MyWorldNewsCenter, Stefan V.Raducanu, MyNewsCenter

Uniting democracies has been the key international political trend of the last hundred years. Understanding this trend and enabling it to continue is the key to world political development

What's New
The European Union's historic Lisbon Treaty enters into force

The Lisbon Treaty, signed by EU leaders in Portugal's capital in December 2007, and only completely ratified by all EU countries in October 2009, is a tremendous step for European unity and harmony. This marks a historic and dramatic shift in European and global dynamics. This Lisbon Treaty created the positions of President of the European Council (replacing the rotating presidency) and a High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, which are meant to present a united position on EU policies. The Lisbon Treaty also increases the use of majority voting in the Council of Ministers and increases the involvement of the democratically-elected European Parliament in the legislative process. In addition, the pillar system was eliminated. Finally, the Treaty also made the Union's human rights charter, the Charter of Fundamental Rights, legally binding. The stated aim of the Lisbon Treaty  was "to complete the process started by the Treaty of Amsterdam [1997] and by the Treaty of Nice [2001] with a view to enhancing the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and to improving the coherence of its action."
For more information and analysis on the Lisbon Treaty click here.

Transatlantic Relations News

NATO struggling to fulfill commitments for more troops in Afghanistan
27 January 2010
One month after the US said it was counting on NATO to provide up to 10,000 additional troops in Afghanistan, the alliance is struggling to reach that commitment. Germany announced on Tuesday that it would send 500 reinforcements, only a third of what American officials had been pressing for. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen had said in December that allies had pledged 7,000 "fresh forces," and raised hopes for further commitments. It now appears that NATO is counting some previously pledged or deployed troops as part of that 7,000 number.
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Davos 2010: Bankers Hit Out at Regulation Plans
27 January 2010 – BBC News
The five-day World Economic Forum began in Davos, Switzerland today with banks and regulators working on plans that would call for more financial regulation.  In order to achieve the goal of a smarter global financial system, a “financial centre” is being proposed.  Bob Diamon, head of Barclays Bank, said, “We need a strong financial centre in New York and a strong financial centre in London.  This is a time when isolated actions in the UK and US are not constructive.”  Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee in the US, believes that “rules are a good idea” and, therefore, certain restrictions should be placed on banks to prevent problems that have arisen during the financial crisis.
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IMF Sees 3.9% Growth
27 January 2010 – Wall Street Journal – Bob Davis
According to the IMF, the global economy will grow by 3.9% in 2010.  However, rich countries – especially the US – will not witness rapid growth in order to reduce unemployment substantially.  In fact, “unemployment will remain high,” says chief IMF economist Olivier Blanchard.  In terms of overall economics, however, it is estimated that the U.S. will grow by 2.7% this year and then dip slightly to 2.4% in 2011 since government stimulus money will be reduced.  Europe is also expected to grow, but slightly less than the U.S.  Finally, the IMF indicated that the major problem it sees is with a lack of “financial-sector stability” that can be fixed globally if banks increase their capital.
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EU agrees to train Somali troops
25 January 2010 - BBC
The European Union is sending a team to Uganda to help train 2,000 Somali troops to fight against Islamist insurgents. The mission, of about 200 EU troops, will be led by Spain. The Somali government has also requested international help to build a 6,000 strong police force. The government controls only parts of the capital, Mogadishu, while militants have taken over much of the rest of the country. The EU already has a naval force in the Gulf of Aden to combat pirates, but acknowledges the causes of piracy stem from the instability in Somalia.
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British envoy named NATO's Afghan rep
26 January 2010 - AFP
Britain's ambassador to Afghanistan has been named to the new NATO post of chief civilian representative in Kabul. Mark Sedwill will have an increased role in coordinating the alliance's civilian efforts. A senior US official in Brussels said Sedwill could improve cooperation between the 26 Provincial Reconstruction Teams currently operating in Afghanistan. Most of these teams are run by the United States, though several are run by other nations. Afghan officials have complained that the PRTs have been reporting back to their own governments, not to Kabul or any centralized point.
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EU to send gendarmerie force to Haiti
25 January 2010 - EU Observer - Andrew Rettman
European Union foreign ministers have agreed to send 300 military police to Haiti to help with policing problems in the aftermath of the earthquake. EU development commissioner Karel de Gucht, who visited the country over the weekend, said the Haitian government "has practically disappeared," noting that he had to meet with the president and other senior officials in a disused police station. The block's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said that the UN had requested European gendarmes for specific tasks rather than to provide general security. Most of the gendarmes will come from France, Italy, and the Netherlands.
(Read More)

