Promotion of Democracy

The Afghan region Loya Paktia is very much embedded in tribal traditions, which have in the past provided security in the area. Due to lost windows of opportunity, security has deteriorated to a large extend since 2005. This policy paper discusses the problematic relations between the main actors, why reconciliation initiatives to date have failed in the Southeast, and puts forward some practical suggestions to ensure a more effective strategy.

Interview with Supinya Klangnarong, Media-rights advocate and researcher, about the crisis in Thailand, the polarisation of Thai society and the mistakes of government, and protesters.

Pakistan is a war zone facing serious threats from militants and terrorists besides a number of other problems and difficulties that urgently demand the establishment of democratic structures as well as rule of law. In the light of the current crisis, high-ranking guests from Pakistan and various German experts discussed structures and deficits of rule of law as well as the current state of affairs.

Those who think that the events in the wake of Iran's 2009 presidential election will lead to radical change will be disappointed. The movement that led to the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 was powerful and had a clear focus; today's protests are heterogenous and lack leadership.

The two most significant result of the 2009 provincial elections in Iraq are: Iraqis are not prepared to grant carte blanche to politicians whose main pitch is ethno-sectarian. And: The elections were held with minimum support from US forces and proved that Iraqis are able to organise nation-wide elections by themselves.

A publication by offline:events in collaboration with independent Iraqi artists, filmmakers, and authors documenting the lives of Iraqis navigating the space between home and exile and lending Iraqi refugees and those living in exile a voice to express their realities and reflections inter alia on notions such as Homeland and Exile, East and West, and Identity.

The Committee Topical Resolution on Burma of the European Green Party and remarks by Sabine Meyer.

Annapolis bedeutet den Beginn virtueller Verhandlungen. Diese werden wenig dazu betragen, die unterschiedlichen Visionen und Ziele der Beteiligten einzulösen.

Prof. Shlomo Avineri erläutert anhand historischer Beispiele, unter welchen Bedingungen den USA eine erfolgreiche Intervention im Nahen Osten gelang und bewertet das Treffen von Annapolis in diesem Kontext

Eine Analyse der Ergebnisse der Konferenz und der Perspektiven. Erst die kommenden Monate werden zeigen, ob das Treffen von Annapolis ein Erfolg war. Es gibt positive Elemente und ungeklärte Punkte, grunsätzlich bleibt die Stimmung aber positiv.