http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/rss/10 This feed contains all new content on the Chatham House website related to Europe. http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/912/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/912/ 12:00, 18th September 2008 - This event will discuss some of the key policy challenges facing Britain in the next couple of decades, and consider the part the European Union has to play in tackling them. Sir Stephen Wall will outline the key points and recommendations made in the Chatham House Commission Report, A British Agenda for Europe: Designing our Own Future. The report focuses on the areas of foreign and defence policy; energy and climate change; and cooperation in making the world a safer place in terms of combating crime and terrorism. The discussants will respond to the findings of the report and open a wider discussion on the subject of British engagement with the EU in addressing key policy challenges. Please register by Monday 15 September. E-tickets (with directions) will be sent on Tuesday 16 September and must be presented on arrival. More information about the work of the Commission >> Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:43:26 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/903/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/903/ 07:00, 10th April 2008 - While the situation in Afghanistan raises questions regarding the effective role of NATO, there are other factors such as the Russian elections and Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence which will undoubtedly make the upcoming NATO Summit in Bucharest (2-4 April 2008) one of the most important to take place in recent years. Robin Shepherd will give a debrief on the Summit as well as on The Bucharest Conference (1-3 April 2008), organised by the German Marshall Fund of the United States in partnership with Chatham House and the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This event is strictly by invitation only. To enable as open a debate as possible, this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:11:55 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/901/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/901/ 07:00, 16th September 2008 - The French EU presidency has high ambitions for climate change, food and fuel prices, migration and European security - the Ambassador will take this opportunity to discuss France's priorities and her role in the office of the EU Presidency. This event is strictly by invitation only. To enable as open a debate as possible, this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:18:54 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/900/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/900/ 23:00, 17th September 2008 - Please note this event is strictly by invitation only. This event will launch a Chatham House Commission Report, A British Agenda for Europe. The report addresses some of the key policy challenges facing Britain in the next couple of decades, and considers the part the European Union has to play in tackling them. Commission Chair Sir Stephen Wall and other Commission Members will introduce the key findings and recommendations of the report. There will then be opportunity for an in-depth discussion of these issues and to question the Commission members. During 2007-08 Chatham House convened a Commission on Europe after Fifty: Policy Implications for Britain, whose members would bring to the study a combination of different areas of individual expertise and experience on the European Union, including economics, energy, security and foreign policy. The majority of the Commission members are British, however, non-British perspectives were also included in the Commission in order to encourage a more rounded discussion of British policy options and how they might be received in other European capitals. More about the work of the Commission. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:11:07 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/459/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/459/ As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights approaches its sixtieth anniversary, this month's The World Today looks at the status of human rights worldwide. Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 2004-8, writes that while there may be much to celebrate, the goal of making human rights truly universal is far from being achieved. Profound and deepening divisions between rich and poor, a security environment that exposes minorities to additional risks, and an expanded UN membership, have all amplified and exacerbated cultural, religious and political divisions especially on issues such as human rights. Against this background of shifting interests and values, in the name of which, all too often, discrimination is perpetrated, international human rights law provides the best, most reliable and fairest guide for managing and protecting multiple identities. The task now is not only to prompt states to give real effect to human rights but also to create a constituency for the middle ground where different national and regional interests, concerns and experiences can meet, be reconciled and directed to honour the purpose of the Universal Declaration. This will ensure future generations are better equipped to uphold the Declaration's universal principles. Read article. More about The World Today >> Full list of contents: Human Rights Anniversary: Without Want or Fear Louise Arbour China and Human Rights: Power to the People Kerry Brown Rights in Africa: Why Africa? Bonita C. Meyersfield Children's Rights: Young and Vulnerable Mary Buckley Islam and Human Rights: In the Name of Islam Maha Azzam United States and Human Rights: Ending Lapse into Lawlessness Kenneth Roth US Presidential Election: Choice or Echo? Robert Singh UN and EU Terrorist Blacklists: I've Got a Little List Monika Heupel Book Review: Punishing the Wicked David Bentley Ukraine and NATO: Destination Unknown James Sherr Angola Elections: Back to Ballots Indira Campos Politically-Capped Reserves: Let the Oil