Individual European countries should sign up to a legally-binding security pact that includes Russia in a new structure over-arching the EU and NATO, Russian diplomats will propose at a meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels on Monday (28 July). The pact would be negotiated at a special international forum convened by Russia and could embrace emerging powers Brazil and India, Central Asian states and existing international security alliances such as the EU, NATO, the OSCE, the CIS and the CSTO. Moscow: keen to formalise its role as a major world player The treaty would handle "problems" such as NATO enlargement, illegal migration, drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism, Russian NATO ambassador Dmitry Rogozin told the New York Times, admitting the idea is unlikely to get a warm welcome at first. "We do not expect immediate reaction on the part of our western partners, or booing or, on the contrary, applause," he said, with western analysts arguing the proposed Russian set-up would weaken NATO by subjecting it to external vetoes.
Individual European countries should sign up to a legally-binding security pact that includes Russia in a new structure over-arching the EU and NATO, Russian diplomats will propose at a meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels on Monday (28 July).
The pact would be negotiated at a special international forum convened by Russia and could embrace emerging powers Brazil and India, Central Asian states and existing international security alliances such as the EU, NATO, the OSCE, the CIS and the CSTO.
Moscow: keen to formalise its role as a major world player
The treaty would handle "problems" such as NATO enlargement, illegal migration, drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism, Russian NATO ambassador Dmitry Rogozin told the New York Times, admitting the idea is unlikely to get a warm welcome at first.
"We do not expect immediate reaction on the part of our western partners, or booing or, on the contrary, applause," he said, with western analysts arguing the proposed Russian set-up would weaken NATO by subjecting it to external vetoes.
BERLIN: Russia's ambassador to NATO said Monday that the Kremlin had no intention of undermining the NATO military alliance or, for that matter, any other organization established during the Cold War. "Our ideas are profoundly misunderstood," Dmitri Rogozin, Russia's envoy to the trans-Atlantic alliance, told NATO's top diplomats during a two-hour meeting in which he said the Kremlin was working on a new foreign policy concept. Central to that concept are plans for establishing a security structure that would stretch from Canada across Russia to China. But military experts suspect such a new forum could eventually supersede NATO, of which Russia is not a member, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, in which Russia is a member and plays a big role. Russia, increasingly wealthy, thanks to energy exports, and thus newly confident, is prepared to adopt a more assertive foreign policy stance, President Dmitri Medvedev made clear in his speech to Russian ambassadors this month. He proposed "a modern European architecture that would be designed for 21st-century realities."
BERLIN: Russia's ambassador to NATO said Monday that the Kremlin had no intention of undermining the NATO military alliance or, for that matter, any other organization established during the Cold War.
"Our ideas are profoundly misunderstood," Dmitri Rogozin, Russia's envoy to the trans-Atlantic alliance, told NATO's top diplomats during a two-hour meeting in which he said the Kremlin was working on a new foreign policy concept.
Central to that concept are plans for establishing a security structure that would stretch from Canada across Russia to China. But military experts suspect such a new forum could eventually supersede NATO, of which Russia is not a member, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, in which Russia is a member and plays a big role.
Russia, increasingly wealthy, thanks to energy exports, and thus newly confident, is prepared to adopt a more assertive foreign policy stance, President Dmitri Medvedev made clear in his speech to Russian ambassadors this month. He proposed "a modern European architecture that would be designed for 21st-century realities."
Almost three quarters of Irish voters are opposed to the idea of a second vote on the EU's Lisbon treaty, according to a fresh poll. The survey, revealed on Sunday (27 July), was commissioned by the London-based eurosceptic think-tank Open Europe, and carried out among 1,000 respondents between 21 and 23 July, shortly after a visit by French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Dublin. The Open Europe poll indicates the idea of a second EU vote not popular in Ireland The leader of France, which currently hold the EU's six-month rotating presidency, last week proposed to the Irish prime minister, Brian Cowen, that a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty be held on the same day as elections to the European Parliament next June. But the new poll signals that there is currently not much appetite among Irish voters to be asked about the same document again: 71 percent of respondents said they were against the move, compared to 24 percent who were in favour.
Almost three quarters of Irish voters are opposed to the idea of a second vote on the EU's Lisbon treaty, according to a fresh poll.
