EU/North America

President Barack Obama’s call for a "new beginning between the United States and the Muslims" on June 4th 2009 resonated deeply throughout much of the Middle East, drawing both praise and criticism. A review of Arab journalists’ responses.

The international relations coordinator of the new Hungarian Greens analyzes the countries results of the European Party Elections. The radical right Jobbik has risen, while the left is in disarray. The new green party surprisingly also won a seat.

The Merida Initiative, a programme against the illicit trade in drugs headed by the USA and Mexico, is too focused on law enforcement. What is needed is structural reform of the police and judicial systems and more economic development.

The Czech EU Presidency was thrown right into the middle of the war in Gaza. And Czech politicians stumbled. Unlike the majority of their colleagues from Western Europe, who condemned Israel’s actions as disproportionate, the Czech prime and foreign ministers initially blamed Hamas for the conflict.

With Barack Obama the USA will become both more american and more european. By entering into dialogue with its international partners, America will also expect them to shoulder more of the responsibility. This will not necessarily be comfortable for Europe.

The future of U.S. renewable energy policy depends on the next president. What are the policy scenarios for 2009 and beyond?

Only if Georgia succeeds in building a dynamic and attractive democracy, the populations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will have a real choice – between a democratic Georgia and an authoritarian Russia.

The EU should readjust its relations with Russia. In this it must bear in mind that Moscow no longer rules out military confrontations as a means of pursuing its interests. Accordingly the EU has to more clearly define its external policies. Should a country like Georgia, which has strategic importance for the West, be left to a Russian sphere of influence?

Founded 35 years ago, in January 1980, the new Green party Die Grünen successfully entered the German Bundestag in March 1983. Ten years later, in April 1993, Die Grünen and Bündnis 90, a party founded in East Germany in 1990, merged to form Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Alliance 90/The Greens). Data pertaining to all party conventions and key decisions, as well as all elections to the Federal Executive Board, are listed here; the texts of all platforms are available for download.

The international community has to put pressure on Russian, the Georgian and South Ossetian parties to de-escalate the situation as soon as possible. Only this could avoid the recurrence of the bloody events of early 1990s in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.