STRATFOR 11/17/03

STRATFOR 11/17/03

FTAA Meeting in Miami:

A meeting in Miami of 34 Latin American and U.S. trade ministers began badly on Nov. 16 when Canadian and Chilean officials objected to Brazil's position in the talks. Brazilian negotiators warn they might quit the talks, which could cripple efforts to create a hemispheric Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) in 2005.

Saudi Arabia and Militants: The Risky Road of Negotiations
Nov 17, 2003

A top Saudi scholar recently hinted that a delegation of scholars would meet with de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss their role as mediators in possible negotiations between the Saudi government and al Qaeda. The fact that Riyadh has considered negotiations with al Qaeda speaks volumes about the difficulties it faces with growing Islamist militancy in the kingdom -- and also highlights the complex configuration of relationships between the regime, the ulema and the militants.