In The News

Arab Presence at G-8 Summit

Mohammed A. R. Galadari May 25, 2004
This year’s G8 summit, held in The United States, may be punctuated, for the first time, by the conspicuous presence of leaders of Arab states. This is a departure from the last meeting of world powers, held in France in 2003, which featured discussions that did not directly involve the Middle East and included little input from the Arab community – only Egyptian and Saudi Arabian delegations...

Washington Hopes for the Best; Beijing Prepares for the Worst

Richard Baum May 24, 2004
In the weeks leading up to Taiwan's presidential election and referendum, China issued repeated warning against any move towards independence. The narrow win by President Chen Shui-bian, considered by Beijing as “splittist” and “troublemaker” has not helped to defuse tension. Leading China scholar Richard Baum of University of California in Los Angeles says that while Chen moderated his...

Russia Backs Kyoto to Get on Path to Join WTO

Peter Baker May 22, 2004
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia would support the Kyoto protocol on limitation of emission of green house gases into the atmosphere marks an important step. The Kyoto Protocol received a big blow when the Bush administration refused to support it. Given that there was a strong campaign by some elements in Russia against supporting the protocol the future of Kyoto...

WTO Hands a Critical Victory to African Farmers

Gayle E. Smith, Susan E. Rice May 21, 2004
Last September's WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun failed to produce a substantive trade agreement after a group of developing countries banded together to demand the EU and the US discontinue their multi-billion dollar subsidy programs. When the EU and US resisted, the talks fell apart. But the latest ruling by the WTO against US cotton subsidies may help push through the Cancun...

CANF: Cuba's Liberty Lies with Activists

Luisa Yanez May 21, 2004
As Cuba marked its 102nd anniversary as an independent country, Cuban Americans demanded greater freedom in the island-nation. Jorge Mas Santos, chairman of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF), urged Cuban Americans to vote in November for the presidential candidate that they believe is most committed to ending Fidel Castro's regime, but said that internal dissent, not external...

Paving the Way for a Sustainable Taiwan

Chen Shui-Bian May 20, 2004
Newly-reelected Taiwanese President Chen Shui-Bian delivered an inaugural address this week titled, "Paving the Way for a Sustainable Taiwan." In the speech, Chen assessed the progress of Taiwan's democratization. He said, "Democratic advancement occurs only through constant and gradual endeavor, one step at a time." Chen described Taiwan's new electoral processes,...

Japan Seeks Greater Global Role

Richard Halloran May 20, 2004
After decades of quiet growth and official pacifism, Japan is seeking an increased role in diplomatic and military actions globally. The country is now debating redrafting its constitution to amend an article that forbids the use of military force in international disputes. This attempt at reversal or modification of Japan's official pacifism is largely in reaction to the menace presented by...