A Ten Year Forecast: Russia’s Decline, Central Europe’s Ascent
In a thought-provoking forecast, CEPA Senior Fellow Edward Lucas anticipates Russia’s palpable decline by 2020, having fallen behind Brazil, India and China. Meanwhile, Central Europe will be on the ascent, with the three Baltic States “overtaking the sluggish, debt-ridden economies of Southern Europe.” READ MORE
Astana OSCE Summit Is Breakthrough In International Relations - Expert Marat Bashimov
Well known expert of international relations, history expert, Doctor of Law Marat Bashimov who was directly involved in the work of OSCE Summit shared his view on the event and its results with a correspondent of Kazinform agency. According to him the Summit has become a breakthrough in the sphere of international relations. READ MORE
Turkish policy-makers and international experts discuss NATO’s Lisbon Summit in Antalya
On 3-4 December, around 250 experts gathered in Antalya, Turkey, at a major international security conference entitled “The New Strategic Concept and NATO towards Year 2020”. Participants included high level officials, international security experts, opinion formers and diplomats from Turkey and other NATO member and partner countries, as well as representatives from the media and Atlantic Treaty Associations. READ MORE
LITHUANIAN AND LATVIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS ENERGY SECURITY AND PROMOTION OF THE NORDIC-BALTIC COOPERATION
On 8 December in Vilnius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Girts Valdis Kristovskis discussed bilateral relations, common issues of energy security policy and promotion of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation. READ MORE
Old Foes See Reasons to Get Along
President Dmitri A. Medvedev ofRussia awarded the Order of Friendship this week to Andrzej Wajda, the celebrated Polish film director, an event few Poles or Russians could have imagined taking place. READ MORE
Georgia Looking For Future And Militants In Europe
Indeed, conjurer Saakashvili's left hand does not know what his right hand is doing. While Mishiko is spreading himself and shouting from all the rostrums that Georgia stands for peace in the whole world and he himself is a white dove carrying an olive branch, the president's deeds speak for themselves. Saakashvili is a poor peacemaker. It's not without reason that Moscow, Sukhum and Tskhinval took the breast-beating and vowing and protesting that there will be no more firing in an equally skeptic way. How can one trust a person who is promising peace and getting ready for a war behind the scenes? READ MORE
NATO's Rasmussen Worried About US, Not Russia
In interview, secretary general dismisses concerns about Russian belligerence. READ MORE
Putin and Medvedev Threaten a Renewed Arms Race
In his annual address Tuesday to both houses of parliament, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev warned that a new arms race would erupt if Moscow and the West cannot agree on a joint European missile defense program. Medvedev gave the following ultimatum: “Either we reach agreement on missile defense and create a full joint cooperation mechanism, or, if we don’t go into a constructive agreement, a new phase of the arms race will begin. And we will have to make a decision on deploying new means of attack.” READ MORE
OSCE SUMMIT RESULTS: "Towards a Security Community" - Astana Declaration to underlie development of OSCE Action Plan
Within the past two days the whole world followed intently the course of the OSCE high-level summit in Astana. Late at night, after the long and heavy discussions, the participants of the Summit voted foradoption of the Astana Declaration Towards a Security Community. The mass media have already started publishing the comments and views of the participants, international experts and politicians on the event. It should be noted that after the adoption of the document, the representatives of several states and international structures expressed their regret over insufficient concrete formulations of the Summit's final document, but all of them agreed that the participating states reaffirmed their full adherence to the UN charter and all fundamental principles and commitments of the OSCE. Thus, a representative of the European Union said: "The Summit document confirms our joint vision of a security community for the future". READ MORE
