Reforming Europe |
The European Union has taken an important step towards resolving the impasse into which it had sunk two years ago when a proposed Constitutional Treaty was rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands. A new agreement on institutional reforms reached in June will allow the EU to operate more effectively both internally and internationally. It also cleared the way for a deeper political debate about the future role and nature of the EU – with new leaders offering sharply differing visions. |
| Australia's growing regional role |
Building its position as an Asia-Pacific power, Australia has maintained a close alliance with the United States, has built strong relations with Japan, and has forged friendly ties with China. It has emerged as a guardian, along with New Zealand, of troubled Pacific island states. To support its complex strategic stance, it has acted to strengthen its defence capabilities. A defence policy document issued in July shed new light on how Australia saw its role both globally and in cementing a new regional security architecture. |
| Kosovo's uncertain future |
Russia’s refusal to back a plan for the independence of Kosovo from Serbia has forced the matter to be dropped from the agenda of the UN Security Council. Discussions have begun on alternatives. One of these could be a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo, which would then be recognised by Western governments and would invite international bodies to oversee its security and governance. However, Russia insists that any final settlement must be endorsed by the Security Council. |
| Niger Delta chaos |
The oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria is in the grip of a security crisis, with kidnapping and violence rife. The troubles are caused by the mixture of crime and corruption with long-standing grievances of local people against the oil industry and their low share of oil revenues. The problems are of growing concern to foreign governments not only because of the region’s oil resources, but also because a collapse into anarchy risks fostering extremism and terrorism. |
| Afghanistan's poppy crop |
Dealing with the problem of poppy cultivation is central to counter-insurgency and nation-building efforts in Afghanistan. Money earned from its culture helps to fund the Taliban insurgency, induces crime and corruption, undermines the building of government institutions, and severely complicates the mission of NATO forces. With an increase in production forecast for 2007, there is a growing acceptance within the international community of the need for a longer-term approach to the problem. Full text HTML & PDF (subscribers only) >>> |
