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Ron Prosor, Israeli ambassador in London | August 28, 2008 It is the Hamas's illegitimate rule that prevents progress between Israel and the Palestinians, not Israel itself. ++ However, Palestinian protesters stick to the anti-Israel dogma and do not question the extremists’ destructiveness even though they need to ask Israel more and more often for help. ++ Therefore, "it is time to realize that bashing Israel ...More

Dmitry Medvedev, president of Russia | August 28, 2008 It was Saakashvili’s behavior that forced Russia to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. ++ Relations of different nations living in one state have to be handled with great sensitivity. ++ Russia respects its minorities and fosters harmonious coexistence between them; the president of Georgia proved himself unable to do the same and ...More

Rose Gottemoeller, Carnegie Moscow Center | August 28, 2008 The agenda for cooperation with Russia looks doubtful but safe havens for cooperation still exist. ++ For instance, the entire civil and military nuclear agenda opens room for diplomacy. ++ However, no single European institution is perfectly suited to working on security arrangements. ++ At this highly charged moment, the best choice may be to turn to the ...More

Joachim Fritz-Vannahme, Die Zeit (in German) | August 28, 2008 The crucial question at the upcoming European head of state meeting is about the right of self-determination in the context of the Caucasus crises. ++ EU foreign policy towards Kosovo indicates that it is an advocate of self-determination; however, there may be some who emphasize the inviolability of borders, thereby giving a hazardous guarantee to the Georgian ...More

Bob Doppelt, University of Oregon | August 28, 2008 Current "cap and trade" approach to the fight with global warming will not effectively solve the problem. ++ At its core, climate change is not a problem of technology or policy – the problem lies in our frame of mind. ++ We won’t save our planet unless we overcome system blindness and embrace "sustainable thinking,” characterized by 4 steps: ...More

Editorial, the Washington Post | August 27, 2008 It’s been almost a year since Burmese people were violently crushed as they publicly demanded freedom and the international community has still not achieved anything. ++ As Than Shwe intensifies the crackdown, the world looks towards Ban Ki-moon for leadership in dealing with the dictator but UN mission in Burma has been fruitless. ++ Flowery speeches ...More

Jawed Ludin, Afghanistan's ambassador to Norway | August 27, 2008 The US has to realize that it cannot fight terrorism in Afghanistan successfully without expanding the war on terror into Pakistan. ++ The US should revitalise the coalition of the willing, enhance the cooperation with the Afghan and Pakistani armies, and establish a military bases on Pakistani soil. ++ Furthermore, a supreme commander, with Afghan and ...More

Volker Perthes, SWP | August 27, 2008 Before the new US administration is approved and in full operation, there will be a pause in early 2009 in US involvement in the Middle East. ++ Even though EU cannot complete the job for the US, it can act as a trustee to keep the peace processes alive. ++ EU should offer Javier Solana as an interim mediator for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. ++ As an ...More

L. Graham and J. Lieberman, US senators | August 27, 2008 Russia's invasion is not only a threat to Georgia, it also questions the political order and values of Europe. ++ With American help, the EU has become “one of the greatest strategic achievements of the 20th century." ++ But now the Russian aggression is drawing a dividing line through Europe and separates the truly independent nations from those which ...More

Editorial, The Daily Star | August 27, 2008 After nearly eight years of Bush's haphazard and ill-advised actions and his contempt for the Arab-Israeli peace process, for most Arabs change cannot come soon enough. ++ Senator Joe Biden is known for his foreign policy experience, his attentiveness to Middle-Eastern concerns, as well as his blunt criticism of Bush’s policies. ++ His no-nonsense style ...More