Ukraine’s China Problem
China is popularly viewed as the winner in Russia’s clash with the West over Ukraine: For starters, the dispute has diverted the United States’ political energy and resources away from its Asia-Pacific pivot and handed China leverage over Russia on energy and economic issues. But this conflict does not leave Beijing unscathed,...
Can Ash Carter save the Pentagon?
President Obama has nominated Ash Carter to be his new secretary of defense. Carter would be a good pick in any administration. His bio gives an indication of his experience and talents (I’m probably just brainwashed to believe that anyone who double-majors summa cum laude in medieval history and physics, then follows it up with a doctorate...
The new government will have two months to show its willingness to implement reforms
In a comment to the newspaper Vysokyi Zamok, Economic Research Consultant of the Razumkov Centre Volodymyr Sidenko assessed the activities of the previous Arseniy Yatseniuk s government and spoke about the prospects for the implementation of reforms after the parliamentary election and formation of the new government. As to the government’s...
Merkel Condemns Kremlin’s Actions, Rights Groups Decry Jailing of Azerbaijani Journalist
Plus, a cross honoring Serbs in Sarajevo is toppled, and a Czech telecom firm pulls an ad that poked at Poles. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Time to End the EU-NATO Standoff
Despite the serious implications of the Ukraine crisis, Cyprus and Turkey have imposed persistent obstacles to EU-NATO cooperation. It is time to break the deadlock. …read more Source: Carnegie Endowment for International...
OSCE proves its value and ability as a forum for dialogue, says OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Burkhalter as Basel Ministerial Council ends
BASEL, Switzerland, 5 December 2014 – The OSCE proved its value and ability as a forum for dialogue while its key principles were defended, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter as the 21st Ministerial Council concluded in Basel today. Burkhalter welcomed decisions on Germany and Austria assuming the OSCE...
Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 18:00hrs (Kyiv time), 4 December 2014
This update is provided for the media and the public The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). Shelling in the northern outskirts of Donetsk intensified over the last 48hrs. The SMM observed that shelling in the...
OSCE Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues marks 20 years since its creation
WARSAW, 5 December 2014 – Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Budapest Summit, when the OSCE participating States signalled their commitment to improving the situation of Roma and Sinti in the OSCE region by creating a Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues (CPRSI). Since then, the CPRSI has been instrumental in addressing the historic...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 3 December 2014.
This update is provided for the media and the public SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). In particular, it was informed that talks were held in Donetsk between Russian and Ukrainian military officers attached to...
OSCE PA human rights chair speaks to released Kazakhstani activist
BASEL, 5 December 2014 – The chair of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), spoke on 4 December via telephone with Kazakhstani labor activist Roza Tuletayeva, who was released from prison on 19 November. The two talked about Tuletayeva’s current situation, the terms of her release and her...