US Commander signals peace talks with Taliban
25 January 2010 - BBC
The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan says the increased troop levels in the country could help bring about negotiations with the Taliban. Afghan and Pakistani leaders are meeting in Turkey, which has offered to mediate talks with the Taliban. General Stanley McChrystal said the additional troops from the US and NATO should achieve "very demonstrably positive" progress this year, and militants could become more amenable to talks. McChrystal said that a political solution to all conflicts was "inevitable." Afghan President Hamid Karzai is hoping to win allied backing for a reconciliation plan at an upcoming conference in London.
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In Davos, Return of the Bankers
24 January 2010 – The Wall Street Journal – Deborah Ball
Leaders of the business, political, philanthropic worlds are gathering in Davos, Switzerland this week for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The economic gloom and the fragility of the banking system have cast a cloud over the global agenda and are likely to dominate discussions. Participants will also concern themselves with a change in the intellectual climate in which the global economy operates, and the geopolitical consequences of the crisis and recession. (Read More)

Rich Nations Urged to Provide $10 billion in Climate Funds
24 January 2010 - BBC
The $10 billion is only the first wave of funding promised by rich nations in the Copenhagen Accord. The Accord pledges that developed nations will fund almost $30 billion over the next 3 years. However, because the Accord is nonbinding, this funding may not become available. Representatives from China, India, South Africa, and Brazil called for the first wave of funding to become available immediately as a sign of commitment to the agreements made in Copenhagen. The four countries also reaffirmed their commitment to curbing emissions and broadly endorsed the Copenhagen Accord. These statements come a week before the countries who signed the Accord are required to release figures on how they will curb emissions.
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US Envoy: London Conference an Opportunity for Momentum in Afghanistan
21 January 2010 - Voice of America - Dan Robinson
The US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan and Britain's Foreign Secretary told the US Senate that the upcoming conference on Afghanistan in London is an opportunity to galvanize support for the US and NATO mission. The conference will include the countries involved in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the United Nations. The US hopes it will generate significant funding commitments and non-military assistance. The envoy, Richard Holbrooke, and the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, acknowledged the Afghan government's severe corruption problems, but were upbeat about the situation on the ground in Kabul.
(Read More)

Bank Stocks Decline on Obama Plans
22 January 2010 – BBC News
After President Obama laid out his plans to curb big bank spending, the shares of European big banks dropped.  For example, Barclays saw its drop by 4% and the Royal Bank of Scotland fell by 2.9%.  This was not simply a UK isolated incident – “German and French banks also declined,” like Deutsche Bank (which fell 4.3%) and Societe Generale (down 6%).  Despite these numbers, European financial officials have yet to decline participating with Obama’s new measures.  According to the UK’s Treasury, Obama’s new plan will be considered “very carefully.”  The biggest outcry, however, seems to be that government controlling the free enterprise of banks would cripple them.  Regardless, the reforms Obama has proposed are big – indeed, “banking reforms do not come bigger than those proposed by President Obama.”
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US welcomes EU's new foreign policy powers
22 January 2010 - EU Observer - Andrew Rettman
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed the Lisbon Treaty's upgrading of the European Union's foreign policy powers at a meeting in Brussels. "I expect that in decades to come, we will look back on the Lisbon Treaty and the maturation of the EU that it represents as a major milestone in our world's history," she said. Clinton and the EU's new foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said that the US and EU would continue to stand side-by-side on pressuring Iran over its nuclear program and coordinating earthquake relief in Haiti. Clinton also praised Ashton personally as a "strong, thoughtful, and accomplished partner," defending her against recent criticism from EU parliamentarians.
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EU puts off reply to US request for airport body scanners

21 January 2010 - AFP - Christian Spillman
The European Union wants to complete studies on the health effects and privacy of full-body scanners before deciding to install them at airports. The US had urged Europe to expand use of the devices after the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a transatlantic flight. US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano defended the effectiveness of the scanners at a meeting with EU interior ministers in Toledo, Spain. She said the US was planning to install at least 450 scanners at its airports in the next year. Spain wants the EU to adopt a single policy, although Britain and the Netherlands have already said they will use the scanners. The European Commission had previously dropped plans to introduce them in 2008 after opposition from the EU Parliament.
(Read More)

Eurozone Economic Recovery Slows
21 January 2010 - Financial Times - Ralph Atkins 
The euro-zone economy expanded for the fifth straight month in January, although at a slower pace than expected, raising questions over whether the bloc's economic recovery is losing steam. Private domestic demand in the euro zone has been persistently weak, leaving economies to rely on temporary life support from government stimulus programs and export demand. But despite January's decline in activity, firms remained confident about future demand and companies also recorded the lowest level of job losses for 15 months. Although the results were largely below expectations and some now question whether the euro-zone recovery is struggling to gain traction. Jürgen Stark, a European Central Bank executive board member pointed out that the "recent weakness signaled a “gradual and bumpy” recovery – rather than a “double-dip recession”
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US backs Montenegro's bid to join NATO
20 January 2010 - AFP
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged US backing for Montenegro's bid to join NATO after a meeting with the country's prime minister. She congratulated Montenegro on its admission in December to the alliance's Membership Action Plan, a precursor to full membership. Montenegro will also send infantry troops to join the NATO force in Afghanistan. The country is currently working on reforms to enhance the rule of law, which are required for membership in both NATO and the European Union. The prime minister, Milo Djukanovic, stated confidence that his country would be "the next state to become a new member of NATO."
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