How Turkey wants to reshape NATO
Turkey joined NATO at the beginning of the Cold War for U.S. protection in case of Soviet attack. At that time Turkey was clearly on the frontline, but today all that lies in the past and Turkey is pursuing its own assertive and independent foreign and security policy. Ankara’s new-found confidence naturally has consequences vis-à-vis NATO, for this growing assertiveness is testing the alliance’s cohesion, as is illustrated by a number of lingering issues and high-profile disputes. READ MORE
Limited Priority of the European Union Partnership
The “Eastern Partnership” Summit to be held in September 29th-30th in Warsaw should significantly revive this project due to the increase of financing and specification of programs. In particular, they express hopes for successful finalization of talks on the agreement on Association of Ukraine and the EU. In practice this should mean the announcement about finalization of talks on the Association of Ukraine and the EU, as well as sounding new offers for the projects’ participating states: Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. These offers should cover significant increase in project financing or concentration of funds for specific programs. An important issue within the frameworks of “Eastern Partnership” should be the relaxation of visa regime of the EU with the member-states of the project. READ MORE
The balance of threats
The proposed placement of U.S. missile defense base in Europe has been a thorn in the reset of relations. From the Russia point of view, there has been a distinct lack of progress in achieving agreement on missile defense plans, between Russia on one hand and United States and NATO on the other. The last round of negotiations in Brussels raised questions about the prospects for achieving a mutually acceptable agreement on this pressing topic. READ MORE
Why the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is Important
When the SCO emerged at the turn of the century, Western observers worried that its key founders, Russia and China, plotted an anti-NATO bloc. It turns out, however, that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s primary objective is to keep the status-quo in Eurasia. READ MORE
Bulat Sultanov: "We Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Neighbors, but Respect Them"
An interview with the Director of Kazakhstani Institute for Strategic Studies, PhD in history science, professor Bulat Sultanov. Our interlocutor shares with his view on Chinese threat, the secret of stability in Kazakhstan and further prospects for development of the relations between the People’s Republic of China and Kazakhstan. READ MORE
US, EU debt crisis escalates in the face of political gridlock
Long after the bailouts of Wall Street and Greece, the US and EU face an escalating debt crisis. Political gridlock on both sides of the Atlantic prevents the implementation of controversial but necessary solutions. READ MORE
Sarkozy and Merkel meet to discuss Eurozone debt crisis
The markets are watching anxiously ahead of a meeting on Tuesday in Paris between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to discuss ways to try to resolve the eurozone debt crisis. READ MORE
Europe without Turkey
Most European citizens (for example, more than 60% in France and Germany) believe that Turkey should not become part of the European Union. There are various reasons for this opposition – some valid, some based on prejudice: Turkey is too big; Turkish migrant workers might swamp other members; Turkey has a shaky human rights record; Turkey oppresses the Kurds; Turkey hasn’t solved its problems with Greece over Cyprus. READ MORE
Expert: Unconventional gas has “huge” potential
Shale gas and unconventional gas have a huge future potential when compared with conventional gas supplies. But their lack of social acceptance, and the technological adjustments and regulatory framework required to develop them remain a challenge in Europe, Pawel Konzal, associate director for Energy Industries of the World Economic Forum (WEF), told in an exclusive interview. READ MORE
Poland: Attempts to Entrench Itself in the Top League of the EU
Starlight half year of Poland started yesterday with its Chairmanship in the European Union. At least this is how Warsaw perceives the following six months, although they are perfectly aware of that after the coming into power of the Lisbon Treaty the Chairmanship of any EU state has devaluated more than Polish Zloty towards USD during world financial crisis. READ MORE
