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NATO and World Security

By Zbigniew Brzezinski

In the course of its 60 years, NATO has institutionalized three monumental transformations in world affairs: first, the end of the centuries-long “civil war” within the West for trans-oceanic and European supremacy; second, the United States’s post–World War II commitment to the defense of Europe against Soviet domination; and third, the peaceful termination of the Cold War, which created the preconditions for a larger democratic European Union. READ MORE

Can Belarusians Expect Fair Play on the Issue of Visas?

By Yekaterina Glod

The thesis that the EU is perceived by citizens of Eastern Europe in the light of its visa policy towards them is hardly a new one. Indeed, for most applicants, a meeting with a consular officer constitutes their first opportunity to come face to face with those representing the EU. In this regard, the way in which this process is carried out can either contribute to a positive image of the European Union in the eyes of the outside world, or on the contrary it can significantly diminish the reputation of EU Member States, particularly when the visa application process could become, as stated by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, a “bureaucratic and costly nightmare.” READ MORE

Georgia quits ex-Soviet “commonwealth”

One year after its short war with Russia, Georgia on Tuesday (18 August) became the first country to withdraw from the grouping of former Soviet republics, in a sign of rebellion met with disdain from Moscow. READ MORE

Sergei Martynov: Belarus Became Party To The Eastern Partnership Arrangement And We Work Together With Our European Colleagues

Transcript of the Press Conference by Belarus Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov following the meeting of the EU Troika and Belarus, 28 July 2009 (Brussels) READ MORE

Stefan Eriksson: “I think Belarusian side knows our expectations well”

By Viktor Pavlov

Sweden replaced Czech Republic in its position of a head country of European Union. On this subject the ambassador of Sweden in Belarus Stefan Eriksson answered the questions. READ MORE

European Vector of Higher Priority

Russia should care of itself to become attractive for CIS countries. In the end of last week western Mass Media informed that the European Union suspends the “Eastern Partnership” program till December. This message referred to the comments of Fredrik Reinfeldt the Prime Minister of Sweden, the country currenlty chairing the EU. The Prime Minister explained this move with “new arising challenges”, meanwhile six former Soviet states lay their greatest integration hopes on this program. READ MORE

Palestine to Punjab, Bosnia to Baku: A Tour of Security Challenges Facing Europe and America with Carl Bildt

By Thomas Carothers

Sweden’s top priorities for its European Union presidency include signing a global climate agreement at Copenhagen, managing the political ramifications of the once-in-a-generation economic crisis, and building the infrastructure needed to reflect the EU’s growing global clout. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt outlined the EU’s plans to tackle urgent foreign policy challenges in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran while simultaneously ushering in an era of deeper European integration with the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. READ MORE

Lithuania Presented The Goals Of Its Presidency Of The Council Of The Baltic Sea States

In Elsinore (Denmark) at the 15th Ministerial Session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas presented priorities of Lithuania’s Presidency of this organisation. READ MORE

The Search For Independence From Russian Monopoly

By Ruslan Timashenka

Lately, the relations between Minsk and Kiev have intensified evidently. It is considered that they are stimulated by the EU program “Eastern Partnership” launched on May 7th and in the end of the project of “Union state”, marked by a scandalous statement of Russian Vice Prime-Minister and the Minister of Finance Aleksey Kudrin about oncoming collapse of Belarusian economy made on May 28th in Minsk. The following harsh and negative reaction of Aleksander Lukashenko guided Minsk to search for new various schemes with other states. And primarily with such neighbors as Ukraine and Lithuania on bilateral and multilateral grounds. READ MORE