Flow? Daniel Litvin Securing Electricty: Blackout Bill Durodié Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:37:15 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/458/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/458/ In this issue of International Afffairs, Thomas Hegghammer traces the history of the Saudi jihadist movement. Based on primary sources and extensive fieldwork in the Kingdom, the article argues that jihadism in Saudi Arabia differs from jihadism in the Arab republics as it's driven primarily by extreme pan-Islamism and not socio-revolutionary ideology. The article also traces the outbreak - and failure - of the 2003 terrorist campaign by 'Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula' (QAP). This campaign was made possible by the presence in 2002 of a critical mass of returnees from Afghanistan, a clever two-track strategy by Al-Qaeda, and systemic weaknesses in the Saudi security apparatus. The near-absence of violence in the Kingdom before 2003 was due to Al-Qaeda's weak infrastructure in the early 1990s and bin Laden's 1998 decision to suspend operations to preserve local networks. Now, the Saudi regime is more stable and self-confident - and therefore less inclined to democratic reform -than it has been in many years. Read article. Full list of contents: The Responsibility to Protect and the Problem of Military Intervention Alex J Bellamy Righting the Course? Humanitarian Intervention, the 'War on Terror' and the Future of Afghanistan Fatima Ayub and Sari Kouvo The Vienna Negotiations on the Final Status of Kosovo Marc Weller Iran Under Ahmadinejad: Populism and its Malcontents Ali Ansari Islamist Violence and Regime Stability in Saudi Arabia Thomas Hegghammer 'An Enemy at the Gates' or 'From Victory to Victory'? Russian Foreign Policy Andrew Monaghan Security and Democracy: The ASEAN Charter and the Dilemmas of Regionalism in South-East Asia David Martin Jones Using Negotiation to Promote Legitimacy: An Assessment of Proposals for Reforming the WTO Cecilia Albin The Dynamics of British Military Transformation Theo Farrell The End of Impunity? Lessons from Sierra Leone Gillian Wigglesworth Book Reviews Other Books Received Index of Books Reviewed Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:21:50 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1795/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1795/ Madeleine McCann's disappearance in Portugal, just before her fourth birthday in May last year, is a vivid reminder of the vulnerability of children. Minors can be exploited for domestic slavery, work in brick kilns, mines, agriculture, fisheries, construction, begging rings and on market stalls, as well as in pornography and prostitution. They may be sold into forced child marriages, for adoption or be drawn into combat as child soldiers. Children have even faced abuse from United Nations peacekeeping troops and those working for non-governmental organisations, who are meant to protect their rights. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:52:41 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1794/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1794/ Do human rights in Africa have the same meaning as in the rest of the world? Almost more than any other continent, Africa seems removed from the global commitment to such rights. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms - freedom of religion, freedom from want, freedom from fear and freedom of speech - which underpin the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are rare privileges there. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:51:13 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1793/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1793/ The subject of human rights and China has become a highly politicised battlefield where fears provoked by the country's increasing influence and strength are translated into arguments about the Chinese government's treatment of its citizens. Beijing rightly trumpets economic transformation for its people, but where are the political rights? Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:49:52 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1792/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1792/ The principles of justice and equality for all in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have taken root in many places. But the goal of making them truly universal is far from being achieved. In December, the Declaration will turn sixty. That date also marks the end of a year-long United Nations campaign to celebrate the milestone. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:47:46 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/895/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/895/ 17:00, 18th September 2008 - THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL AND REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED. The speaker will consider the present and future of Britain's armed forces against the background of their history, and will argue that urgent attention is needed to ensure that they are 'fit for purpose' in the decades ahead. He will question whether any government could be persuaded to increase the proportion of GDP devoted to defence, and whether the current social culture makes it difficult to effectively deploy armed forces even in more popular causes than those of Iraq and Afghanistan. The event will be followed by a pre-dinner reception (cash bar), and dinner at 20.00. Chatham House members who would like to attend the dinner (3 courses including wine and coffee at £60 per head) are asked to book on 020 7827 5730 or email members@navalandmilitaryclub.co.uk. Dress for dinner will be Black Tie and Medals. