"EU to consider Beijing Olympics boycott
EU to consider Beijing Olympics boycott
The president of the European Parliament has said that European countries should consider a boycott of the Olympics in Beijing if the Chinese government continues to take a hardline attitude to unrest in TibetDutch protest against Islam film
About 1,000 people march in Amsterdam against the planned release of a film critical of Islam.
Demonstrators hold banners during a protest against Dutch politician and anti-Islam filmmaker Geert Wilders on Dam square in Amsterdam, March 22, 2008. REUTERS/Ade Johnson
Erkan's note: The film is probably offensive, but so what? Muslims should be more pro-active instead of reacting every act of anti-Islam. Islamophobia will be there to survive. No need to take these acts too seriously.... But of course, the protest above has a different angle...
Europe dominates election agenda in Strasbourg
The municipal elections in Alsace are neither local nor national. The debate is entirely European as both candidates outline their vision for a town propelled as capital of the old continentEaster in Europe: all about the egg
Everywhere you look, display windows, promotional offers, Easter markets and cards are covered with bright, beautifully decorated Easter eggsThe Commission’s delegations in 3rd countries
The European Commission’s delegations in third countries must be able to function as consular offices to offer basic services to the citizens of the EU....
European Presidency, European President
One of the key obstacles to building an effective European foreign and security policy is the lack of definitive leadership in the EU. So, when a member state takes the presidency of the EU via the rotation system, draw in that country’s head of government for a six-month leadership term - based in Brussels.
Not an island
Europe can play a major role in averting conflict in the Middle East, says Joschka Fischer. But does it have the instruments and institutions to do so? Given the urgency of the situation, can Europeans afford the luxury of being against Europe?Financial crisis and European ignorance
The global financial system is in deep crisis as recession dawns upon the US. Heiner Flassbeck, chief economist of UNCTAD, analyzes the dangers for Europe -- and the ignorance of European economists and politicians.A New Kind of Election
The EU suffers badly from ‘three Ds’ - the democratic deficit, and disinterest. Institutions such as the European Parliament are dull and opaque; I’m a fairly well-informed and articulate citizen but I can’t name who represents me in Brussels/Strasbourg. That’s shameful, but I’m not alone....
A Common Educational Grading System
Among the four rights of EU citizens are the rights to work and study anywhere in the EU. There is the ‘Bologna process’, designed to help streamline the educational systems of the member states, but one essential aspect is missing - a universal grading method.
An Eco CAP for the 21st Century
The Common Agricultural Policy is still a necessity to ensure general food security and rural livelihoods, but its current structure is still badly outdated and it chews up far too much of the EU budget.
France Changes its Nuclear Policy; Not Very Much
Nicolas Sarkozy was in Cherbourg to name the latest French SSBN, the appropriately named Le Terrible, this week; and he had a few things to say about the circumstances under which she might be called on to fire her M51 SLBMs. The headline grabber, which everyone picked up on, was that France is going to reduce the number of operational nuclear weapons it declares to the world; specifically, the airborne component of the French deterrent is being cut by one-third in terms of warheads.
Where Europe Draws the Line
Mikheil Saakashvili kicked off the second wave of freedom movements in formerly Communist Europe in 2003 when he strode into the Georgian Parliament, rose in hand. Now he's president, and his country and his revolution are in danger of being stranded between a weakening West and a surging Russia. Last week he came to Washington in the somewhat desperate hope that President Bush would spend some of his last diplomatic capital to defend the two European democracies born on his watch.Guardian.uk: Christianity - Easter: Pope Baptizes Prominent Italian Muslim
5 Years After the Transatlantic Controversy over Iraq
Dialog International scans the German press coverage regarding the Iraq war anniversary and translates a Sueddeutsche Zeitung interview with Gunter Pleuger, Germany's ambassador to the United Nations during the run-up to the war. Pleuger speaks about his impressions of Colin Powell's presentation at the UN Security Council:
Polish-American Relations Regarding Iraq, Iran, Russia and NATO
At my day job at Atlantic Community, we have published quite a few interesting articles on US-Polish issues. Polish perspectives are under-reported in the German and American mass media, but they are important because Poland is one of Europe's bigger countries, is considered very Pro-American and was seen as the primary "New Europe" country, a term that is less frequently used these days, but is still controversial.
A joint response to the credit crunch
by Katinka BaryschAiling banks are being rescued, markets remain frozen, economic numbers are becoming gloomier. Of course, central banks and governments are focusing on fire-fighting, on cutting interest rates, on providing cash to liquidity-starved banks and to consumers. But slowly they are turning their thoughts to what comes next. How do we make sure that similar crises do not happen again?
Dmitry Medvedev – Putin clone or the new man?
by Bobo LoAs Dmitry Medvedev walked across Red Square to join the concert celebrating his crushing victory in the Russian presidential elections, he could have been forgiven for wondering whether he had reached the pinnacle of achievement or been handed a poisoned chalice. For someone who had just garnered more than 70 per cent of the popular vote, he looked remarkably ill at ease.
The Czechs in the EU: In the middle of the class
by Charles GrantOn a recent visit to Prague, people kept asking me how the Czech Republic was doing as EU member-state, and whether it was a successful member. With the Czechs preparing to take over the rotating presidency of the EU next January, a lot of people outside the Czech Republic will start to ask that question, too.
