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EU - Russia Gas Dispute |
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Observations
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This article about the latest round of the EU-Russia energy dispute highlights many underlying issues ranging from energy supplies to the EU's ability to arbitrate neighboring economic disputes (between Russia and Ukraine), to the EU's ability to develop a cohesive long-term diplomatic position with a major international actor (thus demonstrating its ability to be a world power). In addition, the several pipelines depicted in the article also offer an insight on specific international cooperations, adding to the many forums of the Transatlantic relation. Here is the article's abstract: "The giant Russian energy company, Gazprom, which controls the world's largest reserves of natural gas, has issued a stark warning to the European Union saying it must decide if it wants to continue receiving supplies of Russian gas." |
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NATO defense ministers meeting |
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Observations
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The North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Defence Ministers will meet in formal session at NATO Headquarters on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 June 2009. The NAC with non-NATO ISAF contributors, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) and the Defence Planning Committee (DPC) will also meet at the level of defence ministers on the same days. |
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NATO enlargment |
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Observations
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Albania and Croatia have officially joined the NATO military alliance, a BBC article . The latest round of enlargment reinforces the idea that NATO is seeking geographic coherence. It also acts as a reminder that NATO southern Balkans further enlargements are still possible. |
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Iceland in the EU? |
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Observations
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According to this BBC article: Iceland could be fast-tracked to join the EU within two years, to help the small Nordic state out of its economic crisis, a top EU official says. Whether or not this will prove true, it would further increase the overlap between EU and NATO. |
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Seeking new modes of transatlantic cooperation? |
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Commentaires
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2009 has, so far, produced a bounty of reflection on Transatlantic issues from the WEU Parliamentary body. The issue was addressed in Prague on March 11th, during a seminar on EU/NATO relations called “New ways of doing business – together”, it was again discussed in a report dated May 7th on “New opportunities for EU-US foreign and security policy cooperation” and was additionally discussed during the General Assembly, held in Paris on June 2nd. The latter event, featured two important speakers, Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic and current holder of the EU Council’s rotating presidency and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, departing Secretary General to NATO. |
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