In The News

A UN for This Century, Not the Last One

Robin Cook December 3, 2004
Amidst mounting pressure over external and internal scandals, this is a truly embattled time for the United Nations. On Wednesday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan received the report of a high-level panel outlining possible reforms to the governing body. Formed in the wake of the invasion of Iraq, the panel investigated ways by which the organization could better adapt to the exigencies of...

Re-Popularizing Peace

December 3, 2004
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to discuss recent developments in Palestine and Syria – a sign that Egypt is determined once again to play an important role in facilitating Middle East peace. While Syria has reportedly expressed a desire to re-open peace talks, Israel may not want to negotiate at a time when Syria faces strong...

Australia's Howard Wants to Have the Cake and Eat It Too

Ross Peake November 29, 2004
Fresh off a convincing victory in recent elections, conservative Australian Prime Minister John Howard has stuck to an uncompromising approach to regional security issues. As the first Australian leader to attend a meeting of the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN), Howard managed to upset neighboring countries by refusing to sign a non-aggression treaty. This leaves Australia politically...

UN Remains Critical In Post-War Iraq

Shashi Tharoor November 19, 2004
The United Nations is seen by many as having suffered collateral damage from the Iraq War. Opinion polls have shown the extent of the loss of faith in the UN, both from countries that supported and opposed the war in Iraq. But as UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications, Shashi Tharoor states, the talk about the irrelevance of the UN is dead wrong. Indeed, from the beginning, Tharoor...

Australia Must Play the Peacemaker on Taiwan

Hugh White November 10, 2004
The current relationship between the United States and China is the strongest in 50 years, writes Professor Hugh White in The Sydney Morning Herald. Yet Taiwan remains a potentially potent flashpoint for conflict between the two superpowers. The United States is grateful to China for its support in the war on terror and for its regional leadership in organizing the six-party talks with North...

Koizumi May Reopen Territory Row with Russia

David Pilling August 25, 2004
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may aggravate an ongoing territorial dispute with Russia. Mr. Koizumi indicated his intention to "inspect" four islands, the sovereignty of which has been contested since World War II. With Japanese business interests in Russian fuel pipelines and possible infrastructural investments in Siberia, this is a crucial juncture for Russo-Japanese...

Skepticism Lingers over History Issue

Seo Hyun-jin August 24, 2004
Sometimes history does not fit neatly into a conceptualization of the nation-state. The ancient Goguryeo kingdom has been a source of contention for China and Korea. While both countries claim the region as part of their heritage, the Chinese Foreign Ministry renewed heated debates when it deleted Goguryeo references from its Korean history website. Recent diplomatic negotiations, however,...