21 September 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Author: Richard Armitage
• Source: Daily Yomiuri

In July, world leaders met in Toyakocho, Hokkaido, for the 34th Group of Eight summit. In advance of this meeting, the foreign ministers of the participating countries met in Kyoto to discuss major regional issues, among them Afghanistan. The outcome of that discussion was a Foreign Ministers’ Statement that renewed the G-8’s commitment to stability and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

In diplomatic circles, this statement was not a groundbreaker, but it did reaffirm Afghanistan as a focus of the world’s industrialized nations, placing it among the most important challenges faced by the international community. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Terrorism, Regional Security

7 September 2008
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• Source: ITAR-TASS World Service

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, September 7 (Itar-Tass) — Germany is against curtailing relations with Russia and its expulsion from the G-8 over the events in the Caucasus as well as intends to develop with it advantageous for it neighbourly relations, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel in an interview with the Deutsche Funk radio station, aired on Sunday.

According to the chancellor, “we do not want to disrupt contacts with Russia” and “we should closely and frankly exchange opinions and say what we think of each other rather than keep mum”. Merkel noted that “Russia is a very vast and very rich country in natural resources”; and economic relations with Russia promise Germany many good things. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

3 September 2008
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• Source: The Japan Times

Eric Johnston Staff writer Hiroshima Lower house speakers from the Group of Eight nations promised Tuesday to strengthen efforts to uphold and reinforce the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which comes up for review in 2010. But despite lofty promises of unity in support of long-term nonproliferation efforts, the Hiroshima meeting was marked by political divisions over clashes between Russia and Georgia, as well as concerns over a nuclear deal between the United States and India. “There were strong statements from several speakers that we needed to uphold and reinforce the (nuclear) nonproliferation regime,'’ said Lower House Speaker Yohei Kono at a wrap-up news conference Tuesday evening. Kono admitted there were heated discussions over the growing crisis stemming from Russia’s recognition of the two breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a move that angered Washington and many in Europe. (more…)

Filed by Ozlem Yucel under Energy and Nuclear Safety, Regional Security

2 September 2008
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• Author: Vladimir Isachenkov
• Source: Associated Press Newswires

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sternly warned the West on Tuesday that it would lose more than Moscow if it tried to punish Russia with sanctions over the war with Georgia.

In an interview with Italian RAI television broadcast Tuesday, Medvedev said that Russia does not fear expulsion from the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

2 September 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Source: ITAR-TASS World Service

HIROSHIMA, September 2 (Itar-Tass) —— Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov turned over to his counterparts from the G8 member countries on Tuesday two albums with photos, taken in Tskhinval immediately after the beginning of hostilities. He attended a meeting of heads of the lower chambers of parliaments of the G8 countries, held here on Tuesday. Gryzlov explained to the legislators Russia’s stand on the North Caucasian conflict. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

29 August 2008
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• Author: Michael Mainville
• Source: Agence France Presse

Georgia on Friday broke diplomatic relations with Russia, heightening hostilities between the neighbours as Moscow also hit back at Western criticism.

Georgia announced the split three days after Russia formally recognised the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
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• Source: Trend News Agency (Azerbaijan)

The world’s leading industrial nations on Wednesday condemned Russia’s actions in Georgia, underlining the country’s growing estrangement from the West.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
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• Author: Toni Vorobyova
• Source: Reuters News

MOSCOW, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Russia wants to renegotiate a few current trade agreements, and is only ready to lower tariffs and liberalise trade after joining the World Trade Organisation, its top negotiator was quoted as saying on Thursday.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Multilateral Trade, East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
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• Author: Alexander Osipovich
• Source: Agence France Presse

Russia won support Thursday from China and Central Asian states in its standoff with the West over the Georgia conflict as the European Union said it was weighing sanctions against Moscow.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
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• Author: Seyfolreza Shahabi
• Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

There is a proverb in Farsi saying that: “The rude thief will blame the host for the theft.” Israeli’ protest at Turkey on the visit by Iranian president to that Muslim country is the real example of the above-mentioned proverb. Tel Aviv and her western supporters believe Israel is informed about the diplomatic game at international as well as regional level and obliges herself to observe the recognized diplomatic principles. They accuse other independent countries of impoliteness in diplomatic relations while, contrary to the diplomatic norms, Tel Aviv permits herself to interfere in the domestic affairs of a big Muslim country in the Middle East and protest at the visit to Turkey by the president of a Muslim country. Tel Aviv has even taken a step further, and the ambassador of Tel Aviv in Ankara has submitted a letter from Israeli Foreign Ministry to the Turkish authorities. This is while two Muslim and neighbouring countries of Iran and Turkey have been on good terms and relations with each other from old times when Israel had not been yet conceived as the result of political intimacy of America and Britain.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Regional Security, Conflict Prevention and Human Security

28 August 2008
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• Author: Alexander Osipovich, Alexander Osipovich

Russia on Thursday tested an inter-continental missile, heightening tensions with the West as France said the European Union could impose sanctions on Moscow over the Georgia conflict.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Energy and Nuclear Safety, East-West Relations and Russia, Arms Control, Proliferation and WMD, Regional Security, Conflict Prevention and Human Security

28 August 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Author: PAUL AMES
• Source: Associated Press Newswires

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - When it comes to action over Georgia, Russia has the European Union over a barrel. In fact, 1.2 million barrels.

That’s how much Russian crude is pumped westward every day down the Druzhba pipeline to fuel Europe’s economies.

