Stories about International Relations from February, 2008
Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago: Regional FBI?
As the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago raises the question of a regional policing body, Barbadian blogger Notes From The Margin says: “When you look at the implications of a Caribbean Law Enforcement agency, it’s not as simple as it might appear at first blush.”
Cuba: Raul's Speech
The Cuban Triangle shares some thoughts on the recent change of leadership in Cuba.
Kosovo, Serbia: A Roundup
Update on Kosovo/Serbia: Belgrade 2.0 sums things up; East Ethnia discusses the possibility of partition; Csíkszereda Musings writes on the meaning of Kosovo for Romania's Székelyföld autonomy; Greater Surbiton re-posts his article on what's “at stake in the struggle for Serbia”; Steady State writes on the implications of Kosovo for...
Poland, U.K.: Football and Anti-Semitism
The beatroot examines whether the UK and Polish football fans are the “most anti-Semitic in Europe.”
Estonia: National Identity
Itching for Eestimaa marks Estonia's independence day (Feb. 24) by writing about Estonian national identity.
Czech Republic, Slovakia: 60 Years Since Communist Takeover
The Reference Frame writes about the 60th anniversary of the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia.
Czech Republic: Still Some More on the Election
Belatedly, another link on the presidential election in the Czech Republic: The Reference Frame writes that “one of Klaus's numerous tasks in the second term will be to abolish the global warming religion in the European Union that will be under the Czech Republic presidency in H1 of 2009.”
Montenegro: Milo Djukanovic
A Fistful of Euros writes about Milo Djukanovic, prime minister of Montenegro: “By 1991 he was the youngest Prime Minister in Europe. By 1998 he had squeezed out various rivals to become the most powerful man in the country. Which he still is today.”
Ukraine, Russia: “An Octopus of Cash and Gas Flows”
Ukrainiana sums up the results of Yulia Tymoshenko's recent visit to Moscow: “It’s still unclear when and to what extent the current matryoshka system will be redesigned in favor of a more transparent one. The system Ukraine has today — an octopus of cash and gas flows — hinders energy...
Russia, Ukraine: February 23
Scraps of Moscow, Ukrainiana, and Windows to Russia! write about the Defender of the Fatherland Day (formerly known as the Soviet Army Day). Feb. 23 also happens to be president Victor Yushchenko's birthday, and, as Window on Eurasia points out, it is also the day on which Stalin’s deportation of...
Russia: Lev Ponomarev; Solovetskiy Stone
Robert Amsterdam reports on an investigation launched against human rights activist Lev Ponomarev, who has been “accused of committing slander against the Russian Federation, and is currently being prevented from leaving the country.” Also, Amsterdam writes about the Solovetskiy Stone memorial and the authorities’ plans to remove it from Lubyanka...
Russia, U.S.: The New York Times’ Russian LJ
Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow provides a comprehensive review of the New York Times‘ Russian-language LJ community, a platform for a “translator-assisted online dialog” between Russian bloggers and the newspaper's regular readers and its Moscow bureau staff: “a very interesting and creative step, with the potential to realize the full...
India: Foreign Policy and the US
Sepia Mutiny on the future of US's foreign policy in South Asia.
Turkmenistan: Either Gas or Human Rights
Maciula writes about the European Parliament’s rejection of the trade agreement with Turkmenistan, concluding that if the West wants to buy Turkmen gas then it cannot exert pressure on Ashgabat for improved human rights.
Serbia: Anglophone Bloggers on Belgrade Rally, Riots, Kosovo
Below is a selection of the English-language posts about last week's events in Serbia and Kosovo, which appeared on Feb. 21-23.
Iran:Governor of Basra accused Iran of plotting his assassination
We read in Juan Cole’s blog that Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that the governor of Basra, Muhammad Misbah al-Wa'ili, has charged the Iranian deputy consul in that city of plotting his, al-Wa'ili's, assassination. He demanded that the central government look into the charges.Watch video too.
The groundswell of opposition to AFRICOM from African bloggers
At the tail-end of U.S. President George Bush’s six-day, five-country farewell tour of Africa came the announcement the Pentagon’s plans for a second U.S. military base on the continent of Africa is dead. Questions from the blogshpere flew: What exactly are U.S. interests in Africa?
Armenia: Diplomats Resign
Unzipped comments on reports that four senior Armenian diplomats have resigned following Tuesday's disputed presidential election in Armenia. One of them, Armenian Ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal, Ruben Shugaryan, was presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian's aide and press secretary from 1991-3.
Morocco: Health Care
Abdelilah Boukili of Regular Comments Based on Issues Raised by BBC World Haveyoursay questions the practice of Western countries recruiting health care professionals from developing countries.
Serbia: Bloggers Discuss Rally and Rioting in Belgrade
Yesterday, Kosovo is Serbia rally was held in Belgrade. According to unofficial sources, 150,000-200,000 people attended it to protest against unilateral proclamation of independence of Kosovo. The rally went peacefully but was followed by rioting. Buildings of the American, Croatian and Turkish embassies were set on fire. Many people were injured, at least one person was killed. Sinisa Boljanovic translates reactions by several Serbian bloggers who blog at B92's blog portal.
India: On Fidel Castro
MantraBlogs from India on the legacy of Fidel Castro – as he announced his retirement a few days back.