27.01 10:36 Politics

Russia to Keep Blocking UN Sanctions on Syria

Russia is standing firm on blocking any U.N. sanctions against Syria, its longtime ally and a significant arms customer, saying that any resolution by the world body must exclude the possibility of international military involvement such as in Libya.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that U.N. approval for sanctions against Syria mirroring those by other nations would be "unfair and counterproductive."
The U.S., the European Union, the Arab League and Turkey all have introduced sanctions against Damascus in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s violent crackdown on opponents. The uprising has left more than 5,400 people dead, according to the U.N. estimates.

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27.01 10:46 Politics

Considering a U.S.-Iranian Deal

By George Friedman
Last week, I wrote on the strategic challenge Iran faces in its bid to shape a sphere of influence stretching from western Afghanistan to Beirut on the eastern Mediterranean coast. I also pointed out the limited options available to the United States and other Western powers to counter Iran.
One was increased efforts to block Iranian influence in Syria. The other was to consider a strategy of negotiation with Iran. In the past few days, we have seen hints of both.
27.01 10:45 Politics

President Ilham Aliyev Holds Several Meetings in Davos

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on Jan. 26 met with European Commissioner for Energy in European Commission Gu"nther Oettinger in Davos.  The meeting focused on the development of Southern Gas Corridor project.
The sides emphasized the role of the Joint Declaration on the Southern Gas Corridor signed by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Commission Jose’ Manuel Dura~o Barroso in the development of energy ties.
27.01 10:44 Politics

Cameron to Rap ‘Uncompetitive’ Europe at Davos

Prime Minister David Cameron will accuse Europe of being uncompetitive and failing to act decisively on the eurozone crisis when he addresses the Davos forum on Thursday.
Cameron is the keynote speaker on the second day of the annual gathering of the world’s elite which this year is overshadowed by a deep foreboding about the global economy - in particular the state of Europe’s finances.
After Chancellor Angela Merkel used her address on Wednesday to say that she was not prepared to expose Germany to more flak from the markets to bail out eurozone strugglers, Cameron will urge an end to mere "tinkering".
27.01 10:44 Economics

Cameron: ‘EU Needs Bolder Steps to Boost Economy’

British Prime Minister David Cameron urged Europe Thursday to be "bolder" to shake off its economic woes, saying it should explore free trade deals with the United States and Africa.
In a speech to the annual World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, Cameron said the European Union must be more competitive if it is to overcome the crisis in the eurozone.
"This is a time to show the leadership our people are demanding. Tinkering here and there and hoping we’ll drift to a solution simply won’t cut it any more," he was to say, according to extracts released by Downing Street.
27.01 10:42 Society

Lithuanian PM Receives World Leader Cycle Award 2012

The Economic Faculty association Rotterdam (EFR) presented Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius with a World Leader Cycle Award 2012 for merits in the economy sector. This annual award is given for special merits in the areas of politics, economy and social welfare.
"Thanks to you, Lithuania has advanced to a higher level. We admire your efforts in trying to restore Lithuanian economy and mitigate the outcomes of the economic crisis. Even though, Lithuania is severely affected by the crisis, its economic recovery was the fastest in EU in the third quarter of the year.
27.01 10:41 Politics

The Arab Uprising, One Year Later

Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the first day of public unrest in Egypt, which led to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster 18 days later. A little before Mubarak was toppled, Tunisian autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, having lost support of the military, fled his country in the wake of mass unrest. The unrest that began in North Africa quickly spread eastward toward the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula; what has been termed the "Arab Spring" has manifested itself differently in different national contexts.
27.01 10:37 Economics

Turkmen, Afghan Presidents Discuss TAPI Gas Pipeline Project

Negotiations were held between presidents of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhammado.v and Hamid Karzai in Turkmenbashi, the Turkmen government said on Thursday.
During the meeting special attention was paid to cooperation in fuel and energy sector, and specifically - implementation of the project of construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), the report said.
20.01 11:59 Politics

The European Crisis in 2012

For much of the fourth quarter of 2011, it appeared the eurozone was doomed. Debt was piling up for several key states, and those with the ability to assist lacked the political will to do so. But the European Central Bank (ECB) stepped in in December with measures that have postponed - not solved - the European crisis.

Italy’s Debt Crisis
The core of the Continent’s ongoing problems is that most of its wealth is in the north, while the region’s periphery cannot grow without outside credit. That credit was made available with the creation of the eurozone in 1999, putting member states into the same capital pool.

Expert Opinion

When parliaments do History, There is Some Problem

News.Az interviews Emiliano Alessandri, Transatlantic Fellow, the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

- How would you assess the Senate’s law on genocide denying? Was it politically motivated?
When parliaments do history, there is some problem. In this particular case, there were pressure groups at work in and around the Armenian communities. But of course the law was passed because, leaving aside the genocide issue, certain uneasiness with contemporary Turkey is a widespread feeling among sections of the political class. The politics of this does not explain everything, but parliamentarians who are voting on this should know that their decision will have an impact on the politics of Turkey’s EU accession and on the development of French-Turkish relations.
- May this decision affect somehow the relations between Turkey and France?
The relationship was not great before, and will only worsen as a result of this recent move. In fact, reactions in Turkey have been clearly negative since this issue was taken up by French institutions. Turks might be willing to face the dark pages of their past, but will not accept that it is France that teaches them a history lesson. In fact, it is disturbing that French legislators take this action when France seems to have so much more to do from its side when it comes to facing dark pages of French history, such as violent colonization or France’s times under the Vichy regime. Politicians should leave it to historians to set the historical record. They should discuss the past, but should focus on the future. And the future speaks of the necessity for France and Turkey to find a new normal - a way to work together in a common space, from Europe to the Middle East. Businessmen from both countries want to profit from opportunities of cooperation. The two peoples would benefit greatly from deeper knowledge of each other cultures. The manipulation of the past is certainly to be condemned, and both Turks and Armenians need to come to an agreement on what happened during those tragic times. But a more cooperative future is what Turks, Armenians, and French are really called to build.

Which team will be the winner of the 2011-2012 seasonal Champions League?



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