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:42:27 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/ia/archive/view/-/id/2307/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/ia/archive/view/-/id/2307/ Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:33:35 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/ia/archive/view/-/id/2306/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/ia/archive/view/-/id/2306/ Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:31:24 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/ia/archive/view/-/id/2293/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/ia/archive/view/-/id/2293/ The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) has come a long way in a relatively short space of time. From inauspicious beginnings, the principle was endorsed by the General Assembly in 2005 and unanimously reaffirmed by the Security Council in 2006 (Resolution 1674). However, the principle remains hotly contested primarily because of its association with humanitarian intervention and the pervasive belief that its principal aim is to create a pathway for the legitimization of unilateral military intervention. This article sets forth the argument that a deepening consensus on R2P is dependent on its dissociation from the politics of humanitarian intervention and suggests that one way of doing this is by abandoning the search for criteria for decision-making about the use of force, one of the centre pieces of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty 2001 report that coined the phrase R2P. Criteria were never likely to win international support, the article maintains, and were less likely to improve decision-making on how best to respond to major humanitarian crises. Nevertheless, R2P can make an important contribution to thinking about the problem of military intervention by mitigating potential 'moral hazards', overcoming the tendency of international actors to focus exclusively on military methods and giving impetus to efforts to operationalize protection in the field. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:46:34 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/639/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/639/ When Europe's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) became effective nearly a decade ago, the euro was seen as having the potential to be the second pillar of the international monetary system. It was expected to share leadership in monetary affairs with the United States. Ten years later, however, the story looks quite different. Although the euro has firmly established itself as an international currency, the degree of change has been considerably less than expected. Europe's joint money remains at a distinct disadvantage in relation to America's greenback, limiting the role it can play in global monetary governance. The euro is not yet ready for 'prime time' and can at best play only a subordinate role to the dollar in the global system. This can be described as a one-and-a-half currency system - certainly not a two-pillar world. The problem lies in the governance structure of EMU. Because the euro is a currency without a country, based on an inter-state agreement, participating members find it difficult to speak with a single voice. The solution lies in a reform of EMU's governing rules and institutions that would put greater emphasis on the euro's external dimension. On the one hand this calls for more proactive management of the currency's exchange rate by the European Central Bank (ECB), together with an explicit commitment by the Eurogroup -the euro zone's informal committee of finance ministers - to undertake effective coordination of national fiscal policies. On the other hand it means designating a single representative of EMU with real authority to speak on behalf of members in international councils. Unless the euro zone can learn how to project power more successfully than it has until now, dual leadership of monetary affairs at the global level will remain out of reach. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:43:10 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/637/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/637/ In an important shift, inspired partly by drift in the Doha Round negotiations, the EU announced in 2006 that it would seek new free trade area arrangements with fast-growing economies, particularly in Asia. The plan, which ended a moratorium on the launch of bilateral trade talks, in place since 1996, was billed explicitly as a contribution to the EU's own growth and jobs strategy as well as a market-opening exercise. However, the policy has so far been no more effective than multilateral negotiations in producing concrete results. Negotiations with South Korea and ASEAN have made only slow progress, while the state of talks with India remains unclear. The EU spent most of 2007 renegotiating long-standing agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries in an effort to satisfy WTO rules. Meanwhile, the EU's partnership agreements with China and Russia have expired, and appropriate successor arrangements are still being sought. In both cases, a number of important bilateral problems and strains will need to be dealt with. With its various trade negotiations treading water, the EU may need to review its options. One could be a more aggressive pursuit of market access, modelled on the US approach. Alternatively, the EU's traditional preference for multilateral engagement may reassert itself. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:36:45 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/456/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/456/ As President Sarkozy prepares to reinvigorate the regional arrangement between the EU and the Mediterranean - the Barcelona Process - Claire Spencer argues in Europe and the Mediterranean: Eyeing Other Shores, that the project is flawed having failed 'to escape its underlying logic: that it is a European initiative'. As such, the process has been designed to meet Europe's own regional objectives rather than foster cooperation and integration. It is not clear why there is a need for another regional Mediterranean Partnership. The slow results of existing efforts suggest the current framework could be part of the problem as much as the solution. And yet, President Sarkozy has gone to great lengths in promoting his new framework for regional cooperation, soon to be adopted by the