Galileo versus GPS: A trade war in the making

[Ali]

EVER SINCE THE US shut down the GPS system for commercial navigation during the Bosnian crisis, Europe has wanted its own version of satellite navigation. But as soon as Europe's solution, Galileo, is given the go-ahead, the White House accidentally gives anonymous briefings over the supposed threat it represents.
Why? It's just a trade war. The USA simply doesn't see why Europe should have a better version of GPS than it has. (See here (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=8609).) So what happens? First of all, America makes noises about the fact that China has joined the Galileo project.

Isn't it funny how the US only selectively notices that China is still a communist regime? The INQ can recall being astonished to hear from a taxi driver in Las Vegas that Qualcomm had given 'military secrets' to Red China. It turned out he was complaining about sales of CDMA handset to China. How bizarre is that?

Anyway, after the Clinton administration abandoned the practice of deliberately degrading the accuracy of civilian GPS signals (a practice known as 'selective availability') back in May 2000, the Bush administration has developed a new spin.

According to the anonymous source, President Bush has responded by instructing the US Department of Defense to develop plans to disable an enemy's access to the US navigational satellites and to similar systems operated by others "in certain areas". This is clearly aimed at Galileo.

Although such action "would come under only the most remarkable circumstances", it's a clear threat. Of course Europe can claim that Galileo has no military applications until it is blue in the face. But Bush has merely found another axis of all evil - anyone who puts a satellite into space. Gosh, doesn't that conveniently include the French (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20312)?

Uncle Sam Fighting dirty, for a change?

[synch]

From the first link:

On the subject of Europe vs the US over cellular technology, we'd also like to add that the GSM Association points out that GSM was installed in Afghanistan following the conflict by an American company, TSI of New York, after a full tender process. Obviously TSI doesn't view GSM as an 'outdated French standard' unlike Congressman Darell Issa.

I wonder if the word "French" will ever cease to be synonimous with "icky" in the American language.

[Ali]

I wonder if the word "French" will ever cease to be synonimous with "icky" in the American language. or 'foreign'

[synch]

Ewwwww, you said the f-word!

[Ali]

EU, US extend talks on Airbus-Boeing subsidy row

PARIS, Dec 6 (AFP) - The United States and the European Union agreed Monday to allow more time for talks to settle a row over government help to aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus but said arbitration by the WTO remained an option.

US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and EU counterpart Peter Mandelson announced the decision following a meeting here, two months after the parties lodged separate complaints on the civil aviation subsidy question at the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation.

The United States contends that Airbus Industrie has benefited from government subsidies that violate international trade rules. The EU for its part maintains that it is Boeing that has received illegal

susbsidies in the form of big contracts from US defense and space agencies.

US and EU officials had to decide by Monday whether to ask the WTO to name a panel to resolve the dispute or to carry on with discussions among themselves.

Mandelson said the two sides would continue talking over the next few weeks while retaining the option of WTO litigation.

"If we are going to avoid litigation in pursuit of the cases that both of us have now entered, we are going to have to have some pretty serious discussions about the alternative to that litigation," he told reporters.

"I am ... interested in seeing how we can resolve our differences through a proper set of negotiations.

"If it is not possible to do that, then the option to proceed with both (EU and US) cases exists. That option has not been excluded," he added.

Sepaking after his first meeting with Mandelson, the newly named EU trade czar, Zoellick agreed that "litigation is an option" and said the Bush Administration was well prepared for such an approach.

The two officials said their talks also dealt with the current round of multilateral trade liberalisation negotiations launched in November 2001 in the Qatari capital Doha and which have foundered ever since.

Mandelson said that on the issue of advancing the Doha round, the parties were determined to make headway. Zoellick added that he hoped 2005 would be a constructive year for the Doha initiative.

On the Boeing-Airbus controversy, a US official last week said the United States would delay a request for the formation of WTO dispute settlement panel to allow Mandelson time to review the matter.

"We will not be making a request to establish a WTO panel before the end of the year," the official told AFP.

"No one should doubt our resolve to press ahead with this case, (but) we want to give the new commissioner time to review the issues."

© AFP Waaaaaahhhhh! Your governments are subsidising companies!!

Ours never does that! (http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/12/21/business/trade.html)

[synch]

Diplomats said a minority of the EU's 25 states, including Britain and the Netherlands, objected to this clause, saying it could unnecessarily aggravate Washington at a time of tense trade relations

Nice to see the current government rolls over at request.

:(

[Ali]

Nice to see the current government rolls over at request.

:( At least it doesn't sit up and beg, like Blair.

[SobaViolence]

we gotta fight those yank sonsabitches...

[synch]

At least it doesn't sit up and beg, like Blair.
You give them more credit than I do.

[ASsman]

It's only a matter of time before the EU starts pointing "Euro Culture Juice" filled warheads. Soon "Americana" will cease to exist.

[SobaViolence]

but Europe's too far to go for cheap hookers...

[ASsman]

Both will be destroyed by the USSR's "ASS" global positioning satellites.

[Echewta]

Poor poor poor America. We own the world, including what orbits the sky. When will anyone ever learn?

I think the EU should just do it and then sell nav equipment in the states that only use their system and then put GPS off the map. hahaah, off the map.