In The News

Help the Refugees Who Reach China

Joel R. Charny June 14, 2005
Thousands of North Koreans have succeeded in reaching China in hope of refuge. However, instead of receiving the humanitarian assistance that China is internationally bound to provide for those claiming refugee status, these North Koreans are labeled as illegal immigrants and deported. Once back in their home country, they face harsh conditions, including imprisonment, torture, and sometimes...

Japan's Beneficent Potential

Makoto Taniguchi June 14, 2005
Regional cooperation is essential to the development of the Asian economy, but discord among the region's top three actors – Japan, China, and South Korea – is hindering the process of integration. The lack of a common historical perspective has led to a political impasse between Japan and both China and South Korea, making it difficult to foster mutual understanding. Former ambassador...

Lifting Africa's Debt Sentence

Doug Saunders June 13, 2005
A summit of financial ministers from the G-8 announced on Saturday that 18 of the world's poorest nations, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, will be relieved of their debt burdens. The beneficiaries – deemed to have satisfactory governments and economic structures – were selected via an intensive vetting system. The agreement has sparked opposition on both sides of the African aid...

Wanted: A Roadmap for North Korea

Michael O'Hanlon June 9, 2005
With North Korea hinting at the possibility of a return to six-party talks amidst speculation about its testing a nuclear device, the long-simmering issue of non-proliferation is back in the limelight. On June 10, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun arrives in Washington to discuss a possible solution to the crisis. While Pyongyang prefers bilateral talks, the US has insisted on the six-party...

Agreeing on Africa, Up to a Point

June 8, 2005
As incoming president of the G-8, Tony Blair has made reducing African poverty the focus of his agenda, aiming to pardon the continent's staggering debt and increase aid by US$50 billion. But he faces opposition from Germany, France, and Japan – who propose focusing efforts on just five developing countries – as well as the United States, reluctant to double its aid. With Africa's...

Bush Touts Trade, but US Bid to Empower OAS Stalls

Pablo Bachelet June 7, 2005
Concerned over political turmoil and threats to free trade emerging from many Latin American states, President Bush emphasized on Monday that democracy and trade liberalization will put troubled OAS member states on the path to greater prosperity. But the nature of recent difficulties in countries like Bolivia and Venezuela underscore the many problems with the US approach. Both countries and...

Britain Suspends Referendum on European Constitution

Alan Cowell June 7, 2005
A few days after the rejection of the proposed EU constitution by voters in France and the Netherlands, foreign secretary Jack Straw announced that Britain would suspend plans for a similar referendum. He was careful not to declare the constitution dead, as many British politicians would have preferred, to avoid offending French and German allies who insist that the process should continue. The...