Page 15 - Za's Pages August 2017

3. World leaders steeled themselves for trade tariffs.

Another subject that set the U.S. apart from its G-20 partners was trade, with leaders giving an early rebuttal to possible U.S.-imposed tariffs on steel
imports, which may emerge from the White House soon.
On Friday, European leaders were direct in their opposition. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker promised, metaphorically, that “we
are prepared to take up arms if need be,” but hoped it wouldn’t be “actually necessary.”
President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a panel discussion on the second day of the G20 summit on July 8, 2017, in
Hamburg, Germany. Pool / Getty Images

Experts said before the G-20 that Germany was bracing for the possibility of tariffs, with Merkel speaking out prior to Trump’s arrival about the “big
mistake” of believing “isolationism and protectionism” could fix the world’s problems.
In closing out the summit in her home country, Merkel told reporters that G-20 leaders were clear that markets must be open, while fighting against
protectionism and unfair practices.

Fly, who served on the National Security Council and in the Pentagon when President George W. Bush was in office, said the Trump administration
should be cautious on the pending tariffs decision.
He said that it needs to “make sure that they’re not, at the end of the day, going after countries that are really not the root of the problem on that issue.”
Trade tensions, he noted, are “added to all the other emotions about Trump and about Paris Climate Agreement withdrawal that the imposition of tariffs
that affect our European allies would have a very negative impact on Trans-Atlantic relations.”

4. A new ‘de-escalation’ deal for Syria comes into effect.

Tillerson announced Friday that the United States, in tandem with Russia and Jordan, agreed to a de-escalation in
southwest Syria, a “first indication of the U.S. and Russia being able to work together in Syria.”
The ceasefire went into effect at midday local time (5 a.m. ET) Sunday.

But there have been ceasefire attempts before amid the country’s civil war, and questions remain over who will be moni-
toring the ISIS-ravaged region.

Related: Syria ‘De-Escalation’ Deal: What Is It, and Will it Work?
“At the end of the day, this is Syria,” one senior State Department official said Friday, briefing reporters anonymously to
better discuss details of the ceasefire deal and acknowledging the complications there.
There remains the question of what to do with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Tillerson has said of the country’s fu-
ture: “There will be a transition away from the Assad family.”

5. Big dollars were committed to a women empowerment fund.

The White House pledged $50 million to a new World Bank initiative geared toward breaking down barriers to female
economic empowerment.

The introduction of the Ivanka Trump-backed group drew Merkel, Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
to the podium to praise efforts to help women entrepreneurs around the world achieve greater success with the help of
loans, mentorships and policy reform.

Trump himself applauded the initiative for the “millions and millions” of women it would help to bolster, with Cohn touting
it as an example of the administration’s pro-woman mindset.

Ivanka Trump’s White House role is nebulous, but she has consistently focused on projects that support female eco-
nomic advancement. Her role in this particular initiative would not be one of a fundraiser, a senior administration official
insisted, but instead, one of a global champion and advocate.