2007 BRITAIN, EUROPE & RUSSIA ARCHIVE :

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International Herald Tribune/AP, 26 Dec 07
Serbia considers retaliatory steps against West if Kosovo breaks free
'Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica condemned the United States on Wednesday for supporting the independence of Kosovo as Parliament debated a measure that would sever diplomatic ties with Western countries that recognized the province's statehood.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Dec 07, by Judy Dempsey
Russia and Poland to hold discussions on proposed U.S. missile shield
'Signaling a thaw in relations which had deteriorated under the previous Polish government, Russia and Poland said Tuesday they would hold consultations over U.S. plans to deployment elements of a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec 07, by Robert Marquand
All eyes on Russia as U.N. Security Council takes up Kosovo
'The council takes up the issue Wednesday after 18 months of lower-level negotiations failed.'

Washington Post, 15 Dec 07, by John Ward Anderson
E.U. Pledges Assistance to Kosovo on Path Toward Independence
'European Union leaders on Friday pledged 1,800 police and administrative officials to Kosovo, part of a package of aid and diplomacy intended to facilitate a well-choreographed, quick and peaceful march to independence for the breakaway Serbian province.'

BBC News, 13 Dec 07
EU leaders sign landmark treaty
'EU leaders have signed a treaty in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, that is expected to greatly alter the way members govern themselves. The treaty creates an EU president and a vastly more powerful foreign policy chief for the Union's 27 nations.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Dec 07, by Dan Bilefsky and Stephen Castle
EU proposal lays out steps on Kosovo independence
'The looming declaration of independence is the biggest test of European foreign policy for years. In the 1990s the EU's failure to intervene in the Balkan wars, and its reliance on the United States to halt the bloodshed, was seen as a humiliating failure of European political will.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 Dec 07
Russia complains about U.S. proposals on missile shield
'The Russian foreign minister accused the United States on Wednesday of a "serious rollback" in its proposals for cooperation with Russia on missile defense in Europe, an issue that has badly strained ties between Moscow and Washington.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Dec 07, by Michael J. Jordan
An expanding EU confronts nuclear proliferation
'The capture of nuclear materials in Slovakia last week raises security questions about borderless travel.'

Washington Post, 30 Nov 07, by Peter Finn
Russia Suspends Participation in European Arms Pact
'President Vladimir signed a law Friday temporarily halting Russia's participation in a major conventional arms treaty that was designed to limit NATO and Russian military deployments in Europe.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 28 Nov 07
Experts say seizure of uranium shows a shadowy global market survives
'This week's arrests of three men who allegedly tried to sell contraband uranium for US$1 million (€680,000) underscores how a shadowy black market for nuclear components has survived despite tightened security at nuclear facilities worldwide, experts said Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Nov 07, by Brian Knowlton
Russia seeking Syrian-Israeli talks
'Russia, with at least tacit American support, hopes to host a follow-up Middle East peace conference sometime in early 2008, with a goal of establishing direct Israeli-Syrian negotiations to resolve the longstanding Golan Heights dispute.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Nov 07, by Nicholas Kulish
War crimes case weighs on Poland
'At a crucial juncture for both the newly elected government's commitment to overseas military engagements and the ongoing reform of the nation's armed forces, Poland faces its first war-crimes prosecution in memory.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Nov 07, by Judy Dempsey
A Cold War institution that's lost its bearings
'In the imperial Hofburg palace [in Vienna], a wing has long been occupied by a forum that was established during the Cold War. The Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as it was then called, was an extraordinary inspiration for dissident movements throughout Eastern Europe.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Nov 07, by John F. Burns
British Muslim leaders introduce guidelines to fight extremism
'Leaders of Britain's two million Muslims unveiled a new set of guidelines Thursday that aim to root out extremism, promote a culture of "civic responsibility" and foster women's rights in the country's mosques, Islamic centers and Muslim schools.'

BBC News, 30 Nov 07
EU and Iran in key nuclear talks
'EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is meeting Iran's top nuclear negotiator just hours before reporting to the UN on the Iranian nuclear issue.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Nov 07, by Judy Dempsey
Merkel is criticized over policy toward China and Russia
'Asserting himself as an opponent of Chancellor Angela Merkel's more critical policy stance toward Russia and China, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned over the weekend of growing diplomatic tensions between Berlin and Beijing.'

Wall Street Journal, 20 Nov 07, by Marc Champion
How Kosovo May Foster EU Unity
'... intense lobbying within the EU appears to have persuaded the handful of countries opposed to recognizing Kosovo not to block the 27-nation EU's ability to conduct a joint policy toward Kosovo over the recognition issue.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Nov 07, by Nicholas Wood
A Balkan crisis that some see as overblown
'Bosnia is facing its worst political crisis since the end of the war here 12 years ago, and its very future is in doubt. That, at least, is the conventional wisdom coursing among international officials and ethnic Serb politicians who are fighting over the way the country is governed.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Nov 07, by John F. Burns
Britain takes tougher stance on sanctions against Iran
'Britain will push for a worldwide ban on foreign investment in Iran's oil and gas industry and other financial sanctions unless two reports due this month show that the Tehran government is ready to abandon efforts to acquire nuclear weapons ...'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Nov 07, by Judy Dempsey
Merkel and Sarkozy agree on Iran strategy
'While urging Russia and China to increase the pressure on Iran, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed Monday in Berlin to pursue sanctions and diplomacy to deal with Tehran's nuclear program and stop it from producing nuclear weapons.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Nov 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
Home-grown terrorist recruitment rising, says British spy chief
'The Brown government unveils plans to curb recruitment in mosques, jails.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Nov 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. official calls Russian radar good, but not exact enough for tracking plan
'After Putin's offer this summer of access to the radar, [Major General Patrick] O'Reilly led a six-member team to the site in Azerbaijan in mid-September, the first time American military officers had been allowed inside one of Russia's most secret installations.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Nov 07, by Sarah Lyall
Extremists on the rise in U.K., spy chief says
'The chief of domestic intelligence in Britain said Monday that at least 2,000 people in Britain pose a "direct threat to national security and public safety" because of their support for terrorism, an increase of 400 within the past year.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Nov 07, by Dan Bilefsky
Kosovo leader warns that time is running out
'Eight years after Serbian forces retreated from Kosovo, this poor, predominantly Muslim territory remains legally part of Serbia and under the protection of the United Nations. A Dec. 10 deadline is looming after which Kosovo has vowed to declare its independence. Diplomacy with Belgrade is reaching a dead-end, Ceku said, and Kosovo cannot delay its declaration for much longer.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Nov 07, by Daria Vaisman and Fred Weir
Georgia verges on repeat turmoil
'The upsurge suggests that Georgia's dismal history of turbulent political change might be on the verge of repeating itself. Since the tiny mountainous republic of 5 million gained independence from the Soviet Union, it has had three leaders, each of whom came in on an intense wave of popularity only to run afoul of surging public discontent.'

Time, 15 Oct 07, by Tony Karon
The Point of Putin's Tehran Trip
'... on Tuesday, Putin becomes the first occupant of the Kremlin since Stalin to visit Tehran, a capital Washington would very much prefer to keep isolated. The Russian leader's message is plain: If the U.S. continues, as he sees it, to tread on Russia's toes, Russia has little interest in helping Washington achieve its strategic goals.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Oct 07, by Dan Bilefsky
Hurdles remain on Kosovo question
'Rival Serbs and ethnic Albanians failed Sunday to overcome the deadlock over the future status of the disputed province of Kosovo, as senior European Union diplomats warned that the chances of a breakthrough appeared increasingly slim.'

Washington Post, 13 Oct 07, by Michael Abramowitz
Putin Publicly Rebukes Rice, Gates on Foreign Policy Goals
'Two of President Bush's most senior Cabinet members pitched an unusual new missile defense partnership Friday to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but they received a firm public rebuke as the Kremlin made clear it remains deeply skeptical of the administration's foreign policy goals.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Oct 07, by Thom Shanker and Steven Lee Myers
Putin derides U.S. antimissile plans
'President Vladimir Putin of Russia sharply upbraided the visiting American secretaries of state and defense Friday as little specific progress was made during negotiations intended to resolve growing disagreements over missile defense and other security issues.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Oct 07, by Judy Dempsey
German Parliament backs Afghan mission
'Parliament voted decisively Friday to extend the deployment of German troops in Afghanistan for another year despite growing domestic opposition and a surge of violence from the Taliban and Al Qaeda.'

