Western Europe

Obama to make state visit to Britain in May

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

From Adrian Croft, Reuters:  President Barack Obama will make a state visit to Britain in May at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday. Obama will be accompanied by his wife, Michelle, on the May 24-26 visit when they will stay at Buckingham Palace, the queen’s residence in London.  The White House […]

Europe’s Foreign Policy Chief Faces Criticism on Uprisings

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  [T]here is growing unease that she [the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton] has not been forceful enough in front of Europe’s nation-states on breaking world events like those in the Middle East and North Africa.

NATO appoints new Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan

By NATO

From NATO:  The NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, announced today his decision to appoint Ambassador Simon Gass as the new Senior Civilian Representative (SCR) in Afghanistan, replacing Ambassador Mark Sedwill, who has served as SCR in Kabul since February 2010.

International naval forces unable to stop spread of Somali piracy

By the Economist

From the Economist:  According to the International Maritime Bureau, which posts live data on raids, Somali pirates hold 33 vessels and 758 hostages. In January alone the bureau recorded 35 attacks. The raiders took seven ships and 148 new hostages.

Sovereignty Intact Despite French Defense Pact: UK

By Reuters

Pakistan capable of overtaking Britain and France among world’s largest nuclear weapons powers

By David Sanger and Eric Schmitt, the New York Times

From David Sanger and Eric Schmitt, the New York Times:  New American intelligence assessments have concluded that Pakistan has steadily expanded its nuclear arsenal since President Obama came to office, and that it is building the capability to surge ahead in the production of nuclear-weapons material, putting it on a path to overtake Britain as […]

Britain, France and Germany issue joint statement on Egypt

By Judy Dempsey, the New York Times

From Judy Dempsey, the New York Times:  Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany — fell short of calling for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt

Stop Albania’s Self-Destruction

By Daniel Korski, the International Herald Tribune

From Daniel Korski, the International Herald Tribune:  One moment Albania is Lonely Planet’s “must-see” destination for 2011, a NATO member whose citizens enjoy visa-free travel into the European Union; the next, government forces are shooting and killing protesters on the streets and the British Foreign Office is warning visitors to avoid large crowds in Tirana. […]

UK-Nordic-Baltic Summit to develop “alliance of common interests”

By George Parker and Andrew Ward, the Financial Times

Nordic Alliance: Mini-NATO or Polar Fog?

By Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver:  Proposals for the five Nordic countries to create a mini-Nato alliance are "dreams in Polar fog" but may be useful for "keeping an eye on Polar bears and Russians", according to the former US ambassador to Norway, Benson Whitney.