BBC NEWS: Serbian Radicals - "Serbia votes for the past".

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Serbian Radicals

Serbian Radicals - "Serbia votes for the past".

The Radicals believe in a Greater Serbia, although they don't say how they would keep Kosovo, let alone get Croatia back. Their rallies abound with men with shaven heads, sporting a variety of military headgear and belting out nationalist songs with great gusto.

The Radicals keep stressing that all the main parties in Serbia agree that Kosovo should remain part of Serbia. It was written into the new constitution which was passed by a referendum at the end of last year. But Western diplomats are hoping that if the democrats can form a government, this article of faith will be a little like the Republic of Ireland's claim on Northern Ireland or the UK Labour Party's Clause Four: something that is clung to for years out of sentiment, without affecting real policy, until the leadership judges the time is right ditch it safely.

Aviation Week -- Iran Set to Try Space Launch - by Craig Covault

Iran Shahab Rocket
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Iran Set to Try Space Launch - by Craig Covault

Iran has converted its most powerful ballistic missile into a satellite launch vehicle. The 30-ton rocket could also be a wolf in sheep's clothing for testing longer-range missile strike technologies, Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine reports in its Jan. 29 issue.

The Iranian space launcher has recently been assembled and "will liftoff soon" with an Iranian satellite, according to Alaoddin Boroujerdi, the chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. U.S. agencies believe the launcher to be a derivation of the 800-1,000-mi. range Shahab 3 missile. A Shahab 3 fired from central Iran could strike anywhere in Israel, Saudi Arabia, the entire Persian Gulf region and as far west as southern Turkey.

FMNN: Bagdad: Is there a Comparison with the Battle of Algiers - by Alvaro Vargas Llosa

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Bagdad: is there a Comparison with the Battle of Algiers? - by Alvaro Vargas Llosa

It has become fashionable to refer to Algeria's war of liberation against the French) when talking about Iraq. President Bush is reading British historian Alistair Horne's account of that war-"A Savage War of Peace"-and I am reminded that the Pentagon organized a screening of Gillo Pontecorvo's classic film "The Battle of Algiers" in 2003 in order to study the dangers of confronting Muslim guerrillas. All Americans would benefit from watching "The Battle of Algiers," a masterpiece that, despite the fact that the movie was co-produced by a former leader of the National Liberation Front (NLF), is clinical in its depiction of the cruelty that came from all sides, and is devoid of the moralizing and manipulative intentions that often taint political art.

Algeria and Iraq are different beasts, of course. The French had been in Algeria since 1830, so France was a colonial power. There were about a million French citizens in Algeria (the "pieds noirs"), who treated the Arabs and Berbers as second-class citizens. They had powerful representation in Paris. But there are similarities. There was also a civil war in Algeria between various factions vying for power: the struggle between the NLF and the Algerian National Movement was savage. The NLF targeted fellow Algerians from its inception in 1954 and used indiscriminate terrorism throughout the conflict. Outside influence was considerable: Countries like Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt aided the insurgents.

Alvaro Vargas Llosa is a Senior Fellow and director of The Center on Global Prosperity at the Independent Institute. He is a native of Peru and received his B.S.C. in international history from the London School of Economics. He has been a member of Board of the Miami Herald Publishing Company and op-ed page editor and columnist at the Miami Herald and a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, BBC World Service, and Time Magazine. In addition, Mr. Vargas Llosa has been a commentator at Univision TV, news director at RCN radio (both English and Spanish), London Correspondent for Spain’s ABC daily newspaper, commentator at Radio Nacional de Espana in Madrid, international affairs editor at Expreso (Peru), arts editor at Oiga, commentator at Panamericana Television, host of the weekly TV program “Planeta 3” (aired in twelve Latin American countries), and columnist at La Nación (Argentina), El Nacional (Venezuela), Reforma (Mexico), El Tiempo (Colombia), El País (Uruguay), El Listín Diario (Dominican Republic).

Ageing Europe not a threat says EU

theparliament.com

"Ageing Europe not a threat says EU

The demographic timebomb facing the EU should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat, according to European commission chiefs.

Vladimir Spidla, EU employment and social affairs commissioner, told delegates at a conference on regional policy on Thursday that nearly half of EU regions are likely to have a population in 2031 below the level of 2004.

Eastern and northern parts of Europe, including new members Bulgaria and Romania, will suffer the biggest decline in population, along with parts of Finland and Sweden."

Telegraph: Russia threatened by US missile defence plan - "Is this in Europe's Interest ?"

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Russia threatened by US missile defence plan - "Is this in Europe's Interest?"

