December 10, 2008

English Summary

The seventh issue of the foreign and security affairs monthly journal Diplomaatia appears at a time when the Estonian blue black and white tricolour is being raised along with six other new member states’ flags at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The seventh issue of the foreign and security affairs monthly journal Diplomaatia appears at a time when the Estonian blue black and white tricolour is being raised along with six other new member states’ flags at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

English Summary

The seventh issue of the foreign and security affairs monthly journal Diplomaatia appears at a time when the Estonian blue black and white tricolour is being raised along with six other new member states’ flags at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Oksana Antonenko from International Institute for Strategic Studies in London notes that by joining NATO Estonia is also joining the NATO-Russia Council. She explains why Estonia and the other Baltic states need to participate actively in the work of the Council.
The president of the Estonian branch of Women in International Security, Merle Krigul, examines the changes in the Estonian security concept after NATO membership. She believes that ‘hard’ security is important, but that guaranteeing ‘soft’ security is even more vital. The article emphasizes the pressing need for Estonians to pay greater attention to issues of ‘soft’ security.
Former Prime Minister Mart Laar describes what he saw and thought when he recently visited Iraq. He notes the similarities between contemporary Iraq and Estonia at the beginning of the 1990s. The same type of startled and closed people who can be helped only if the Iraqis themselves are ready and willing to transform their society into a modern democratic state.
The veteran German Ambassador to the European Union, Dietrich von Kyaw, describes his vision for Europe. He dispels fears that Germany is interested in creating a two-speed EU.
The article by Graeme Herd from the George C Marshall Center focuses on Moldova. Prof. Herd argues that the EU needs to pay special attention to the situation in Transdniestria region of that country. In some respects, the region is comparable to Kaliningrad.
Antonio Villacis examines how similar the countries of Latin America really are and concludes that one Latin America doesn’t exist. He substantiates his claim by referring to historical, geographical, economic and political factors.
The book section contains reviews of three recent publications: The Estonian Foreign Policy Yearbook 2004, edited by Andres Kasekamp; Anne Applebaum’s Gulag: A History; and The New Northern SecurityAgenda: Perspectives from Finland and Sweden – Strategic Yearbook 2004, edited by Bo Huldt, Tomas Ries, Jan Mörtberg, and Elisabeth Davidson.

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