Los Angeles Times, 09 Oct 07, by Kim Murphy
Britain to cut its Iraq forces by half
'Prime Minister Gordon Brown announces a strategy that calls for just 2,500 troops in the country by spring. Those remaining will focus on a training role.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Oct 07, by Andrew E. Kramer
Georgia becomes an unlikely U.S. ally in Iraq
'At a time when other countries are pulling troops out, Georgia has more than doubled the level of its forces here, from 850 to 2,000 soldiers, and redeployed them from the Green Zone in the capital to a region along the Iranian border.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Oct 07, by Katrin Bennhold
France faces hard sell on Iran sanctions
'While President Nicolas Sarkozy would like to take the lead on preventing Iran from getting the nuclear bomb, some of France's neighbors and many of its own companies are skeptical of his initiative to impose tougher European sanctions outside a United Nations mandate.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by Katrin Bennhold and Judy Dempsey
France steers a course away from Russia
'French officials said [Sarkozy's] meetings in Paris with the Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, and the Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, were not deliberately scheduled ahead of the Moscow visit. But they said that Russia and a number of topics that have strained relations between Moscow and the European Union - from energy security to U.S. plans to deploy an antiballistic system in Poland and the Czech Republic - are likely to feature in the talks.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Oct 07, by Nicholas Wood
For a Balkan shipping agent, wars are opportunities
'Documents obtained by UN officials and a Belgrade research center show a pattern of companies managed by Tomislav Damjanovic flying weapons to regions under UN sanctions. Above, Damjanovic at a farewell dinner for some his staff. The Serbian government recently rescinded his airline's license to carry arms shipments.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by Stephen Castle
Dutch debate Islam critic Hirsi Ali's costly protection in U.S.
'The case has raised questions about the extent of governments' responsibilities to citizens whose lives have been threatened by extremists.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Sep 07, by C.J. Chivers
Under the Kremlin's iron hand, a republic is reborn in Chechnya
'Three years after a wave of guerrilla and terrorist attacks caused many analysts to say that Russia's war against Chechen separatists could not be won, the republic has fallen almost fully under the control of the Kremlin and its indigenous proxies, led by Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen president.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 27 Sep 07
Russia issues warning on space-based weapons
'The chief of Russia's space forces said Thursday that the nation would have to retaliate if others deployed weapons in space - a stern warning to the United States.'

BBC News, 28 Sep 07, by Kim Ghattas
Crucial talks on Kosovo's future
'The leaders of Serbia and its breakaway province of Kosovo are preparing to hold their first face-to-face talks at the United Nations in New York.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 25 Sep 07
U.K. foreign secretary emphasizes human rights over military might
'The British foreign secretary emphasized human rights over military might Tuesday, calling on the West to understand Muslims who fear the United States and urging the military rulers of Myanmar to show restraint in the face of massive street demonstrations.'

New York Times, 18 Sep 07, by Katrin Bennhold and Elaine Sciolino
After Talk of War, Cooler Words in France on Iran
'Attacked verbally by Iran and quietly criticized within his own government, [France's foreign minister, Bernard] Kouchner shifted the focus away from the threat of war and back to a call for hard negotiations as the way to force Iran to abandon key nuclear activities.'

BBC News, 18 Sep 07
Russia 'worried' by Iran war risk
'Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed fears over the threat of war in Iran after talks with his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Sep 07, by Nicholas Kulish
New terrorism case confirms that Denmark is a target
'After three terrorism cases in less than two years, including an alleged bombing plot broken up this month, intelligence officials say tiny Denmark is on the front line in the battle against Islamic terrorism in Europe.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Sep 07, by Judy Dempsey
Germany wrestles with keeping its soldiers in Afghanistan
'Germany's military presence in Afghanistan is becoming so unpopular that it could force Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government to reconsider its support for the U.S. counterterrorism operation there, legislators said Sunday.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Sep 07, by Nicholas Wood
West's stance on Kosovo could drive Serbia into new isolation
'Eight years after it was hit by NATO airstrikes, the former Yugoslav Defense Ministry still lies in ruins, a reminder of what the Serbs consider unwarranted aggression by the West in the war over the Serbian province of Kosovo.'

The Economist, 12 Sep 07
A curious change at the Kremlin
'Vladimir Putin picks the little-known Viktor Zubkov to be Russia's new prime minister'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Sep 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
British see Army bruised by Iraq
'As it exits Basra, the Army deals with disillusionment, inside and out.'

Reuters, 06 Sep 07
UK and France say Kosovo a test of EU foreign policy
'Securing agreement on the final status of Kosovo, Serbia's breakaway province, is a key test of the European Union's foreign and security policy, the foreign secretaries of Britain and France said on Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Sep 07, by Dan Bilefsky
Top EU mediator warns against partition of Kosovo
'With a stalemate over the future of Kosovo showing little sign of resolution and Pristina vowing to declare independence if no agreement is reached by Dec. 10, proposals to partition Kosovo have gained credence among some analysts and diplomats. Under such a plan, Serbia would retain the small Serb-dominated northern part of Kosovo and the remainder of the province would gain independence.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Sep 07, by Nicholas Wood
Serbia threatens to use force if West recognizes Kosovo
'Dusan Prorokovic, Serbia's state secretary for Kosovo, outlined an array of tough measures to squeeze Kosovo - including the possible deployment of Serbian forces to the province, the sealing of its borders and a trade embargo ...'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Sep 07, by Donald Greenlees
Russia arms old and new friends in Asia
'Moscow's weapons deals in Southeast Asia are part of bid to revive its regional influence.'

BBC News, 03 Sep 07
Russia 'won't bargain on Kosovo'
'Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Moscow will not give in to pressure over "red line" issues such as missile defence and Kosovo.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Sep 07, by Sabrina Tavernise and Sebnem Arsu
Will Turkey's new Muslim president clash with the military?
'... Whether the officers defy him, or try to overthrow him, as they have four elected governments since 1960, is ... one of the largest unanswered questions hanging over Turkey's politics.'

International Herald Tribune, 31 Aug 07, by C. J. Chivers
U.S. and Russia celebrate 15 years of dismantling Russia's nuclear arsenal
'... Still, in all, nearly 7,000 nuclear warheads have been deactivated, and silos, mobile launchers, submarines and strategic bombers that were once integral to their deployment and potential use have been destroyed. In addition, the effort has helped to safeguard highly enriched uranium from research reactors and nuclear power plants, and blend it down to a state of low enrichment - still useful for generating electricity, but not as material for a nuclear device.'

Washington Post, 31 Aug 07, by David E. Hoffman
Soviet Stockpiles Of Chemical Arms Closer to Demise
'... In the years after the Soviet collapse in 1991, the problem of cleaning up [Chemical Weapons Destruction Facilities] seemed urgent. Now, liquidating the weapons of the Cold War seems just as complicated as building them was in another age.'

Deutsche Welle, 31 Aug 07
Germany Bans All Arms Exports to Iran
'The German government has banned firms from importing goods to Iran that could be used for military purposes, thus reinforcing an earlier EU decision to tighten sanctions against Tehran in the ongoing nuclear row.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Matthew Brunwasser
U.S. and Romania begin 3-month joint training exercise
'A significant step toward the first long-term U.S. military presence on territory of the former Communist bloc was taken as American and Romanian forces began three months of joint training exercises.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Elaine Sciolino
Iran risks attack over atomic push, French president says
'In his first major foreign policy speech as president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday that Iran could be attacked militarily if it did not live up to its international obligations to curb its nuclear program.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Katrin Bennhold
Sarkozy offers a proposal on EU-Turkey talks
'President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday conditioned the continuation of Turkey's membership talks with the European Union on a high-level effort to define the bloc's future borders.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 27 Aug 07
Secular Turkey is under threat, military says
'The Turkish armed forces said Monday that efforts were being made daily to undermine the secular republic, comments that came a day before Parliament was expected to elect a candidate with Islamist roots as president.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug 07, by Fred Weir
Russia-Georgia dispute escalates
'Last week, Georgia fired at an intruding Russian fighter, it claimed. The incident is the latest in a murky air war that both sides say is an intentional effort to spoil ties.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug 07, by Fred Weir
Russia's resurgent military
'Fueled by billions in oil wealth, it looks to reclaim the USSR's status as a global military power.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Aug 07, by C.J. Chivers
Russia selling new sniper rifles to Venezuela
'A proposed contract between Russia and Venezuela that could transfer thousands of sniper rifles to Venezuela has raised concern in the United States about the potential use or regional distribution of the weapons by the socialist-inspired government of President Hugo Chávez.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 15 Aug 07
Serbia urges return of its military and police to Kosovo
'Serbia on Friday urged the return of its army and police to Kosovo, a move that could increase ethnic tensions in the breakaway province. ... Under a U.N. Security Council resolution passed in 1999 when NATO troops chased Serbian security forces out of Kosovo after their crackdown against Kosovo Albanian separatists, Serbia was granted the return of up to 1,000 police and army troops to the province's borders and to guard Serbian churches and monasteries there.'

New York Times, 17 Aug 07, by Andrew E. Kramer
Panel Hints at Russian Involvement in Fallen Missile in Georgia
'A panel of international military experts concluded in a report released Thursday that a missile found in a field in the Republic of Georgia last week fell from an airplane that flew from Russia into Georgia and then returned to Russia.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Aug 07, by Sabrina Tavernise and Sebnem Arsu
Turkish presidential pick sets up clash, again
'Turkey's governing party has chosen Abdullah Gul, an economist and a practicing Muslim, as its candidate for president, officials said Monday, a move that places the party and its pious followers on a collision course with Turkey's secular elite.'

