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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 3 March 2018
US Army officer: World Trade Organization warns

China, Russia don't fear cyber retaliation that Trump is risking a trade war

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Frustrated members of the costs of the cyberattacks By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press Senate Armed Services on our nation?" DAVID RISING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Na- Committee peppered Nakasone agreed that ad- Associated Press
tions including China and Nakasone with questions versaries don't think much GENEVA (AP) — The World Trade Organization warned
Russia that launch cyber- about what the U.S. should will happen to them if they Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump is risking an ec-
onomically damaging trade war if he goes ahead with
plans to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum im-
ports.
Trump, who has long railed against what he deems un-
fair trade practices by China and others, said Thursday
he planned to levy penalties of 25 percent on imported
steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports from next
week.
Roberto Azevedo, the director-general of the Geneva-
based WTO, said the agency was "clearly concerned"
at the U.S. plans and warned that "a trade war is in no
one's interests."
"The potential for escalation is real as we have seen
from the initial responses," he said in comments emailed
to The Associated Press by a WTO spokesman.
Azevedo said the WTO, the body that oversees global
trade, "will be watching the situation very closely."
By taking on Trump's remarks directly, Azevedo is sig-
naling a tougher stance toward the U.S. leader. The
Brazilian-born lawyer has often treaded delicately
when referring to Trump's leadership of the world's larg-
est economy — even reacting cautiously when Trump
criticized the WTO on the campaign trail.
Army Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone arrives at the Senate Armed Services Committee hear-
ing to discuss his qualifications as nominee to be National Security Agency Director and U.S. Cy- Azevedo has shown growing frustration in recent
ber Command Commander, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 1, 2018. months over U.S. efforts to block new appointments
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen) to the organization's appellate body — a move that
could hamper one of its key roles: resolving disputes.
His more muscular language follows a flurry of worries
attacks against the U.S. do to nations that infiltrate conduct computer-based from key U.S. trading partners in Europe over Trump's
don't fear retribution and government networks, attacks. tariff plans.
see no reason to change steal data from contractors "They don't fear us," he told The European Union is already thought to be consider-
their behavior, the Army of- or try to influence Ameri- senators during his confir- ing retaliatory tariffs, roughly one third of which would
ficer tapped to be the next can elections. mation hearing. "It is not target steel, one third agriculture, and one third other
head of U.S. Cyber Com- "We seem to be the, you good, senator." products.
mand told a Senate Com- know, cyber punching bag Asked by Sen. Ben Sasse, "We are not going to sit on our hands while our industry
mittee Thursday. of the world," said Sen. Dan R-Neb, if China is worried is at risk of being hit with unfair measures," said Euro-
Army Lt. Gen. Paul M. Na- Sullivan, R-Alaska, adding about a response from the pean Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein.
kasone said that cyber that officials repeatedly U.S. president, Nakasone His boss, European Commission chief Jean-Claude
threats against the country tell lawmakers that the U.S. responded, "I think that Juncker, suggested the 28-nation trade could also tar-
have grown exponentially, doesn't retaliate against at- our adversaries have not get typically American products such as Harley David-
and the U.S. must impose tackers such as Russia, Chi- seen our response in suffi- son motorcycles, Bourbon whiskey and blue jeans.
costs on those adversaries na or North Korea. "Should cient detail to change the “I don’t like using the word trade war, but I can’t see
to make them stop. we start cranking up the behavior."q how this isn’t part of war-like behavior,” Juncker told
German media ahead of a planned speech late Fri-
Merkel, Trump discuss Syria, Russia’s Putin day in Hamburg.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed he

BERLIN (AP) — German "The five-hour cease-fire cynical that the regime in was planning to talk with counterparts in Germany and
Chancellor Angela Merkel announced by the Russian Damascus used chlorine Britain about how to respond if the U.S. imposes tariffs.
has spoken with U.S. Presi- side isn't being adhered to. gas against its own popula- “The United States must know that if these unilateral
dent Donald Trump about The Syrian regime in par- tion again just one day af- decisions were to be maintained and confirmed, they
Syria, and both sides ticular is constantly break- ter the passing of the U.N. would lead to a strong, coordinated and united an-
agreed that Syrian govern- ing it," Merkel's spokesman, resolution." According to swer from the European Union,” Le Maire said in Paris.
ment forces and their Rus- Steffen Seibert, told report- Merkel's office, both she Trump didn’t appear too concerned about the pros-
sian and Iranian allies must ers. and Trump also expressed pect of a trade war, even with a key partner such as
abide by a U.N. Security Germany appeals "to all concern about Russian the EU.
Council cease-fire resolu- parties to the conflict to President Vladimir Putin's In a tweet early Friday, he said “when a country (USA) is
tion, her office said Friday. fully implement this U.N. res- unveiling of new weapons losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually ev-
Following their call Thurs- olution and we see a par- systems Thursday "and their ery country it does business with, trade wars are good,
day, Merkel and Trump ticular responsibility on the negative consequences and easy to win.”
urged Russia to stop par- part of Russia," he added. for international arms con- In his run to the presidency, Trump argued vociferously
ticipating in the bombard- Seibert said attacks should trol efforts." Still, Seibert said that increased foreign production, especially by China,
ment of Damascus' rebel- stop for 48 to 72 hours in Berlin was always ready to had driven down prices and hurt U.S. producers.
held suburbs known as order for aid to be effec- talk with the Kremlin even Dieter Kempf, head of the Federation of German In-
eastern Ghouta, accord- tively delivered to civilians. when the two sides differ dustries, urged all sides to “keep a cool head.” q
ing to her office. He called it "particularly significantly on the issues.q