they love. Even if the department didn’t see it then, we see it now,” she said.

Source : US Department of Defense

The post DOD to Upgrade Discharges From ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy  appeared first on Policy Print.

The US Military Academy at West Point is being sued for its race-based admissions policies by the same group that won a landmark case against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Supreme Court over affirmative action earlier this year, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities could no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admissions – except for US military service academies. It was a significant decision against affirmative action policies, which have focused on improving opportunities for historically excluded minorities.

The new lawsuit asks the court to find the use of race in admissions at the military academy in New York unconstitutional and prohibit them from “considering or knowing” an applicant’s race during the admissions process.

“West Point has no justification for using race-based admissions. Those admissions are unconstitutional for all other public institutions of higher education,” Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative group, said in the complaint. “The Academy is not exempt from the Constitution…Because West Point discriminates on the basis of race, its admission policy should be declared unlawful and enjoined.”

When reached by CNN, a spokesperson for West Point said, “The U.S. Military Academy does not comment on ongoing litigation to protect the integrity of its outcome for all parties involved.”

West Point has nearly 4,400 undergraduates, 2,693 of whom are White, 483 Black or African American, 545 Hispanic/Latino, 414 Asian and 38 American Indian or Alaska Native, according to October 2022 data from West Point’s website.

“West Point sets benchmarks for the percentage of each class that should be filled by ‘African Americans,’ ‘Hispanics,’ and ‘Asians,’ and it meticulously tracks its compliance with those figures down to a tenth of a percentage point,” the suit alleges.

“Race is, indeed, determinative for hundreds of applicants each year,” the suit alleges.

Applicants nominated by US representatives and senators make up 75% of each incoming class, the suit states, citing the military academy.

The suit also adds that “in most cases, up to ten qualified applicants compete against one another for the single slot afforded to their Senator or Representative each year.”

“Because skin color can be—and often is—a decisive factor for successful applicants who are chosen from those congressional nominee pools, it is equally dispositive for the other qualified nominees who are turned away. Put differently, because race is a “positive” factor for some West Point applicants, it is necessarily a “negative” factor for others,” it adds.

Students for Fair Admissions has two members who are White males who are set to apply to West Point, according to the complaint.

The group argues that because the Academy uses race as a factor in admissions, both are prevented from competing for admission on an “equal footing.”

“If West Point is allowed to continue making admissions decisions based on applicants’ race, SFFA’s members—including Members A and B and other similarly-situated applicants—will suffer harm because they will be denied the opportunity to compete for a West Point appointment on equal grounds, solely because of their race,” the suit claims.

In the Supreme Court ruling that gutted affirmative action, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the conservative majority, saying the Harvard and UNC admissions programs violated the Equal Protection Clause because they failed to offer “measurable” objectives to justify the use of race. He said the programs involve racial stereotyping and had no specific end point.

In a footnote, Roberts said the cases before the court did “not address the issue” and left open the possibility that there are “potentially distinct interests that military academies may present” in a future case.

Source : CNN

The post An Anti-Affirmative Action Group is Suing the US Military Academy at West Point Over Race-Based Admissions Policies appeared first on Policy Print.

Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in a post on his Twitter page in response to a Saturday statement by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, in which it said Azerbaijani citizens “are strongly recommended” not to visit Iran without necessity.

Kanaani emphasized that pursuing a neighbor-oriented policy based on mutual respect and good-neighborliness manners is Iran’s priority and on its agenda.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in its statement that “citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan are strongly recommended not to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran without necessity, and those entering this country should remain as vigilant as possible.”

It also advised that Azerbaijani citizens currently in Iran should observe “the safety rules.”

The statement was issued after Azerbaijan sent on Friday a note of protest to the Iranian side in relation to the arrest of Azerbaijani citizen Farid Safarli, whom the Iranian authorities accuse of espionage.

Safarli, a university student based in Germany, arrived in Iran in early March. Since then, the contact with him has been lost.

Azerbaijan has demanded Iranian authorities determine his fate. 

The post Iran To Continue “Open Arms” Policy Toward Azerbaijanis appeared first on Policy Print.

Gjenero told Xinhua that he applauded French President Emmanuel Macron’s push for “strategic autonomy” away from the United States.

Most Europeans see China as “a necessary partner,” according to the latest poll by the European Council on Foreign Relations.

“It is important that Europe does not deviate from this, that it does not change its attitude towards China under the American pressure,” Gjenero said.

China was the largest source of EU imports and the third-largest buyer of EU goods in 2022, with total bilateral imports and exports reaching 856.3 billion euros (959.96 billion U.S. dollars), according to Eurostat.

The EU and China should establish “a relationship of understanding and mutual trust,” Gjenero said.

In April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that China’s international and economic status, as well as Europe’s own interests, make it all the more important for Europe to properly manage its relations with China.

Europe must “carve out our own distinct European approach that also leaves space for us to cooperate with other partners,” she added. 

The post EU Policy Towards China Should Not Be Swayed by U.S., Croatian Expert Says appeared first on Policy Print.

From January to May 2023, a total of 268.7 billion yuan (about 37.78 billion U.S. dollars) in loans had been extended by the bank to build railways, roads, airports and other transport facilities.

The bank also increased financial support for the construction of charging piles and related power grid networks, among others.

The bank said it will continue to support the development of a modern transportation system, provide higher quality financial services, and fulfill its social responsibilities. 

The post Chinese Policy Bank Increases Support for Transport System Construction appeared first on Policy Print.

