US - no base like home

It seems Uzbekistan blames the US for the removal of refugees from Khyrgyzstan to Romania (as per UN conventions on asylum seekers) and has ordered it to vacate it's military base there. Rival powers in the region may be pleased. The old Russian military base in Uzbekistan has been transformed into a modern facility but now - by sticking to international Human Rights standards - it will have to be abandoned more from the New York Times...

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Japan - the trouble with texts

The Tokyo school board has decided to use some one of the controversial history text books that have been criticised for not mentioning the war - will other local boards follow suit ? If they do it could cause further diplomatic incidents as up to now the government could claim it didn't support the text and only a very few schools used it. Not any more more from the BBC...

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S.Korea - six parties, many agendas

Now that talks are finally underway again with N.Korea negotiations are expected to be difficult. Early reports say the US has taken an unexpected stance by trying to link Human Rights in the North with solving the nuclear stalemate. The media in S.Korea is unsure whether this is just a negotiating strategy or a real potential stumbling block more from the Chosun Ilbo...

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Kyrgyzstan - on a rental basis

Some sources claim the US has spent $200 million persuading Kyrgyzstan to allow it's continued use of military bases. This may only buy a temporary influence. Observers say the former Soviet central Asian states are looking to strengthen links with Moscow over the longer term - especially through bodies like the SCO more from EurasiaNet...

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Georgia - getting the trains to run

Georgia is hoping to rebuild the train lines North to Russia and South to Turkey and Armenia. It's former prosperity, as a cross-roads for trade between Europe and Asia, beckons. Who could possibly object to that ?. The breakaway region of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast, will object if it's more than a purely economic move. Having fought a bitter war over 10 years ago, that resulted in about 250,000 Georgian refugees fleeing the area, the matter of rebuilding transport links is still an explosive one. Meanwhile, the old line has virtually disappeared more from the IWPR...

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Macedonia - flagged up

Macedonia has a new law allowing ethnic minorities, in some areas, to use their own symbols on public buildings alongside state ones. Right wing parties are hoping it will be judged unconstitutional as emotions run high on this signal issue. The fact that the Albanian minority choose to fly the flag of the Albanian state next door adds to the dispute more from the IWPR...

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EU - are you keen on it ?

A recent survey has suggested the Irish and Italians are very keen on it - and the Brits, Finns and Austrians are not. Get your mind out of the gutter, it's the popularity of the EU we're talking about here. Most of the results are predictable, from the new members being keen on enlargement to the British not trusting EU institutions. Perhaps the most informative statistic is that a majority of those asked felt they had benefited in some way from EU membership but less than 50% viewed the EU positively more from the EU Observer...

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US - just because you're paranoid

US foreign policy analysis in the media seems to have to have an exaggerated theme to sell well. Paranoia about China is the theme de jour There could be plenty of reasons for China opposing the Irag war at the UN or for a Chinese firm seeking to buy a US oil company - but is warfare by other means really one of them ? more from the LA Times...

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Japan - war crimes and judgements

Chinese victims of the Japanese military in World War II have had their case for compensation thrown out by Tokyo's High Court . Only the Supreme Court and the UN remain to appeal to. Compensation issues were judged to have been settled by international treaties but the grisly details of the testamony continues to publicise historical incidents the government had initiall denied happaned at all more from the BBC...

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Mongolia - a gold mine ?

Mongolia hopes to double it's GDP in the next 10 years and build new rail and road links - a key obtacle to development previously. Mines are the key - Gold, Zinc, Uranium and Coal. Foreign investors are being offerred tax holidays to start things moving. The Business pages are full of it more Yahoo Business News... What could possibly go wrong ?

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Turkmenistan - more borders than ever

Smuggling goods across Turkmenistans new borders has become an economic necessity. Relations between the former Soviet Republics of Central Asia have been worsening in recent years until strictly enforced borders have sprung up where only a vague dividing line existed before. Communities have found themselves literally divided more from IRIN News...