Washington Post, 10 Aug 07, by Anton Troianovski and Josh White
Russia Says U.S. Intercepted 2 of Its Bombers Over Pacific
'Two Russian bombers flew thousands of miles across Pacific Ocean waters to the vicinity of Guam, site of a major U.S. military base, where U.S. jets intercepted them, the Russian air force said Thursday. The flights renewed a type of military gamesmanship that has been largely dormant in the Pacific since the Cold War ended.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters/AP, 09 Aug 07
Russian bombers resuming Cold War patrols
'Russian bombers have resumed Cold War-style long-haul missions to areas patrolled by NATO and the United States, top Russian generals said Thursday.'

National Post, 09 Aug 07, by Chris Wattie
A Cold War relic returns
'From the vast expanses of the Pacific to the icy reaches of the Arctic, the Russian bear is back and playing its Cold War game of aerial cat and mouse with U.S., British and Canadian fighter aircraft.'

BBC News, 10 Aug 07, by Nick Hawton
Fresh talks over Kosovo's status
'A new effort is due to begin to find a solution to the long-term political status of Kosovo.'

Washington Post, 07 Aug 07, by Doug Struck
Russia's Deep-Sea Flag-Planting at North Pole Strikes a Chill in Canada
'A dramatic submarine dive to plant the Russian flag on the seabed at the North Pole last week has rattled Canadian politics and underscored the growing stakes as the ice cap melts in the oil-rich Arctic.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters/AP, 06 Aug 07
Russia rolls out a new air defense system
'Russia unveiled an updated air defense system on Monday, deploying a revised version of a Soviet-designed surface-to-air missile unit. Vadim Volkovitsky, the deputy air force commander in charge of antiaircraft defense, told NTV television that the system contained "not only the functions of air defense but also antimissile defense."'

BBC News, 03 Aug 07
France and Libya sign arms deal
'Libya has signed contracts with France to buy anti-tank missiles and radio communications equipment worth $405m (£199m), Libyan officials have said. The arms agreement is Libya's first with a Western country since a European Union embargo was lifted in 2004.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by C.J. Chivers
Russia plants flag on sea floor at North Pole
'A Russian expedition traveled Thursday in a pair of submersibles more than four kilometers under the ice cap and deposited a Russian flag on the seabed at the North Pole, making a symbolic claim to vast fields of oil and natural gas believed to be beneath the sea north of the Arctic Circle.'

BBC News, 31 Jul 07
British Army ending its operation in NI
'The British army's operation in Northern Ireland will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday after 38 years. Operation Banner - the Army's support role for the police - has been its longest continuous campaign, with more than 300,000 personnel taking part.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jul 07, by Dan Bilefsky
EU demands equal U.S. visa treatment for all of the bloc's citizens
'In response to the Bush administration's proposals to introduce electronic visas for all European travelers, the EU is considering responding by introducing a similar system for American travelers coming to Europe.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 30 Jul 07
No proof Britain needs tougher terrorism laws, Parliament report says
'The British government has failed to prove the need to toughen anti-terrorism laws to let the police detain suspects longer before they must charge or release them, a group of lawmakers said in a report Monday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jul 07, by Fred Weir
As icecaps melt, Russia races for Arctic's resources
'This week, it stakes territory in an internationally administered area said to contain vast oil and gas reserves.'

Washington Post, 26 Jul 07, by Kevin Sullivan
Brown Seeks Tougher Anti-Terrorism Laws
'British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday proposed allowing police to detain suspected terrorists for up to 56 days without charge, reviving a highly controversial issue that led to a dramatic parliamentary defeat for his predecessor, Tony Blair.'

Reuters, 25 Jul 07
New Kosovo talks must deliver quick solution
'Talks on Kosovo due to start soon should produce a solution quickly to the future of Serbia's breakaway province, the United States envoy for Kosovo was quoted as saying on Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 24 Jul 07
Brown calls for more time for police interrogation of terror suspects
'British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday called for extending the time limits for detaining terrorist suspects before they have to be charged beyond the current 28 days but did not make a specific proposal.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jul 07, by David Rieff
Brown drops 'war on terror,' redefining the fight
'When terrorists tried to blow up civilians in London and Glasgow, Gordon Brown, the new British prime minister, responded in his own distinctive way. ... Brown instructed his ministers that the phrase "war on terror" was no longer to be used and, indeed, that officials were no longer even to employ the word "Muslim" in connection with the terrorism crisis.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jul 07, by Nicole Itano
West divided on resolving Kosovo
'As hopes fade for an amicable diplomatic resolution to the unresolved status of Kosovo, many there and in the international community are contemplating the consequences of moving forward without international consensus.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 19 Jul 07
Russian minister withdraws article from U.S. magazine, claiming censorship
'The [Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry] said in a statement that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had canceled plans to publish the piece in the journal Foreign Affairs, published by the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations. It said Lavrov's article on U.S.-Russia relations had been cut substantially and revised to the point of distorting and censoring his views.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Jul 07, by Scott Peterson
Competing visions for Turkey's future
'On Sunday, voters weigh the ruling party's strong economic record against fears of a growing Islamist agenda.'

UPI, 20 Jul 07, by William M. Reilly
Analysis: Kosovo's independence quest
'Facing a certain veto, the U.N. Security Council has postponed until Friday its latest scheduled consultations on a draft resolution setting the Serbian province of Kosovo onto the path to independence.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Jul 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. sees opening after Putin suspends troops treaty
'The Kremlin's announcement over the weekend that it was suspending all participation in a treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe came just days before American officials were expecting fresh discussions aimed at resolving what the Bush administration describes as narrow differences over the pact.'

Der Spiegel, 16 Jul 07, by Daryl Lindsey
Putin's Election Year Power Play
'Moscow announced this weekend it would immediately suspend the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty. Though there is still time to negotiate on the issue, many German commentators think Putin is shooting himself in the foot.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Jul 07, by Brian Knowlton
Polish leader defends antimissile plan
'In the face of fierce Russian opposition to the planned U.S. antimissile facilities, the visiting Polish president insisted Monday that the program was "really a defense instrument" that would in no way threaten Russia.'

BBC News, 16 Jul 07
Cooling ties of Britain and Russia
'As the UK expels four Russian diplomats following Moscow's refusal to extradite the main suspect in the murder of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus considers the implications of Britain's move.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Jul 07, by Nicola Clark and Katrin Bennhold
EADS to end dual management system
'The leaders of France and Germany on Monday hailed an agreement to streamline the management structure of European Aeronautic Defense & Space, saying the deal would end seven years of political infighting that has been at the heart of the leadership and industrial crises plaguing its Airbus subsidiary.'

BBC News, 17 Jul 07, by Paul Rincon
UK 'needs clear space strategy'
'The UK government needs to develop a more coherent strategy on space, or risk falling behind other countries, a House of Commons committee has warned.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Jul 07, by Mark Landler
Germans grapple with terrorism threat
'While the British public reacted to the latest terrorist strike there with stoicism and a by-now practiced determination to get on with their lives, Germany has erupted in a rancorous dispute over how to deal with a terrorist threat that has yet to materialize here.'

Washington Post, 10 Jul 07, by Mary Jordan
Interpol Chief Calls U.K. Lax In Terror Fight
'The head of the international police cooperation agency Interpol said Monday that British anti-terrorist efforts are "in the wrong century" and faulted officials here for failing to share information on terrorism suspects.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Jul 07, by Judy Dempsey
German interior minister urges tougher anti-terror laws
'Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble on Monday called for new laws in Germany to fight terrorism, proposing special detention centers for "combatants" and even suggesting that it was appropriate to kill a terrorist suspect.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Jul 07, by Anand Giridharadas and Eamon Quinn
Questions arise about origins of terror plot in Britain
Investigators are still trying to establish whether the Qaeda terrorist network was involved, either from abroad or at home. They are also looking for what could motivate people in top professions to turn toward terrorism.

International Herald Tribune, 09 Jul 07, by Anand Giridharadas
British terror suspect worked in jet design
'Kafeel Ahmed, identified by the police as one of two main suspects in the British car bomb plot, worked for much of last year as an aeronautical engineer for an Indian outsourcing company that designs aircraft parts for clients including Boeing and Airbus.'

BBC News, 03 Jul 07
Terror suspects all linked to NHS
'Eight people arrested in connection with failed car bombings in Glasgow and London all have links with the National Health Service, the BBC has learned. Seven are believed to be doctors or medical students, while one formerly worked as a laboratory technician.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Jul 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
After attacks, foreign doctors face new scrutiny in Britain
'Several arrested in connection with this week's failed car bombings were recruited from abroad by the National Health Service.'

The Times, 04 Jul 07, by Adam Fresco, David Rose, Patrick Foster and Mike Evans
Search for the common thread linking bomb suspect doctors
'Confident that they have rounded up all the main suspects, the police are now striving to work out how they met, how they communicated, what their motivation was and whether they were radicalised here or before they arrived in Britain.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Jul 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
Britain faces Iraqi-style car-bombings
'Britain's new prime minister Gordon Brown confronted an immediate test of his leadership this weekend after a succession of failed car bomb attacks underscored a change in tactics by terrorists who authorities say are linked to Al Qaeda.'