The survey, revealed on Sunday (27 July), was commissioned by the London-based eurosceptic think-tank Open Europe, and carried out among 1,000 respondents between 21 and 23 July, shortly after a visit by French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Dublin.
The Open Europe poll indicates the idea of a second EU vote not popular in Ireland
The leader of France, which currently hold the EU's six-month rotating presidency, last week proposed to the Irish prime minister, Brian Cowen, that a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty be held on the same day as elections to the European Parliament next June.
But the new poll signals that there is currently not much appetite among Irish voters to be asked about the same document again: 71 percent of respondents said they were against the move, compared to 24 percent who were in favour.
The Macedonian parliament on Saturday (26 July) approved the country's new government led by prime minister Nikola Gruevski and pledged to do its utmost to speed up Macedonia's EU integration. Mr Gruevski's centre-right VMRO-DPMNE party won 63 seats in the June parliamentary elections, while the Social Democratic Union got 27, and the main parties representing the country's ethnic Albanians - the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) and the Democratic Party for Albanians (DPA) - won 18 and 11 seats, respectively. "We will work day and night to become a member of the European Union and NATO," says Macedonia's premier. The new coalition government consists of VMRO-DPMNE and DUI, while the Social Democratic Union has decided to boycott all parliamentary activity following the arrest of one of its vice-presidents, Zoran Zaev, some 10 days ago, saying the accusations against him of alleged links to organised crime were "politically motivated." "We will work day and night to become a member of the European Union and NATO," Mr Gruevski told parliamentarians when presenting his new government, AFP reports.
The Macedonian parliament on Saturday (26 July) approved the country's new government led by prime minister Nikola Gruevski and pledged to do its utmost to speed up Macedonia's EU integration.
Mr Gruevski's centre-right VMRO-DPMNE party won 63 seats in the June parliamentary elections, while the Social Democratic Union got 27, and the main parties representing the country's ethnic Albanians - the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) and the Democratic Party for Albanians (DPA) - won 18 and 11 seats, respectively.
"We will work day and night to become a member of the European Union and NATO," says Macedonia's premier.
The new coalition government consists of VMRO-DPMNE and DUI, while the Social Democratic Union has decided to boycott all parliamentary activity following the arrest of one of its vice-presidents, Zoran Zaev, some 10 days ago, saying the accusations against him of alleged links to organised crime were "politically motivated."
"We will work day and night to become a member of the European Union and NATO," Mr Gruevski told parliamentarians when presenting his new government, AFP reports.
Ground staff and cabin crew at Lufthansa, Germany's biggest airline, went on strike on Monday in a pay dispute. The impact on flights has been limited so far but trade union Ver.di said the effect will be greater the longer the strike goes on. Lufthansa staff carrying a banner of services union Ver.di walk through the departures hall of Frankfurt airport on the first day of the strike. Some 5,000 employees of Germany's biggest airline, Lufthansa, began a strike on Monday in pursuit of a claim for 9.8 percent more pay, but have failed so far to cause major disruption to the airline's flights because Lufthansa has drafted in additional staff. Services union Ver.di targeted the airports of Hamburg and Frankfurt on the first day of its open-ended strike but staff at other airports also took part. Lufthansa's technical and catering divisions were initial targets of the action. The airline is trying to minimize the impact on passengers and has worked out a contingency plan with German railway operator Deutsche Bahn, which said it was well-prepared to handle extra demand.
Ground staff and cabin crew at Lufthansa, Germany's biggest airline, went on strike on Monday in a pay dispute. The impact on flights has been limited so far but trade union Ver.di said the effect will be greater the longer the strike goes on.
Lufthansa staff carrying a banner of services union Ver.di walk through the departures hall of Frankfurt airport on the first day of the strike. Some 5,000 employees of Germany's biggest airline, Lufthansa, began a strike on Monday in pursuit of a claim for 9.8 percent more pay, but have failed so far to cause major disruption to the airline's flights because Lufthansa has drafted in additional staff.
Services union Ver.di targeted the airports of Hamburg and Frankfurt on the first day of its open-ended strike but staff at other airports also took part. Lufthansa's technical and catering divisions were initial targets of the action.
The airline is trying to minimize the impact on passengers and has worked out a contingency plan with German railway operator Deutsche Bahn, which said it was well-prepared to handle extra demand.
