BRITAIN, EUROPE, RUSSIA and CENTRAL ASIA ARCHIVE :

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Washington Post, 28 May 09, by Philip P. Pan
After Initial Mild Reaction, Kremlin May Consider Tougher Stance on Tests
'For years, Russia has appeared to take a back seat in international efforts to persuade North Korea to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons. It urged diplomacy and resisted tougher sanctions, but usually let China take the lead in relations with Pyongyang.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 May 09, by Fred Weir
Can Moscow stop North Korea's nuclear march?
'After North Korea's nuclear bomb test on Monday, US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly noted hopefully that Pyongyang's actions had drawn "very strong statements" of condemnation from its traditional friends China and Russia.'

New York Times, 27 May 09, by Judy Dempsey
Balancing Freedom and the Role of the State in Germany
'... as Germany prepares for national elections in September, Mrs. Merkel has dropped the language of freedom entirely. Instead, she talks about solidarity, justice and security. It is as if freedom had become a pejorative term, especially in the context of the global financial crisis.'

Washington Post, 26 May 09, by Philip P. Pan
Discontent Rises Sharply Among Russian Troops
'Low morale over pay and housing has afflicted the Russian military since the fall of the Soviet Union, but grumbling in the ranks is rising sharply as President Dmitry Medvedev attempts to carry out the most ambitious restructuring of the nation's armed forces since World War II in the face of a severe economic downturn.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 May 09, by Howard LaFranchi
Russia plays up its international role – especially in Mideast peace
'It chaired a special meeting Monday of the Security Council that endorsed the idea of holding a Middle East peace conference in Moscow this year.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 May 09, by Fred Weir
Seeing Red: Georgia blames Russia for 'mutiny'
'Russia, furious over NATO war games set to begin Wednesday in Georgia, says recent turmoil is evidence of Saakashvili's instability. Armenia withdraws from war games.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 May 09, by Huma Yusuf
Georgia accuses Russia of backing attempted coup
'Officials in Tbilisi say a revolt at an Army base was part of an attempt to disrupt the government and had support from Russia.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Apr 09, by Ben Quinn
Gurkha veterans wage tough new fight to settle in Britain
'Some 35,000 members of the legendary brigade have been denied the right to retire in the country they served.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr 09, by Fred Weir
Despite forecasts, cold front lingers over US-Russia relations
'The two nuclear powers continue to bicker over NATO war games, nuclear weapons, and fighter jets in Kyrgyzstan.'

BBC News, 16 Apr 09
Russia 'ends Chechnya operation'
'Russia has ended its decade-long "counter-terrorism operation" against separatist rebels in the southern republic of Chechnya, officials say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 09, by Ben Quinn
Battling Somali pirates: Maritime businesses weigh in
'In London, the business capital of the world's maritime industry, firms shape decisions on arming ships and negotiating with pirates.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 09, by Jeffrey White
German lawyers launch pirate defense team
'With a new high seas run-in with pirates happening almost daily off the eastern coast of Somalia, much of the world's attention is turning to how best to capture and bring these marauders to justice.'

New York Times, 06 Apr 09, by John C. Freed
Western Nations Are Cool to Cold War Adversaries, Poll Finds
'As NATO celebrates its 60th anniversary, people in its largest member nations still hold enmity toward the leaders of their adversaries from the Cold War, a new poll shows.'

Stratfor, 08 Apr 09
A Possible Revolution Simmering in Georgia
'Russia has a vested interest in breaking the Georgian government. Russia and the West have been locked in a struggle over the small Caucasus state. That struggle led to the August 2008 Russo-Georgian war, after which Moscow felt secure in its control over Georgia.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 09, by Helene Cooper
Promises of ‘Fresh Start' for U.S.-Russia Relations
'President Obama and President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia, in their first meeting, vowed a "fresh start" in relations and announced their intention to cooperate on a variety of issues, beginning with negotiations on a new arms control treaty.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Mar 09, by Andrés Cala
Europe and the US attempt to mend fences, but deep rifts remain
'Ahead of the G-20 summit, Spain decides to withdraw troops from Kosovo and investigate Bush officials for torture.'

Washington Post, 02 Apr 09, by Michael D. Shear and Debbi Wilgoren
Obama Discusses N. Korean Missile at G-20
'Ahead of economic talks, Obama meets with South Korean president to discuss security on peninsula.'

Washington Post, 01 Apr 09, by Michael D. Shear and Mary Jordan
Broad U.S.-Russia Agreement in Works
'Two Leaders to Unveil Set of Principles'

Stratfor, 02 Apr 09
Red Alert: Redefining the Global System
'From Europe to Turkey, world leaders are coming together this week for a slew of global summits. There is much for these world leaders to discuss: the global financial infrastructure is now up for debate, the jihadist war continues to rage in South Asia, the Russians are locked into intractable negotiations with the Americans over the boundaries of the former Soviet sphere of influence, and the Turks are returning to their great power past.'