The Pentagon yesterday dismissed Russian concerns that plans to expand the US’s missile defence shield into central and eastern Europe constituted “an obvious threat” to Russian interests.

Poland and the Czech Republic confirmed yesterday that the US has been discussing building missile interception bases in their countries similar to those the US has already established in Alaska and California. “This is not directed at the Russian Federation. It is not designed to counter Russian missiles. We do not see it that way” said a Pentagon spokesman. “Not at all.

However Lt Gen Vladimir Popovkin, the chief of Russia’s space forces, said the Kremlin doubted US arguments that the shield was purely a defensive measure. “Our analysis shows that the deployment of a radar station in the Czech Republic and a counter-missile position in Poland are an obvious threat to us. “It is very doubtful that elements of the national US missile defence system in Eastern Europe were aimed at Iranian missiles, as has been stated,” he said yesterday.

Note EU-Digest: Poland has to anticipate new tensions with the European Union, if Warsaw allows the deployment of an American anti-missile system on its territory, the online site of the German ARD television network cited a Polish member of the European Parliament as saying on Tuesday. Ryszard Czarnecki of the Sambroona (Self-Defense) Party warned that the joint US-Polish missile plans are viewed as a direct snub of the European Union. "The western European countries, especially Germany and France, are against this project. For Poland's political opponents, this will be another reason to say Poland is the Trojan horse of the US within Europe."

IHT: Euro Disney says first-quarter revenue rose 5.8 percent

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Euro Disney says first-quarter revenue rose 5.8 percent

PARIS: Euro Disney SCA, the operator of two Disney theme parks outside Paris, said Thursday that revenue in the fiscal first quarter rose 5.8 percent, driven by strong Halloween and Christmas park entries and hotel occupancy. Sales rose to €284.1 million (US$364.1 million) in the three months through December from €268.5 million in the year-earlier period, the company said in a statement.

Revenue from Euro Disney's theme parks rose 9.9 percent to €153.6 million (US$196.8 million), reflecting an 8 percent rise in attendance and a 2 percent increase in guest spending.

IHT: EU justice ministers agree to make it easier to file for divorce, collect inheritances

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DRESDEN, Germany: European Union ministers agreed Monday to try to draft common legal standards to make it easier to file for divorce and claim inheritances for Europeans living in EU countries other than their own. There was broad support to draft common rules, said German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries, who was chairing two days of talks between EU justice and interior ministers. "This is a very sensitive issue," Zypries told reporters. "In principle, all member states agree that we need to have better, more pragmatic cooperation."

The move recognizes the growing trend of Europeans who chose to study, marry and live in another EU state, taking advantage of borderless travel rules to set up new lives outside their home country. EU officials said the decision plays catch up to growing calls for action to solve a growing legal black hole faced by many multinational European couples in areas such as divorce, child custody and inheritances.

Belfast Telegraph: What would happen if Scotland achieved its independence? - - by Paul Kelbie

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What would happen if Scotland achieved its independence? - by Paul Kelbie

According to recent polls, around 52 per cent of Scots would back moves to dissolve the Union of 1707, which means that after three centuries of shared blood, toil and tears, the marriage of convenience that turned a small island into a world power is shaping up for divorce.

If countries such as Malta, with a population less than Edinburgh's, can be self-governing, supporters of independence believe there is no reason why Scotland shouldn't. Optimistic nationalists claim Scotland could be as prosperous as Ireland, Norway, Denmark or Iceland with enough revenue from oil, gas, renewable energy and other industries to invest in a fund to look after future generations. The idea would be to invest revenues in a permanent reserve fund and use the interest to fund public services, pensions and other expenditure for years to come.

An international convention has determined that the North Sea north of the 55th parallel is under Scottish jurisdiction, which means some 90 per cent of the UK's oil and gas reserves are within Scottish waters. As far back as 1975, experts recognised that oil could make an independent Scotland one of the richest countries in Europe. A government report saying as much was labelled incendiary, classified as secret and hidden away for 30 years until it came to light at the end of 2005 as a result of Freedom of Information legislation.

In addition to oil Scotland has as much as 25 per cent of the EU tidal and wind resources, which if managed properly could deliver a second energy windfall for the country. However, like any divorce, it is likely that there would be a great deal of argument over the splitting of assets.

Onecompare.com: Mobile GPS soon to hit Europe

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Mobile GPS soon to hit Europe

In the first nine months of 2006, nearly 12 million Global Positioning System (GPS) devices were sold across the world; it’s expected to double to nearly 28 million in 2007 as more people want to know exactly where they are at any given time. Most GPS systems are used by motorists navigating around the roads, sailors determining their position on the ocean and ramblers taking extreme walks up hillsides. But this is all set to change according to the mobile industry. This year, they expect that GPS will finally go side by side with mobile phones across Europe.