Serbia's war crimes court is still waiting for delivery of the appeal by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic against his extradition. Mr Karadzic's lawyer says he posted the appeal at the last minute, from a remote post office in Bosnia, trying to delay the process as long as possible. Officials in Belgrade said the document had still not arrived on Monday. "I wouldn't rule out that my appeal grows a beard and moustache before it gets here," said Mr Karadzic's lawyer.
Serbia's war crimes court is still waiting for delivery of the appeal by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic against his extradition.
Mr Karadzic's lawyer says he posted the appeal at the last minute, from a remote post office in Bosnia, trying to delay the process as long as possible.
Officials in Belgrade said the document had still not arrived on Monday.
"I wouldn't rule out that my appeal grows a beard and moustache before it gets here," said Mr Karadzic's lawyer.
Locals afraid that the Government will allow parts of the east coast to flood are threatening to cloud Prime Minister Gordon Brown's summer holiday. Mr Brown, his wife Sarah and sons John, four, and Fraser, two, are taking a break near Southwold, Suffolk, after leaving London on Saturday. But locals say the choice is ironic because the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), may allow parts of the nearby coast to flood as part of long-term sea defence plans. Protesters say they will stage a demonstration in Southwold on Wednesday to underline their concerns and call for more Government cash to be spent protecting the Suffolk coast. "Isn't it ironic that Gordon should choose to come to a place that his Government is abandoning to the sea," said a spokesman for the Blyth Estuary Group.
Locals afraid that the Government will allow parts of the east coast to flood are threatening to cloud Prime Minister Gordon Brown's summer holiday.
Mr Brown, his wife Sarah and sons John, four, and Fraser, two, are taking a break near Southwold, Suffolk, after leaving London on Saturday.
But locals say the choice is ironic because the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), may allow parts of the nearby coast to flood as part of long-term sea defence plans.
Protesters say they will stage a demonstration in Southwold on Wednesday to underline their concerns and call for more Government cash to be spent protecting the Suffolk coast.
"Isn't it ironic that Gordon should choose to come to a place that his Government is abandoning to the sea," said a spokesman for the Blyth Estuary Group.
But not compensating people in such situations is typical of the way British goivernments have always worked; it's an enculutured pettiness that cheapens all invovled. keep to the Fen Causeway
British MPs on Sunday have demanded an investigation into whether an army general and a defence minister misled them over the use of banned interrogation techniques in Iraq. The MPs were told by Adam Ingram, the armed forces minister in 2004 and Lt. Gen. Robin Brims in 2006 that torture techniques were not being used in Iraq, said a report published by parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights. Andrew Dismore, the committee chairman, said: "On the ground, that wasn't what was happening in Iraq." The use of "conditioning" techniques such as hooding and stress positioning was exposed by the abuse and torture of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi hotel receptionist.
British MPs on Sunday have demanded an investigation into whether an army general and a defence minister misled them over the use of banned interrogation techniques in Iraq.
The MPs were told by Adam Ingram, the armed forces minister in 2004 and Lt. Gen. Robin Brims in 2006 that torture techniques were not being used in Iraq, said a report published by parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Andrew Dismore, the committee chairman, said: "On the ground, that wasn't what was happening in Iraq."
The use of "conditioning" techniques such as hooding and stress positioning was exposed by the abuse and torture of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi hotel receptionist.
He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy. keep to the Fen Causeway
The public is increasingly writing off Labour as a general election force with fewer voters believing that a change of leader or policy could help it. The latest Populus poll for The Times, undertaken over the weekend after Labour's defeat in Glasgow East, suggests that its dramatic slide in popularity is being driven by a collapse in economic confidence. Labour is now on 27 per cent, down one point on the last Populus poll three weeks ago, and around the level it has been for the past three months, the lowest since the early 1980s. The Conservatives are on 43 per cent, plus two points, and its strongest position for 20 years, with the Liberal Democrats down one point at 18 per cent. Other parties are unchanged on 12 per cent.
The public is increasingly writing off Labour as a general election force with fewer voters believing that a change of leader or policy could help it.
The latest Populus poll for The Times, undertaken over the weekend after Labour's defeat in Glasgow East, suggests that its dramatic slide in popularity is being driven by a collapse in economic confidence.
Labour is now on 27 per cent, down one point on the last Populus poll three weeks ago, and around the level it has been for the past three months, the lowest since the early 1980s.
The Conservatives are on 43 per cent, plus two points, and its strongest position for 20 years, with the Liberal Democrats down one point at 18 per cent. Other parties are unchanged on 12 per cent.
