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On 9 March 2016, the Council agreed on an emergency support mechanism in response to the difficult humanitarian situation caused by the refugee crisis notably in Greece. This enables the EU to help Greece and other affected member states to address the humanitarian needs of the large numbers of arrivals of men, women and children.

Szigorú figyelmeztetésben részesített szerdán az Európai Bizottság hat uniós tagállamot, emlékeztetve őket a stabilitási és növekedési paktumból fakadó költségvetési-fiskális kötelezettségeikre.

Lo verdaderamente trágico de Yemen es que, en un primer momento, el país logró evitar la guerra civil. A diferencia de Siria o de Libia, el levantamiento de su Primavera Árabe no presagió una violencia inmediata. Durante un tiempo hubo esperanzas de que el país pudiese ser testigo de una transferencia de poder pacífica. Un mecanismo de aplicación negociado por las Naciones Unidas diseñó una transición de dos años que debía ser la piedra angular de la retirada del presidente Ali Abdalá Saleh en noviembre de 2011, su sustitución por un líder provisional, el vicepresidente Abd Mansur al Hadi en febrero de 2012, y una Conferencia de Diálogo Nacional (NDC, por sus siglas en inglés) concebida para guiar la reforma constitucional antes de las nuevas elecciones al cabo de dos años.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brussels for the EU-India summit on 30th March is good news. If both sides play their cards right, the summit could pave the way for a more ambitious, dynamic and adventurous EU-India relationship.

India and the EU need a new conversation, a new focus on shared interests as well as new goals and ambitions. Above all, they need to take a fresh look at each other, replacing tired misperceptions and clichés. The summit should come up with a new EU-India action plan which is short, snappy and action-oriented.

With growth rates of 7.5% according to the World Bank, India now has a more dynamic economy than China. The EU, for all its current malaise, has an interest in exporting and investing more in India and has the technology India needs for its modernisation drive. Above all, opening a new chapter in relations means moving to a ‘beyond trade’ agenda.

“India now has a more dynamic economy than China”

Modi’s high-profile visits to Britain, France and Germany show his focus on national European governments over contacts with the EU. Meanwhile, Europe has spent more time and energy on building a strategy for China than on constructing a stronger relationship with India.

Now it’s time for a more serious conversation on refugees, peace and security in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Terrorism and the threat from ISIS are a common concern. In other areas, the focus must shift to a more practical, pragmatic and operational agenda which seeks to find common ground between Modi’s aspirational modernisation drive and EU initiatives to boost growth and jobs.

India’s new economic programme opens up fresh avenues for increased EU-India synergies that go beyond the two sides’ traditional interaction. This could include cooperation in areas where both sides have a strong economic interest such as infrastructure investments, sustainable urbanisation, renewable energy, innovation and synergies between “Digital India” and the EU’s agenda for a Digital Single Market.

Still, trade matters and negotiations on the Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) or free trade agreement, under negotiation since 2007, need to restart. If some of the key blockages that brought the talks to a grinding halt in 2013 can be removed in time, the 30th March summit could mark the relaunch of the BTIA negotiations.

“Opening a new chapter in relations means moving to a ‘beyond trade’ agenda”

So far, however, the talks have been like an unending obstacle race, with new problems emerging at every twist and turn. The EU wants a reduction in India’s tariffs on cars, wines and spirits and a stronger regime for the protection of intellectual property. India is unhappy about EU restrictions on temporary movement of skilled professionals and wants data security status so that the thriving IT sector can do more business with European firms.

Such horse-trading is important and Modi and his EU counterparts must give the trade negotiations a much-needed push. But, as John Lennon sang to Yoko Ono all those years ago, having allowed their relationship to stumble and falter, it’s time that India and the EU agreed to start over.

Further reading

• Friends of Europe analysis ‘MODI’S ENERGY REVOLUTION – High hopes and daunting challenges’
• Europe’s World ‘India and Modi: it’s time to start over’
• Debating Europe How can Europe and India strengthen their relationship?

IMAGE CREDIT: CC / FLICKR – Sandeepachetan

The post EU-India relations: time to ‘start over’ appeared first on Europe’s World.