Reuters, 03 Jul 07, by Katherine Baldwin
Britain's Brown to give parliament more power over war
'British Prime Minister Gordon Brown proposed on Tuesday giving parliament greater control over sending troops to war as he moved to restore public trust in his government and politics shattered by Iraq.'

Washington Post, 03 Jul 07, by Peter Baker
Putin Proposes Broader Cooperation on Missile Defense
'Russian President Vladimir Putin offered an expanded counterproposal to U.S. missile defense plans on Monday, challenging President Bush to build a regional European missile shield that could include a sophisticated new radar facility on Russian soil.'

BBC/PRI 'The World', 03 Jul 07
Russia and US agree on nuclear energy
'The White House and the Kremlin say they'll work together to help countries interested in pursuing nuclear energy. The World's Katy Clark explains how presidents Bush and Putin are in agreement over the world's growing energy needs.'

BBC News, 29 Jun 07
Brown urges security 'vigilance'
' Brown: "The first duty of a government is the security of the people and as the police and security services have said on so many occasions we face a serious and continued security threat to our country."

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jun 07, by Nicholas Wood and Dan Bilefsky
EU faces dilemma if Russia won't yield on Kosovo
'President George W. Bush welcomes his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to Maine this weekend to try to soothe growing tensions between the two countries, including the knotty dispute over Kosovo. And an expected lack of progress, diplomats say, could quickly usher in a foreign policy crisis for the European Union.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jun 07, by Nicola Clark
EU and U.S. reach tentative deal on passenger data
'Under the terms of an agreement following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, the EU agreed to grant the U.S. authorities access to up to 34 categories of information - including names, addresses, phone numbers, itineraries and credit card numbers - about passengers on all flights that originate from the nations in the Union. That accord, which is due to expire on July 31, has sparked controversy across Europe at a time of heightened concerns that civil liberties are being flouted in the fight against terrorism.'

The Independent, 29 Jun 07, by Kim Sengupta and Lorna Shaddick
Blame shifted after Saddam invaded Kuwait
'The genesis of the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, southern Scotland, and the murder of 270 people lies in the politics of attrition in the Middle East. The judicial process which followed afterwards was, it has been claimed, cynically manipulated for reasons of geopolitics.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 07, by Scott Peterson
Why Turkey's Kurds are ever more edgy
'While Kurds are testing the limits of legal reforms that grant more freedoms, an uptick in attacks from separatists threaten to erode gains made by the ethnic minority.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Jun 07, by Dan Bilefsky and Stephen Castle
A new road map for Europe
'The revamped treaty hammered out by European leaders at a marathon summit meeting here will rescue the bloc from its current existential crisis. But the "United States of Europe" envisioned by the EU's founding fathers is dead and Europe's ability to act as a unified power on the world stage remains in doubt.'

Radio Free Europe, 26 Jun 07
Russia Warns NATO Against Unilateral Security Steps
'Moscow and NATO disagree sharply on U.S. plans to deploy parts of a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jun 07, by Matthew Brunwasser
Bulgarians lift lid on Communist-era security files
'It is one of the reasons why Eastern Europe is known as "the Wild East." After 17 years of transition to a multiparty system, with new political and business elites in place in Bulgaria, nobody yet knows who did what for the secret police under communism.'

Washington Post/Reuters, 21 Jun 07, by Marcin Grajewski, Reuters
EU leaders face tense showdown over new treaty
'European Union leaders headed for a showdown on Thursday over the latest bid to overhaul the bloc's creaking institutions, but chances of agreement may be rising after chief critic Poland softened its tone. ... Objections by London and Warsaw could yet scupper German Chancellor Angela Merkel's drive to replace the defunct EU constitution and end years of wrangling over the division of power between Brussels and member states, and between big and small nations.'

The Times, 22 Jun 07, by Philip Webster and David Charter
Poles demand more EU votes to compensate for war deaths
'Desperate attempts to forge a deal on the future of Europe were overshadowed last night by an astonishing demand for the voting system to reflect Polish population losses caused by the Nazi invasion in 1939.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Jun 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. is urging Blair to be lead Mideast envoy
'The United States is pressing Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain to become a special envoy to the Middle East, representing the diplomatic "quartet" of world powers, administration officials said Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jun 07, by Michael J. Jordan
Nuclear watchdog short of cash
'The International Atomic Energy Agency complains that US and other nations are not contributing as promised.'

Weekly Standard, 18 Jun 07, by Reuben F. Johnson
The Paris Air Show, Twenty Years On
'A lot has changed, but it's still the biggest air show of them all.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 07, by Stephen Castle
EU agrees to open dialogue with Cuba
'Europe on Monday agreed to open a new dialogue with Cuba, seeking to forge a fresh relationship with the government in Havana after what it described as "the first, temporary transfer of power in 48 years."'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 07, by Elisabetta Povoledo
Trial of CIA operatives is delayed in Italy
'An Italian judge on Monday suspended the kidnapping trial of 25 CIA operatives and some of Italy's former top spies to await a ruling on whether prosecutors overstepped their constitutional bounds and violated state secrecy laws as they gathered evidence.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 15 Jun 07
Meeting on European arms treaty ends without agreement
'Russia said Friday it could not rule out freezing its participation in a treaty limiting the use and deployment of non-nuclear heavy weaponry around Europe after its attempt to overhaul the accord was rebuffed at a special meeting this week. Organizers of an extraordinary meeting on the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty said participants failed to find common ground for a joint statement after meeting since Tuesday in Vienna.'

The Guardian, 15 Jun 07, by Ian Traynor
Proposed new German pact for EU puts UK on collision course
'Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, ... said that however the new pact was described, the EU should be defined as having a "single legal personality", an issue persistently opposed by Britain which views such status as part of a "slippery slope" towards greater powers for Brussels. ... Britain is a leading opponent of the social and labour rights in the charter.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Jun 07, by Jonathan Kandell
Kurt Waldheim dies at 88; ex-UN chief hid Nazi past
'Although it was never proved that Waldheim himself committed atrocities during World War II, he was a lieutenant in army intelligence, attached to brutal German military units that executed thousands of Yugoslav partisans and civilians and deported thousands of Greek Jews to death camps from 1942 to 1944. Waldheim lied about his wartime service in the Balkans, maintaining that his military career ended in 1942 after he was wounded in a battle on the Russian front.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jun 07, by Judy Dempsey
Russia and U.S. back away from confrontation on missile shield
'Russia and the United States on Wednesday appeared to step back from their confrontation over a planned U.S. missile shield, as President George W. Bush said Moscow was not a menace to Europe and the foreign minister of Russia withdrew a threat to pull out of a conventional arms treaty.'

The Guardian, 06 Jun 07, by Ian Traynor
Bush invites Russian generals to inspect Pentagon's central European project
'George Bush intervened yesterday in the worst dispute between Russia and the west since the end of the cold war, offering to cooperate with Vladimir Putin on the Pentagon's missile defence project.'

Baltimore Sun, 06 Jun 07, by Erika Niedowski
Bush is critical of Putin
'On the eve of the annual Group of Eight summit that opens today in Germany, President Bush offered his most strident rebuke to date of his Russian counterpart, saying that Russia has "derailed" democratic reforms, and that the result had "troubling implications" for democracy.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Jun 07, by Victoria Burnett
Basque separatist group announces end to 15-month cease-fire
'Spain was bracing Tuesday for fresh attacks by ETA after the armed Basque separatist group called off a 15-month cease-fire and vowed to resume its battle for an independent Basque nation.'

New Statesman, 06 Jun 07, by Jesús Bengoechea
Alice in Basqueland
'Basque terror group ETA's decision to end its ceasefire has been met with recrimination and disappointment across Spain.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 Jun 07
U.S. pushes for peace force in Moldova
'The United States is sounding out European allies and Russia on the formation of a peacekeeping force in Moldova in an effort to resolve a dispute with Moscow that threatens a key arms control treaty, a senior State Department official said Tuesday.'

BBC News, 04 Jun 07, by Paul Reynolds
New era of discord for Russia and West
'President Vladimir Putin's threat to target missiles at Europe indicates that the hostility between Russia and the West is more than a passing phase. It has become a permanent part of world diplomacy.'

BBC News, 04 Jun 07
Putin warning over US missile row
'Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow is preparing to take retaliatory measures if the US builds missile defence systems in Europe.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 30 May 07
Britain and Libya unveil energy and arms deals
'British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed what he called Britain's transformed relations with once-isolated Libya after meeting Muammar Gaddafi on Tuesday and the two countries unveiled major energy and defense deals.'

International Herald Tribune, 31 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Letter from Europe: EU faltering on a strategy for Putin's Russia
'When the leaders of the leading industrial democracies invited Russia to join in 1998, there was the grand belief that after 80 years of Communist rule, Russia was finally joining the family of democratic nations. For the Europeans particularly, there was deep longing that Russia should become like them: democratic, stable and sharing the same social and political values.'