Gently squeezing the brakes on biofuels policy is the growing consensus amongst European diplomats regarding the controversial energy source, with Ireland the latest member state to pull back from short-term targets on its use in transport fuel. While not wanting to abandon the mid-term goal of 10 percent use of biofuels by 2020, the Irish energy minister is now pushing for an abandonment of the already agreed EU biofuels target of 5.75 percent of what fills the tanks of cars and lorries by 2010. Electric cars are slowing winning favour in the council. In an interview with the Irish Times, energy minister Eamon Ryan said that his government has dropped the earlier target in the wake of a slew of reports released in the last six months that have shown strong links between EU and US biofuels policies and increased greenhouse gas emissions and skyrocketing food prices. "There's been an avalanche of these reports, but it was the [UK Renewable Fuel Agency's] Gallagher Report that in particular had an impact on our thinking," an Irish official told the EUobserver.
Gently squeezing the brakes on biofuels policy is the growing consensus amongst European diplomats regarding the controversial energy source, with Ireland the latest member state to pull back from short-term targets on its use in transport fuel.
While not wanting to abandon the mid-term goal of 10 percent use of biofuels by 2020, the Irish energy minister is now pushing for an abandonment of the already agreed EU biofuels target of 5.75 percent of what fills the tanks of cars and lorries by 2010.
Electric cars are slowing winning favour in the council.
In an interview with the Irish Times, energy minister Eamon Ryan said that his government has dropped the earlier target in the wake of a slew of reports released in the last six months that have shown strong links between EU and US biofuels policies and increased greenhouse gas emissions and skyrocketing food prices.
"There's been an avalanche of these reports, but it was the [UK Renewable Fuel Agency's] Gallagher Report that in particular had an impact on our thinking," an Irish official told the EUobserver.
Turkish police are studying security camera footage of two men carefully placing white plastic bags in rubbish bins in their search for clues after two bombs exploded in a busy Istanbul suburb, killing 17 people. The blasts on Sunday evening further raised tensions in this divided country. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest in Turkey's biggest city since more than 60 people died in four co-ordinated car bomb attacks on British and Jewish targets in November 2003. And the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, has denied that it played any role in the blasts. Istanbul's Governor, meanwhile, linked the bombings to the PKK. "There appears to be a link with the separatist organisation," said Muammer Guler. And when the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visited the scene of the yesterday, crowds greeted him with shouts of "Down with the PKK". The PKK, whose war against the Turkish state has resulted in 40,000 deaths since 1984, has bombed Turkish cities in the past.Analysts speculate that the PKK may have been seeking revenge for aerial and ground attacks against its bases in northern Iraq. "The group is weak," said Sedat Laciner, a specialist in terrorism. "I think it is trying to bring itself to the top of the agenda again." But those most affected by the bombs appear to be sceptical of the official Turkish media line. "They say it was the PKK," said Ibrahim Culhaci, whose wrecked shoe shop is metres from where the second, bigger blast occurred. "But everybody in this country is playing funny games. The PKK could just be a tool."
Turkish police are studying security camera footage of two men carefully placing white plastic bags in rubbish bins in their search for clues after two bombs exploded in a busy Istanbul suburb, killing 17 people. The blasts on Sunday evening further raised tensions in this divided country.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest in Turkey's biggest city since more than 60 people died in four co-ordinated car bomb attacks on British and Jewish targets in November 2003. And the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, has denied that it played any role in the blasts. Istanbul's Governor, meanwhile, linked the bombings to the PKK. "There appears to be a link with the separatist organisation," said Muammer Guler. And when the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visited the scene of the yesterday, crowds greeted him with shouts of "Down with the PKK". The PKK, whose war against the Turkish state has resulted in 40,000 deaths since 1984, has bombed Turkish cities in the past.
Analysts speculate that the PKK may have been seeking revenge for aerial and ground attacks against its bases in northern Iraq. "The group is weak," said Sedat Laciner, a specialist in terrorism. "I think it is trying to bring itself to the top of the agenda again." But those most affected by the bombs appear to be sceptical of the official Turkish media line. "They say it was the PKK," said Ibrahim Culhaci, whose wrecked shoe shop is metres from where the second, bigger blast occurred. "But everybody in this country is playing funny games. The PKK could just be a tool."
