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ASEAN and G20 – Indonesia’s Foreign Policy Perspectives

Indonesia’s acceptance into the G20 has opened up new avenues for the country’s participation in international processes and development. As this years president of ASEAN Indonesia will try to be the mouthpiece of its members and of all developing nations alike within the G20. What are the priorities for Indonesia’s foreign policy and is it appreciated by its own people?

Climate Summit in Cancún Did Not Fail, but Was It Successful Enough?

It is all too easy for everybody to say that the UN Climate Conference in Mexico exceeded expectations as almost all parties involved took all opportunities to systematically lower them. Negotiations about a successor for the Kyoto Protocol were postponed to this year’s conference in South Africa. The Cancún Agreement, though, did at least specifically recognise for the first time the necessity of having a so-called “two degree target”, signed by China and the USA.

Editorial

Über Jahre wies Tunesien ein gutes Wirtschaftswachstum auf. Doch am Ende war es nicht das allein, was zählte. Die am häufigsten gefallenen Begriffe während der Demonstrationen der vergangenen Wochen waren „Würde“ und „Freiheit“. Die Lehren, die es aus den Ereignissen zu ziehen sind, sind offensichtlich: Wirtschaftliche Entwicklung und Wachstum lassen sich auf Dauer nicht trennen von der Sicherstellung und Gewährung von Menschenrechten.

Immigration Country Norway – Demographic Trends and Political Concepts

In the latest Human Development Report 2010 Norway was once again top of the list. Thus, it is hardly surprising that immigration numbers into Norway has been climbing significantly in recent years. Since 1970 the total has risen tenfold and approached more than half a million migrants to date. The topic is high on the political agenda.

Republic of Moldova at the End of an Election Marathon?

The parties which have come together to form the Alliance for European Integration (AIE) were able to clinch the early parliamentary elections held on November 28, 2010, andthus avoided the Communist Party’s return to power. But still, the third parliamentary election since 2009 did not pull the country out of the depths of its political and constitutional crisis. New elections are already looming.

SAARC – 25 Years of Regional Integration in South Asia

In the eyes of the world SAARC, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, has enjoyed comparatively few successes since it was founded in 1985. The Charter signed by the founders of SAARC (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) promises much, but achieved few practical results. Any assessment, though, needs to take into account the regional situation and the complicated backdrop to the organisation’s formation.

Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Elections – An Opportunity to Set a Course for Brussels?

People’s expectations of the new Government are clear: the political stand-off can only be overcome if they can come to an agreement on the most important reforms. But, some politicians may once again rely on nationalist rhetoric to mobilize their voter base for the council elections in 2012 and make the search for compromises that much more difficult. The international community should therefore remind the political powers in the country of the need to hasten reforms.

By the Grace of Lula – Dilma Rousseff Becomes Brazil’s First Female President

On 31st October 2010 the 62-year-old Dilma Rousseff won 56 per cent of the vote in the second ballot, making her the first woman in Brazil’s history to be elected as president. Many observers think she just got the position to keep Lula’s seat warm until it is possible for him to return in four years time. Rousseff was specifically lined up to carry on Lula’s legacy and ensure continuity.

Coming to Terms with the Past in the Balkans – The Lustration Process in Macedonia

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, many formerly authoritarian countries in Eastern Europe had to face up to the question of how to come to terms with their past. Setting in motion an effective process for facing up to the past and lustration of the intelligence services and governmental elites is necessary for substantial democratization in countries like Macedonia. It faces the challenge of investigating the Yugoslavian chapter of its history in as fair and transparent a way as possible. The public, and especially the families of victims, are pinning their hopes on this process.

Editorial

The accession of more countries, particularly from the former Yugoslavia, into the European Union is a project which deserves our support. We are also accompanying the reform process in the new member states of Bulgaria and Romania, a process which has not made as much progress as hoped. In future entry criteria need to be fulfilled before becoming a member. The next steps in the expansion of the EU will depend on the speed and effectiveness of ongoing reforms in the countries of South East Europe.

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About this series

International Reports (IR) is the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's periodical on international politics. It offers political analyses by our experts in Berlin and from more than 100 offices across all regions of the world. Contributions by named authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial team.

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Editor

Dr. Gerhard Wahlers

ISBN

0177-7521

Benjamin Gaul

Benjamin Gaul

Head of the Department International Reports and Communication

benjamin.gaul@kas.de +49 30 26996 3584

Dr. Sören Soika

Dr

Editor-in-Chief International Reports (Ai)

soeren.soika@kas.de +49 30 26996 3388

Rana Taskoparan

Rana Taskoparan

Referentin Kommunikation und Vermarktung

rana.taskoparan@kas.de +49 30 26 996 3623

Fabian Wagener

Fabian Wagener

Desk Officer for Multimedia

fabian.wagener@kas.de +49 30-26996-3943