The
relations between Poland and Belarus are improving thanks to the
changes in the relations between the European Union and the Eastern
Partnership member states, Polish chargé d'affaires ad interim Michael Habros said at a press conference.
Michael Habros: “We can see a thaw in relations
now – Belarus sanctions have been frozen until the end of February,
there are changes for the better in the political dialogue. The same
applies to Poland: Poland’s position in the EU as regards ‘the eastern
policy’ is very important. It means that our relations with Belarus may
also be changed.”
Despite the warming of Belarus-Poland relations, there has been no
Polish Ambassador to Belarus for a few months already, Euroradio told
the diplomat. The delay can be explained by domestic political processes
in Poland, Habros replied.
Michael Habros: “There
is an internal political process observed in Poland now. We have just
gone through the parliamentary and presidential elections. The new
Ambassador’s candidature is still being disused. I think that the Polish
Ambassador will arrive in Minsk soon.”
However, Michael Habros refused to comment on the exact date.
The Euroradio reporter also asked the diplomat about the prospects of
the small border movement agreement. The document was signed and
ratified in Warsaw long ago, the Polish diplomat noted. It is up to
Belarus now. The official Minsk has not been able to make its decision
for several years. Photo: Zmitser Lukashuk Kilde: http://euroradio.fm/en/poland-belarus-relations-depend-belarus-eu-relations
On
Monday, December 28, the Thai Pattaya hosted the annual tournament of
the Top King World Series in the average weight category (70 kg). Based
on the yearly results Belarusian fighter Dzmitry Varats was selected to
fight at the tournament.
In the very first match our guy unexpectedly knocked out the well-known Tai professional Kem Sitsongpeenong.
But
the main test awaited Varats ahead. In the final, the Belarusian fought
with Hayal Zhaniev, who last season won the most popular fighter in the
world Buakaw Banchamek.
Dzmitry was able to stop the powerful pressure of the opponent and
lure him into his playing style of fighting. The judges gave the victory
to the Varats after the additional round.
Dzmitry
Varats is mostly living in Hrodna, but he trains with the famous
Belarusian expert Yuras Bulat in the Bulat Gym club. Interestingly, the
coach usually uses Belarusian in social networks.
Belarus will not follow Russia’s example and will not leave the free trade zone with Ukraine on January 1, 2016, UNIAN reports quoting Ukraine’s trade representative Nataliya Mikolskaya.
A Ukrainian delegation is discussing trade issues in Belarus now. The
removal of restrictions in mutual trade is being discussed at the
moment, the Belarusian MFA press service reports. Senior deputy Minister
for Foreign Affairs Alyaksandr Mihnevich is the head of the Belarusian work group and deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade Nataliya Mikolskaya is the head of the Ukrainian work group. “All the sore points have been discussed at the meetings. The Republic of Belarus will not leave the FTZ with Ukraine,” the Ukrainian official wrote on Twitter.
The free trade zone exists in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Russia is leaving from this zone with Ukraine on January 1, 2016. The
trade and economic part of the Association Agreement between the
European Union and Ukraine will come into force on this day.
Photo: rstk.by
A famous Belarusian artist Ales Pushkin has been to the
field of fighting in Ukraine and has painted his vision of the
situation.
However, these works, as it has turned out, are not so easy to show to the public now.
For the artist Ales Pushkin
the coming year will primarily become a test if the culture would
become free from censorship, if he would be allowed to open an
exhibition dedicated to the events in Donbas, Radio Racyja reports. “From
the 3rd to the 9th of November this year, I was part of an
international Belarusian-Ukrainian plein air in places of antiterrorist
combat operations. And I have come up with some works. The first work I
showed at the jubilee exhibition of the association “Pahonia”, which was
held in the Palace of Arts on November 24. Censorship has banned it. I
think that in 2016 we will try to demonstrate this exhibition on a full
scale in Belarus, and it is about 50 works.“ “The best
proof of Lukashenka’s slogans of the year 2016 as the year of culture
would be getting rid of censorship just in the sphere of culture,“ – Ales Pushkin said.
Ex-President of Georgia, and now – the head of the Odessa
region and one of the most prominent figures in Ukrainian politics gave
an exclusive interview to Belsat, where he spoke about the role of
Belarus in the war in Ukraine, Belarusian prospects in Europe and
Georgia’s gratitude to Lukashenka.