Irish Times/AP, 01 Jun 07
Putin warns of new arms race
'President Vladimir Putin today said tests of new Russian missiles this week were a response to US plans for missile defence sites in Europe. The Russian leader also criticised US "imperialism" in global affairs and warned of an arms race to maintain a global strategic balance.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Russia worried over UN plans for Kosovo independence
'Foreign ministers from the Group of 8 countries clashed Wednesday over the future of Kosovo after Russia warned that a United Nations plan paving the way for independence from Serbia could encourage separatist movements in the Russian-backed regions of Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia.'

BBC News, 29 May 07
Russia tests long-range missile
'Russia has test-launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile, Russian military officials say. '

Stratfor, 25 May 07
Red Alert: Ukraine -- Sliding Down a Slippery Slope
[subscription required] 'The Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported May 26 that some of its forces have begun acting on the order of President Viktor Yushchenko and disregarding the orders from the Interior Ministry. Several thousand Interior Ministry troops loyal to the president are reportedly moving toward the capital, Kiev, in defiance of orders from Interior Minister Vasyl Tsuchko. The normal rule of law in Ukraine has become more and more blurred over the past few weeks. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has repeatedly taken advantage of the country's weak institutions in order to peel power away from the increasingly unpopular Yushchenko.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Merkel party urges caution on Afghan mission
'Differences have developed in Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition over German troops in Afghanistan, with her Social Democratic partners joining opposition parties in demanding an end to German participation in the U.S. counterinsurgency mission there.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Eamon Quinn
Sinn Fein campaigning to extend influence in Irish Republic
'Weeks after its return to Northern Ireland's power-sharing government, Sinn Fein, the political affiliate of the Irish Republican Army, is bidding to extend its influence south of the border in the Irish Republic, pursuing its goal of a united Ireland.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Alan Cowell
3 terror suspects held under house arrest program in Britain go missing
'Britain's counterterrorism police took the highly unusual step on Wednesday of issuing a public appeal for information about three terror suspects said to have absconded from a form of house arrest known as control orders.'

Washington Post, 25 May 07, by Mary Jordan
Court Rules for Islanders Evicted in U.S. Base Deal
'Families forced to leave the Chagos Islands, a British territory in the Indian Ocean, to make way for a U.S. military base at Diego Garcia during the Cold War have won a key legal victory in their long struggle to return. The Court of Appeal in London ruled in favor of the islanders Wednesday and criticized the British government for "abuse of power."'

Defence News, 23 May 07
Queen presents awards to Royal Marine, Army and RAF personnel
'Five military personnel were presented with medals for gallantry in Afghanistan during 2006 by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace today, 23 May 2007.'

PRI's 'The World', 22 May 07, by Matthew Brunwasser
Unmasking Bulgaria's Secret Police
[audio] 'A new government commission in Bulgaria is opening secret files of the country's Communist-era secret police. Now some former agents are being outed.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 07, by Mark Landler
Analysis: Germans enter new phase in relations with Russia
'Moscow, Putin replied frostily, planned to defend its interests "in the same professional way as our partners do." What is less clear is how Germany and Russia will navigate this new phase in their relationship - one of the most sensitive, strategically important and historically fraught in the diplomatic world.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 07, by Nicole Itano
Another theater for US-Iran fallout: the South Caucasus
'Armenia, an ally of both countries, shows how tensions between the two could upset the region's diplomatic balancing act.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Iran and Belarus forge 'strategic partnership'
'Belarus and Iran, two countries isolated by the United States and the European Union, agreed Monday to forge closer economic, trade and political ties, strengthening what the Belarus president termed "a strategic partnership."'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 07, by Douglas Martin
Obituary: Anthony Brooks, 85, World War II saboteur against Germans
'Brooks was 20 when he parachuted into France in July 1942 as a British undercover agent sent to aid the Resistance - part of a special force that Prime Minister Winston Churchill assigned to "set Europe ablaze." Brooks was told it was very likely that half the force's members would be killed, but he chose not to carry a gun.'

Financial Times, 18 May 07, by John Thornhill
Foreign minister set to ruffle diplomatic feathers
'An immensely popular figure in France, Bernard Kouchner [co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières] has been seeking a high-profile international role having been passed over for the top job at the World Health Organisation last year. As France's foreign minister, Mr Kouchner will bring great energy, eloquence, and élan to the Quai d'Orsay, even if he is likely to ruffle a few diplomatic conventions with his combustible character.'

Der Spiegel, 18 May 07, by Benjamin Bidder
Kremlin Clamps Down on Protests
'Russian opposition leaders, including Garry Kasparov, were arrested Friday morning on their way to Samara to protest an EU-Russia summit. The Kremlin doesn't want images of police beating up protestors to be beamed around the world. But Angela Merkel has lodged a protest of her own with Vladimir Putin.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
A united Europe awaits Putin at EU-Russia summit
'As he prepares for a crucial meeting with top European Union officials that starts Thursday, President Vladimir Putin is finding out that his confrontational policies toward several European countries have unexpectedly united the 27-member bloc, diplomats said.'

Washington Post, 13 May 07, by Molly Moore
Legendary Force Updates Its Image
'Online recruiting, anti-terrorist activities routine in today's French Foreign Legion'

The Globe and Mail, 17 May 07, by Brett Popplewell
Prince Harry denied deployment to Iraq
'Three months ago, a gung-ho Prince Harry was told he would be able to join his regiment in southern Iraq. Yesterday, Britain's top general said his deployment would pose an "unacceptable" threat to him and his men.'

The Telegraph Blog, 16 May 07, by Toby Harnden
Prince Harry: another MoD fiasco
'... we now have another PR disaster that will leave many wondering what the hell is going on with the British armed forces. The only person who emerges with any dignity is Prince Harry himself, who must now be considering resigning his commission.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 May 07, by Sarah Lyall
Despite misgivings, gays blend in to British military
'Since it began allowing gays to serve in the armed forces in 2000, none of the British military's fears has come to pass.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 14 May 07
Rice visits Moscow amid rising Washington-Kremlin tensions
'U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Moscow on Monday for high-level meetings amid growing Russia-U.S. tensions underlined by President Vladimir Putin's increasing criticism of the Bush administration. Washington's relations with Moscow are troubled by sharp disagreements on specific issues — in particular the U.S. proposal to place elements of a missile defense system in former Soviet satellite countries, and by a clear rise in the Kremlin's suspicion of American intentions worldwide.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 May 07, by Dan Bilefsky
EU-Russia ties become increasingly strained
'European foreign ministers grappled Monday with how to overcome increasingly strained relations with Moscow, emerging with no plan on how to rescue the world's largest country and the world's biggest trading bloc from their current deadlock.'

BBC News, 14 May 07, by Adam Easton
US seeks missile deal with Poland
'Poland and the US will shortly begin formal negotiations on Washington's proposal to locate part of its missile defence shield on Polish soil.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 15 May 07
German defense minister calls for changes in Afghanistan tactics
U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan need to change tactics to limit civilian casualties and prevent a backlash from locals, Germany's defense minister said Monday, reflecting European unease about reports of high death tolls in incidents involving American units.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 May 07, by Judy Dempsey
Planning for an EU-ready Ukraine
'Challenging the European Union's cautious policies toward Ukraine, a group of leading U.S. and European officials have joined forces to prepare Ukraine for eventual membership in both NATO and the EU, despite the continuing political turmoil in the country and enlargement fatigue inside the 27-member bloc.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 13 May 07
Russia objects to elements of UN Kosovo document
'The Russian government has said that it cannot accept elements of a draft United Nations resolution on Kosovo worked out by the United States and European Union countries, maintaining its strong opposition to a Western-backed plan for the Serbian province's independence.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 07, by C.J. Chivers
Lost in din over Putin's Third Reich remarks, a call for calm
'Though the Russian president seems to be ratcheting up his anti-U.S. rhetoric, a senior American diplomat says it's time for reserve as Russia continues its "unfinished transformation."'

Washington Post, 10 May 07, by Kevin Sullivan
Britain's Blair Announces His Resignation
'Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of Britain's most influential and long-serving leaders in a century, announced Thursday that he will step down on June 27, leaving behind a legacy of economic and political achievement mixed with deep public anger over his partnership with President Bush in the Iraq War.'

Washington Post, 10 May 07, by Kevin Sullivan
For Blair, a Legacy Overshadowed
'Briton's Decade of Achievements Dimmed by Embrace of Bush and Iraq War'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 May 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
Tony Blair's decade of peace and war
'Britain's leader ... leaves a mixed legacy, from Northern Ireland to Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 10 May 07
NATO-Russia talks fail to narrow gaps over missile defense and arms control
'Talks between NATO's top generals and their Russian counterpart failed Thursday to narrow the gap between Moscow and the West over missile defense and arms control in Europe. The Russian military's chief of general staff warned that the treaty regulating conventional arms in Europe was "on the verge of collapse" ...'

International Herald Tribune, 10 May 07, by Katrin Bennhold
Sarkozy's proposal for Mediterranean bloc makes waves
'A proposal by Nicolas Sarkozy to gather the European, Middle Eastern, and North African countries of the strategic Mediterranean rim into an economic community along the lines of the early European Union has begun making waves even before the president-elect takes office.'