EU. With France leading the union's initial launch and project selection, there are grave suspicions that it will be used to advance French commercial interests under an EU umbrella. To survive, the scheme must be flexible and new mechanisms will be needed to overcome the deficiencies of the Barcelona Process itself, as well as its new addition. It must be visible through the direct engagement of those most immediately motivated by shared interests on both sides of the Mediterranean. More about The World Today >> Full list of contents: European Union Treaty: Trust the PeopleRobin Shepherd Ireland No Vote: Ways Out of the Irish Puzzle Thomas Legge Europe and the Mediterranean: Eyeing Other Shores Claire Spencer South Africa: Fundamental Failures Merle Lipton Book Review: Good for Government Alex Vines Small Arms: Gun Control Eric Berman The Gulf in the G8 Agenda: Top Table Time? Vanessa Rossi and Ruth Davis Saudi Arabia's Foreign Policy: Discreet Persuasion Neil Partrick Energy for Asia: Chasing Pipe Dreams Elizabeth Mills Burma after the Cyclone: Making a Disaster Out of a Cyclone Ashley South Analysing North Korea: Big Wheel Turning Rudiger Frank Profile - Sir Richard Dearlove: Overestimating Al Qaeda?Sean Armstrong Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:44:40 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1785/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1785/ Where is the G8 invitation for the Gulf? There was a moment when Russia had to fight for a place at the table with leading industrial nations, especially in the crisis-ridden 1990s. How times change. Rising oil prices helped the world's second largest oil producer recapture power and influence in both business and political circles - including the power to change the G7 into G8. Then came a top table welcome for China and others. But what about the world's tenth biggest economy, home to the largest sovereign wealth funds and in control of more than a third of global oil and gas? Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:39:28 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1784/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1784/ The land mines treaty of 1997 and the recent agreement to get rid of cluster munitions have outlawed whole categories of weapons. Small arms present an equally dangerous, but much more complex, problem. The United Nations will target it again this month. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:37:26 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1783/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1783/ Alex Vines reviews the African Peer Review Mechanism report. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:35:19 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/878/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/878/ 07:00, 30th September 2008 - The next stage of Russia's development will have important consequences for Western interests. Yet it is entirely possible that Russian preoccupations will not be the same as our own. What do we have to learn from our Russian counterparts, and what influence might we have? This event is strictly by invitation only. To enable as open a debate as possible, this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:24:10 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/877/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/877/ 07:00, 11th July 2008 - At July's G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, world leaders will discuss the world economy, environmental concerns, African development and other pressing issues that must be tackled. Jon Cunliffe will review the outcomes from the Toyako G8 Summit 7-9 July and provide an overview of the Japanese Presidency of the G8 in 2008. This event is strictly by invitation only. To enable as open a debate as possible, this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:15:09 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/625/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/625/ European Union engagement with the African Union on peace and security is developing fast, but until now there has been little examination of how effective the engagement is and how it might be improved. In late 2007 the Africa Programme was commissioned by the European Parliament to examine how best the European Union could work to support the emerging Peace and Security Architecture of the African Union, and the subsequent report to the Parliament has just been made public. Written by the Head of the Africa Programme Alex Vines and researcher Roger Middleton, the report recommends that greater attention be paid to supporting AU administrative capacity and better coordinating EU support to build on commendably rapid progress by the African Union in the face of numerous and complex security challenges. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:19:27 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/859/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/859/ 07:00, 2nd July 2008 - Turkish Islam is undergoing deep changes with potentially considerable impacts on the political, economic and social course of Turkey. Understanding them may illuminate on the future direction of this geo-politically important country. This event is strictly by invitation only. To enable as open a debate as possible, this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule Fri, 30 May 2008 11:51:48 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/858/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/858/ 07:00, 27th June 2008 - A full decade after Europe's leaders took the historic decision to launch Economic and Monetary Union, the euro has emerged a resounding success. It has become the second most important currency in the world; it has brought economic stability; it has promoted economic and financial integration, and generated trade and growth among its members. At the same time, the internal functioning of EMU and its external representation could be strengthened. The European Commission is using this annniversary to launch a debate on EMU and to develop a renewed agenda for the euro