Unlike the US and Japan, which use a mobile standard known as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), Europe's networks run on a totally different system called GSM (Global System for Mobile communication). But with new developments in chip designs, and the increased processing power of mobile phones, it means that GPS can now more easily be incorporated into a mobile phone handset. Also, a new technology called assisted GPS (AGPS) gets rid of frustrating lag times which come with normal GPS devices as they attempt to lock on to satellites. It takes advantage of the cellular network to speed up the process of finding a location.

venezuelanalysis.com: Venezuela and Brazil Agree To 1st Phase of Transcontiental Gas Pipeline - by Michael Fox

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Venezuela’s and Brazil’s Presidents, Hugo Chávez and “Lula” da Silva signed a declaration to begin the first phase of the Great Southern Gas Pipeline late last week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Venezuelan president was in the neighboring South American country for the 31st Presidential MERCOSUR summit.

The pipeline is planned to run 10,000 kilometers, from Venezuela to Argentina through Brazil and have a capacity of 150 million cubic meters of gas per day. Construction of the pipeline is estimated to cost $23 billion. When completed it will be the largest such gas pipeline in the world. Construction could begin on the project by 2009, if the feasibility and engineering studies are positive.

Forbes: EU Seeks to Reform Produce Sector - by Robert Wielaard

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EU Seeks to Reform Produce Sector - by Robert Wielaard

The European Commission proposed a reform of the EU fruit and vegetables sector Wednesday, planning to end production and export subsidies in a bid to improve competitiveness, boost consumption and cut red tape.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said the main aspect of her package was a severing of subsidies from output and giving producers instead fixed payments based on acreage under cultivation and past handouts. Such "decoupling" has become common for other farm products in recent years as part of wider EU farm policy reforms.

KRT Wire: "EU, Latin American democracies do not share US views on Cuba"

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EU, Latin American democracies do not share US views on Cuba

Shortly after an ailing Fidel Castro handed power to his brother Raul last summer, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called her Spanish counterpart, Miguel Angel Moratinos. With Havana seemingly on the edge of change, Rice hoped the European Union would issue a statement urging Cuba to adopt democratic reforms. As the leader on Latin American affairs within the EU, Madrid had the clout to make such a declaration happen, diplomats familiar with the outreach say. The Spaniards declined.

To this day, the EU and most Latin American democracies have been conspicuously quiet on Cuba despite a stepped up U.S. effort to garner those kinds of declarations on Cuba. Diplomats and analysts say the silence shows that many nations are both unwilling to be associated with U.S. policies toward Cuba and reluctant to anger Havana by criticizing its communist government. "The embargo focus of U.S. policy (toward Cuba) has been ineffective," said Kenneth Roth, president of Human Rights Watch, a group critical of both U.S. sanctions on Cuba and the island's repressive ways. "It's driven away natural allies who otherwise might be willing to help promote human rights."

IRNA: Polish MEP warns of imminent tensions with EU over US Patriot missiles

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Polish MEP warns of imminent tensions with EU over US Patriot missiles

Poland has to anticipate new tensions with the European Union, if Warsaw allows the deployment of an American anti-missile system on its territory, the online site of the German ARD television network cited a Polish member of the European Parliament as saying on Tuesday.

Ryszard Czarnecki of the Sambroona (Self-Defense) Party warned that the joint US-Polish missile plans are viewed as a direct snub of the European Union. "The western European countries, especially Germany and France, are against this project. For Poland's political opponents, this will be another reason to say Poland is the Trojan horse of the US within Europe," Czarnecki said. A staunch political ally of the US, Poland announced the start of exploratory talks on the possible stationing of US National Missile Defense (NMD) bases in the eastern European country within two weeks.

Prague Monitor: Schroeder: EU constitution talks will be difficult

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Schroeder: EU constitution talks will be difficult

During a visit to Prague he said he expects nonetheless that the German government, which holds the rotating EU presidency in the first half of the year, will still make progress. Schroeder said he hopes Germany's wish to save the European constitution will be fulfilled, adding that a majority of EU members have already approved the document in its old version, so it must be taken into consideration.

"It is difficult to tell those who have approved the constitution: you have ratified a bad text," Schroeder said.

