Stories about International Relations from November, 2007
Armenia: Elephant Controversy
Blogian reports that another controversy is brewing in attempts to find a companion for Hrantik, Yerevan Zoo's only elephant. Because of concerns with conditions in the zoo as well as Armenia's climate, the decision by the Sri Lankan government to present an elephant as a gift to the zoo is...
Chinese Engineers in Central African Republic
Six Chinese engineers have arrived in Central African Republic to install two new turbines at the Boali electric plant, a US$117 million project [Fr] financed by the Chinese government. ENERCA, the state-owned power company, has not made any major machinery replacements since its creation in 1965.
Haiti: New Public Market in Port-au-Prince
Collectif-haiti-de-provence posts an article about a new public market [Fr] being built in Port-au-Prince, thanks to Venezuela.
Ahmadinejad and Chavez: “Love is in the air”
Last week, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez made his fourth visit to Tehran in two years to sign more economic agreements with Iran. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Chavez, say they “admire” each other. Ahmadinejad calls Iran a second home for the Venezuelan president, and Chavez offers support to the...
Ukraine: Holodomor
This year, Nov. 24 was the day to remember the victims of the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine, Holodomor. Ukrainian bloggers share what they learned about the tragedy from their grandparents.
Georgia: Russian Peacekeepers
Steady State looks at how the Georgian authorities use public concerns over tensions and clashes with Russian peacekeepers stationed in the breakaway region of Abkhazia for its own political ends.
Ukraine: Luzhkov and Chernomyrdin on Holodomor
Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov said this about the vandalized Holodomor exhibit in Moscow: “It seems to me that this exhibit had one purpose: to disunite and alienate the Russian and Ukrainian peoples.” Ukrainiana applies Luzhkov's logic to the Holocaust: “Do they keep those Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Treblinka museums just to...
Former Yugoslavia: Vladimir Arsenijevic's Piece
The Glory of Carniola discusses an article by a Serbian writer, which begins this way: “For all ex-Yugoslavs, but particularly for the Serbs, the Kosovo Albanians used to be simply ‘our negroes.’ Nowadays, however, they are cast as Serbia's arch-enemies […].”
Slovenia: Last Combat's Dormant Battles
On Last Combat, Slovenia is, so far, a rather obscure place, writes The Glory of Carniola. Russia is a pretty busy battlefield, though.
Slovenia: Real Estate
Dr. Filomena offers comprehensive analysis of Slovenia's real estate market – here, here and here.
Cuba: Regional Police Force?
Babalu Blog finds “alarming” the prospect of “a new Latin American and Caribbean regional police force modeled on Interpol.”
Lebanon: Presidential Elections Debate Continues
Yesterday, November 22, was officially Lebanon’s Independence Day. Today is the constitutional deadline for the election of a new president of the republic. Bloggers reflections range from optimistic and pessimistic analysis of what is happening and what is expected to the effect of all this on the average Lebanese citizen, writes Moussa Bashir.
Costa Rica: The Arrival of China
Costa Rica recently established formal political and economic relations with global power China, which led to the dropping of ties with Taiwan. As a result, investment and trade between the two nations have begun and has been impulsed after the passed Free Trade Agreement with US. National and international bloggers report on the progress.
Macedonia, Greece: FYROM
Edward Lucas shares his piece on Greece's problems with a neighboring country also known as FYROM.
Lebanon: You Are Interfering
“After a publicly open back and forth discussion between the U.S. of A. and Syria, each, blaming the other for interfering in the Lebanese presidential elections; I see no room for me to take sides. In fact I feel the US and Syria are both interfering in Lebanese affairs,” notes...
Serbia: Kosovo Predictions
A Fistful of Euros is making predictions: “Kosovo will get some sort of independence, Belgrade and Moscow will cry foul, there will be a certain amount of huffing and puffing… and then, not much. The borders will stay open; the lights will stay on. The medium-term effect will be to...
Ukraine: Holodomor Opinion Poll
Foreign Notes translates a newspaper story on a Holodomor opinion poll results: “The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians in all regions are convinced that the Holodomor [famine] of 1932-1933 was caused by the actions of the authorities.”
Russia: Pre-Election “Excesses”
Sean Guillory “can’t help chuckle at the Putin and United Russia’s excesses.”
Barbados, Guyana, Venezuela: Mining Attacks
Notes From The Margin has been “monitoring reports of Venezuelan soldiers blowing up mining barges in the Guyana interior” and wonders how the two countries’ ongoing border dispute will play out.
Bahamas, Cuba: At The Crossroads
WeblogBahamas.com links to US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez's speech at a Heritage Foundation series called Cuba at the Crossroads.
Ukraine: Coalition and Other Matters
Orange Ukraine mentions that “NOVEMBER 23 is the new date when the coalition agreement between BYT and OU-PSD is expected to be signed” – and reports on plenty more things that are happening in Ukraine.
