Ahto Lobjakas

Also by Ahto Lobjakas

• August 18, 2005

  Bosnia-Herzegovina: NATO Aims To Merge Rival Armies Into Single Bosnian Force

  NATO’s top general in Bosnia was in Brussels this week to brief the alliance on sweeping defense reforms drawn up under his command earlier this year. The reforms outlined by U.S. General Stephen Schook would create a single army for Bosnia under one chain of command and financed from a unified budget. The change would represent a radical departure from the 1995 Dayton peace accord, which left Bosnia’s Serbian, Muslim, and Croatian communities with their own militaries. The three communities must now approve the proposed reforms, which if implemented could bring Bosnia closer to eventually joining NATO.

• August 01, 2005

  Iran: Europeans Urge Iran Not To Jeopardize Nuclear Talks

  The European Commission today warned that the resumption of nuclear activities by Iran would jeopardize talks aimed at enhancing trade and improving political ties. The warning came in the wake of an Iranian threat to resume today the conversion of uranium ore -- a step that could eventually result in uranium enrichment. The ultimatum has been criticized by Great Britain, France, and Germany, who say they will present a “generous” aid package for Iran at the end of this week.

• July 20, 2005

  Georgia: Chief Of EU Judicial Mission Leaves With Mixed Feelings

  The EU last week drew a line under its "rule-of-law" mission to Georgia. It was the first EU mission of its kind on the territory of the former Soviet Union. In seven months, a small team of EU legal experts assisted the Georgian government in putting together a blueprint for far-reaching reform of the criminal-justice system that -- if implemented -- should bring it up to international standards. The EU team was led by Sylvie Pantz, a veteran French judge who has worked in Kosovo, Bosnia, and at the former Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

• July 19, 2005

  Kazakhstan: EU Questions Almaty's Bid For OSCE Presidency In 2009

  The European Union used a meeting with Kazakh officials in Brussels today to cast doubt on the country's bid to assume the presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2009. EU officials indicate they do not believe Kazakhstan meets the necessary standards on human rights and democracy to chair the OSCE. The two sides also discussed regional issues in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, as well as bilateral economic cooperation.

• July 18, 2005

  EU: Foreign Ministers To Debate Iran, Uzbekistan, UN Reforms

  EU headquarters in Brussels Brussels, 17 July 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The foreign ministers of the 25 European Union member states are meeting in Brussels today for the last time before September. The agenda of the monthly meeting is extensive, including nuclear talks with Iran, possible sanctions against Uzbekistan, and possible UN reforms.

• July 13, 2005

  EU: Emergency Meeting Aims To Tighten Antiterror Cooperation In Wake Of London Bombings

  An emergency meeting of EU justice and interior ministers took place in Brussels today. The meeting was called by the EU’s British presidency in the wake of the terrorist attacks in London on 7 July. EU ministers looked at ways of speeding up the introduction of antiterrorist legislation across Europe. They were also expected to tighten the implementation of some existing measures, especially those relating to terrorist financing, tracing telephone, and e-mail records, and the exchange of information between national law enforcement agencies.

• July 13, 2005

  EU: Terrorism Issues Suddenly Dominate Agenda Of Britain's Presidency

  British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw (file photo) Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament yesterday, representing London's assumption of the EU presidency. He faced a largely sympathetic audience, whose predominant concern was terrorism. Straw advocated a reappraisal of the rights of individuals and the rights of societies as it relates to the war against terrorism. He also insisted that the recent EU constitutional crisis should not affect the current enlargement process, involving Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Turkey.

• July 08, 2005

  NATO: Alliance Head Says London Attacks Won’t Stop Fight Against Terrorism

  NATO's Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (file photo) NATO ambassadors held an emergency meeting this morning in the wake of the terrorist attacks in London yesterday. All of Great Britain’s allies expressed their sympathy, but London made no specific requests for assistance. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that the alliance will continue its fight against terrorism and its causes in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere.

• July 07, 2005

  China: An Increasingly Wary EU Still Eyes Upgraded Ties With Beijing

  A dock in China's Shandong Province In Strasbourg on 6 July, EU foreign policy officials discussed the bloc's relations with China. But talks did not address the issue of the arms embargo against the Asian giant. Once a key obstacle to better ties between Brussels and Beijing, the embargo in recent months appeared likely to be dissolved. But the recent unrest surrounding the EU and its ill-fated constitution now means the embargo is likely to stay in place for the foreseeable future. RFE/RL correspondent Ahto Lobjakas reports that the EU still views China as a key strategic partner, but is watching its rising influence with concern.

• July 06, 2005

  Iraq: EU Pushes For Quick Takeover Of Security Responsibilities

  An Iraqi police patrol in Al-Basrah Jack Straw, the British foreign secretary, said today in the European Parliament in Strasbourg that he supports a quick handover of security responsibilities in Iraq to the country’s own forces. Britain, together with the United States, provides the bulk of foreign troops in Iraq. It also acts as the EU presidency for the next six months. However, Straw indicated Iraq was not ready to replace the multinational coalition fully, and he also cast doubt on the willingness of other countries to supply peacekeepers to act in Iraq under a UN mandate.

