Parliamentary diplomacy adds what can be called a “democratic perspective” to international politics
Interest in studying parliamentary diplomacy is increasing steadily. A significant amount of articles and commentary devoted to the subject have been published in recent years, in which parliamentary diplomacy is analyzed both from a theoretical perspective (Parliamentary Diplomacy in European and Global Governance 2017, Noulas 2011, Konkov et al 2018,
Beetham
2006, 155-182), and in its specific...
China-EU relations have been in free fall since China was labeled as “strategic rival” of the EU
Russia’s relations with the European Union hit their lowest in 2014, as a direct result of the political gridlock in Ukraine. Russia's subsequent involvement in the issue, with bold actions in Crimea and the incident with Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, led to a political outcry ...
... complicated matter. In May, Brussels once again extended its sanctions against Syria for another year. On the other hand, Europe is debating adjusting its approaches to the Syrian reconstruction effort. The German expert
Muriel Asseburg
notes that the European Union’s consolidated standing is eroded by differences between the United Kingdom, Germany and France on the one hand, as they favour preserving the hard-line approach, and Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland on the other, as they are ready ...
Discussions on the quid pro quo approach to sanctions relief and concessions look like the only possible way to move forward
On July 11, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) finally adopted a resolution extending the authorization of cross-border mechanisms that guarantee the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria for another year, until July 10, 2021. However, the UN aid will now go through just one Turkish border crossing — Bab al-Hawa. The resolution did not approve the Bab al-Salam crossing...
... zone or continental shelf.
Article 121.2 explains why Turkey refuses to sign UNCLOS, hoping it could substitute gunboat diplomacy for International Law. The UNCLOS, however, is part of
International Customary Law
, ratified by 167 states and by the European Union (EU), which Turkey hopes to join. Thus, the undisputed applicability of Article 121 has led to the massive condemnation of Ankara's associated provocations.
Turkey's “neo-surrealist” claim (as Greek FM Nikos Dendias once quipped) about ...
... to Russia.
On July 22, 2020, Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, had a meeting with Tomislav Car, Ambassador of Croatia to Russia.
The following issues were discussed during the meeting: the results of Croatian presidency of the Council of the European Union, the prospects for bilateral Russia-Croatia relations, as well as trends in the development of the political situation in the Western Balkans region in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and the global economic recession.
... consequences relative to the size of the British economy. It is also important not to ignore London’s role as a participant in the international “sanctions coalitions”. Most likely, Britain will support US sanctions more enthusiastically than the European Union.
First published in the
Valdai Discussion Club
.
On July 16, 2020, the VI Youth Forum of the Potsdam Meetings was held. It organized by the Gorchakov Fund and the German-Russian Forum
On July 16, 2020, the VI Youth Forum of the Potsdam Meetings was held. It organized by the Gorchakov Fund and the German-Russian Forum. The theme of the conference is «Germany-Russia-EU: The Pandemic and Its Influence on Foreign and Security Policies». During the conference, a wide range of issues of bilateral and international relations, prospects for overcoming...
... powers, risking ending up, once again, as the battleground between the two different blocs.
Andrey Kortunov:
We Need to Create a More Inclusive System of Global Governance
If the pandemic hit hard on the economic giants, particularly true was for the European Union, where COVID-19's wave shed light on Brussels' enormous dependence on the two opposing powers. As of China, a relatively new economic partner, the virus highlighted the extent to which the continent is dependent on areas nowadays considered ...
...
].
In other words, the United States remains the world leader in terms of the sanctions’ frequent use and effectiveness. The future of US hegemony in this area will depend on the policies of other major players, such as the EU, China and Russia.
European Union: Sanctions as an Alternative to Diplomacy and Weapons
Sanctions Against Russia: A Look Into 2020. RIAC Report
Sanctions are almost an ideal foreign policy tool for the EU. The EU is now mature enough to pursue a consolidated and vigorous ...
