Across the globe, spies love to gather in inconspicuous dens to meet contacts and hold discreet conversations. This week, Intelligence Online visits the Château Laurier in Ottawa, where tensions with the United States are upsetting the Canadian capital's usual tranquility.
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Back-door diplomacy The Cour des Comptes is planning to carry out an audit of the SGDSN defence and national security secretariat by the end of the year.
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Defence According to Intelligence Online sources, a diplomat renowned for his "hands-on" approach is to be appointed French ambassador to Jordan.
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Back-door diplomacy French military security, Czech intelligence... European services are increasingly concerned about the satellite communication stations of Chinese group Emposat. The company remains very close to the authorities in Beijing.
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Corporate Intel Although still precarious, the improving security situation is allowing geopolitical risk and investigation consultants to regain a foothold in Syria. Their return follows in the wake of international donors and groups interested in Syrian reconstruction, keen to monitor the situation and understand what is going on behind the scenes of the new regime in Damascus.
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Corporate Intel From Damascus to Tel Aviv, via Washington and Abu Dhabi, talks on the normalisation of relations between Israel and Syria had been in full swing for several weeks. That was until Israeli air strikes this week on Syrian infrastructure, which have now called the process into question.
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Back-door diplomacy 