This hard economic reality explains why Monday’s emergency EU summit will struggle to produce much more than a slap on the wrist for Russia, despite Europe’s exasperation over Moscow’s invasion of Georgia and backing for its two separatist regions to break away.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Energy and Nuclear Safety, East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
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• Source: Guardian Unlimited

The Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin, claimed today the Caucasus crisis was started by the Americans as an election campaign ploy.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
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• Source: Nikkei Report

TOKYO (Nikkei)–The tensions between Western countries and Russia over Moscow’s actions in Georgia will test Japan’s diplomatic finesse when it hosts a meeting of Group of Eight nations’ foreign ministers next month.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Energy and Nuclear Safety, East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

28 August 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Source: Voice of America Press Releases and Documents

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev is asking his Asian allies Thursday for their support of Russia’s role in the Georgia crisis.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

18 August 2008
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• Author: Jan Techau
• Source: Radio Free Europe

In what seems to be a spooky reminder of the intra-European fallout over the Iraq war in 2003, observers and commentators are asking fearfully whether this week’s Georgia-Russia conflict will reanimate the divide between Old Europe and New Europe.

Despite the fact that the EU, on August 13, unanimously decided to deploy a yet-to-be-defined “peacekeeping force” to the region, it again appears to be divided into a bloc of old Western nations more willing to accommodate Russia and a Central and Eastern European bloc of new members that are aggressively voicing their concern over Russia’s “neo-imperial strategy.” (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under East-West Relations and Russia, Regional Security

15 August 2008
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• Author: Andrew Ward
• Source: Financial Times

Condoleezza Rice had to use an unfamiliar aircraft when she flew to Europe for emergency talks on the conflict in Georgia this week.

The Boeing 757 usually made available to the secretary of state was being used by Dick Cheney, vice-president, for a political fundraising trip to Colorado, forcing Ms Rice to take a smaller C-40. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under East-West Relations and Russia, East-West Relations: Central and Eastern Europe, Regional Security

6 August 2008
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• Source: Korea Newswire

The following is the full text of a joint statement released after the summit between Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush in Seoul on Aug. 6. (more…)

Filed by Sarah Cale under Other, Multilateral Trade, Energy and Nuclear Safety, Regional Security

22 July 2008
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• Author: Janice Tang
• Source: Kyodo News

SINGAPORE, July 22 — Foreign ministers of the 10 ASEAN nations and their counterparts from China, Japan and other key dialogue partners agreed Tuesday on the need to improve crop productivity in the region to overcome the looming food crisis and create a mechanism to deal with rapidly growing energy consumption amid soaring fuel prices. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Development, The Environment, Energy and Nuclear Safety, Arms Control, Proliferation and WMD, Regional Security

20 July 2008
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• Source: The Punch Nigeria

As the crisis in the Niger Delta region gets more bloody and moves close to full-blown war, President Umaru Yar’Adua is moving frantically to douse the tension. The President’s action plan to bring peace to the beleaguered region is two-pronged: To accelerate development in the region and employ military action to tame the internecine conflict. (more…)

Filed by Ivana Jankovic under Development, Regional Security

16 July 2008
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• Source: Reuters News

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Rome will encourage EU partners to discuss the idea of a European security conference, which Russia believes could avert the re-emergence of dividing lines on the continent, the Italian president said on Wednesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who took office in May, has proposed bringing together European states, Russia, the United States and Canada to work out a new regional security code to replace Cold War-era deals. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Regional Security

10 July 2008
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• Source: Edmonton Journal

The G8 nations agree the Afghanistan war has reached a pivotal stage that will require a redoubling of efforts to improve security, governance and development over the next two years, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday.
(more…)

Filed by Anita Li under Development, Terrorism, Regional Security, Democratization and Human Rights

9 July 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Source: SBS World News Headline Stories

Iran has warned it will “set fire” to Israel and US forces in response to any attack over its nuclear drive, as the world’s leading industrial powers told Tehran to freeze uranium enrichment.

Leaders of the Group of Eight nations at a summit in Japan urged Iran to fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions “in particular to suspend all enrichment-related activities”. (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Arms Control, Proliferation and WMD, Regional Security

9 July 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Source: All Africa

(allAfrica.com/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) — Russia is opposing efforts by the United States to get the United Nations Security Council to impose targeted sanctions against Zimbabwean leaders responsible for political violence.

Although the leaders of the industrial world - including Russia - issued a statement in Japan on Tuesday calling for “financial and other measures against those individuals responsible for violence,” the Russian permanent representative at the UN, Vitaly Churkin, told reporters in New York that “the statement… does not refer to the Security Council.” (more…)

Filed by Amadeus Domaradzki under Terrorism, Regional Security, Democratization and Human Rights

9 July 2008
For Personal Use Only

• Author: Erin Fitzgerald and Masashi Nishihata-Crete
• Source: G8 Newswire

RUSUTSU, Japan – After their working dinner on Tuesday night, the G8 leaders released the G8 Declaration on Political Issues, their statement on non-proliferation, transnational organized crime and peacekeeping. They released separate statements on the situation in Zimbabwe and counter-terrorism concurrently.

According to Japanese Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama, the working dinner lasted from 7:15 p.m. to 9:10 p.m. Over the course of that time, the G8 leaders discussed Zimbabwe, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Sudan and Myanmar. The most attention was devoted to finalizing the statement on Zimbabwe, a discussion that took half an hour. (more…)

Filed by Nicole Cargill under Regional Security