Asia Times, 25 Mar 09, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Europe out of step with US over Iran
'United States President Barack Obama has offered a "new beginning" in relations with Iran through honest engagement and mutual respect. Such overtures are at odds with the European Union's incoherent Tehran strategy, highlighted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's recent threat-filled speech.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Mar 09, by Victoria Burnett
Spain's retreat from Kosovo raises eyebrows
'Spain's unexpected announcement last week that it would withdraw its troops from Kosovo has raised questions about Spain's reliability as a NATO ally, diplomats and foreign policy experts say.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Mar 09, by Clifford J. Levy
Medvedev announces plan to rearm Russia
'President Dmitri A. Medvedev said Tuesday that Russia would begin a "large-scale rearming" in 2011 in response to what he described as threats to the country's security.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar 09, by Fred Weir
Russia plans massive military investment
'President Medvedev wants more planes, tanks, missiles, and warships. His defense minister argues that Washington wants to drive Russia into a strategic corner.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 09, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. and NATO allies facing hard questions
'The Obama administration is threatening to sideline NATO in Afghanistan, the alliance's most important theater of operations. ... If the Europeans do not match this new commitment — and there is no sign that they will — the U.S. military will quietly push NATO out of decision-making there.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Mar 09, by Steven Erlanger
Military ambitions of E.U. bolstered by Chad success
'Although they have done little fighting, the Europeans have been an important deterrent. But the situation remains deeply uncertain, given the anarchy of Chad, the unbroken war in Darfur and the international arrest warrant issued for Mr. Bashir this month.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 18 Mar 09
U.K. to release secret rules on overseas detainees
'Britain will release its secret rules governing the treatment of overseas detainees, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday in an attempt to bolster public faith after a string of accusations that the British authorities had colluded in torture.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Mar 09, by Stephen Castle
E.U. continues to reach out to Belarus
'... Belarus, sometimes described as the last dictatorship in Europe, has tested the E.U.'s ability to extend its "soft power" into Moscow's backyard.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Mar 09, by William Glaberson and Steven Erlanger
Europe hedges on Guantánamo detainees
'European countries that have offered to help the Obama administration close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, by resettling detainees have begun raising questions about the security risks and requirements if they accept prisoners ... The concerns, and a deep suspicion of whether the American intelligence community will share full information on the prisoners, are likely to complicate the resettlement effort, which is critical to President Barack Obama's fulfilling his pledge to close Guantánamo within a year.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar 09, by Jason Walsh
Another Northern Ireland shooting: A return to the 'Troubles?'
'Irish politicians from all sides reject any backsliding toward violence.'

Washington Post, 12 Mar 09, by Edward Cody
After 43 Years, France to Rejoin NATO as Full Member
'... President Nicolas Sarkozy announced Wednesday, France has decided to return as a full-fledged member of the 26-nation military pact, the North Atlantic Alliance, which came together under U.S. leadership at the start of the Cold War in 1949 and has served as the basis for U.S.-European security relations since.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 05 Mar 09, by David Brunnstrom and Ingrid Melander
NATO seen backing Russia ties
'NATO was set on Thursday to back a resumption of formal ties with Russia as Washington and its allies seek a broad front in their battle against Afghan militants and other threats.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Mar 09, by Judy Dempsey
U.S.-Russia missile deal could be a setback for Czechs
'President Barack Obama's offer to Russia to halt the deployment of the U.S missile defense system in Eastern Europe in return for Russian help to prevent Iran from developing long-range weapons could be a serious setback for the Czech Republic's strategic interests, analysts said Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Mar 09, by Ellen Barry and Peter Baker
Medvedev denies any deal on shield for help on Iran
'President Dmitri Medvedev said Tuesday that Russia was "working very closely with our U.S. colleagues on the issue of Iran's nuclear program," but dismissed the notion of a deal in which the United States would shelve its planned missile defense system in exchange for Russian help in Iran.'

Washington Post, 26 Feb 09, by Sarah Schafer
Kyrgyz Parliament Approves Plan to Close U.S. Air Base
'President signs bill; Gates says talks continue on key transit point.'

BBC News, 19 Feb 09, by Paul Reynolds
US Kyrgyz base is pressure point
'The closure of the Manas US airbase in Kyrgyzstan would be a severe blow to the conduct of the war in Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Feb 09, by Fred Weir
Moscow again eyes Afghanistan 20 years after retreat
'Fearful that US failure there could unleash the Taliban and other Islamist insurgencies, Russia may help NATO open a supply line through former Soviet territory.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Feb 09, by Nick Cumming-Bruce
Russia and Georgia agree on security measures for Abhkazia and South Ossetia
'The measures, aimed at preventing or resolving security incidents in the breakaway regions, are due to come into operation in the next few days.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Feb 09, by Judy Dempsey
Letter from Europe: French defense hopes lie in rejoining NATO
'By deciding that France will finally play a full role in NATO, President Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to end decades of suspicion that have hampered NATO and paralyzed European defense efforts.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Feb 09, by John F. Burns
British and French nuclear submarines collided in Atlantic
'Two nuclear submarines, one French and the other British, collided in mid-Atlantic earlier this month, reports in the British and French news media said on Monday, quoting sources in the two defense ministries.'

