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Jonathan Paris Discusses Syrian Crisis with France 24
Jonathan Paris, nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center, appeared on France 24 to discuss Russia's support for the Assad regime and what it means for a possible UN resolution against Syria.
Damon Wilson US Senate Testimony: Ukraine at a Crossroads
On February 1, Atlantic Council executive vice president Damon Wilson testified at a hearing of the US Senate Committe on Foreign Relations on the topic: "Ukraine at a Crossroads: What's at Stake for the US and Europe?"
Michele Dunne on US-Egypt Relations for NPR's Morning Edition
Relations between the US and Egypt have taken a downturn since Egyptian authorities raided the offices of seventeen nongovernmental organizations in December - three of them US-funded. Michele Dunne, director of the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, spoke on NPR's Morning Edition about the situation and what it means for US aid to Egypt.
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The South Asia Center receives guidance and support from many experts throughout the world. Our senior fellows, guest-speakers, Center patrons, and visitors contribute heavily to the Center’s mission to “wage peace,” and engage the international community in the region. The Center asked our contributors the simple, but key question, “What you do expect in 2012?”
REGISTER
Russia Begins Naval Exercises With Venezuela
Neil Richard Leslie | December 02, 2008Russia and Venezuela have begun joint naval exercises around U.S. territorial waters in the Caribbean. It is the first time that a Russian fleet has been in the area since the end of the Cold War. BBC:
About 1,600 Russian and 700 Venezuelan sailors on four Russian ships and 12 Venezuelan vessels are expected to participate in the VenRus 2008 joint exercise in neutral waters over the next three days. The Russian ships, led by the missile cruiser Peter the Great and three support vessels, left the port of La Guaira at dawn on Monday along with three Venezuelan frigates.
[...]
"This series of exercises aims to evaluate the skills and capabilities of the fleets of both nations to fight against terrorism and drug-trafficking," said Russian Vice-Admiral Vladimir Korolev, deputy commander of the Northern Fleet.
[...]
Ahead of the operation, Venezuelan and Russian officials rejected suggestions that they were aimed at "third countries".
So the exercise has nothing to do with challenging the U.S. in its own backyard? If so, why choose Venezuela as a naval partner? Is there anything for the Russian fleet to learn from Venezuelan naval expertise? Surely not. Rather it seems as if Dmitri Medvedev is trying to extend his influence in Latin America, having recently completed a tour of the region. Indeed the plan was proposed at the height of the Russia-Georgia conflict and seems to be more of an affront in response to U.S. support for NATO expansion, missile defense and the recognition of Kosovo, than a meaningful strategic exercise.
However, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice dismissed the Russian move, stating: "A few Russian ships [are] not going to change the balance of power."
Russia has also pledged to sell arms to Venezuela. Correspondents say Washington has been concerned by major arms deals between Russia and Venezuela since 2005, which have totalled some $4.4bn (£2.39bn).
