International Organizations

EU defence ambitions stuck in no-man’s land

By AFP

Europe’s last dictator

By David J. Kramer and A. Wess Mitchell, the Washington Post

From David J. Kramer and A. Wess Mitchell, the Washington Post:  Dubbed the last dictator in Europe, Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko is under growing domestic and international pressure because of his gross human rights abuses and responsibility for his country’s worst economic crisis since gaining independence 20 years ago.

Canada’s combat role in Afghanistan, was it worth it?

By Stephen Saideman

From Stephen Saideman:  I think Canada made a difference while it was there, improving conditions in Kandahar even if the quarterly reports might over-state the gains.

Bundeswehr joins EU combat force

By the Local (Germany)

From the Local (Germany):  The three European Union military powers signed an agreement in Brussels to put together a unit of 1,700 soldiers that will take part in the rotation of the EU’s rapid reaction force, known as battlegroups.

NATO Chief on post-Gaddafi Libya: “We want the United Nations to take the lead”

By AFP

From AFP:  NATO would like to see the United Nations assume the leading role in Libya’s transition to democracy once Moamer Kadhafi leaves power, alliance chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday.

European Parliament study criticizes unilateral defense cuts within NATO and the EU

By Julian Hale, Defense News

From Julian Hale, Defense News:  A study commissioned by the Security and Defence Committee of the European Parliament is calling for an European Strategic Defence and Security Review to help countries identify capability improvements

Libyan rebels to meet with NATO and EU leaders next week

By David Brunnstrom, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom, Reuters:  The Libyan rebel delegation, led by Mahmoud Jebril of the opposition National Transitional Council (NTC), is expected to meet NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on July 13, a NATO diplomat said.

NATO calls on OSCE for joint responses

By NATO

From NATO:  NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen visited Vienna on 30 June 2011 and met with the OSCE Secretary General, Mr. Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, as well as with representatives of the Lithuanian chairmanship of the OSCE.

NATO SecGen rules out military intervention in Syria

By Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver:  Nato head Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said there will be no military intervention in Syria despite similar levels of government-sponsored violence as in Libya. Speaking in Vienna on Thursday (30 June) after a meeting with foreign minister Michael Spindelegger, the Nato chief told press: "We do not foresee any intervention […]