BBC News, 19 Feb 09, by Jonathan Amos
Danton wreck found in deep water
'A French battleship sunk in 1917 by a German submarine has been discovered in remarkable condition on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 11 Feb 09, by
Russia open to better relations with NATO
'Russia is open to the possibility of letting the United States and NATO ship weaponry across its territory to Afghanistan if the broader relationship between Moscow and the West improves, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Feb 09, by Elisabeth Bumiller and Ellen Barry
Dispute mounts over key U.S. base in Kyrgyzstan
'The U.S. is scrambling to come up with an alternative to a crucial air base in Kyrgyzstan that is used to supply the growing military operation in Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Feb 09, by C. Collins
With attacks on Afghan supply lines in Pakistan, US turns to Uzbekistan
'US rebuilds ties with Central Asian nation to secure new military supply routes.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Feb 09, by Fred Weir
Kyrgyzstan: Does it really want to close US base?
'A US spokesman suggested Bakiyev’s gambit is aimed at wresting more cash from Washington, since rent for Manas has been poverty-stricken Kyrgyzstan’s biggest single source of revenue.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Feb 09, by Judy Dempsey
Envoys urge Obama to talk directly with Iran
'Meeting in Germany on Wednesday, diplomats from the world's major powers welcomed an offer by President Barack Obama to hold direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program and said they were committed to a diplomatic solution.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 04 Feb 09
7 ex-Soviet nations to form rapid reaction force
'President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia, Armenia, Belarus and four Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — had reached the agreement to form a new security force during a summit of the Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization on Wednesday. The force would add a military dimension to the Moscow-dominated alliance, which so far has served mostly as a forum for consultations.'

BBC News, 28 Jan 09
Russia 'halts missile deployment'
'Russia's military has announced it will halt its plans to deploy short-range missiles in its Baltic enclave Kaliningrad, Interfax news agency says. A Russian military official said a change in US attitude had prompted the latest decision, Interfax reports.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Jan 09, by John Vinocur
A return to NATO: Can Obama help Sarkozy?
'For a deal that's supposed to be a cinch, France's return to NATO's integrated military command - and its symbolic goodbye to a tired role as reflex antagonist to the United States - has a particularity: ... Nicolas Sarkozy still has not made a final decision to set it in motion.'

Washington Post, 27 Jan 09, by Craig Whitlock
E.U. Willing to Help U.S. on Guantanamo
'European diplomats said Monday that they are willing to help the Obama administration empty the prison at Guantanamo Bay, but stopped short of making specific promises to give inmates new homes in Europe.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Jan 09, by Stephen Castle
Guantánamo's closing catches EU off-guard
'In the first test of trans-Atlantic cooperation with the new American administration, a divided European Union said Monday that it wanted to help the United States close the Guantánamo Bay prison camp but made no further promises to take inmates.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Jan 09, by Judy Dempsey and Stephen Castle
EU hopes to become bigger player in the Middle East
'If the cease-fire holds, the European Union will - as usual - supply humanitarian aid and probably expand its monitoring mission. Individual European nations may help patrol coastlines to ensure that weapons are not smuggled to Gaza by sea. But there is no question of an EU military peacekeeping mission and, because it has no formal contacts with Hamas, Europe will find it hard to help reconstruction work in Gaza unless there are political changes there.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Jan 09, by Andrew E. Kramer
Russia gas dispute runs deeper than pipes, experts say
'Political experts say that neither side is motivated to settle the dispute, because it has never been about the stated issues. Instead, it has been a proxy for far more fundamental and insoluble matters, particularly Ukraine's 2004 turn to the West in the "Orange Revolution," which deeply shook Russia's nationalists.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Jan 09, by Ellen Barry
In times of crisis, U.S. and Russia at a crossroad
'There appear to be two potential paths for Russian-American ties. The first scenario is one of cooperation in times of a global financial collapse. ... In this scenario, with economic pressures being felt at home, both sides would pare back their foreign ambitions. Washington would slow its timetable on NATO expansion and missile defense, while Russia would defer the dream of recapturing the "privileged sphere of influence" that the Soviet Union had enjoyed.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Jan 09, by Robert Marquand
Israel finds more sympathy in Europe
'Concerns about Islamist threat have influenced traditionally pro-Arab Europe's view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Jan 09, by Judy Dempsey
EU hampered by divisions in its Mideast policy
'The Europeans have long argued that they understand the region far better than the United States because of their history and geography. But Middle East experts are not convinced.'

2008 Britain, Europe, Russia and Central Asia archive
2007 Europe archive