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Azerbaijan - love and trust

Azerbaijan is beginning to feel the effects of Turkey's drive for EU membership. The requirement to normalize relations with it's neighbours means there's now real momentum behind the idea of finally settling the border disputes with Armenia. Promoting fair elections in Novemer is also an issue with the added risk that any blatant vote rigging could trigger unrest more from EurasiaNet...

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Albania - punitive voting

Disputes continue over the recent Albanian election with the ruling Socialist party so far refusing to concede. Corruption allegations have been the oppositions most popular and effective weapon. The result, on a fairly low 57% turnout, has been seen as punishment for the ruling party rather than as positive support for Sali Barisha's right wing democrats. Both sides promised they could win over the EU and gain a first step on the road to membership - the Stabilization and Association Agreement. The public, according to some observers, remains sceptical more from the IWPR...

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Italy - painful deficits

Italy is first in line among EU members to face two years of cutting public spending in order to meet Euro zone membership criteria. With a sluggish economy that won't be popular. Right wing groups are already pushing for an alternative - a return to the Lira more from the EU Observer...

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Kyrgyzstan - free choices

People power has reached Central Asia and put a new President in charge - mainly to fight the corruption crippling the countries economic prospects. The neighbours aren't that friendly though. The Uzbeks want refugees returned and will switch off the gas supply if they don't get them. The UN will be appalled if they are. Russia and China want the Americans to leave but the US needs it's bases to supply the war on terror more from the BBC...

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Armenia - a strong constitution

Armenian politicians are keen to amend the constitution along the lines suggested by the EU as liberal democratic institutions are a prerequisite for entry to the European club. This may be an expression of the EU's 'soft' power or it could be that the example of all those'Presidents for life' in former Soviet states further East are just not an attractive option more from EurasiaNet...

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Bulgaria - far Right

A radical Bulgarian nationalist party won 8% of the vote in last month's general election. Their slogan ? - 'Bulgaria for the Bulgarians'. That's set a few alarm bells ringing. There is plenty of potential for Bosnian style ethnic conflict as far right groups target the Roma (around 10% of the population) and ethnic Turks more from Transitions Online...

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EU - careless talk

In the aftermath of the London bombings EU anti-terror measures are suddenly a hot topic. The incidence of phone calls and text messages in the EU should be recorded, says the UK Home Office Minister. It's not clear how useful (or practical) that would be - especially since the content would not be recorded more from the EU Observer...

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US - go to the source

In America, a journalists job has just got more difficult as the courts have ruled no-one is entitled to promise confidentiality to a source. Whistle-blowers everywhere will take note. That'll please the government and mark a starck contrast with the glory days of American journalism in the 1970's when confidential sources provided key information on the Vietnam war (the Pentagon Papers) and Watergate more from the BBC...

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Greece - Judges judged

While candidates for EU membership in the Balkans rush to implement the 'rule of law' Greece finds itself with seven judges in the dock. Various trial fixing scandals have implicated the highest levels of the judiciarymore from the Kathimerini Daily...

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Spain - marriage attacks

Spain's Parliament has passed a bill legalizing same sex marriage and adoption. The Church is not happy. The Vatican newspaper has called it a "violent attack" on the family and a Spainish Bishop has claimed the Government uses biased opinion polls to make it look like more people are in favour more from the Catholic News Service...

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Japan - foreigners rights

A UN expert on racism and discrimination has been invited to Japan to rate it's treatment of foreigners and minorities. His first public statements seem to pull no punches. Doudou Dienne has been quoted as saying "As a world power in an era of globalization, Japan has to expand to the outside world. But its society is still closed, spiritually and intellectually centered,". Diene will be concentrating on the treatment of minorities of Korean and Chinese descent, while also looking into issues faced by migrant workers more from Japan Today...

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S.Korea - name and shame

The South Korean Government is seeking to remove the anonymity of those posting messages online after the hounding of a woman who didn't clean up after her dog on the subway. An example of hard cases making for bad laws ? The woman's school web site was bombarded with hate mail after her picture was posted on the internet more from the JoongAng Daily The same issue has often come up in the US and the drawbacks of removing anonymity have been most succinctly summarised by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

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