The conversation took place in Warsaw during a visit of Mikheil
Saakashvili to the conference dedicated to the memory of the deceased
Polish President Lech Kaczynski. Soon Belarus may get a Russian military air base. What is the role played by Lukashenka in Putin’s war in Ukraine?
I do not feel that Lukashenka is conducting an anti-Ukrainian policy.
As far as I know, he had a good relationship with Victor Yushchenko and
the “orange” government, but for some reasons, he had a bad
relationship with Viktor Yanukovych, they had a conflict. Lukashenka has
always been good at taking the Russian heat, especially at the first
stage of the war in Ukraine. It would be very dangerous if Belarus
joined the conflict.
I believe that Russia is stuck in Ukraine because Ukrainian
soldiers showed their heroic resistance, and I think one of the main
reasons why Russia went to Syria is a desire to divert attention from
Ukraine, where it did not have any progress.
In Syria, however, they also have no game. They will bomb the rebels,
but Assad is likely to be overthrown. To avoid this, they need to
introduce ground forces, then it will be a new Afghanistan. Aviation
will let them win the war, especially after the plane was shot down by
the Turks.
If oil prices remain at current levels, Putin will not be able to
play. And it is impossible to defeat Ukraine, Ukraine may only defeat
itself. Why did you congratulate Lukashenka after the 2010 elections, when protest rally in Minsk was brutally dispersed? For us the choice was very specific. Lukashenka was under great
pressure from the Kremlin. It was not just pressure and blackmail: he
was offered $2 billion for the very week Belarusian economy (in fact, it
is also weak now) to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. And he did
not do it. I cannot forget it, it was very important for us, for such a
small country as Georgia. It was a signal not to Lukashenka, but to the
people. At the time, there were certain conventions, which I am not
rejecting now.
Saakashvili celebrated in Warsaw his 48th birthday.
I understand the problems related to the regime of Lukashenka, but
when it was important for Ukraine that during the war in the east
Belarus took a neutral position, Belarus did it.
Belarusians have tremendous potential to develop democracy, to live in
freedom and have a future — I am absolutely convinced of this. After
solving their problems, Belarus will move to Europe much faster than
each of the countries in our region — just on the basis of geography,
the nature of Belarusians and objective reality.
What reforms would you conduct in Belarus, if you could?
I have been living in Ukraine for a long time, and I identify myself
with this country. But for Belarus, I have only warm feelings, and I
cannot imagine myself in any role in the Belarusian government.
Five years ago tens of thousands of people gathered on the Square.
On December 19, 2010 a mass protest rally against the rigged results of the elections was held in Minsk. Charter97.org website asked people directly involved in the events and former political prisoners to tell what this day means to them. Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the European Belarus civil campaign, a presidential candidate in the elections – 2010:
“I
am very pleased that all the people who were defendants in the derisive
trials held after December 19, 2010 are finally released, in
particular, Mikalai Statkevich. It is probably the most joyful thing
which could be said on the 5th anniversary of the Square.
It is
obvious that it was a moment of a real people’s elation, which had been
caused by the political campaign of the year 2010. Unfortunately, that
proved to be impossible to repeat in Belarus up to this moment, and not
only because crackdown and apathy. Tragic events have taken place in the
neighbouring country – the war between Ukraine and Russia.
What
transpired and became visible then – resentment against the regime –
remains the same at the moment as well. The attitude of Belarusians to
Lukashenka has not changed. We came to the Square in order to change the
situation. This year people haven’t gone to the polls in a hope to
change the situation as well. The onward movement, which is to bring us
to changes, continues.
The same mobilization like in 2010 is
needed today. There are all conditions for that. it is obvious that the
life in Belarus is getting only worse, the economy is eroding, no
promises of the dictatorship, even minimal ones, are carried out. We
should take the history in our hands and change the life.
I can
say that I still feel gratitude to those who gathered on the Square
then, I know that Belarusians are ready to repeat that. We do not have
much time to save the country. It should be done right now.” Natallia Radzina, editor-in-chief of charter97.org:
“Western
journalists often ask me the same question: “If you had a chance to
return to the day of December 19. 2010, what would you do?” I always
answer that I would come to the Square, even knowing that beating, jail,
tortures and forced emigration were to follow. I would feel ashamed for
myself and for my nation, if it were not for this uprising against the
regime, terrorizing Belarus for the last two decades.
