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Archive - Feb 2012

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February 24th

What's Georgia Going To Get At The NATO Summit?

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By Joshua Kucera

Georgia's prospects in NATO, after being more or less left for dead in the wake of the 2008 war with Russia, have lately appeared to be improving. NATO has recently changed its rhetoric on Georgia, for the first time calling it an "aspirant" along with several Balkan countries. And U.S. officials have said Georgia is making "significant progress" that should be recognized at the next NATO summit, in Chicago in May. READ MORE

February 22nd

Why France’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan is Not a Strategy

By Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer

President Barack Obama’s announcement last June of an accelerated U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan reopened debates in many European countries over when their soldiers should return from that unpopular war. French President Nicolas Sarkozy followed a few days later with an announcement that French troops would be reduced “in a proportional manner and in a calendar comparable to the withdrawal of American reinforcements.” Now, the tables have turned. With last week’s announcement, it was France that reset the transition calendar, arguing that progress in the transition allowed for the withdrawal of 1,000 French troops by the end of 2012. Although many U.S., Afghan, and NATO observers were initially critical, the Obama administration announced only a few days later that the United States also planned to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by mid-2013 and shift primarily to advising Afghan forces. READ MORE

New German military role stresses partnership

The US is hardly eager to bear the brunt of foreign military deployments these days. On a recent US visit, German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere explained how German forces are adapting to the situation. READ MORE

NATO Military Delegation discusses cooperation with Chinese Authorities in Beijing

LtGen Bornemann and his delegation met with MGen Qian Lihua, the Chief of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defence (FAO MND), and Gen Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. READ MORE

Iran denies reports on EU oil export cuts

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Iran's Oil Ministry has refuted media reports on the country stopping its crude exports to six EU nations on Wednesday. READ MORE

February 20th

Lithuanian and Polish leaders agree to personally look after joint energy projects

Presidents of Lithuania and Poland Dalia Grybauskaitė and Bronislaw Komorowski agreed in Vilnius on Thursday to personally take care of joint energy projects. READ MORE

European press review: Wulff and public morality

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Opinions are divided on what Christian Wulff's resignation represents. Commentators variously point to Germany's hubris in the debt crisis, Wulff's long-standing image problems and a press with too much power. READ MORE

Commission deplores Serb's Northern Kosovo referendum

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A referendum organised in the Serbia-populated northern part of Kosovo on whether to recognise the government of the Albanian majority received a frosty reception from the European Commission today (14 February). READ MORE

Cameron meets Sarkozy to sign France-Britain nuclear deal

Britain and France are to sign a civil nuclear energy deal on Friday, as UK Prime Minister David Cameron meets President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. The British government claims the deal will create thousands of jobs. READ MORE

February 17th

Getting to know you: Obama welcomes China heir apparent and pledges cooperation will continue

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For Xi, the itinerary was carefully negotiated to convey high-level significance and minimize the chance of making news or, worse, any gaffe. READ MORE