euro|topics - Thomas Seifert

Seifert, Thomas

4 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.

Die Presse - Austria | 17/10/2008

Austria's bid for seat on UN Security Council

Austria has applied for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The Austrian daily Die Presse believes that in this case it is the means to an end rather than the end itself that counts: "The inhabitants of the Alpine republic scratch their heads and ask 'What good is that to us?' Well, the Security Council is after all the United Nations' most important body. A seat at the table with the 'big powers' means having a say on matters as weighty, for example, as war or peace. And what is more, the means is the end here. Austria's diplomatic efforts in preparing its candidacy have expanded its sphere of influence and improved its contacts in the region - which otherwise tend to be neglected. Given the increasing provincialism in all spheres of life, that alone is ample reason to cross one's fingers for a decision in Austria's favour on Friday. If you can't be successful at football it would at least be nice to know that you're popular within the international community."

Die Presse - Austria | 19/08/2008

The capitulation of the ex-general

For Austrian daily Die Presse, the political career of Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf has not yet ended: "Can things ... only get better? Yes, because with the departure of Musharraf, who was chief of staff for many years, the first step has been taken towards getting Pakistan out of a permanent crisis. Musharraf, allegedly a close ally of the US in the fight against terror, had long since become a liability for everyone: in recent times he showed little respect for the country's democratic institutions, the independence of its judiciary and its civil society, and he ultimately failed in the battle against militant Islamists. All Musharraf can do now is try to save face. For the ex-general and now also ex-president knows only too well that in Pakistani politics a comeback can never be ruled out. Nawaz Sharif was prime minister before he was exiled to Saudi Arabia - today he is once again among those pulling the strings in Islamabad. So can Musharraf also hope to return to power - perhaps a couple of years from now?"

Die Presse - Austria | 05/08/2008

The Olympic nightmare

The daily Die Presse fears security measures for the Olympic Games will be further tightened in the wake of the attack in the Chinese province of Xinjiang: "The attack on a group of police officers in the western province of Xinjiang has confirmed the worst fears of the Chinese security forces. For weeks they have been warning that the games in Beijing are threatened by 'unprecedented terror'. The past months have seen a ream of security measures introduced: 100,000 soldiers have been stationed in Beijing and control posts have been set up. ... Following the massacre, the security precautions - which already border on repression - will be further tightened. The chances for peaceful, festive games are dwindling."

Die Presse - Austria | 11/07/2008

The future of European security policy

Europe's security policy should seek to take better advantage of Europe's merits, writes the Austrian daily Die Presse: "Europeans must ... start to reflect on how and by which means the EU can defend and further its interests in the areas of stability and security policy. Europe need not copy the US in this respect because the continent has a series of advantages over the latter: for example, while the US regards practically the entire globe from the Middle East to the Pacific region as its sphere of influence, Europeans see themselves at most as a regional power. This view ... comes from the realisation that the times of imperialist thinking belong to the past. ... All this requires stronger cooperation among the EU partners. ... By integrating the available means and at the same time dismantling parallel structures, a lot of money can be saved and more modern and efficient armies would be the result."

» Index of Authors

Bookmark this page at