Turkey - slander against the state

The Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk has been quoted as saying "One million Armenians were killed in these lands and nobody but me dares to talk about it." Since he's now being prosecuted you can see why others are careful about what they say. His publisher thinks he has no case to answer more from Zaman Daily News... - so his prosecution now is a bit of a mystery. Is it deliberatley timed to embarass the government ? His statements have made him a hero of 'right thinking Turks' according to some more from the Observer...

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Italy - messy business on the beach

The Italian beaches draw tourists from all over Europe every year, except this year in Calabria numbers have dropped 40%. Opinion is divided over whether it's the brown streaks of sewage in the sea or the motorways covered in holes that have put people off. EU funds for water purification seem to have not reached their target and the Italian press have reported the written apology of the region's President after he'd toured the area - by helicopter not car. more from Corriere Della Sera...

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Japan - the Post Office or nothing

As electioneering gets underway in Japan, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has staked his career, and the ruling parties future in power, on reform of the Postal service - almost to the exclusion of all other issues. The Japanese media are highlighting this as a tactical mistake, while the opposition seem to have a more rounded program for dealing with other problems like relations with their Asian neighbours, local government debt etc. more from the Asahi Shimbun...

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S.Korea - our friends in the South

Recent military exercises by China and Russia, plus the North's nuclear brinkmanship, have made the South Korean state wary - a formal military alliance with Japan could follow. That would be a first for Japan - it's only military alliance is currently with the US - and it would also go against the grain of the anti-Japanese rhetoric and territorial disputes of the last year more from the Joong Ang Daily...

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Turkmenistan - turn off.

Turkmenistan's President Niyazov has banned the playing of recorded music in public and on TV. Sometimes, it seems, a leader must be strict - to protect 'true culture'. Any optimism about rapid polical change in former Soviet states seems like wishfull thinking in countries like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Unless such extreme measures are more a sign of fear and weakness than strength more from the BBC...

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Turkey - history men

An international conference of historians, scheduled to meet in Istanbul, has been called 'a dagger in the back of the Turkish people'. Some of the topics do sound as if they will challenge strongly held nationalist views on the Armenian genocide more from ADKI...

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Bulgaria - Bohemian or just miserable ?

Economists refer to Bulgaria as a country 'in transition' - but for those struggling to adapt to less state intervention it must seem a desperate time Observers are divided over whether a more liberal economy has so far made up for the loss of old communist style social provision. A better class of beggar has been one example hotly debated more from the IWPR...

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EU - if at first you don't succeed

The EU is still reflecting on the Constitution and it's rejection by French and Dutch voters. New ideas on how to proceed are thin on the ground. Only the Austrians - who take over the EU presidency in January - have been undiplomatic enough to say wait until President Chirac has been removed from office, then vote again more from the EU Observer...

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China - joint exercises

China's joint military drills with Russia this week, observed by other SCO states representatives, has caused comment around the world. Is the SCO a nascent military bloc or is this just a Russian arms bazaar ?. The presence of delegations from four of the five Central Asian states - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - does make it look like the Shangai group is trying to make a point about power in the Central Asian region but Russia is also the main high tech arms supplier to China (given the EU's cold feet) and some see this as the main point of the exercise more from the Asia Times...

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Azerbaijan - a long road

In Georgia they're rebuilding bridges by rebuilding the railway. In Azerbaijan it's the road network that might pave the way for an agreement with Armenia over still disputed land. Safe road links between the various disputed enclaves is being talked up as a precondition to tackling the more divisive issues - like the return of many thousands of refugees. No-one is too optimistic though more from EurasiaNet...

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Greece - transport risks

The recent air accident near Athens has prompted questions about the safety record of budget airlines. Fierce competition in this area may not be in interests of travellers if the airlines are not closely watched. With many experiencing problems travelling on the ageing ferry fleet it seems Greeces transport policy has ended up with the worst of both worlds - over-regulated boats and under-regulated planes more from the Kathimerini Daily...

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Macedonia - lock up your Bishops

A Macedonian cleric has received a two and a half year jail sentence for supporting close links with the Serbian Orthodox church. While in jail relations with neighboring Serbia will suffer. Sentenced for 'defaming the Macedonian Orthodox church and harming the religious feelings of local citizens' the case has stirred up controversy and led for appeals from Serbia for the OSCE or EU institutions to help release the Bishop more from the IWPR...

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EU - moving workers

The free movement of workers from Eastern Europe has had a greater impact on the UK, Sweden and Ireland than predicted before enlargement. Arguments continue over whether this has been a positive impact. A recent survey suggests that the larger number of workers than expected are mostly doing jobs locals can't or won't do and are only working for limited periods before returning home. Concerns about whether this pattern also applies to the best educated suggests 'sender' countries fear a permanant brain drain more from the EU Observer...

