The Stimson Center’s Post

From 22 to 23 February OSCE Parliamentarians will gather in Vienna for the 23rd OSCE PA Winter Meeting. The meeting opens on Thursday with remarks OSCE PA President Pia Kauma, President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka, OSCE Chair-in-Office of the OSCE and Foreign Minister of Malta Ian Borg, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. One of three statutory meetings that the OSCE PA holds every year, the Vienna OSCE PA meeting highlights the important work of the OSCE’s governmental side, enhances its democratic legitimacy, and builds synergy between OSCE officials and elected lawmakers from across the OSCE region. The Winter Meeting consists of meetings of each of the OSCE PA’s general committees, its three ad hoc committees, the Standing Committee of heads of national delegations, two joint sessions, and a number of side events. The general committees will meet on 22 February, hold debates on topical issues, and discuss presentations from committee rapporteurs on their ideas and intentions regarding reports being prepared for the 31st Annual Session in Bucharest this summer. The meeting will conclude on 23 February with a special debate on “European Security Today and Tomorrow: Parliamentary Perspectives on the Future of the OSCE.” Follow the livestream here https://lnkd.in/eCfgW-gN #security #artificialintelligence #democracy #parliamentarydiplomacy #osce #oscepa #humanrights #peace #internationalaffairs #internationalrelations

Is America a great superpower in the region? Are other countries in the region not waiting for the results of the elections in the United States? The biggest and most effective option for the elections of other countries is to influence the political and economic activities in their region and beyond the region. So, the election of the president.  In addition to influencing its own country, the United States influences other countries. Then, outside of the internal party discussion of the United States, the debates and issues of other great powers (other countries) are progressing. This country needs a great decision-maker to  manage the internal economic crisis and the political, economic and social cultural invasions of his country. America is a trans-regional country. It is always in front of other trans-regional countries in the invasions of other countries.  and look powerful in all political, military and economic affairs and prevent the future heavy crisis facing his country and weak diplomacy and decision-making

U.S. will host a trilateral summit with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines, part of the White House’s efforts to gather allies to isolate China. The meeting will focus on Beijing’s alleged expansionism in the South China Sea, and will result in greater cooperation between the three countries’ coast guards. Looming over the diplomatic overtures are upcoming elections in the U.S., with the prospect of Donald Trump who favors more isolationist policies returning to the White House.

Egmont Institute debate held in 18/12/2023 regarding the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU with discussion topics such as; -EU Enlargement process regarding Western Balkans and with a special emphasis towards Eastern Partnership Countries (Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia) -NATO and EU Strategies against Russian interference in European Elections and also the War in Ukraine -Israeli-Hamas War in Gaza -EU Policy regarding Israel and Palestinian Authority

Read: https://lnkd.in/dAfkvmQx #ASEAN nations would be closely watching the #USPresidentialElection, since a #Trump Presidency, which seems to be a high probability, could result in #Washington re-orienting its approach towards the #IndoPacific and ASEAN.

🌍 Georgia at a crossroads: Navigating regional challenges and future prospects The controversial “foreign-agents” law has stalled Georgia’s EU accession process, despite strong public support for joining the EU and NATO, sparking a wave of internal protests. Ongoing tensions with Russian-backed regions and a fractured opposition add to the uncertainty leading up to the October elections. However, the re-establishment of ferry routes between Bulgaria and Georgia, as well as Ukraine and Georgia, offers a glimmer of hope for regional connectivity and economic resilience. As Georgia navigates these complex challenges, the outcome of the upcoming elections will likely shape its future direction—whether aligning more closely with Western values or maintaining its current course. For a deeper dive into these pressing issues, read Analyst Hans-Kristian Petersen's full briefing >> https://bit.ly/3WthGpU #maritime #maritimesecurity #Georgia #EU #NATO #regionalstability #BlackSea #geopolitics #riskmanagement

Political relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Kosovo faces challenges. I proposed three ways how to overcome these challenges. Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)

“As the West loses its hegemonic grip on the world, Iran’s power and influence continue to grow. In the face of such resistance, the West typically brands its opponents as ‘extremists’ while those who are pro-western are described as ‘moderates’,” writes policy analyst Massoud Hedeshi. Read the full essay here and let us know what you think in the comments. https://lnkd.in/eYbqQEDB #Iran #Israel #Palestine

Solomon Islands reaffirmed its recognition of the One China Principle and that Taiwan is an integral part of the People’s Republic of China’s territory following the outcome of recent elections in Taiwan.  Solomon Islands Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele, called for international respect for China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and support the maintenance of peace and security along the Taiwan straits. Read more on our site! #china #security #solomonislands #taiwan

The 11th ordinary session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly took place in the European Parliament premises in Brussels on 19 and 20 March. This has been one of the most challenging parliamentary assemblies of the European Parliament in recent years due to the extremely sensitive situation in all of the Eastern Partnership countries, first and foremost with the ongoing war in Ukraine, but without forgetting the continuous destabilisation and interference policies Moldova and Georgia have to face, the illegal Lukashenka regime in Belarus and, last but not least, the protracted tensions and recent war between two other states, namely Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite all these difficulties and complexities, the Euronest PA has been working very efficiently during the whole of the parliamentary term. It has been extremely heartening to follow exchanges of views on mutually crucially important issues and with such a high degree of commitment among MEPs and parliamentarians and representatives of all these countries, which have become part and parcel of the wider European family. Let us not forget that Ukrainian parliamentarians have been working for more than two years now in a context of open war, daily shelling, destruction of vital infrastructures and civil casualties; that Georgian and Moldovan parliamentarians show an incredible degree of resilience despite the occupation of part of their territory and continuous attempts to destabilise democracy in their countries; that Belarus’ democratic forces have had to seek shelter in exile and work in very challenging conditions; and, last but not least, that Armenian and Azeri parliamentarians sit next to each other and discuss with one another despite the long-standing enmity between their respective countries. During the meetings in Brussels, it was once again stressed that the common goal has to be sustainable peace and prosperity for the whole region and that the platform offered by the Euronest PA is crucial for regional cooperation in different areas, ranging from security, rule of law, democracy and capacity building to economic and trade cooperation, energy and green transition and many other areas of common interest. Witnessing the proceedings of the PA in Brussels a few days ago has been paramount to witnessing parliamentary diplomacy in full action, with a total of four resolutions voted and approved and a number of meaningful initiatives for implementation in the coming months agreed. One of the challenges for my colleagues in the responsible unit will obviously consist in bridging the period of reduced parliamentary activity in external relations due to the European elections and the subsequent constitution of the new parliamentary bodies in the EP. I have no doubt they and all of us together will manage this task successfully.