that will help secure Europe's prosperity for decades to come. This event is strictly by invitation only. To enable as open a debate as possible, this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule Fri, 30 May 2008 11:41:52 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/449/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/449/ The only way for the UK and other EU countries to help to shape tomorrow's world is to act together within the EU. The EU currently performs inadequately in foreign policy and its arrangements, which developed informally from primitive beginnings, have not been fit for purpose. The changes to be made under the Lisbon Treaty will now give it more effective means to formulate and implement agreed common policies, and will help to generate the necessary political will among member states. The appointment of a new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (EUHR) who will also be chairman of the Foreign Affairs Council and Vice President (VP) of the European Commission, assisted by the proposed European External Action Service (EAS), planned for 2009, is designed to provide the EU with a more coherent foreign policy authority. A new Chatham House Report, The European External Action Service: Roadmap for Success, sets out ten key policy recommendations that would ensure that the EAS is the most effective possible instrument for its task. Brian Crowe, author of the report and a former adviser to Javier Solana, argues that, although success will depend, above all, on the political will of member states to agree and deliver common policies, the arrangements to formulate the policies, manage the decision-making process and then implement the policies are also crucial to success. However, the Lisbon Treaty gives very little guidance, let alone detail, and leaves plenty of room for inter-institutional friction and wrong turnings. This report seeks to provide a roadmap for the consideration of policy-makers and opinion-formers. Above all, according to Brian Crowe, it is important that member states do not lose sight of the only objective in the Treaty for the EAS: assisting the EUHR/VP in the task of managing the EU's external relations. The full cooperation and support of member states will be needed to achieve this, including secondment of their best diplomats, a high priority to achieving common policies and a willingness to give the High Representative the lead in representing them. The High Representative and the new EAS are 'an opportunity the EU cannot afford to miss', says Brian Crowe. His ten recommendations are: The EUHR/VP must have the authority to fulfil his/her Treaty responsibility of coordinating effectively the external responsibilities of other Commissioners. He/she should have a deputy or deputies covering the whole EAS, i.e. the responsibilities for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and European Commission, including coordination. EU delegations abroad should come under a unified administrative management reporting to the EUHR/VP. The EAS should also support the President of the European Council in respect of his/her foreign policy responsibilities. There should be no alternative and inevitably competing foreign policy bureaucracy. CFSP and Commission business should be handled in an integrated way by EAS geographical desks, which (along with the EAS missions overseas) should be neither in the Council nor the Commission but in a separate Agency. Chairmanship of committees subordinate to the Foreign Affairs Council should be determined pragmatically, but guided where possible by the principle that the chair should be in the hierarchy managing the policy. EU missions abroad should be used actively as the instrument for conducting the EU's business with third countries. Special Representatives will continue to be justified where a more regional approach, including shuttle diplomacy, is needed. The assumption by the EAS and its missions abroad of functions on behalf of member states should be gradual, voluntary and only with the agreement of the EUHR/VP that the EAS's primary function of assisting him/her to run the EU's foreign and security policy is not undermined. Priority should be given to ensuring high-quality staff for the EAS, including first-class secondees from member states. To ensure excellence without fear or favour, an independent panel should provide a short list of candidates from which the EUHR/VP can make final choices. Commission, Council Secretariat and member states should encourage suitable and interested staff to consider secondment to the EAS, often more than once, as career-enhancing. They should release personnel for appropriate training and give priority to getting training programmes going. The EAS will need strong management and a strong manager to assist the EUHR/VP. Notes to editors: The Chatham House Report, The European External Action Service: Roadmap for Success is written by Sir Brian Crowe and published on Tuesday 27 May 2008. Sir Brian Crowe is the Deputy Chairman of Chatham House and a consultant and occasional lecturer, writer and instructor on EU and transatlantic affairs. He worked until 2002 for Javier Solana as Director General for External and Politico-Military Affairs in the EU Council of Ministers. Contact: Sir Brian Crowe Direct: +44 (0)20 7828 6084 Mobile: +44 (0)7847 450770 Sean Armstrong Press Officer Chatham House Direct: +44 (0) 20 7957 5739 Mobile: +44 (0) 78 4985 3757 Email: Sean Armstrong ENDS Fri, 23 May 2008 12:36:41 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1775/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1775/ Dmitri Medvedev's appearance at the G8 Summit in Hokkaido will be his first step on the wide international stage that Vladimir Putin occupied with such a swagger. Expectations of change will be high, but they are likely to be unrealistic at such an early stage in Medvedev's presidency. Putin's foreign policy legacy is a heavy one and he has made it clear that Medvedev will be no soft touch, but will his approach ultimately be more productive? Fri, 23 May 2008 11:38:10 