The appointment of former U.S.-based bank executive Hafize Gaye Erkan as the governor of the Turkish Central Bank, and Mehmet Simsek, an internationally-known former banker as the country’s treasury and finance minister raised hope that the country might move away from its unorthodox strategy that features low-interest rates when inflation is running high.

“The appointment of Erkan … can be taken as a sign that the extremely low borrowing costs, which cause inflation to rise, will normalize in terms of monetary policy,” Enver Erkan, chief economist at Istanbul’s Dinamik Investment Securities, told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Simsek, who was at the helm of the Turkish economy until 2018, said at a handover ceremony with his predecessor Nureddin Nebati on June 4 that “Türkiye has no choice but to return to a rational basis … We will prioritize macro-financial stability.”

All eyes are now on the next meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank set for June 22, when the new governor is expected to hike interest rates.

“The message received and the expectations formed so far point to a strong signal of policy transition, and the June 22 MPC meeting is in a critical position for its implementation,” the analyst stressed.

In Erkan’s view, the policy rate, currently at 8.5 percent, could be gradually raised to 30 percent.

Following the presidential election last month, the embattled Turkish lira reached a succession of record lows against the U.S. dollar, falling to 23.61 against the greenback on Monday, a new all-time low.

Since the start of this year, the lira has depreciated by over 20 percent.

In a series of tweets last week, Simsek asked the public to be patient, adding that his “immediate priority is to strengthen our team and design a credible program.”

Economists think that while Türkiye may be returning to orthodox economic policies, there is also a need for reforms to strengthen this transition.

A report published on June 8 by the Ankara-based Economy Policy Research Foundation of Türkiye, called on the new economy management team to adopt transparency regarding inflation figures, whose reliability has been questioned by some economists.

The report also urged the new economy team to announce an “action plan” to tackle the most pressing issues such as the widening current account deficit, high inflation, and the record-low foreign currency reserves of the Central Bank.

Some experts believe however that the new economy team doesn’t have a magic wand to secure immediate economic turnaround, and that Turks should prepare to swallow the bitter pill in the form of new taxes and belt-tightening measures.

“The drop in inflation data is only an illusion,” Mahfi Egilmez, an economist and former advisor to the treasury, said on his blog on June 9, pointing out that prices are continuing to increase for most goods.

“To reduce inflation, it is necessary to limit consumption by raising interest rates and endure a decline in growth and a rise in unemployment,” he warned. 

The post Türkiye’s New Economy Team Raises Hope for Monetary Policy Change appeared first on Policy Print.

“The MPC noted that higher inflation outturns for April and May were broadly as anticipated. The Committee also noted sequential ease in inflation expectations of both consumers and businesses from their recent peaks,” the statement said on Monday.

Earlier in April, the bank raised the policy rate by 100 basis points to the record high of 21 percent in order to curb the surging inflation.

The meeting also said that the current monetary policy stance, with positive real interest rates on a forward-looking basis, is appropriate to anchor inflation expectations and to bring down inflation towards the medium-term target, barring any unexpected domestic and external shocks.

However, the MPC emphasized that this outlook is also contingent on effectively addressing the prevailing domestic uncertainty and external vulnerabilities.

The post Pakistani state bank keeps policy rate unchanged at 21 pct appeared first on Policy Print.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s central bank, lowered the seven-day reverse repo rate for the first time since last August from 2 percent to 1.9 percent on Tuesday when injecting funds into the financial system through open market operations.

Later the same day, the PBOC also announced a cut on the interest rates of its standing lending facility, with the overnight rate down by 10 basis points to 2.75 percent.

Dong Ximiao, chief researcher at Merchants Union Consumer Finance Company Limited, said the reverse repo rate cut has reflected market supply and demand for funds while signaling further counter-cyclical adjustment and efforts to stabilize the market.

“As an important variable of the macroeconomy, the central bank’s rate cut on open market operations would facilitate market confidence,” said Wang Qing, an analyst with Golden Credit Rating, noting that the move would further propel China’s economic recovery in the second half of 2023.

The cuts came ahead of the PBOC’s release of the medium-term lending facility (MLF) rate and loan prime rate (LPR) decisions, which are set for Thursday and next week, respectively.

In August 2022, when the PBOC last cut the reverse repo rate by 10 basis points, the MLF rate was brought down the same day, while the LPR, a market-based benchmark lending rate, was lowered a week later.

In a circular issued late Tuesday by four state organs, including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Chinese government said it will work to lower financing costs for business entities and increase loans to small and micro firms.

China’s mild inflation has also left room for policy rate adjustments, according to analysts. In the first five months of 2023, the country’s consumer price index (CPI), a major gauge of inflation, edged up 0.8 percent year on year.

The 10-basis-point reverse repo rate cut is a quite moderate move, according to Dong, who considered it conducive to striking a balance between multiple policy targets such as maintaining price and financial stabilities, supporting the real economy, and keeping the RMB exchange rate generally stable at an adaptive, balanced level.

Prior to this week’s rate cuts, China’s six state-owned commercial banks had moved to cut deposit rates by around 10 to 15 basis points, which will help replenish capital and boost their abilities to support the real economy.

PBOC Governor Yi Gang, during his inspection in Shanghai earlier this month, has pledged that the central bank will continue to precisely and effectively implement a prudent monetary policy while strengthening counter-cyclical adjustment, supporting the real economy, promoting employment and maintaining currency and financial stability.

The central bank will also better utilize monetary policy tools, maintain reasonably ample liquidity and keep the amount of currency and credit at an appropriate level and a steady pace, the governor said.  

The post China Steps up Counter-Cyclical Adjustment With Policy Rate Cuts appeared first on Policy Print.