United Nations

NATO invites Russia to join talks in Lisbon in November

By David Brunnstrom, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom, Reuters:  NATO invited Russia on Wednesday to attend talks with leaders of alliance countries during a summit in Lisbon in November, hoping to boost cooperation on security issues, including Afghanistan and Iran. NATO diplomats said they were waiting for a response from Moscow to the invitation, which would involve talks on the […]

Serbia bows to EU, softens stance on Kosovo

By Reuters

From Reuters:  Serbia made a major concession to the European Union on Wednesday by agreeing to soften a draft U.N. resolution on the future of Kosovo and seek dialogue with the breakaway country. "We have found a formula to open a dialogue on future solutions," President Boris Tadic said in a statement. … Belgrade said […]

Lavrov declares Afghan drug trade most important question in NATO-Russian relations

By Sergey Lavrov,  Russian Foreign Ministry

From Sergey Lavrov,  Russian Foreign Ministry:  We expect greater intelligibility from our partners in NATO. The dual existence of the alliance – between the past and the future – has become protracted too long.

West gives Serbia tough message on Kosovo

By Adam Tanner and Ivana Sekularac, Reuters

White House denies Turkey arms ultimatum

By Laura Rozen, Politico

From Laura Rozen, Politico:  The White House denied a report Monday that the U.S. has threatened Turkey with potentially withholding future arms sales because of its tougher stance towards Israel and vote against U.N. Iran sanctions. Obama “emphatically denied” a Financial Times story saying the president had told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that […]

Turkey to follow UN sanctions on Iran, not tougher EU or US bans

By Hürriyet

Europe seeks to end divisions on Kosovo

By AFP

From AFP:  The European Union hopes to finally speak with one voice on Kosovo after a UN court backed Pristina’s independence claim, piling pressure on the five EU states that still refuse to recognise it. Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Romania are the only countries in the 27-nation bloc to have refused to recognise Kosovo’s […]

U.N. Court Rules Kosovo Declaration Was Legal

By Dan Bilefsky, the New York Times

From Dan Bilefsky, the New York Times:  Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 did not violate international law, the United Nations’ highest court said Thursday in a ruling that Kosovo heralded as a victory but that legal experts warned could spur separatist movements around the world.

Official – Troops out of Afghanistan by 2014

By Jonathan Owen and Brian Brady, the Independent

From Jonathan Owen and Brian Brady, the Independent:  A communiqué containing a blueprint for British troops to pull out from Afghanistan in four years’ time has been leaked ahead of a major international conference this week. British troops are to pull out of Afghanistan by 2014, under a secret blueprint for drawing down coalition forces […]

EU reaches out for new powers at United Nations

By Leigh Phillips, the EUobserver

From Leigh Phillips, the EUobserver:  European Council President Herman Van Rompuy will in future be able to address the UN chamber no differently from US President Barack Obama or Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmedinejad under draft reforms agreed by member states. EU countries at meetings in Brussels and New York have agreed to table a resolution […]