Le missile air-sol Hellfire occupe une place de choix dans l'arsenal antiterroriste américain. Fabriqué par Lockheed Martin depuis le début des années 1980, ce projectile antichar connaît une seconde jeunesse grâce à une version modernisée : lancé à partir d'hélicoptères ou de drones, il s'illustre avec (...) / États-Unis, Armement, Commerce des armes, Histoire, Cuba - 2016/02

L'échange de compliments a surpris. Le 17 décembre dernier, le président russe Vladimir Poutine a marqué une préférence pour l'un des candidats de la primaire républicaine américaine, le milliardaire new-yorkais Donald Trump. / États-Unis, États-Unis (affaires intérieures), Russie, Élections, Idéologie, (...) / États-Unis, États-Unis (affaires intérieures), Russie, Élections, Idéologie, Politique, Autoritarisme - 2016/02

We are witnessing yet another political circus and crocodile tears for the "poor woman, who was caught in the brutal bone-breaking mill of the Russian system." Savchenko is suspected of the murder of Russian citizens. Moreover, she stated that she had killed Russians before, although "without malice"

Les ministres européens de la Justice et des Affaires intérieures se réunissent les 10 et 11 mars à Bruxelles pour le 4e Conseil JAI de la présidence néerlandaise. À l’ordre du jour, la création d’une agence européenne de garde-frontières et garde-côtes qui doit permettre de mieux gérer les frontières extérieures l’UE.

Die Türkei nutzt die Flüchtlingskrise, um daraus Kapital zu schlagen, sagt Günter Seufert von der...

Le 11 juin 1940, Léon Werth quitte Paris au volant de sa vieille Bugatti pour rejoindre avec sa femme leur maison du Jura. C'est l'exode. Des millions de Français se pressent sur les routes, emportant valises et matelas. Des embouteillages monstrueux, l'occupant qui progresse vers la Loire, les (...) / France, Histoire, Littérature, Seconde guerre mondiale 1939-1945 - 2016/02

Depuis sa création en 1945, le régime général de la Sécurité sociale subit le feu des « réformateurs » de tout poil. Comment expliquer cet acharnement contre un système que l'on réduit souvent à une simple couverture des risques de la vie ? C'est qu'au-delà de l'assurance sociale, les pionniers de la « (...) / France, État, Histoire, Protection sociale, Santé, Service public, Syndicalisme, Travail - 2015/12

Az európai Airbus Helicopters vállalat a Heli Expo Trade Show-n hivatalosan is átadta az első H215 típusú többcélú forgószárnyast a finn határőrség részére – írja az asdnews.com.

La Fondation pour l’innovation politique souhaite relayer la première édition des Journées du Cinéma Politique de Sciences Po. Ces journées, qui montreront la politique dans tous ses états, s’ouvriront le 16 mars 2016 au soir par un débat à Sciences Po (Amphithéâtre Émile Boutmy, 27 rue St Guillaume, Paris 7è) puis se poursuivront, les 17 et […]

Cet article 16, 17 & 18 mars 2016 : Journées du Cinéma Politique de Sciences Po est apparu en premier sur Fondapol.

You can read here the article on the EU and the refugee crisis, which was written by Director General of ELIAMEP Dr Thanos Dokos. This commentary was published in the Greek daily Kathimerini on 9 March 2016.

I'm unmoved by the hand-wringing over Israel's "isolation." When I came to the country 30 years ago, Israel had no relations with the USSR (and Eastern Europe), China, and India. There was no foreign investment and a UN General Assembly resolution still stood, condemning Zionism as racism. It will take more than a Cairo mob, a truculent Turk, and another UN resolution to make me feel "isolated."
Middle East expert Martin Kramer, quoted by Todd Warnick in The "Isolation" Canard

For decades, claims are periodically trotted out that Israel -- by virtue of its actions -- is being faced with the threat of being isolated.

In describing Jerusalem's Decreasing Isolation, Efraim Inbar delineates 3 ways to measure a county's isolation:

• The number of states that have diplomatic relations with a particular country. 
• Membership in international governmental organizations and agencies. 
• The amount of negative attention a state receives in international forums and public opinion. 

