Markus Bernath praises Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy for managing to get the accession of Ukraine and Georgia postponed indefinitely - against the will of the US. "The emergence of a Franco-German alliance within NATO was the main event in Bucharest. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have put an end to the Bush era and the most recent episode of American unilateralism, even before the Republican president leaves the White House. Europeans are not taking over command of the Alliance, which will comprise 28 members once Croatia and Albania join. But the balance of power seems more even than it was just a couple of months ago, because Angela Merkel can now count on allies within NATO who have the same interests. In view of the direction America's foreign policies have taken, Members like Italy, Spain and Portugal have become increasingly estranged from Washington over the past seven years." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Europa, » EE.UU.
Todos los textos disponible de » Markus Bernath

The Estonian newspaper expresses disappointment that Ukraine and Georgia have not been asked to join NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP). Estonia had done its utmost to secure membership for the two countries. "This is also a setback for Estonia's foreign policy, which had pushed for these two countries to be given the prospect of membership as soon as possible. And it raises a series of awkward questions for Estonia's foreign policy. Was it right to pin all hopes on the US, and how to respond to the resistance of Germany and France? Or would it be better to just wait until the Alliance decides to give Georgia and Ukraine their chance?" (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Estonia, » Ucrania, » Georgia

"Isn't it time Athens took a step towards its little neighbour to the north ?" Cyrill Stieger asks with reference to Greece's veto against Macedonia's membership because of the name dispute. "Greece is a stable state which has long been a member of the EU and NATO - unlike the young Republic of Macedonia, with its large Albanian minority, and its new neighbouring state Kosovo, whose future is still uncertain. Macedonia was on the verge of civil war in 2001. With its veto Greece has not only harmed Macedonia, for whom an invitation to join NATO would be tantamount to a guarantee for the continued existence of a state which is still under threat. Athens' stubborn stance is harming its own interests. Macedonia's accession would be an important step towards stabilisation in the Balkans, something from which Greece would also profit." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Grecia, » Sudeste de Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Cyrill Stieger

"The Taliban must be rubbing their hands with glee. With the new fighting season about to begin in earnest in Afghanistan, the West shows no sign of resolving the deep divisions that have severely hampered its attempts to rebuild the country," writes Con Coughlin. "Hardly had George W. Bush set out his compelling arguments in favour of extending the organisation's reach into southern and eastern Europe than other member states were ganging up to frustrate his ambitions. The American position is simplicity itself. NATO won the Cold War and therefore NATO should enjoy the spoils of victory. ... The concerns of the Germans, French and Greeks about Nato expansion might carry more force if they were pulling their weight where it really counts - trying to defeat the Taliban... . NATO may have won the Cold War but, at this rate, it will be a long time before it proclaims victory in Afghanistan." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Con Coughlin

Martin Ehl is delighted that NATO has decided to back the construction of a missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic and urged Russia to give up its resistance to the project. "Western Europe has a great desire to distance itself from the United States. The east of the old Continent, on the other hand, sees an alliance with Washington as a guarantee against Russia's expansionist efforts, whether they take the form of soldiers in tanks or Gazprom's foreign dealings. It's a miracle that the US has been able to gain the support of the Alliance for its missile defence shield - which should also be a source of satisfaction for Czech Greens and Social Democrats - in these circumstances." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Polonia, » La República Checa, » Rusia, » EE.UU.
Todos los textos disponible de » Martin Ehl

Marie-Hélène Miauton, director of the Swiss polling firm MIS Trend, doesn't believe the threats of an Olympic boycott this summer in Beijing. "The Olympic universe has its own momentum, media rituals that it has to respect to the letter. ... It's in the lead up to the event that the critical commentaries appear. Currently, we have pollution, seeing as it's a cause in style, as well as the destruction of historic districts and, of course, political reservations. This preliminary effervescence has a cathartic goal because it allows us to get our disturbing hang-ups out during a time consecrated to the Games when only records will make headlines. Once the music of the closing ceremony falls silent, and the final medal count is done, there will certainly be questions about money that arise... . It is thus useless to throw a fit; we are squarely in this period. Neither the opening ceremony, nor the Games themselves will be boycotted." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Deportes, » Global, » China
Todos los textos disponible de » Marie-Hélène Miauton

French essayist Caroline Fourest explains why the Muslim AKP (Justice and Development Party) in power in Turkey cannot establish an Islamic state. "The difference between Islam in Turkey and elsewhere in the Arabic world is related to the diversity of Turkish society that extends even into Turkish Islam. Turkish spirituality isn't a Sunni bloc, but is crisscrossed with Sufist, Shiite, Christian and even Masonic influences. ... Let's hope that the Kemalistes [who are trying to ban the AKP] end up finding the sense to understand that these cultural and intellectual counter-balances are the best remedies to fundamentalism than their authoritarian and anti-democratic methods. But let's not be so naive as to think that the Turkish Islamists in power will be so inoffensive and moderate if this gamut of counterbalances didn't exist." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Religión, » Turquía
Todos los textos disponible de » Caroline Fourest

The newspaper writes that Turkey's domestic conflicts could pose a threat to the process of reconciliation in Cyprus, and points out that 40,000 Turkish soldiers are still stationed in the northern half of the island. "Only if they withdraw will Cyprus's two ethnic groups have the chance of a joint future. However, the Turkish army and the nationalist forces that support it have become entangled in a power struggle with the government. There's no chance of the troops in Cyprus withdrawing, among other things because most of the generals have no intention of making concessions to the European Union. It's tragic for the Cypriots that Turkey is so preoccupied with its internal conflicts - at a time when on both sides there are politicians in power who genuinely want reunification. The way to support them in their efforts is to hold the EU's door wide open to the Turkish Cypriots." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Ampliación de la UE, » Chipre

