In the wake of setbacks by French armaments groups on several export markets which France would normally have been expected to capture, in North Africa and the Middle East, the Paris government is considering a radical shake-out of the system to promote military sales.

The small French high tech firm Cryptolog , one of the rare concerns in the world to master the technology of virtual smart cards, intends to raise money in September.

Ten years after Hong Kong was handed back to China two intelligence agencies are living cheek to jowl in the ex-colony: China’s state security service and Hong Kong’s Liaison Office.

American intelligence agencies are to take a direct part in controlling foreign investment under new rules for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) that Congress adopted on July 13.

Combining their experience of the region, former CIA officer Whitley Bruner and an ex Commerce Department aide, Charles Kestenbaum , have just set up BK International , a business intelligence concern specializing in the Middle East and based in Washington and Dubai.

Kroll Consulting , the department in charge of business intelligence at Kroll , an affiliate of Marsh McLennan , has set up shop in India and Colombia one year after opening an office in Dubai.

The British Treasury, Foreign Office and even the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are keen on revamping the Defence Export Service Organization (DESO), the MoD’s marketing wing.

Although it doesn't make the headlines in the British press any more, in-fighting in London's Special Forces Club is raging as strongly as ever.