Komunidad
July 04, 2015

DEADLINES

By Arturo P. Garcia

Is it a Deal or No Deal?

In every negotiations of great importance, this is a question that is always been asked.

As of today, three negotiations where there is a deadline stands out and this question is such of importance.

The first negotiation is between the Iran and the United States deal or the ongoing negotiations in Vienna, Austria about its nuclear capability. The bad news is that they, the negotiators –Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran Foreign Minister just failed to meet the deadline last June 30. The good news is that the deadline is again moved to July 7.

For Iran, nuclear inspection and the freeze of its assets and the lifting of embargo until the inspection is done is not acceptable. For Iran, its an imposition and a pre-condition that is van never accept.

For the United States, it is an insurance that Iran will not make nuclear warheads for its missile delivery system and a confidence building measure. But it seems the Americans blinked again on this issue. That pisses off its allies-The Israelis and the Saudis as well as the Quataris who are financing the ISIS against Iran and Syria.

The Republican opposition, together with the Israeli lobby hopes to block the Iran-US deal in case it is approved fearful of Iranian development of its nuclear capability against the US and its neighbor. But Obama wanted to allay their fear saying that “ he will not sign any agreement if does not benefit the U.S..”

The 2nd negotiations that seems to be stalled is between the European Union bankers and Greece on its debt settlement. Greece won’ t pay and cannot pay or do not have the capability for the debts it incurred to the EU to the tune of 1.7 Billion Euros.

Greece is the first European modern capitalist country in Europe who will default it debts to EU bankers in its post-world war II history. Today’s deadline passed and Greece stood up the EU on its debt repayment.

For now, Greece is defaulting on its payment and will cause a ripple effect because other European countries with debt to the EU Central Bank like Spain and Portugal may follow the Greeks. In turn it will be great problem for the EU.

The ripples of anxiety and fears about the Greek fall-out has reached it fever height when the U.S stock market and prices as well economic transactions fell down.

Meanwhile, In the Philippines, the third and final deal is still not done. The US-Aquino Administration promised to passed the MILF that the Bangsa Moro Law (BBL) by the end of June 30, but the self-imposed deadline is gone and there has been no deal yet.

The Senate and the House sat down on the BBL after the tragic Battle of Mamasapano last January in Maguindanao. The deal was scrutinized at the floor by all the presidentiables from Chiz Escudero, Antonio Trillanes, Allan Cayateano ,Grace Poe and Bongbong Marcos.-all playing for the crowd.

They made the Senate as their forum for propaganda and early presidential campaign. And all of them brought the circus and the telenovelas into shame.

All has part in the blame game. But for me, it was President Aquino III is to blame for the failure of the BBL. IF he did not authorized the operations in Mamapasano that caused 44 lives of the PNP Police Commandos, then, the BBL has been an academic exercise and has passed his controlled congress.

Well, as they say, it takes two to tango, and in the case of the BBL in the Philippines, the Greece-EU Talks on Debt Repayment and the Iran-US Nuclear Arms Talks , all really needed deadline so peace can be achieved

But what do they do when they fail to make the deadline.?

Talk and talk again, until a deal or a compromise is reach or they drop dead and part ways without any compromised being reached.

It is exciting to see and watch who will blink first.

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