The claim that Israel is isolated on account of lacking friends and allies on the international stage is constantly being debunked. Just this week, Arsen Ostrovsky wrote that Israel not as isolated as many people think.

He notes that on Monday alone:

• Netanyahu met the new Egyptian Ambassador, after a three year absence, and relations between Israel and Egypt are at a recent all-time high.
• PM Netanyahu also announced a trip to Kenya and Africa, following the Kenyan President’s successful visit last week
• The Knesset launched a new Israel-Africa caucus to strengthen ties with Israel, after Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed was quoted as saying that most African countries “see Israel as a very close friend.”
• Both a senior delegation from the Bundestag, as well as the Italian Defense minister, visited Israel.
• There are reports that Israel and Turkey are on the verge of normalizing diplomatic relations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with new Egyptian Ambassador
Hazem Khairat in Jerusalem, February 29, 2016. (photo credit:KOBI GIDEON/GPO)
That is just within a 24 hour span on Monday.Ostrovsky notes Israel's other diplomatic successes over the longer term:

• Trade relations with India, China and Japan are at record high
• The Governments of Britain and Canada as well as the EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini have strongly denounced the BDS Movement, with a number of states in the US doing likewise
• Israel has been forming close strategic ties with Greece and Cyprus
• Israel continues to have strong diplomatic relations with Germany, where Netanyahu and Chancellor Merkel recently headed government meetings.
• Relations with Russia are good, with cooperation on the situation in Syria
• The threat of ISIS has improved relations between Israel and the Sunni Arab states.

Obviously, things are not nearly as good when you turn your attention to Israel's involvement with international agencies and organizations:  there are always problems at the UN, and Israel has problems with the EU, especially in connection with the labeling of Israeli products from Judea and Samaria ("The West Bank"). Getting back to Inbar, who was writing in 2013, he contends that while Israel's relations with the UN have not improved -- they have not gotten worse either. In fact, Israeli diplomats feel that in some ways, the UN has actually become less hostile.

After becoming a temporary member of the Western European and Other States Group in 2000, Israel became more integrated into the UN and has more involved in its agencies. Jerusalem has hosted UN-sponsored conferences and its international aid agency, Mashav, is supported by both the UN and other international agencies. In May 2010, Israel was also admitted to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, consisting of the 33 most developed countries in the world committed to democracy and the market economy. Israel is also an associate member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), ensuring Israel's involvement in scientific projects in Europe.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (third from left) joined hands in Paris with leaders
(left to right) Andrus Ansip, Estonia; Felipe Larrain, Chile; Silvio Berlusconi, Italy;
Borut Pahor, Slovenia, and Angel Gurría, secretary general of the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development, when Israel was formally admitted
into the exclusive organization. Credit: MEF
Inbar notes that "Israel's enhanced position is based on European perceptions of its own self-interest rather than ideological alignment."

International forums and public opinion are another matter, what with the attempt to isolate Israel by delegitimizing it as an apartheid regime. The success of this 'Durban strategy' is not clear, with the effectiveness of the BDS movement debatable at best. Inbar suggests that some of Israel's isolation is the result of the Obama administration, specifically the diminishing clout of the US during his term as president.

Also of concern is the escalation of antisemitism and anti-Zionism on college campuses, not only because of the increase of the  phenomenon itself, but because of the lack of a strong response from the college and university heads as well. Yet even here, the fight on campuses is being joined. BDS campaigns there have not been as successful as in the past, with the defeat of divestment resolutions now making headlines.

Israel is not isolated.

Saying that obviously does not mean the threat of isolation does not exist. It does exist, and on all three levels -- diplomatic relations with other countries, international governmental organizations and agencies and  in international forums and public opinion. However, Israel is making headway in all three areas.

Yet, Israel to some extent will probably always fulfill the words of Balaam, who called the Jewish nation "a people that dwells alone".



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Technorati Tag: Israel and United Nations and European Union and Isolation.

Törökország és Azerbajdzsán légiereje a napokban közös hadgyakorlatot hajt végre - írja az azeri APA hírportál.