Ukrainians
are calling the Euromaidan the Revolution of Dignity. In 2010 we also
had the Uprising of Dignity. People who took to the streets then,
started to respect themselves, and made the world to respect the
Belarusian nation.
I am sure that the struggle of Belarusians
against the dictator is still to express itself in a mass street
protest, as in the conditions of tyranny changes could take place only
in this way.”
Dzmitry Drozd, a historian, a participant of the Square - 2010 and a former political prisoner:
“It
was one of the most significant events for me. Everything that has
happened in Belarus over the last five years, was a result of the
Square, which changed our life, out attitude to life itself. This event
is one of the most significant ones, not only in fates of its
participants, but in the modern history of Belarus.
For those who
had experienced that, and felt it in the lives of the loved ones,
nothing left its significance since the day of the Square in 2010.”
Zmitser Bandarenka, a coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign:
“In
2012, after my release from prison, I had a public discussion with a
bastard (I cannot call him by any other word) from Tell the Truth
campaign. He was shouting to me: “You, Sannikov’s team, and your Square
are a failure.” I answered to him that “for you, for the KGB and
Lukashenka, the Square is really frightening, and for us and for most
Belarusians, the Square is an event we can only be proud of.”
It’s
human nature that people like adventure films and action films. And it
happens so in the history of present-day Europe, that the historic
events, which allowed avoiding violence, or when one side deliberately
renounced the use of force, do not receive deserved recognition
sometimes. And only decades after, the understanding of the immensity of
these events comes.
Among these events could be names the
Belavezha Accords, which allowed avoiding the war between the nuclear
states, Russia and Ukraine, the round table in Poland, Maidan in Kyiv in
2004, the Square in Minsk in 2006 and 2010. Due to their fear and
weakness maniac dictators often resort to the use of force. People, who
are strong spiritually and are sure that they are right, try to find
common ground, in order to avoid death and violence. And today, 5 years
after the events of December 19, 2010, the force of thousands of
Belarusians, who rallied on the Square, wisdom of real opposition
leaders, like Sannikov, as well as historical pettiness of Lukashenka
and his collective farm’s gang, are evident.
Building of the new Belarusian nation is taking place exactly through the Square.”
Belarusian engineers helped Ukrainians create a new APC called VARTA. Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov
reported the news on Facebook and uploaded the photos of the APC.
Belarusians helped the enterprise Ukrainian Armor, he claimed.
Specialists used suggestions made by officers who had taken part in the
anti-terrorist operation in Donets Basin into account.
The new APCs will be used by the National Guard and KORD units of the Ukrainian national police.
Photo: Facebook
Mini-shops with roasted chestnuts have appeared in the streets of the
Belarusian capital. In addition to gifts from major Belarusian shops,
selling wooden spoons, matryoshka’s and toys, you can buy coffee, tea
and even cheap mulled wine costing eleven thousand rubles. Like in most
events, the order at celebrations is kept by riot police, Belsat reports.
On December 15, at the talks in Moscow, Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin did not discuss plans to deploy the Russian military base in Belarus. The statement was made
by the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov. In
early autumn, Putin instructed the Russian Defense Ministry and the
Foreign Ministry to hold talks with Minsk officials and based on the
talks to sign an agreement on the deployment of the Russian airbase in
Belarus. This was followed by protests in Minsk, and later Lukashenka
said that Belarus does not need the Russian military base.
Following today's meeting, Lukashenka said that
the talks left no issues on which the parties could not agree. "We are
ready to assist in meeting the needs of the Russian market for the
product groups that we can produce at a competitive price and quality," BELTA quoted the Belarusian president.
Putin said that the talks with Lukashenka were "constructive". Moscow
and Minsk have "similar positions on Ukraine and the fight against
terrorism in Syria." "Belarus is a neighbor interested in peace on the
Ukrainian land," said Aliaksandr Lukashenka. He stressed that
international terrorism challenged the world and inhuman, barbaric
actions of terrorists cannot be justified.
