In The News

The US and China: Friends or Foes? – Part I

David Shambaugh April 18, 2006
The US and China are parties to the world’s most important bilateral relationship, and this two-part series analyzes the challenges and opportunities confronting two world powers. In the first article, China scholar David Shambaugh presents a litany of issues that bedevil their relations. From President Bush’s perspective, three points of contention most likely to take center stage: First is...

Kazakhstan Entertains Grand Economic Development Plan

Melvut Katik April 17, 2006
Oil-rich Kazakhstan has a goal to become a major global economic force. Its strategy to drive growth depends on regional cooperation, particularly with Russia and to a certain degree China. Another major goal for Kazakhstan is accession to the WTO. Kazakhstan already possesses immense oil and gas resources, and global financial experts are bullish on the nation, with one analyst noting that the...

Gas Deal Roils Ukraine and May Have Cut Leader's Vote

Steven Lee Myers April 16, 2006
A mysterious company called RosUkrEnergo, whose executives and addresses are largely unknown, brokered a deal in January to resolve a confrontation between Russia and Ukraine over the price and sales of natural gas in the Ukraine. The company has links to Russia's state energy monopoly, Gazprom. Opposition to that deal reflects concerns about other corrupt privatization deals of the past –...

US Plans Strike to Topple Iran Regime - Report

Julian Borger April 10, 2006
An investigative article in the US magazine “The New Yorker” reports that President George Bush is seriously considering military strikes against Iran – strikes aimed not only at preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but also at achieving “regime change.” The White House assumes that Iran will retain its nuclear weapons program as long as it retains its current government, writes...

Climate Change Sparks Scrap for Arctic Resources

Philip Bethge April 7, 2006
A bewildering dispute between Canada and Denmark over the ownership of Hans Island, a configuration of barren rock, could be the beginning of many struggles over territory within the Arctic Circle. Scientists warn of profound environmental changes to come with global warming - melting icecaps, rising floodwaters, species extinction and damage to traditional cultures. The massive Arctic ice sheet...

India Nuclear Deal May Face Hard Sell

Glenn Kessler April 6, 2006
The Bush administration’s surprise deal in 2005 with India, which would recognize the nation’s status as a nuclear power, was motivated by both a desire to reward a democratic future superpower and to counter the rise of China. But the deal, largely constructed through US State Department backchannels and secret negotiations, may suffer because Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her staff...

Iran’s Nukes in a Power Game

Ehsan Ahrari April 6, 2006
World leaders disagree about how to control Iran’s nuclear program. With respect to Iran’s steadfast dedication to preserving its uranium-enrichment program, the US and the EU-3 countries are upfront – they want to halt Iran before the program advances any further. China and Russia agree that Iran should not acquire nuclear weapons, but disagree with the US and Europe about how to contain Iran....