The Guardian, 11 May 07, by Mark Tran
Serbian alliance blocks Radicals from power
'Serbia's pro-democratic parties have struck a deal to form a new government that would block the radical ultranationalists from power, Serbian media reported today. The agreement came as the US issued a blunt warning that Serbia's relations with the west would suffer if the rightwing Radical party came to power.'

BBC News, 10 May 07
Galileo firms miss key deadline
'The private consortium asked to run Europe's satellite navigation system, Galileo, has missed a key EU deadline for moving the project forward.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 May 07, by Mark Landler
Berlin gets tough about G-8 security
'Four weeks before leaders of the world's big industrial nations gather at a Baltic Sea resort in northern Germany, the police here raided the offices and homes of many leftist "extremists" who they suspected were planning to disrupt the summit meeting.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 May 07, by Andrew E. Kramer
Putin likens U.S. foreign policy to that of Third Reich
'President Vladimir Putin of Russia obliquely compared the foreign policy of the United States to the Third Reich in a speech Wednesday commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, in an apparent escalation of anti-American rhetoric within the Russian government.'

RIA Novosti, 08 May 07
Russia to deploy fixed-site Topol-M ICBMs by 2010 -SMF cmdr.
'Russia's Strategic Missile Forces will complete the deployment of silo-based Topol-M ICBMs by 2010, the SMF commander in chief said Tuesday. ... He said Monday the Topol-M system will be equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV) in the next two or three years, adding the new system will help penetrate missile defenses more effectively.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Roger Cohen
Sarkozy pledges strong break with the past
'Sarkozy's 10-minute speech was extraordinarily substantive, addressing issues from Africa to global poverty and oppression, and seemed to signal that Sarkozy would seek to reinvigorate France as a world power. ... Most startlingly, he made an immediate appeal for a new union of the Mediterranean, which he seemed to envisage as bringing together Europe and Africa.'

BBC News, 08 May 07
Historic return for NI Assembly
'Northern Ireland has a new power-sharing government in an historic day at Stormont. DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness have taken their pledges of office as devolution returns to Northern Ireland. Five years of direct rule by London appointed ministers officially ended at midnight.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Sabrina Tavernise
Turkey's only presidential candidate withdraws from election
'A Turkish presidential candidate whose background is in Islamic politics withdrew his candidacy Sunday, ending a weeks-long struggle over the position that has sharply divided Turkish society and reshaped the political landscape.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Alan Cowell
Tony Blair prepares for a subdued exit
'It began with an effusive exuberance as Britain's Labour Party came in from 18 years of opposition in 1997 in a landslide election won by a bright and young politician named Tony Blair. Nothing seemed impossible. He spoke of a new dawn. The party's campaign song declared, "Things can only get better." Now, a decade later, as Blair prepares to leave office burdened by an unpopular war and down in the ratings, the song seems off key. In the eyes of some of his critics, things have not gotten better. And they might be about to get worse.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Nicholas Wood
Gathering of Serbian nationalists on Kosovo raises dark specter
'Hard-line nationalists gathered in this city Saturday with a plan to "save Kosovo" as a part of Serbia. But there was a shadow of the paramilitary groups that caused untold trouble in the 1990s.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 May 07, by Elaine Sciolino
France will miss Chirac's experience on global stage
'The most dramatic change in France's foreign policy in a new presidency may not be the arrival of either Nicolas Sarkozy or Ségolène Royal, but the departure of President Jacques Chirac.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 May 07
Ulster Volunteer Force pledges to renounce violence
'In a surprise breakthrough, an outlawed Northern Ireland group that for decades had attacked the Catholic minority in the province said Thursday that it would renounce violence and disarm.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 May 07
Turkey's ruling party lobbying for presidential candidate despite tensions with military
'Turkey's Islamic-rooted government was pushing ahead on Friday with its bid to get its candidate elected president despite objections from the military, which has threatened to intervene.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Apr 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Bush steps up effort to persuade Putin on missile plan
'President George W. Bush, under pressure from allies in Europe to be more forthcoming about his plans for basing missile interceptors in the region, said Monday that he was intensifying his efforts to persuade Russia to cooperate with the United States on the initiative "so that they don't see us as an antagonistic force, but see us as a friendly force."'

BBC News, 01 May 07
Pressure grows for a 7/7 inquiry
'Survivors and relatives of victims of the 7 July attacks are stepping up the pressure for an inquiry into MI5's handling of intelligence.'

Toronto Star, 01 May 07, by Mitch Potter
U.K. spies overlooked ringleader of 7/7 plot
'Britain's domestic spy agency was reeling last night after revelations it allowed the ringleader of the 7/7 suicide bombers to slip through its hands at least four times prior to the country's worst-ever terror attacks.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Apr 07, by Judy Dempsey
Kosovo leader expects independence by end of May
'The prime minister that enough countries had invested efforts into ending one of the last chapters of the Balkans wars of the 1990s to warrant reintegrating Kosovo with Europe.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Apr 07, by Steven Lee Myers
Manufacturing a myth: Kremlin reinvents Yeltsin
'In three short days, the authorities here burnished a new founding myth, one that, not incidentally, proved useful for Putin's own legacy. In this new-minted myth, the bold, firm hand of patriots is what preserves democracy, not the messy, uncertain expression of popular will. The elevation of Yeltsin overlooked the darker side ...'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Apr 07, by C.J. Chivers and Mark Landler
Putin picks up a bargaining chip with suspension of treaty
'President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia would suspend its compliance with a treaty on conventional arms in Europe that was forged at the end of the Cold War, opening a fresh and intensive dispute in the souring relations between NATO and the Kremlin.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Apr 07, by Mark Landler
Russia told its fears on U.S. shield are baseless
'Brusquely dismissing protests by Russian officials, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday that a missile defense system the United States plans to install in Poland and the Czech Republic would pose no danger to the security of Russia.'

ABC (Australia), 27 Apr 07
Britain reconsiders sending Prince Harry to Iraq
'The British Army is rethinking its decision to send Prince Harry to Iraq. Last week, two British soldiers died doing precisely the job he would be assigned to, and April has been the most lethal month for British forces since the invasion.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Apr 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates fails to win over Moscow on missile-defense cooperation
' "The Russian position with respect to this issue remains unchanged," Serdyukov said in brief comments to reporters. "We do believe that deploying all the strategic elements of the ballistic missile defenses is a destabilizing factor that may have a great impact upon global and regional security."'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Apr 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. will offer a deal to Russia on missile shield
'At the urging of European allies, the Bush administration is offering Russia a new package of incentives to drop its harsh opposition to U.S. missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, including an invitation to link American and Russian antimissile systems, according to senior administration and military officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Apr 07, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. seeks European support for missile shield
'In a bid to win support for deploying part of a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, senior U.S. officials tried Thursday to reassure NATO allies and Russia that the system would not create new divisions within Europe or threaten Russia's security interests.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 17 Apr 07
Attacks in Serbia raise fear of a return to extremism
'Serbia has been struck by a string of attacks against government critics that is fueling concerns of a possible explosion of ultranationalist sentiment as Kosovo moves toward independence. Many people, including the country's pro-Western president, Boris Tadic, even warn of a return to the days of violence and turmoil under Slobodan Milosevic, the late president.'

Scientific American/Reuters, 15 Apr 07, by Guy Faulconbridge
Russia launches new generation nuclear submarine
'Russia launched its first new generation nuclear submarine since the fall of the Soviet Union on Sunday, as the Kremlin seeks to upgrade its undersea nuclear strike force.'

BBC News, 17 Apr 07
Russia making floating atom plant
'Russia has started building the world's first floating nuclear plant, designed to provide power for remote areas. ... The plant - to be called Akademik Lomonosov - will supply electricity to Sevmash, a shipbuilding firm which produces nuclear-powered submarines.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 12 Apr 07
Turkish general pushes for cross-border incursion into Iraq
'Turkey's military, which began staging several "large-scale" attacks on separatist Kurdish rebels in the country's southeast, asked the government Thursday for approval to launch a cross-border incursion into northern Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 11 Apr 07
Bosnia revokes citizenship of hundreds naturalized during war
'Bosnia's government revoked the citizenship of more than 300 people on Wednesday, most of whom were naturalized during the Bosnian war and its immediate aftermath by officials bypassing official procedures.'

RIA Novosti, 12 Apr 07
Ukraine not planning U.S. missile shield placement - president
'The Bush administration has once again cited Ukraine on a list of 15 countries cooperating with the U.S. on its national missile defense system, the U.S. Department of Defense said Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 12 Apr 07
German defense minister says whole of Europe must be protected by missile defense system
'Germany's defense minister said on Thursday that the proposed U.S. anti-missile shield on European territory would leave the south of the continent unprotected, essentially producing new division lines in Europe.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Apr 07, by Marlise Simons
Serbia's darkest pages hidden from genocide court
'Serbia, the heir to Yugoslavia, obtained court permission to keep parts of the [military] archives out of the public eye, citing national security. ... Now, lawyers and others who were involved in Serbia's bid for secrecy say that, at the time, Belgrade made its true objective clear: to keep the full military archives from another court, the International Court of Justice, nearby.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Apr 07, by Nicholas Wood
Kosovo war crimes trial splits West and prosecutors
'Ramush Haradinaj, a stocky former guerrilla commander and, briefly, prime minister of Kosovo, is either one of the most impressive leaders to emerge in the Balkans in recent years or a vicious war criminal. Or perhaps both. ... The case has created a stark divide between prosecutors at the tribunal and in Kosovo and diplomats from the United Nations and Western governments.'