JURIST: Denmark wants EU constitution in place by 2009 parliamentary elections - Joshua Pantesco

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Denmark wants EU constitution in place by 2009 parliamentary elections - Joshua Pantesco

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday called for the European constitution to be in place before the 2009 European parliamentary elections. Rasmussen acknowledged that some changes to the current draft constitution may be necessary after voters in France and the Netherlands rejected the draft in 2006, but stressed that of the 27 EU member nations, 18 have ratified the text. Denmark has yet to hold a national referendum to accept or reject the draft document.

Changes or no, some parties were outraged at the prime minister's insinuation that Danes should swallow a new constitution without a referendum. 'To not hold a referendum would be fraudulent. The Danish people were promised a vote, but the government's position is no doubt due to the prime minister and the parties who support the constitution fearing a 'no' vote - and there's good reason for that,' said Pia Kjærsgaard, leader of the Danish People's Party.

Rasmussen and other EU supporters believe a new, slimmed down treaty proposal can avoid a exacerbating the diagremeents between the pro and anti-treaty camps, which would lead to a total collapse of the constitutional process.

Businessweek: Russia's oil habit hampers economy - by Alex Nicholsen

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Russia's oil habit hampers economy- by Alex Nicholsen

Oil prices have been falling and western European customers, rattled by disruptions of Russian supplies, are looking for other sources of oil and natural gas. That might be a wakeup call for Russia to stop relying almost exclusively on hydrocarbon exports as the backbone of its economy. Yet Russia is doing little to diversify -- and analysts say its dependence on energy resources is only getting stronger.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left Russia with enormous natural resources wealth and largely moribund industries -- factories that had made low-quality goods sold to other Communist countries and weren't able to compete in a free market. Since then, politicians and economists have insisted Russia needs to modernize its economy. But the immense wealth brought about by oil and gas revenues have drowned out these warnings.

Taipei Times - Europe encouraging clean energy industries - by James Kanter

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Europe encouraging clean energy industries - by James Kanter

More than half of the world's 22 most valuable publicly traded wind and solar companies are based in Europe, with ready access to green-minded consumers and long-term government support being the incentives

Europe is experiencing a new wave of interest in ventures that develop energy from less polluting or renewable sources, like sun and wind, as well as from tides, agriculture and geothermal heat. It is not clear, though, if the interest will turn into a passing fad or a bubble, like the rush into Internet stocks during the late 1990s. The US has not signed the Kyoto Protocol, an international accord aimed at stabilizing emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Even so, US industry has set the investment pace, pouring US$3.5 billion of private equity and venture capital money into start-up clean-energy developers last year, according to New Energy Finance, a research firm based in London.

IHT: Opposition pressures Turkish government to take military action in Iraq

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Opposition pressures Turkish government to take military action in Iraq

Opposition pressures Turkish government to take military action in Iraq

ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey's main opposition party increased pressure on the government to send soldiers to Iraq as parliament went into a closed-door session on Tuesday to debate the country's policy on Iraq and find ways to fight separatist Kurdish guerrillas based there. Turkey has expressed dissatisfaction with U.S. and Iraqi efforts to contain Turkish Kurdish guerrillas, who Ankara says have been using bases in Iraq to fight for autonomy in Turkey's southeast. Opposition parties have been trying to get the government to consider possible military action or economic embargoes to force Iraqi Kurds to cooperate with Turkey. Iraqi Kurdish groups have fought alongside Turkish Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq during several Turkish incursions in the past.

The government agreed to put the country's Iraq policy up for discussion in the 550-member parliament, but details of the discussion are not to be made public.

Gulfnews/Reuters: Europe seeks immigrants as workforce dwindles

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Europe seeks immigrants as workforce dwindles

Paris: As debate rages over the merits of Europe "importing" immigrant labour, one thing looks inevitable - the homegrown population is becoming too small and too old to maintain the living standards of the last 50 years.

Attempts to rejuvenate Europe's workforce took a fresh twist last week with news the European Commission would propose a pan-European system of US-style green cards to lure youthful migrants with good education, skills and economic potential.

Mail&Guardian online: Are African immigrants necessary for Europe? - by Julio Godoy

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Are African immigrants necessary for Europe? - by Julio Godoy

According to official figures, 30 058 African refugees -- they have been called boat people like the Vietnamese refugees of the 1970s -- landed in the Canary Islands last year. That flow looks set to continue in 2007. That means, among other things, a growing challenge for the European Union.

In December, the heads of state and government of then 25 EU member countries agreed in Brussels to a new common immigration policy, to be developed by June this year. But many European leaders continue to oppose a common policy that could encourage legal immigration into the EU, and press instead for a tightening of border controls.