The last twelve months have been difficult for the European Union’s policy towards the Western Balkans. Slovenia held up Croatia’s membership talks for ten months, Greece continued preventing the opening of negotiations with FYROM, and several countries attempted to block Kosovo on its European path. Across the region, the receding prospect of accession has weakened [...]
VP Biden’s speech at the State dinner in Belgrade last week included a reference to Serbia’s leading role as a regional stabilizer. Newspaper articles in the US used phrases like “new relations” and a “new page”. “Serbia Welcomes Biden on Balkan Tour” stated The New York Times.
To many in DC this was a surprise. [...]
The Brussels-based “International Crisis Group” (ICG) issued a new report on the so-called “name dispute” between Athens and Skopje[1]. Its alleged aim is to provide a set of proposals for the two parties to reach an agreement, thus clearing the way for “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (FYROM) to join NATO and eventually the [...]
The 2008 Halki International Seminar organized by the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) for the 19th consecutive year, took place on 25-29 June 2008. Participants this year arrived to Halki from all over the world, including India, China, Russia, the USA, various Middle Eastern countries and Europe. The focus of the seminar [...]
In its Green Book on Energy Policy of March 2006 the EU Commission emphasized that the world has entered a new energy age where Europe is challenged to develop a comprehensive common energy policy with strengthened diversification of forms of energy, countries of origin and transit routes. The June 2006 EU summit added [...]