BBC News, 08 Apr 07
Eta 'renews commitment to peace'
'The Basque separatist group Eta has said it is ready to make new commitments to peace if Spanish authorities end "attacks" against it.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Apr 07, by Sarah Lyall
Tone shifts in Britain after 15 sailors return home
'The 15 British marines and sailors held captive in Iran for nearly two weeks arrived back home on Thursday. But Britain's relief at their safe return was tarnished by questions about how they behaved during their detention and why they had been captured in the first place.'

BBC News, 06 Apr 07
Navy chief defends captured crew
'The Royal Navy's head has defended the actions of 15 British personnel seized by Iran and UK operations in the Gulf.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Apr 07, by Arthur Bright
British hacker one step closer to US extradition
'Gary McKinnon loses appeal to avoid facing trial for 'the biggest military computer hack of all time.'

BBC News, 03 Apr 07
Iran talks critical, says Blair
'The next two days will be a "fairly critical" phase in the talks to free the 15 Royal Navy personnel captured by Iran, Tony Blair has said.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Mar 07, by Alan Cowell
Britain increases pressure on Iran over sailors
'Britain's dispute with Iran over 15 captured sailors escalated sharply and abruptly Wednesday when Britain froze all "bilateral business" with Tehran and Iran displayed some British prisoners on state television, an act condemned by the British Foreign Office as "completely unacceptable." '

International Herald Tribune, 28 Mar 07, by Judy Dempsey
Czech cabinet agrees to talks on deploying part of missile shield
'The Czech cabinet agreed Wednesday to start formal negotiations with the United States on deploying part of a controversial missile shield on its territory despite continuing objections from Russia.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Mar 07, by Christine Hauser
Blair calls Iran seizure at sea unjustified
'Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain said Sunday that the seizure of 15 British naval personnel by Iranian forces last week was "unjustified and wrong" and took place in Iraqi waters.'

BBC News, 26 Mar 07
Northern Ireland deal struck in historic talks
'Devolved government is to return to Northern Ireland following an historic meeting between the leaders of the DUP and Sinn Fein.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Mar 07, by Jane Perlez
British arrests of Islamists fail to solve mysteries
'Last Thursday, three men of Pakistani descent were arrested in Beeston, a mixed-race neighborhood of whites, Asians and Africans, on suspicion they were accomplices of the July 2005 London suicide bombers. The arrests were the first in the case, and brought home to Britain the home-grown nature of its terror threat, which has been heavily investigated by the British authorities but has left a host of unanswered questions.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Mar 07, by Judy Dempsey
Merkel seeks 'common front' on U.S. missile plans
'Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, trying to counter the increasingly anti-American attitude of her coalition partners, the Social Democrats, has called on the European Union to find a common position over American plans to deploy part of an anti-missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar 07, by Mariah Blake
Germany rethinks its Afghan presence
'A spate of attacks against German citizens has made the public wary of supporting their longtime ally.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Mar 07, by Nicholas Wood
UN envoy calls for Kosovo independence
'The United Nations envoy to talks on the future of Kosovo, going beyond past statements, has recommended that the region be granted independence from Serbia. It is "the only option for a politically stable and economically viable Kosovo," the diplomat, Martti Ahtisaari, wrote to Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Mar 07, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. makes its pitch for a missile shield in Europe
'The general in charge of deploying a U.S. antiballistic missile shield in Europe said Thursday that, "if we start this year," it could be operational by 2011, when it could provide protection to most of the Continent against any possible threats from Iran.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 14 Mar 07
Proposed genocide resolution naming Turkey risks damage to U.S. security, says Rice, Gates
'The U.S. secretaries of state and defense contend that the security of the United States is at risk from proposed legislation that would declare up to 1.5 million Armenians victims of a genocide on Turkish soil almost a century ago.'

The Guardian, 15 Mar 07, by Giles Tremlett
Spain divided over Eta deal as hopes grow for arms handover
'A claim that the Basque separatist group Eta is to make a symbolic handover of arms has added fuel to an already heated debate in Spain over whether the government should be negotiating a peace deal.'

New York Times, 14 Mar 07, by C. J. Chivers
U.N. Finds Evidence That Russian Gunships Aided in Missile Attacks on Villages in Georgia
'A United Nations observer mission in Georgia on Tuesday opened an investigation into missile attacks in three remote Georgian villages, and the initial evidence suggested that Russian helicopter gunships were involved.'

Washington Post, 12 Mar 07, by Kevin Sullivan
Care for Injured British Troops Is Faulted
'British troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are receiving appalling care in British hospitals, according to families who have made complaints similar to those leveled against Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 11 Mar 07
Three years after train bombings, Spain is haunted by conspiracy theories
'On the third anniversary of the train bombings that killed 191 people and injured more than 1,800, Spain's political and social wounds are still aching, and the country is torn by a host of conspiracy theories.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, AP, 09 Mar 07
Greek Cypriots demolish symbolic dividing wall
'Greek Cypriots demolished a wall Friday along the boundary that has split the last divided capital in Europe for decades and challenged Turkey to respond by withdrawing troops from the area.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Mar 07, by Judy Dempsey
Letter from Germany: EU's good neighbors are Russia's bad dream
'Over the last few weeks, leaders from Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia have been making the rounds in Berlin, visiting the Chancellery and the Foreign Ministry. Nothing unusual about that. With Germany at the helm of the European Union until June 30, Berlin has become the first stop for many government leaders.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Mar 07, by Judy Dempsey
In Hungary, steel barrier symbolizes hurdles
'Barriers say much about the state of Hungarian democracy, nearly 3 years after it joined the European Union and 17 years after the Red Army ended 45 years of occupation.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Mar 07, by Sarah Lyall and Eamon Quinn
Ulster voters losing patience over the Assembly
'... voters who went to the polls here Wednesday in an effort to resurrect the deadlocked political process had no illusions that they had reached the final chapter in their long and complicated story. They just believed, many said in interviews, that the time had come, finally, for Northern Ireland to move beyond its scarred, fighting past.'

The San Diego Union-Tribune, 05 Mar 07
Russian air force could easily knock out planned U.S. missile defenses
'The Russian air force would be capable of easily knocking out missile defense sites the U.S. wants to place in Europe, Russian news agencies quoted a top general as saying Monday.'

BBC News, 06 Mar 07
Russia probes new reporter death
'Russian authorities are investigating the mysterious death of a prominent journalist who covered military space technology for the Kommersant daily.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Mar 07, by Marlise Simons
Genocide ruling by world court puts Serbs under pressure
'The ruling last week by the highest UN court that found fault with Serbia under the Genocide Convention complicates its diplomatic rehabilitation, several legal experts said. They said the legal decision by the International Court of Justice would bind diplomats of the European Union and NATO whose ties with Serbia have been growing.'

St. Petersburg Times/AP, 03 Mar 07
No compass in their army knives?
'What began as a routine training exercise almost ended in an embarrassing diplomatic incident after a company of Swiss soldiers got lost at night and marched into neighboring Liechtenstein.'

BBC News, 01 Mar 07, by Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
Torture 'systematic' in Chechnya
'The Council of Europe's human rights chief has accused the authorities in Chechnya of systematically using torture and forced confessions.'

BBC News, 26 Feb 07
Court clears Serbia of genocide
'The UN's highest court at The Hague has cleared Serbia of direct responsibility for genocide during the Bosnian war of the 1990s.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb 07, by Jeffrey White
Europe warms to US missile shield
'Concerns about Iran have reduced opposition to US plans to extend its 'star wars' defense system.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 25 Feb 07, by
U.S. and Russia try to cool tensions over antimissile plans
'The top U.S. and Russian diplomats tried Sunday to play down concerns about a potential Cold War revival set off by President Vladimir Putin's claim that Washington was fostering a global arms race. But Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov continued to disagree about a proposed U.S. missile defense system in Europe.'

New York Times, 22 Feb 07, by Alan Cowell
Britain to Trim Iraq Force by 1,600 in Coming Months
'Prime Minister Tony Blair announced Wednesday that up to 1,600 of the roughly 7,100 British troops in southern Iraq would begin to withdraw in coming months, a sharp contrast to the continuing American troop buildup in Baghdad.'

Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb 07, by Kim Murphy
Why the British are scaling back in Iraq
'The military can't fight there and in Afghanistan without approaching "operational failure," one critic says. Something had to give.'

Washington Post, 21 Feb 07, by Peter Finn
Antimissile Plan by U.S. Strains Ties With Russia
'An increasingly angry dispute over U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in Central Europe is adding strain to already fragile U.S.-Russian relations.'