At the talks were also discussed the issues of construction of the
Belarusian nuclear power plant in Astravets district. Putin said that it
is in strict accordance with the schedule.
Also today, Belarus and Russia have agreed to coordinate the efforts
of the Union State and the Eurasian Economic Union on the creation of
additional conditions for increasing the volume of bilateral trade and
increasing business activity of the real sector of the two economies.
This was said in a joint statement, which was signed by President
Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin. See inmore detail here. Photo: BELTA
Minsk mural Girl in Embroidered Shirt created as part of the project Urban Myths has got to the top-10 of the best November graffiti in the world. Guido van Helten
has agreed to talk to Euroradio even though it was already late night
in Australia. He is delighted with the success and calls the Girl from Rabkorauskaya Street his favourite project:
“This is the most recent artwork and the most developed one. I
had a wonderful time making it. I think it is my favourite one. Might be
it has got to the top-10 because the world is interested in Belarus.”
This is not the only Guido’s Girl in Embroidered Shirt. There are two Kiev Girls:
they look alike but they are different. However, this one is just tip
of the iceberg, the painter said. He would like to uncover things hidden
deep inside:
“These are very powerful symbols,” Guido commented on the ornament.
“They are very original. An embroidered shirt is visual art. This is
the first level of culture. Your culture is a very deep. I would love to
work on projects that would uncover your culture at a more profound
level.”
Адна з украінскіх дзяўчат у вышыванцы. Леся.
One of the Ukrainian girls in an embroidered shirt. Lesya. Guido van Helten is planning to return to Belarus
sometime in the future in order to ‘continue studying the cultural ideas
that would let him go deeper’. He liked the quiet life of Minsk, metro
trips to work and the feeling of being included in the city life. “I heard for how people say that Minsk is sort of grey and a full
city of dark buildings. But people were friendly to me. It was my
favourite part of the work,” the painter recalled. “Many people
approached me and asked if I needed help when I was working. I judge
countries and cities by their people and I think that Minsk is a
wonderful place.”
Guido
does not consider his artworks to be street art. The whole notion is
getting outdated, he believes. He calls himself a painter of realism
murals.
Guido is planning to spend the Christmas vacations in Australia – he
is painting a huge mural in a small town now. About 200 people live in
that hot and arid place.
Minsk photos: Syarhei Hidzilin
Other: www.guidovanhelten.com
Today Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich who won the 2015 Nobel
Prize in Literature, is giving a press conference in the Swedish
Academy in Stockholm.
The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the author for „her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time”.
Belsat TV journalist Alina Koushyk is reporting from the event.
13.06 A journalist of Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty puts a question in the Belarusian language about what else could
be done for Belarus. Alexievich: “We should do our part, do it quietly,
without despair. Your status does not help you if you live in a
dictatorship. The dictatorship is primitive, as a rule, dictators are
foolish people.”
13.10. A Japanese journalist asked about Svetlana
Alexievich’s opinion about nuclear power, referring to the the example
of Fukushima.
Aleчievich says that during her visit to Japan, she participated in
the discussion of the problems of Chernobyl, and she was told that a
similar incident would never happen i Japan, but a disaster did occur.
According to her, it is another proof of the fact that people are still
not able to keep control of nuclear energy. “Nuclear energy is
dangerous. Sooner or later mankind will realize that they need
alternative [sources of energy].”
13.15. A Swedish journalist wonders what helps Svetlana Aleksievich continue her work, continue to write books.
“Life is very interesting. I have neverset a goal to win the Nobel. I
wanted to understand who we are why we live, why people suffer
again,”said the writer. Remembering her childchood, Alexievich said that
when she was 10 years old and her grandmother got a pension, the woman
kissed the money and cried. “I wanted to find out why people are good,
but their life is bad and write about it.”
13.20 The Nobel laureate believes the Belarusian
village to be the symbol of the country, because ‘on the one hand it is
the basis, and on the other it is incapable of reform’.
“I’m looking for the truth. It is of high importance to comprehend
Russia’s new Middle Ages period”. According to Alexievich, troubled
times have come to Russia again, since the reaction of the Russian
authorities is very aggressive, and the Russians themselves are very
happy about the country’s aggression.
