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4762. The Russian Reality Check on Turkey's Gas Hub Hopes
- Author:
- Morena Skalamera
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
- Abstract:
- On Nov 24, 2015, Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet after it veered into its airspace for 17 seconds. On December 13, a Russian ship fired warning shots at a Turkish vessel in the Aegean Sea. Bilateral tensions, with overt military dimensions, have seemed to quickly replace the goodwill that characterized relations only a year ago. Over the past few weeks, experts and observers have debated whether this incident will jeopardize deep Turkish-Russian energy cooperation—and whether newfound tensions between Moscow and Ankara will thwart Turkey’s ambition to transform itself into an energy hub. A closer look suggests grounds for both optimism and pessimism. Given the deep interests of both parties in continuing energy cooperation, and the mutual nature of the dependency, tensions over Syria are unlikely to adversely impact energy cooperation in a fundamental way. Turkey, however, is unlikely to realize its vision of an energy hub—not because of Russia, but because of a combination of domestic and other geopolitical factors.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Economics, Energy Policy, Oil, Geopolitics, Gas, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, and Turkey
4763. On Political Forgiveness: Some Preliminary Reflections
- Author:
- Wendy Sherman
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
- Abstract:
- This policy brief examines political forgiveness, when countries or groups are able to reconcile or set aside historic enmities. The inability to overcome longstanding grievances—however justified and deeply rooted—often undermine a group’s or nation’s current core interests. This lack of forgiveness manifests throughout the world: tribal warfare in South Sudan, hostility between Saudi Arabia and Iran, seemingly irreconcilable differences within the European neighborhood, and the failure to reach a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. Deep animus often seems to take precedence over interests. What conditions are necessary for political forgiveness, and through what process is it achieved? How is it that some countries, like Germany, have been able to find their way through this thicket, while others, such as Japan, have not—or at least not to a comparable extent? And, in cases of genocide, such as Rwanda, where political forgiveness may well be impossible, should the international community more purposefully examine the social license extended to victims? Ambassador Wendy Sherman makes the case that insights from frameworks of personal forgiveness can help nations seize the moment when their interests align and, accordingly, move to achieve political forgiveness. First, the process of forgiveness requires a sense of justice—victims must feel that perpetrators have been held accountable and will no longer be able to hurt them. It must also be a deep, extended undertaking: when perpetrators offer only superficial acknowledgments of the victims’ pain and attempt to move on quickly, victims perceive those efforts as perfunctory, even disingenuous. Additionally, countries must reestablish genuine, ongoing contact to overcome narratives of “the other” that inhibit forgiveness. They should not assume, however, that political forgiveness will proceed as a linear, three-part process in which the perpetrator issues an apology, the victim accepts the apology, and the two subsequently cultivate their ties on the basis of aligned national interests. This examination finds that the process works best in the reverse order: only upon discerning that their strategic interests happen to align do conflicting countries begin to move toward reconciliation and forgiveness.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Defense Policy, International Security, and Forgiveness
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Asia-Pacific
4764. Not Even in the Margins : Where are Roma with Disabilities?
- Author:
- Michael Szporluk
- Publication Date:
- 02-2016
- Content Type:
- Case Study
- Institution:
- European Centre for Minority Issues
- Abstract:
- A major campaign to raise awareness of conditions for Roma living in Central and South-East Europe, the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, ended last fall. Governments made commitments, reported on progress, and civil society organizations monitored their work. The concluding report, A Lost Decade?, signals that results were mixed at best; yet for 15% of the population (i.e., persons with disabilities), there were no commitments, no reports, and no monitoring. For Roma with disabilities the decade didn’t start and lose momentum, it simply never happened. This study looks at the progress made through the Decade of Roma Inclusion (hereinafter Roma Decade) and European Union’s Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies (hereinafter EU Framework), provides information about Roma with disabilities, describes efforts to raise awareness of Roma with disabilities and protect their rights, and finally outlines the rights of ethnic minorities through an intersectional lens.
- Topic:
- Minorities, Ethnicity, Disability, Local, and Protected People
- Political Geography:
- Europe
4765. Dynamics of Integration in the OSCE Area: National Minorities and Bridge Building
- Author:
- European Centre for Minority Issues
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Case Study
- Institution:
- European Centre for Minority Issues
- Abstract:
- This Report has been compiled in support of the 2016 German OSCE Chairmanship’s focus on “the situation of national minorities in times of crisis, their positive contribution to social integration and their potential to build bridges in international relations.” The Report presents 24 positive initiatives at bridge building taken throughout the OSCE area, including seven examples of legal instruments in cross-border regions and 17 examples of projects covering a number of themes identified in the political, cultural and socio-economic sectors.
