Europe & Eurasia

BSEEF: Opening Remarks (Transcript)

Back to Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum 2009 Speakers: Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council Ambassador Mikail Eriksson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden (Speaking on behalf of Carl Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Former Prime Minister, Sweden) Doru Costea, State Secretary for Global Affairs, Ministry of […]

OpEd by Leader of EU Report on Georgia Conflict

By the New York Times

From the New York Times: Like most catastrophic events, the war of August 2008 had several causes. The proximate cause was the shelling by Georgian forces of the capital of the secessionist province of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, on Aug. 7, 2008, which was followed by a disproportionate response of Russia. Another factor was the lack […]

Probe says Georgia started war amid Russian provocation

By AFP

From AFP: Georgia sparked a five-day war with Russia last year by attacking rebel South Ossetia, an investigating team said Wednesday, but it also accused Moscow of violating international law. In a report of some 1,150 pages handed to EU ambassadors Wednesday, the 19-member commission found that while Russia had ratcheted up tensions prior to […]

EU: Georgia ‘Triggered’ Russia’s Illegal Invasion

By James Joyner

As widely anticipated, an EU report on last year’s Russian invasion of Georgia finds plenty of blame to go around, finding that Tblisi “triggered” the conflict but that Moscow violated international law by its invasion and with numerous atrocities thereafter.

First Annual Members’ Conference – The Russian Reset

By James Joyner

Summary of the breakout conversation “The Russian Reset” at the 2009 Annual Members’ Conference. PARTICIPANTS: Hon. R. Nicholas Burns,* Professor, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard; Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Hon. Richard R. Burt,* Senior Advisor, McLarty Associates; Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany; Member, Atlantic Council Strategic Advisors Group Mr. Ronald Freeman,* […]

First Annual Members’ Conference – Climate Change and the Environment

By James Joyner

Summary of the breakout conversation “Climate Change and the Environment” at the 2009 Annual Members’ Conference. PARTICIPANTS: Chaired by Gen. Richard Lawson, USAF (Ret.),* Chairman, Energy and Environment Program, Atlantic Council Hon. Sherri Goodman,* Senior Vice President and General Counsel, CNA; Former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Environmental Security Hon. C. Boyden Gray,* Former U.S. […]

E.U. Report to Place Blame on Both Sides in Georgia War

By the New York Times

From the New York Times: After a lengthy inquiry, investigators commissioned by the European Union are expected to conclude that Georgia ignited last year’s war with Russia by attacking separatists in South Ossetia, rejecting the Georgian government’s explanation that the attack was defensive, according to an official familiar with the investigators’ work. But the report […]

First Annual Members’ Conference – U.S.-EU Strategic Dialogue

By James Joyner

Summary of the breakout conversation “U.S.-EU Strategic Dialogue” at the 2009 Annual Members’ Conference. PARTICIPANTS: Mr. James Elles, Member of European Parliament; Atlantic Council Individual Member Hon. Marc Grossman,* Vice Chairman, The Cohen Group; Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Hon. Robert Hutchings,* Diplomat in Residence, Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International […]

EU steps up Georgia patrols before war report

By the AP

From the AP: On the eve of a European Union report on who started the Russia-Georgia war, EU monitors have stepped up their patrols in Georgia to try to keep tensions from boiling over into violence, an official said Tuesday. The August 2008 war ended with Russian soldiers driving Georgia forces out of the separatist […]

The EU to use the Maritime Battlegroups more effectively

By thegovmonitor.com

From thegovmonitor.com: “Use the EU’s battlegroups more flexibly” It must become easier to put the EU’s battlegroups into action in crises. In addition, better cooperation between civilian and military actors is needed, to contribute to improved maritime surveillance and more effective peace support operations. This is what the Swedish Presidency emphasised at Monday’s meeting of […]