• June 23, 2005

  EU: Blair Launches British Presidency With Call For 'Modern' Europe

  Blair has been acccused of being un-European (file photo) In a keynote speech today before the European Parliament in Brussels, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his country's presidency of the EU -- due to start 1 July -- will fight for economic modernization and continued enlargement. Blair takes the helm at a crucial time for the EU, which has seen its constitution rejected in two referendums and a crucial long-term budget deal delayed at last week's Brussels summit. A number of other EU leaders have blamed Blair for the budget failure. But the prime minister said it is time to "stop trading insults" and turn the EU around.

• June 22, 2005

  Iraq: Backers Weigh Country’s Future At Brussels Conference

  Al-Ja'fari: Iraq involved in "struggle of wills between good and evil" (file photo) An international conference on the future of Iraq is under way in Brussels. More than 80 countries and international organizations are present, among them the secretary-generals of the United Nations and NATO, foreign ministers of all EU member states, as well as the United States, and Iraq’s neighbors. The event is an opportunity for the Iraqi transitional government to outline its plans for the next few months until the December elections. No new fund pledges are expected. Instead, Iraq’s backers will scrutinise Iraqi moves towards political and economic reform, and establishing the rule of law.

• June 17, 2005

  EU: Summit Says Constitution Must Be Ratified, But Offers No Way Forward

  EU leaders at the summit on 16 June EU leaders yesterday avoided a definitive stance on the future of the embattled EU constitution in the wake of May’s referendum defeats in France and the Netherlands. The EU’s Luxembourg presidency said ratification must continue, but also said every member state is free to decide at what pace it will proceed. With France and the Netherlands unlikely to attempt ratification again anytime soon, the final deadline was put back until mid-2007. Leaders also agreed it is time to re-examine the speed and extent of the enlargement process.

• June 17, 2005

  EU: At Summit, Hopes Fade For Budget Deal

  EU leaders began the second day of their Brussels summit amid fading hopes of a deal on the 2007-13 budget. A deal is considered essential to alleviate the political crisis created by the twin rejection of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands. However, Britain and France appeared to be locked in a disagreement over the future of the EU’s agricultural spending, while a number of net contributors to the EU budget insist their burden must be reduced.

• June 16, 2005

  EU: Political, Budget Crisis Hangs Over Summit

  The two-day summit of EU leaders opening in Brussels today looks set to disappoint hopes for a boost to European morale in the wake of the double defeat of the EU constitution in referenda in France and the Netherlands. The summit appears likely to order at least a temporary halt to the ratification process. It also looks certain to push the EU deeper into crisis by failing to agree on a budget for 2007-2013. Meanwhile, there are signs the public debate that EU leaders are belatedly calling for will put an end to the bloc's further enlargement.

• June 14, 2005

  EU: Budget Battle Intensifies As Summit Nears

  EU leaders are holding their ground as the debate over the European Union's budget for 2007-2013 heats up. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is set to discuss the key issues when he meets with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris today. Major differences remain over issues such as Britain's annual EU budget "rebate," agricultural subsides, and growing competition for EU development funds from new member states. A deal at a summit this week is seen as key to ending the crisis brought about by France and Holland's recent rejection of the EU constitution. But it won't be easy.

• June 10, 2005

  Iraq: Lightning EU Visit Points To Broader Brussels Role

  The top EU foreign policy officials who were in Baghdad yesterday for an unannounced lightning visit returned optimistic that ties with and aid to the country could be significantly upgraded. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told a news conference in Brussels today that she expects to open a Commission office in Baghdad within the month. The EU is also preparing missions to train Iraqi police officers, judges, and other high officials. As for financial aid, Iraq is expected to flesh out its priorities at a conference in Brussels on 21-22 June co-hosted by the EU and the United States.

• June 09, 2005

  NATO: Alliance Chief Presses Allies For Greater Spending And Faster Reforms

  The NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels Thursday (9 June) ended on a sour note with Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer using a news conference to remind member states that greater spending is needed to attain the goals set for the alliance. He indicated that most allies in Europe are spending far less than needed and are moving too slowly on reforms needed to make their forces more flexible. De Hoop Scheffer pointed to Afghanistan as one alliance success story, but said the crisis in Darfur now needs urgent attention from both NATO and the European Union.

• June 07, 2005

  Uzbekistan: EU, Uzbek Relations Heading For Showdown Over Andijon

  Events in Andijon have strained President Karimov's relations with the EU EU officials said today that Uzbekistan has refused to grant an entry visa for a human rights representative of High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana -- and has so far ignored a letter of protest sent subsequently by Solana. Solana's representative was to have traveled to Andijon, where hundreds of demonstrators are believed to have been shot by government troops in mid-May in what the global watchdog Human Rights Watch calls a "massacre" in a new report issued today. The letter sent by Solana -- seen by RFE/RL -- suggests strongly that Uzbekistan is throwing into doubt its Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which serves as the basis for bilateral relations.

• June 03, 2005

  EU: Union Teeters On Brink Of Crisis After Constitution Setbacks

  Divisions are becoming apparent among EU member states and even within the European Commission over whether proceeding with the ratification of the European constitution after failed referendums in France and the Netherlands is a good idea. Officially, Brussels calls for calm until the EU summit on 16-17 June, but Britain and a number of EU commissioners are increasingly questioning if trying to keep the constitution afloat will not lead to further damage to the bloc. Meanwhile, another setback looms as the member states appear increasingly unlikely to agree on a new budget for the years 2007-13 at the Brussels summit.

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