Another human-rights irony at the U.N.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad campaigned in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Behind the scenes, his flunkies twisted arms and offered favors. For weeks, feelers were sent out to all kinds of unlikely allies. What was the diplomatic prize at stake? Nothing less than a seat on the United Nations council on human rights. READ MORE
NATO and Russia edge warily toward a joint missile defense shield
NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen has appealed for a joint missile defense shield with Russia to cover Europe and offer protection from a possible terror attack. But analysts are still cautious about its prospects. READ MORE
Clear Skies For NATO Meeting, Though Trouble Brews Over Russia, Afghanistan
NATO foreign ministers are breathing a collective sigh of relief as skies in Europe clear from volcanic ash and their April 22-23 meeting in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, can now officially go ahead. READ MORE
Georgian President On U.S. Aid, Nuclear Summit
Mikhail Saakashvili, the president of the former Soviet republic of Georgia, is in Washington this week for the Nuclear Security Summit. After Georgia's 2008 war with Russia, the U.S. pledged a billion dollars in humanitarian aid to Georgia, which has sent troops both to Afghanistan and Iraq. Robert Siegel talks to Saakashvili about the nuclear summit, and about U.S. aid to his country. READ MORE
Is A U.S. Strategy For Central Asia Emerging?
The U.S. has started to formulate and implement more comprehensive policies for Central Asia. The deepening involvement in the war in Afghanistan is the principal, but not sole cause for this policy initiative. Russia’s attempts to impose its hegemony upon Central Asia and oblige the U.S. to recognize it have triggered a reaction in Washington. Likewise, China’s completion of the pipeline to Turkmenistan and major investment projects in Central Asia forced the U.S. to devise new ways to enhance its energy and economic profile there as well. As a result, in early 2010, we now see the elements of a new and stronger policy initiative towards Central Asia. READ MORE
President Medvedev Rocks at Brookings
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev spoke to a capacity crowd at Brookings on April 13, addressing U.S.-Russian relations and Moscow’s perspective on a host of international questions. The style of his presentation was as interesting as the points he made. READ MORE
Obama's nuclear summit: A minor success
The international nuclear community seems to need something like a miracle to get serious about developing new standards to ensure compliance with international nuclear obligations. Further proof of this fact was provided by Barack Obama's Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington on April 12-13. READ MORE
Nursultan Nazarbayev highly assessed the results of the talks in the USA
The President’s visit was a success in two directions. First of all, a new page in the history of Kazakh-US partnership was opened and the sides achieved progress in terms of global non-proliferation process where Kazakhstan is an active participant. Today the front pages of all American newspapers published articles about the first global summit on nuclear safety. Much attention has been paid to Kazakhstan. Our republic is an example because of renunciation of nuclear weapons and the closure of the Semipalatinsk test site. American society h supports new initiative of Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed at great talks. READ MORE
Saakashvili meets Biden
President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili met US Vice President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington on April 14. According to information released by the Press Service of the White House and the US Embassy in Tbilisi the two sides discussed the deep friendly relations between the two nations, which are based on the principles of democracy, freedom and human rights. READ MORE
Holbrooke’s Visit Highlights US-Uzbek Regional Dilemmas and Opportunities
Richard Holbrooke, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, visited Uzbekistan on February 19 as part of a series of meetings across the Central Asian capitals to boost regional support for the military campaign in Afghanistan, as well as cultivating closer collaboration with Uzbekistan. Uzbek President, Islam Karimov, and Holbrooke discussed a range of issues, emphasizing the importance of bilateral efforts aimed at bringing stability to Afghanistan. READ MORE
