The World Today Balkans: Grievance and Greed The sound of gunfire in the Balkans is once again worrying the international community. Is all the good work to be undone by a campaign for a greater Kosovo or greater Albania? And how far is pure profit the motive? People in Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia need to feel they have a stake in the peace, that armed force is not necessary to get results.
The World Today US-Russian Relations: Friends and Foes Suspicion and misunderstanding characterise relations between the new boys in the White House and the Kremlin. Washington’s priorities are elsewhere, whereas Moscow is still trying to come to terms with its new status. There will be no bear-hugs between pragmatic partners for now.
The World Today Montenegro: Unravelling When great powers’ strategic interests are at stake, small nations’ concerns are small beer. Or so it must seem to the present Montenegro government of Milo Djukanovic, feted in both Washington and London for several years but recently refused a meeting with the new US Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
The World Today Summit of the Americas: Americas Advance President George Bush will soon get a chance to demonstrate his intention to concentrate more on events in the Americas. This month’s third Summit of the Americas is a real opportunity to develop free trade in the hemisphere rather than the usual anodyne speeches and empty commitments.
The World Today Indonesia - West Papua: Inside or Outside? ‘Last in, first out’ seems to be the theme in Indonesia’s fragmentation. East Timor – taken over by Indonesia in 1975 – has left its control and will shortly become the UN’s 190th member-state. West Papua, absorbed by Indonesia in 1969, may be next. It does not have the same level of graphic brutality in Kalimantan (Borneo), the Malukus and Aceh and is not receiving the same extensive media coverage. But some of its indigenous peoples have resisted Indonesia’s control from the outset. There are signs that history may now be on their side.
The World Today World Environment: Getting Organised Environmental degradation is worsening worldwide. In spite of new international agreements and institutions in the last decade, the international community is failing to come to grips with increasingly urgent challenges such as climate change, large-scale loss of biological diversity and persistent pollutants. As these problems intensify, interactions among them have emerged as a further threat.
The World Today Terrorism: Greek Tragedy Greece is a European Union country, the new home to NATO’s Joint Headquarters Southcentre, forthcoming host to the 2003 European Summit, venue for the 2004 Olympic games and bidding to house the Balkan Rapid Deployment Force.
