Russia gives way to China in BRICS and SCO
This month saw a super summit of two organisations that are significant for both Russia and China. The 7th BRICS summit and 15th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, both held in Ufa, Russia, included the typical member-state declarations confirming cooperation on major issues such as counter-terrorism, ensuring stability and enhancing...
Moscow Rejects Dutch Findings and the Malaysian Proposal of an MH17 Crash Tribunal
On July 17, 2014, Malaysian passenger jet Flight MH17 was shot out of the sky over the territory of Ukrainian Donbas controlled by Moscow-backed separatists, killing all 298 people on board (most of them—Dutch citizens). The Ukrainian authorities have accused the separatist rebels of shooting down MH17 with a surface-to-air BUK M1 missile (known...
The Next UN Secretary General: An Experienced Woman to Foster Global Food Security
Filed in Blog Topics: United Nations While conflicts in countries like Syria and Ukraine dominate the daily news cycle, and longer-term concerns about climate change and energy security are frequently aired, the problem of hunger and the emergence of new threats to world food supplies receive far less attention than they merit. Without sustained...
Ukraine Bank Deputy Dmytro Solohub: Economic recovery ‘difficult, but still possible’
Dmytro Solohub admits that the Ukrainian economy is “very fragile” and faces “lots of security risks”— but says he’s doing everything he can to stabilize Ukraine’s currency, control galloping inflation, and return his country to prosperity as quickly as possible.Solohub, 37, took over in mid-March as Deputy...
Ukraine Rebel Leader Sued in U.S. Over MH17 Attack, Baku Trial Set for Activist Couple
Plus, Kyrgyzstan protests the State Department’s rights award to a jailed activist and Armenia mulls a sex-specific abortion ban. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Chief Monitor to lead tributes to MH 17
KYIV, 16 July – OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Chief Monitor Ertugrul Apakan will lead tomorrow a minute of silence in honour of the victims of flight MH17, downed over Ukraine one year ago. “Tomorrow we commemorate one year since flight MH17 was downed in eastern Ukraine. This tragedy ended the lives of 298 people in the most horrific manner,...
High Commissioner on National Minorities welcomes agreement in Skopje and highlights the situation in Crimea in her statement to the OSCE Permanent Council
Report by the High Commissioner on National Minorities, Ms. Astrid Thors In her statement to the Permanent Council on 16 July, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors provided information on her institution’s activities since November 2014 highlighting the political developments in Skopje and the situation on the...
Europe yesterday, Beijing today: Russia’s bad romance
Looking at the global chessboard, one can’t help but be puzzled. Only yesterday, Russia was dating Europe; today, the Kremlin is trying to persuade the world (and itself?) that it has fallen in love with Beijing. Witness Russia’s hosting last week of the dual summit of the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—a clear signal...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 14 July
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 14 July The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of Measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.” Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed that the number ceasefire...
OSCE/ODIHR workshop in Armenia stresses the need to conduct proper consultation in policy and lawmaking processes
OSCE/ODIHR workshop in Armenia highlights the importance of transparent policy-making and legislative planning OSCE/ODIHR workshop in Armenia stresses the need to conduct proper impact assessment in policy and law making processes Transparency and public participation in the law-making process was the focus of a …read more Source:...