- Topic:
- Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, Borders, and Integration
- Political Geography:
- Europe
4766. Minority Rights Governance: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Equal Treatment when Budgeting for Education
- Author:
- Tove H. Malloy
- Publication Date:
- 04-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Centre for Minority Issues
- Abstract:
- When governments are faced with economic crises, the education sector is often the first sector to experience budget reductions. This may hit educational programmes for minorities disproportionally harder, if austerity measures are applied equally across the board, as positive measures adopted as a result of minority protection schemes are more costly than regular educational programmes. Minority educational programmes incur higher cost per pupil due to additional and extra-curricula topics and activities aimed at preserving and promoting minority cultures. Cutting special programmes may inadvertently or perhaps deliberately lead governments to discriminate against minority pupils, who have enrolled in minority schools or programmes. Unfortunately, there is little guidance for policy makers and school principals in this regard. International human rights law instruments prescribe positive measures without explaining how these should be safeguarded during economic hard times. Only two international soft law documents provide some guidance with regard to education for minorities. This Issue Brief will examine the standards and guidance available in international law and put these in a perspective of actual practice of education for minorities in Europe. The main argument is that equal treatment or equal reductions across the board do not secure equality; equitable processes protecting positive measures are needed.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Education, Governance, Minorities, Civil Rights, and Identity
- Political Geography:
- Europe
4767. Dynamic of Integration in the OSCE Area: National Minorities and Bridge Building
- Author:
- European Centre for Minority Issues
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- European Centre for Minority Issues
- Abstract:
- This Report is the main output of a project executed by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) in cooperation with the European Academy Bolzano/Bozen (EURAC) and independent researcher Dr. Nina Bagdasarova. The project was developed at the request of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) in response to the priorities set by the 2016 German OSCE Chairmanship. The project covered the period from March to December 2016, and preliminary results were presented at the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting 10-11 November in Vienna while the final results were presented in a side event at the Ministerial Council 8-9 December in Hamburg. The research team would like to thank members of the HCNM office and OSCE missions for assisting it with dissemination of questionnaires, data collection and follow up as well as review of the Report. Any mistakes should be attributed to the research team, not the OSCE or HCNM staff
- Topic:
- Nationalism, Minorities, Peace, Integration, and Identity
- Political Geography:
- Europe
4768. Putting politics into international development? It’s about time
- Author:
- Charles Cadwell
- Publication Date:
- 04-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Urban Institute
- Abstract:
- It may be difficult in the current political season to welcome news that international development agencies are paying more attention to the politics of reform when designing their assistance programs to poor countries. But we should be relieved that agencies like the World Bank, the UK’s Department for International Development, and our own US Agency for International Development are doing just that. For too long, aid programs operated with the convenient fiction that assistance work was purely technical. The premise of many programs was “simply transfer missing knowledge, skills, or cash to people in the foreign government or local organizations, and they could adopt policies and programs to promote growth and reduce poverty."
- Topic:
- Poverty, Foreign Aid, International Development, and Economic Growth
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Global Focus, and United States of America
4769. Calling a Spade a Spade: Canada's Use of Sanctions
- Author:
- Andrea Charron and Paul Aseltine
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- Canada’s use of sanctions is little studied which means the full scope and effect of this tool are not appreciated. Until 2006, Canada applied sanctions in support of the United Nations almost exclusively. Since then, Canada has also applied discretionary sanctions in support of allies such as the European Union and United States’ measures in addition to those required by the UN Security Council. Lacking extraterritorial reach and with this new tendency to layer sanctions (applying UN and additional measures) requires the navigation of multiple pieces of Canadian legislation. Banks and private companies, which are largely responsible for giving effect to Canada’s sanctions, must navigate this legislation. This has ensnared a few Canadians in the process with little evidence that Canada’s application of sanctions is compelling its targets (people, companies, and states) to change their behaviour. Canada’s application of sanctions is a signal of its desire to support multilateral, collective security efforts – nothing more or less.
- Topic:
- United Nations, Sanctions, European Union, and Banks
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Canada, North America, and United States of America
4770. The Year of Our Discontent: A Snapshot From Berlin
- Author:
- Gary Soroka
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- The European Union faces enormous challenges, including flows of refugees, economic stagnation, terrorism, xenophobia, anti-Muslim bigotry and the rise of the far right, the Brexit. Strong leadership is needed but it is in short supply. Germany is the most capable, but it too has domestic problems that are preoccupying the political class, not least the prospect of a federal election next year. Despite all this, the country has shouldered its growing responsibilities in recent years with a new confidence and no one should underestimate what they can achieve.
- Topic:
- Islam, Terrorism, Elections, European Union, Brexit, and Xenophobia
- Political Geography:
- Europe