New York Times, 22 Feb 07, by Ian Fisher
Italian Prime Minister Resigns
'Italy's fragile government snapped suddenly on Wednesday under the weight of its own internal divisions as well as a broader skepticism about the European role in the worldwide fight against terrorism.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Feb 07, by Craig S. Smith
Serbs face tough choice as Kosovo independence looms
'A proposal put forward by a United Nations mediator would grant Kosovo de facto nationhood -- an army, a constitution and a flag -- but it would still be overseen by the international community. A small number of Kosovo Albanians say the proposal does not go far enough, and Serbia is outraged by the whole package. Amid the uncertainty, the estimated 120,000 Serbs left in the province, many of them natives, are wondering what to do.'

BBC News, 22 Feb 07, by Jeremy Bowen
No happy ending in Berlin
'Dr Rice's mission, which culminated with the Quartet meeting in Berlin, was supposed to have been an attempt to get Israel and the Palestinians talking about what she calls the "political horizon". ... But, as usual in the Middle East, it was hard to see the horizon, let alone try to shape it.'

Deutsche Welle, 20 Feb 07, by Andreas Leixnering
Europe Wary of US Defense System in Poland, Czech Republic
'Poland and the Czech Republic have voiced willingness for the US to install parts of a global missile defense system on their territory. Experts say the project is technically underdeveloped and politically risky.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb 07, by Robert Marquand
Europe's rising unease over 'terror war'
'Charges in Italy against suspected CIA agents highlight growing dissent on America's antiterror tactics.'

CBC News, 14 Feb 07
European countries helped the CIA move terror suspects
'The European Parliament approved a report on Wednesday that accuses 14 European governments of allowing the U.S. to remove and transfer suspected extremists to CIA secret prisons. The report says the countries, including Britain, Germany and Italy, turned a blind eye when the CIA forcibly removed suspects from their soil and put them on secret flights to countries where they could be tortured.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb 07, by Fred Weir
Russia intensifies efforts to rebuild its military machine
'Its burgeoning military-industrial complex is increasingly capable of turning out cutting-edge weaponry – and selling it.'

New York Times, 11 Feb 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates Counters Putin's Words on U.S. Power
'Government leaders, legislators and military officials gathered here continued speculating on Mr. Putin's motivation for delivering his long list of complaints on Saturday about American domination of global affairs, but Mr. Gates chose words of velvet, not steel, in offering Washington's fullest response. As Mr. Putin had, he invoked the cold war more than once.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Feb 07, by C.J. Chivers
Russian defense chief claims victory in Chechnya
'The Russian defense minister said that Russia had succeeded in its war in Chechnya, defeating separatists and what he called their "emissaries from 50 countries."'

BBC News, 03 Feb 07, by Gabriel Partos
Balkan jigsaw seeks final piece
'The blueprint for Kosovo's future that Martti Ahtisaari, the United Nations special envoy, has presented to leaders of Serbia and Kosovo confirms earlier reports that, if approved by the UN, it would set Kosovo firmly on the path to eventual independence.'

Washington Post, 02 Feb 07, by Glenn Kessler
Russia Clashes With U.S. on Mideast Policy
'Russia urged ending the isolation of the anti-Israeli militant group Hamas and including Syria in Middle East peace talks, exposing fissures in a high-level diplomatic group that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gathered yesterday in Washington to validate her new effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Russian proposals run directly counter to Rice's strategy of rallying what she calls "mainstream" Arabs to isolate what she calls "extremist" elements in the region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Feb 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
A foiled plot in Britain may signal chilling tactic
'British security officials were claiming Wednesday to have foiled a terrorist plot which would have imported for the first time to Britain the grisly Iraq-style tactic of kidnapping a victim, torturing and beheading him and filming the atrocity for broadcast on the Internet.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 31 Jan 07
Putin says Russia is not using energy policies as weapon
'President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia faces unfair criticism and needless military threats from the West, lashing out in an annual news conference at U.S. plans for missile defense sites in former Soviet satellite states and at suspicions that Moscow is wielding its energy wealth for political purposes.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jan 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
US, Britain diverge on troops in Iraq
'Britain has no timetable, but pressure is growing on several fronts for a military withdrawal, signaling a strategy rift between the allies.'

Washington Post, 28 Jan 07, by Bruce I. Konviser
U.S. Missiles in E. Europe Opposed by Locals, Russia
'A Bush administration plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe is drawing protests from Russia and from residents who oppose hosting foreign military bases and fear the facilities might make their countries targets for attack.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jan 07, by Eamon Quinn
Sinn Fein votes to back Northern Ireland police
'Sinn Fein, the main Catholic party in Northern Ireland, formally voted at a huge gathering Sunday to end decades of opposition to the police in the divided province, a move that Britain and Ireland see as a major step toward restoring a local government of Protestants and Catholics within weeks.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jan 07, by Lawrence Scott Sheets and William J. Broad
Smuggler's plot highlights fear over uranium
'The case of Khinsagov has alarmed Georgian and American officials because they had thought that an array of new security precautions had tamped down the nuclear black market that developed in the 1990s, after the Soviet Union collapsed.'

BBC News, 23 Jan 07
Russia fulfils Iran missile deal
'Russia has completed a contract to sell some 30 air defence missile systems to Iran, a senior official has said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 Jan 07, by Tom Regan
Senior British prosecutor says fight against terror not a 'war'
'Britain's director of public prosecutions told a gathering of top lawyers that the dangers posed by terrorism should not undermine the right to a fair trial.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jan 07, by Somini Sengupta
Russia-India partnership enters new era
'A new nuclear accord, booming trade and an ever closer partnership with the United States notwithstanding, the guest of honor later this week at India's Republic Day ceremony, an annual display of military pomp, will represent New Delhi's newest old friend: President Vladimir Putin of Russia.'

BBC News, 22 Jan 07, by
Missile shield 'threatens Russia'
'Russia has criticised a decision by the US to expand its embryonic missile defence shield to the Czech Republic and Poland.'

Washington Post/Reuters, 22 Jan 07, by Mark John, Reuters
EU sets tough line on Iran U.N. sanctions
'EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to apply U.N. sanctions on Iran "in full and without delay" and if necessary go further than a U.N. list in targeting those linked to Tehran's nuclear work.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan 07, by Yigal Schleifer
Murder of outspoken journalist tests Turkey's democratic gains
'The fatal shooting of Hrant Dink Friday may signal a violent turn for resurgent Turkish nationalism.'

Financial Times, 22 Jan 07, by Neil MacDonald in Belgrade
Hope for more effective Serbian coalition
'Parties pushing to revive Serbian talks with the European Union say they want to form a more effective coalition government, despite the strong showing by nationalist hard-liners in Sunday’s elections.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan 07, by Mark Rice-Oxley
Pressure builds on Blair over weapons probe
'An international economic policy group is questioning the British prime minister's decision to call off an inquiry into Saudi arms deals.'

New York Times, 15 Jan 07, by David S. Cloud
U.S. Defense Chief Meets Blair, Seeking Support for Iraq Plan
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with Prime Minister Tony Blair here late Sunday on the first stop of a weeklong trip to Europe and the Middle East aimed at winning support for the White House plan for stabilizing Iraq.'

The Times, 12 Jan 07, by Michael Evans
Britain could cut its troops in Iraq by end of the year
'A cutback in British troops in Iraq could still go ahead this year, despite the new US strategy of sending an additional 20,000 soldiers to reinforce efforts to defeat the insurgents, Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, told MPs yesterday.'

The Age (Australia), 09 Jan 07, by Julia May
Brown to break with Blair on terror
'Britain's prime minister in waiting has vowed to take on President George Bush over foreign policy as he spells out plans to break from Tony Blair's approach to the war on terror. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, who is on course to succeed Mr Blair as prime minister this year, wants to put Britain's interest above the relationship with Washington.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 Jan 07
Report: British army to guard energy facilities against possible terror attacks
'A Sunday newspaper reported that the army will be deployed at British oil, gas and electricity facilities to defend them from possible terrorist attacks.'

San Jose Mercury News, 05 Jan 07, by Ted Smyth
Northern Ireland's path to peace shows way for others
'For those Americans who despair of peace between Israelis and Palestinians or between Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq, there is proof in Northern Ireland that such ancient hatreds can be overcome ...'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Jan 07, by Brian Knowlton
Merkel presses Bush on Mideast and trade
'Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, on a brief White House visit on Thursday evening to confer with President George W. Bush, gained an assurance of American support for an effort to revive peace talks in the Middle East.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Jan 07, by Dan Bilefsky
Romania and Bulgaria join EU
'Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union on New Year's Day, helping to end geographic divisions left over from the Cold War and extending the borders of the now 27-member bloc eastward to the Black Sea.'

"Hunt for the Somali Pirates" airs soon on the National Geographic Channel.
When Somali pirates hijack the Maersk Alabama -- and international headlines -- Navy SEALs launch a sneak attack to rescue the ship's American captain. Pirate Hunters recounts the harrowing five days from hijack to final fatal shots, and reveals sophisticated Navy SEAL training methods that prepare the world's most elite reconnaissance teams for daring missions with no second chances.