Kristina Sabaliauskaite expresses her dismay that the Catholic Church in Lithuania isn't protesting more vehemently against anti-Semitic slogans and skinhead rallies in Vilnius. "Vilnius was always a model of tolerance, a city where people were not discriminated against because of their nationality or religion. For hundreds of years Vilnius' Catholic bishops called the city the 'Jerusalem of the North', not only because of its large Jewish community but also because of the peaceful coexistence of many different religious communities there. They didn't permit persecution. Can this be said of today's church authorities, who attempt to influence life in Lithuanian society in areas like family planning and abortion but remain silent when skinheads march past the cathedral?" (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Religión, » Minorías, » Lituania
Todos los textos disponible de » Kristina Sabaliauskaite

Of all the European states, Iceland is suffering most from the effects of the current bank crisis. Among other reasons this is because Iceland's major financial institutions acquired shares using borrowed capital and have been hit hard by the loans crisis. Björn Sundell warns that this could spell trouble for all the Nordic countries: "The question is what will happen if Iceland's bank system, with all its associated institutions in other northern countries, hits turbulence or even collapses. Over the past few months we have watched central banks all over the world adopt joint measures to mitigate the impact of the turbulence on the credit market. A country in crisis deserves the help of others. If Iceland is forced to take action against speculators, as Prime Minister Geir Haarde has intimated, it will urgently require assistance. But this assistance shouldn't result in the risks that Icelanders have taken being transferred to other Nordic countries." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política financiera, » Economía política, » Europa del Norte
Todos los textos disponible de » Björn Sundell

Sociologist Ignacio Sotelo considers one of the more detrimental consequences of the opening of the Spanish economy: the arrival of a massive amount of dirty money. "A professor at Leeds University, Jennifer Sands, analysed the social and political factors that facilitated the installation and development of mafias in Spain. She asserts that it is easier to launder money in Spain than any other developed country. ... The mafia's money, linked to narco-trafficking, has been a considerable factor in the economic growth we are now enjoying so much. But it's a taboo. Political leaders, and society in general, have agreed to not talk about it. I don't know if this is the underside of Spain, but we should fear for the worst if we don't combat this problem with a renewed strategy while there is still time." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Empresa, » España, » Global
Todos los textos disponible de » Ignacio Sotelo

Art Historian Brahim Alaoui is the curator of 'Crossings,' currently at 'Artparis', the international modern and contemporary art fair. In an interview conducted by Henri-François Debailleux, he explains the widespread enthusiasm for North African and Middle Eastern artists. "Since September 11th, we have discovered that these artists and intellectuals speak and express the malaise which has existed in the world for decades and that they struggle against taboos and all kinds of fanaticism. ... [What's more] these artists don't speak exclusively of their own problems or demand that everyone shares their feelings. They are no longer the banner-carriers of their regions, their countries; they express things that certainly resonate back home, but also around the world." (03/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Exposiciones / Museos, » Francia, » Oriente Próximo y Medio
Todos los textos disponible de » Brahim Alaoui, » Henri-François Debailleux

Francisco Chacon interviewed the Italian writer Alessandro Baricco about his new book 'The Barbarians,' a collection of articles which has just been released in Spain. Baricco explores the developments society is currently experiencing. "They are related to the students who don't study, to all these books that aren't read and all these museums which go unvisited. It's hard to know just how far these changes will go. It's up to us, the intellectuals, to work on it. ... Google is a formal model typically 'barbarian.' We surf the Internet without ever submerging ourselves deeply in it. Despite everything, we all surf anyway. In a way that's superficial, yet effective. ... The Internet revolution could be compared to that of the printing press. We thought that it would end the oral tradition. ... This revolution eventually brought about an immense development which produced a great wealth. In the same way that Google makes culture accessible to everyone." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Literatura, » Europa, » Global
Todos los textos disponible de » Francisco Chacon, » Alessandro Baricco

There are plans for the construction of a motorway ring road connecting all the Black Sea countries. The project is part of the "Black Sea Economic Cooperation" initiative. The Bulgarian daily comments spitefully: "A mega-project like this is a wonderful thing. It goes beyond the concept of a motorway ring road because it will connect Southeast Europe with the Caspian Sea region and Central Asia. The only catch is that Bulgaria still doesn't have a motorway available for connecting up with the ring road. Bulgaria is the only EU state that still doesn't have a single fully completed motorway, and the government is painfully aware of this. Still, this doesn't seem to have stopped it from including us in new projects. Of the 103 kilometres of motorway which are to stretch between Varna and Burgas, only ten have been completed so far. It would therefore be more appropriate for the government to concentrate on completing at least one motorway project by the end of its term in office instead of announcing new mega-projects." (03/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Infraestructuras / Tráfico, » Bulgaria

"Great brewing nations celebrate the contribution beer has made to their development as civilised societies with dedicated museums. ... But Britain stands to lose its sole major brewery museum in June when Coors closes its visitor centre in Burton-on-Trent," laments beer critic Roger Potz. "It began life more than 20 years ago as the Bass Museum, but Bass sold its breweries in 2000 to Coors, a giant US brewer... . The small town of Burton heaved with breweries and their armies of workers. The brewers developed their own private railways to feed into the new national network. When St Pancras station was built in London in the 1860s, its cellars were designed to take great wooden hogsheads of Burton ale. All this history is brilliantly depicted in the Burton museum and shows how beer and brewing are part of the warp and weft of British society. The museum and the history it encapsulates must not be allowed to fall to the Coors axe." (04/04/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Exposiciones / Museos, » Cultura cotidiana, » Historia, » Gran Bretaña
Todos los textos disponible de » Roger Protz