Home

Archive - Dec 3, 2012

Date

Arrest of Maxim Bakiyev raises concerns over his activities in the United Kingdom

Documents in an ongoing insider trading prosecution in the US appear to allege that Maxim Bakiyev, the son of the former president of Kyrgyzstan who now resides in the United Kingdom, has been using a US$45 million Latvian bank account for insider trading deals on the stock exchanges of the US, the UK and elsewhere. This, along with the recent arrest of Maxim Bakiyev in London in relation to this case, raises concerns regarding his activities in the United Kingdom. READ MORE

Could Syria Be a Test of France’s Reemergence?

By Martin Michelot

French President François Hollande faces no shortage of domestic problems following the unveiling of his government’s controversial budget. But at a November 13 press conference, Hollande diverted attention to foreign policy by announcing France’s recognition of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people, making it the first Western country to embrace that organization. This decision was celebrated as a crucial step toward the end of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and as a symbol of Hollande’s ability to make tough decisions.  READ MORE

Iran must be President Obama’s immediate priority

By Henry A. Kissinger

In the aftermath of an exhausting reelection campaign, the most urgent decision facing the president is how to stop Iran from pursuing a military nuclear program. Presidents of both parties have long declared that “no option is off the table” in securing this goal. In the third presidential debate, the candidates agreed that this was a matter of the American national interest, even as they described the objective alternately as preventing an Iranian “nuclear weapon” or “breakout capacity” (President Obama), or a “nuclear-capable Iran” (Mitt Romney). As Iran continues to elaborate its enrichment capacity and move it underground, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a spring deadline for counteraction. In this fraught environment, what operational meaning should be given to America’s declared objectives?  READ MORE

''Switzerland and NATO : Partners in security''

video

Speech by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the Churchill Symposium in Zürich, Switzerland.  READ MORE