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/621/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/621/ The only way for the UK and other EU countries to help to shape tomorrow's world is to act together within the EU. The EU currently performs inadequately in foreign policy and its arrangements, which developed informally from primitive beginnings, have not been fit for purpose. The changes to be made under the Lisbon Treaty will now give it more effective means to formulate and implement agreed common policies, and will help to generate the necessary political will among member states. The appointment of a new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (EUHR) who will also be chairman of the Foreign Affairs Council and Vice President (VP) of the European Commission, assisted by the proposed European External Action Service (EAS), planned for 2009, is designed to provide the EU with a more coherent foreign policy authority. This Chatham House Report sets out ten key policy recommendations that would ensure that the EAS is the most effective possible instrument for its task. Fri, 23 May 2008 10:33:48 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/448/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/448/ In this month's The World Today, Robert Falkner exposes the weak regulatory system of nanotechnology in Nanotechnology Dangers: Who's Afraid of Nanotech? In a little-noticed announcement, Britain's Soil Association declared that any foods containing nanotechnology additives can no longer be labeled 'organic'. This is the first ban on nanotechnology of its kind worldwide and comes after scientists are becoming increasingly concerned that nanoscale particles may react in unexpected ways, potentially causing harm to the human body and environment. And yet, few consumers realize that manufactured nanoparticles have been in commercial use for years and can be found in a wide range of products - skincare cream, sports clothing, cooking oil and wall coatings. Regulatory oversight of the new technology is patchy and underdeveloped. As so often in modern industrial history, regulators are struggling to keep up with technological innovation. Scientists were the first to raise concerns about the speed with which nanotechnology products were emerging on the market without adequate guarantees on their safety. Now, the insurance industry has added its voice to the chorus calling for more regulatory oversight. All agree that a wider public debate is needed as well as better government regulatory oversight. Existing environmental and consumer protection is not enough. None of the leading nanotech countries wants to undercut the high growth and innovation potential that nanotechnology presents. But as pressures grow for regulators to act on safety concerns, the search for the right balance between regulatory precaution and technology promotion is bound to become more complicated. More about The World Today >> Full list of contents: Food Prices: Feeding the Ten Billion Alex Evans Asian Rivers - Food and Power: Dams It Is! David Fullbrook Lebanon: Futile Victory Nadim Shehadi Nanotechnology Dangers: Who's Afraid of Nanotech? Robert Falkner G8 Summit and the International Economic Crisis: Shocks, Summits, Solutions DeAnne Julius G8 and Russian Foreign Policy: Overcoming Shortcomings John Lough Japan, Africa and the G8: Beyond Daydreams Elizabeth Donnelly Angola: Fuelling Friendships Indira Campos The British Economy: Bumpy Ride for Britain?Vanessa Rossi Thu, 22 May 2008 13:22:53 +0100 http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/447/ http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/news/view/-/id/447/ This special issue of International Affairs looks at the changing dynamics in the international economic system from an interdisciplinary standpoint, unpacking some of the emerging processes of globalization and investigating the relationship between power and rule-setting. The framing question behind the special issue is how the global order has to change in order to accommodate the enlargement of the playing field and in particular the emergence of fast-growing developing economies. How is this shift going to affect the distribution of power, both among nations and between state and non-state actors? Is this shift going to drive a fundamental rethinking of the rules governing relations between countries - and regions - and institutions? These pertinent questions are explored in this special issue. In his article, Anthony Payne charts the history of the G8, arguing that it came to demonstrate and symbolize the triumph of western capitalist liberal democracy over its rival Soviet system. In that sense the G8 constituted the club of the winners of late twentieth century history. But it has long been beset by problems of legitimacy and efficiency. To achieve its ambitions and meet new challenges the G8 must face up to the new realities of the global political system. It has recognised that it needs to incorporate new powers such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa into its affairs. But these countries will have to show that they are willing to work within the framework of western leadership. Only then will the formation of a relevant G13 become a politically realistic possibility. Full list of contents: Introduction: Power and Rules in a Changing Economic Order Paola Subacchi Globalization, empire and natural lawHarold James The case of the World Trade Organization John H. Jackson The international monetary system: Diffusion and ambiguity Benjamin J. Cohen Europe as a global actor: Empire by example? Jan Zielonka New power centres and new power brokers: Are they shaping a new economic order?Paola Subacchi Beyond the Washington Consensus? Asia and Latin America in search of more autonomous development Jean Grugel, Pia Riggirozzi and Ben Thirkell-White The G8 in a changing global economic order Anthony Payne Setting the rules: Private power, political underpinnings, and legitimacy in global monetary and financial governance Geoffrey R D Underhill and Xiaoke Zhang Book Reviews Other Books Received Index of Books Received Thu, 22 May 2008 12:44:28 +0100