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US - workers and guests

Tougher US immigration control has been a vote winner for the Republicans in California but the result has been trouble getting the fruit harrvest in in the Central Valley as some surveys say 90% of the workers there are illegal. It's not just that the border is harder to cross though, a booming construction industry offers work that is a step up from the hot fields and pays more. While the farms pay low wages US workers are unlikely to fill the gap so there are moves for a government scheme to bring 'guest workers' in with the prospect of citizenship on offer after 6 years in agriculture. more from the LA Times...

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Japan - a textbook case

Is it fair that Japan receives so much criticism for producing school history books that gloss over the nastiest incidents in it's history ? - just like other countries do in fact. But maybe Japan and it's history are not like other countries. It is possible to defend Japan's efforts to record it's history fairly, as being no better or worse than the efforts of other states like Italy, the US and the UK, more from Foreign Policy..., but this may miss the point, which is that Japans crimes seem to it's neighbours to be so monstrous as to need to meet the 'gold standard of contrition' of states like Germany. Without doing so Japan will always be vulnerable to criticism and recent moves suggest the government knows this, e.g. by posting a clearer statement of it's position on the web, more from Japan Today..., but translating it would have been a good idea.

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S.Korea - split the difference

The US and S.Korea now seem to be divided over whether to allow the North peaceful use of nuclear power. Is the South taking the more practical approach by supporting it's neighbor's need for cheap electricity ? While the split has been made public it's not clear if this is a bargaining tactic more from the Chosun Ilbo... Some analysts see the collapsing economy of the North as the real issue, hence the willingness of many to allow nuclear energy a role - anything to bring the economy back from the kind of desperate situation that encourages desperate nuclear brinkmanship more from the BBC...

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Turkmenistan - health scare

The health of Turkmenistans autocratic President Niyazov is reported to be worsening but he does seem to have access to first class health care - unlike most of his fellow countrymen. Since there is no political mechanism for a transfer of power some are predicting a violent struggle ahead more from EurasiaNet...

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Russia - no news is good news

ABC News journalists have been frozen out in Moscow since the channel broadcast an interview with a Chechen commander. Since Russia may see this as US sponsored propoganda relations may be in for a chill Some in the Russian media see it as the last straw and predict closer ties with China and the more authoritarian former-Soviet states more from Kommersant...

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Greece - budget squeeze

Greece is currently running a state budget deficit above the maximum limit allowed in the Eurozone. In the past state spending was a major part of the economy and guaranteed a governments popularity. Now it's not an option. The Prime Minister is advertising a long term growth plan but in the short term the economy is sluggish and painful and unpopular cut backs seem likely as the rules of the Eurozone are enforced more from the Kathimerini Daily...

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EU - Tony's new model army

Tony Blair has cancelled the usual EU summit in October in favour of a more informal meeting to discuss the EU 'social model'. Informal doesn't mean it will be friendly. Deep divisions remain to be resolved - with the UK, Ireland and 'new' Europe in favour of a more flexible liberalised economy and 'old' Europe suspecting they'll be lossing thousands of jobs under such a regime more from the EU Observer...

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Uzbekistan - too much colour

A counter-revolution in Uzbekistan or just a return to the familiar Soviet era fold ?. As the US prepares to leave it's K2 base, Russia may be hoping others will follow the Uzbek example. Some analysts see fear of, supposedly US backed, 'colour' revolution pushing Uzbekistans authorities into a stronger Russian alliance - despite the money on offer more from EurasiaNet...

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Turkey - funds go East

Debates over whether Turkey is in Europe or Asia usually highlight the divided nature of the countries economy - the rich West and poor East. EU funds are already being provided to bridge that gap. The amounts available will increase to remove 'regional differences' - to make sure all of Turkey joins the EU ? more from Zaman Daily News...

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Bulgaria - right turn

Bulgaria's far right party, Ataka, is now the fourth largest in Parliament and seems to be increasing it's popularity as the main parties struggle to form a government. The party calls for a whole range of policies but at heart it demands "a monolithic country, which is not subject to division on the basis of ethnic, religious or cultural differences". Originally based on a popular TV show, it's target audience seems to be those who have most to lose in the new Bulgaria more from the IWPR...

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Italy - Euro analysis

Euro-bashing may now be becoming the norm for conservative Italians as Berlusconi says the Euro 'screwed everybody'. The fact that Romano Prodi's party is ahead in the polls may be behind this analysis, rather than any economic theory more from the EU Observer...

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