Stories about International Relations from January, 2008
Serbia, Slovenia: Kosovo Independence
Dr. Filomena writes on Kosovo's independence and explains why she thinks Slovenia should not be the first to recognize it: “If for no other reason, then for the sake of our investments in Serbia.”
Estonia: Fewer Stateless People
Itching for Eestimaa reports that the number of Estonia's stateless persons continues to decrease.
Czech Republic, Serbia: Embassy Corruption
The Czech Daily Word writes on the corruption scandal at the Czech Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia.
Serbia, Albania: Kosovo Rapper
BBC's Mark Mardell interviews “Kosovo’s premier rapper” Genc Prevlaka.
Barbados: Bring on the ferries
Barbadian Notes from the Margin argues for an inter-island Caribbean ferry service. “Moving people and goods from island to island is hugely difficult….”
Anguilla, China: Illegal foreign labour?
Are Anguillan building contractors using cheap and illegal Chinese labour? Corruption-Free Anguilla is concerned.
Turkmenistan: U.S. Active in Ashgabat
Maciula writes about increasing levels of American diplomatic activity in Turkmenistan and the prospects of building the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.
The difference between Senegal and China
Blog politique au Senegal explains the difference between Senegal and China [Fr]: “Aside from the obvious differences like the color of their skin, the enormous disparity in the size of their populations, their respective demographic differences, I also know that there exists another fundamental difference…Us, we play football, we dream...
Iraq: Libya Sponsoring Terrorism
After Iran, Syria and others it's now Libya's turn to sponsor terrorism in Iraq, notes Omar, from Iraq the Model.
Egypt: Al Jazeera's Arab Unity Series
The Arabist from Egypt sheds light on a television production, by Qatar-based Al Jazeera, on Arab unity.
Albania: President Bamir Topi
A Fistful of Euros writes about Albania's president and some of his policies.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: New Blogs by Public Figures
A few interesting blogs have emerged in the Bosnian blogosphere recently, showing the growing interest in blogging and Web 2.0 in the Balkans. Elia Varela Serra introduces the newcomers: a president, an ambassador, and a travelguide writer.
Armenia: Russian Masters
After a visiting Russian official effectively endorsed the candidacy of the prime minister ahead of next month's presidential election in Armenia, Nazarian asks if it isn't time Armenians started to think for themselves.
Louis Michel Heckled by Congolese Protestors at the London School of Economics
Le renouveau congolais posts a YouTube video which shows Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and formerly Belgian's foreign minister, as he was confronted by Congolese protesters during a talk given earlier this month on the EU and Africa at the London School of Economics. Read the reactions from Congolese netizens and a video response that will make you move your feet.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Against Division
Balkanizer comes up with “an argument against the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina.”
Belarus, Latvia: “Ploshcha”
Marginalia watches Ploshcha (“The Square”), a film about the March 2006 mass protests in Minsk – “and watching it is a good way to mark Ceauşescu's birthday and Suharto's death” – and muses on freedom in Latvia and the lack of it in Belarus.
Poland: New Government's Problems
The beatroot reports: “‘Civic Platform are clueless.’ That’s what many are saying of Poland’s still fledgling government. It must be the shortest political honeymoon in history.”
Serbia: Belgrade's Past
Belgrade 2.0 muses on Belgrade's past and posts some old videos.
Ukraine: Tymoshenko's Ideologies
Ukrainiana is somewhat confused about Yulia Tymoshenko's position: “Here we go again, cruising the ideological avenues of the world: from solidarism to Thatcherism; from pondering membership in the Socialist International to praising Sarkozy; from advocating aggressive privatization to promoting the idea of mild government-subsidized mortgage rates. How does it all...
Bahrain: Are Gulf Arabs Lazy?
Earlier this week the Bahraini Labour Minister Majid Al Alawi was interviewed in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, and in the interview he said that the Gulf was facing an 'Asian tsunami' because Gulf nationals are 'lazy' and 'spoilt' and depend on imported labour to do even simple tasks. He said that that the nearly 17 million foreign workers in the Gulf, mostly Asian, represented 'a danger worse than the atomic bomb or an Israeli attack'. What do Bahraini bloggers think?
Afghanistan: Lord Ashdown Steps Down
Afghanistan Watch reports that Lord Paddy Ashdown has withdrawn his name from consideration as the UN envoy to Afghanistan, after President Hamid Karzai and other officials expressed opposition last week, concerned about the extent of his power.