Svetlana Alexievich is a Belarusian investigative journalist and
prose writer. She wrote narratives from interviews with witnesses to the
most dramatic events in the country, such as World War
II, Soviet-Afghan war, fall of the Soviet Union, and Chernobyl disaster.
Her first book War’s Unwomanly Face came out in 1985. It was
repeatedly reprinted and sold out in more than two million copies. This
novel is made up of monologues of women in the war speaking about the
aspects of World War II that had never been related before.
Her most notable works in English translation are about first-hand
accounts from the war in Afghanistan (Zinky Boys) and a highly praised
oral history of the Chernobyl disaster (Voices from Chernobyl).
in 2000 Alexievich became the target of the Lukashenka regime: she
was accused of collaborating with US intelligence agencies, her phone
was tapped, and her works were no longer published.
On Wednesday Belarusian Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich visited the embassy of Ukraine in Minsk to support Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian pilot, who is being kept in Russian prison.
The writer asked to hand over a letter and books to the pilot.
Alexievich, who once called Savchenko ‘a Ukrainian Jeanne d’Arc’,
says that she has read book ‘Strong Name Nadiya’ which Savchenko wrote
in jail [‘Nadiya’ is Ukrainian for ‘hope’ – Belsat]. Read also: Savchenko about Alexievich: Neither Soviet nor Ukrainian, she’s daughter of great Belarusian nation!
Russia accuses Nadiya Savchenko of murdering two TV journalists, who
were killed during the fighting in Donbas, and illegal border crossing.
The pilot denies any wrongdoing and says that she was kidnapped on the
territory of Ukraine and taken to Russia by force.
Jb/Belsat, via nn.by , phot. nn.by
Today a group of students of the Belarusian State University (BSU) have held the protest action ‘Love and Solidarity’ in Minsk.
They were protesting against the decision to introduce fees for repeating exams and tests.
The first participants appeared around 12.50 at Mikhailovsky public
garden situated in the vicinity of the BSU main building. Ten minutes
before the scheduled start of the action the turnout was not good –
there were only a few protesters but many journalists and police
officers in plain clothes.
However, the students arrived every minute. When their number was
about 50, they started marching to the inner courtyard of the
university. That was hardly a surprise that police officers were
escorting them and filming the course of events. The policemen also took
several posters from demonstrators.
A bit later it turned out that the students were barred from
entering their university for unknown reasons. Security guards stood in
their way; it even came to an encounter. The protesters yielded and
headed to the main entrance located in Independence Square. It is
noteworthy that the entrance turned was taped off in advance and the
door was locked from inside.
The demonstrators decided to wait for the Rector. To welcome him, they even laid a red carpet.
Unfortunately, BSU Rector Syarhei Ablameyka failed to accept the invitation.
The students wanted to call him to the map and chanted “Rector – onto the carpet!”
But it was only university staff and students who were looking out of
the windows in response. Meanwhile, many students said on social media
that the authorities were calling the register:
“LOL, they entered the classroom, counted all and ordered to bring a list of absentees to the dean’s office within 5 minutes!”
The protesters were waiting for the Rector till 14.00. When it became
clear that Mr Ablameyka had no intention to talk to them, they began to
leave. According to the estimation of Human Rights Center Viasna, about
90 persons took part in the action. The amount of policemen reportedly
reached 35. Moreover, it was not possible to count plaincloth officers.
According to the latest information, no one was detained. To prevent
the police from grabbing the participants, the reporters present were
accompanying them on their way to a metro station. belsat.eu
KREVENDE
JOBB: NATOs generalsekretær Jens Stoltenberg samler denne uken
utenriksministrene fra alle medlemslandene for å diskutere hva alliansen
kan gjøre i en stadig mer usikker verden.
Foto: Yves Herman, Reuters
NATOS
HOVEDKVARTER, BRUSSEL (VG): Terror rammer Europa, fly blir skutt ned,
Russland ruster opp i rekordfart og kaoset i Syria og Irak truer Vesten
langs flere akser. Men NATO står så langt på sidelinjen i flere av dem.
«Du vet, NATO er en slegge, og egner seg
egentlig bare når det er bruk for noe sånt». Omtrent denne metaforen for
verdens mektigste militærallianse har jeg hørt flere ganger de siste
ukene når det er spørsmål om hvorfor ikke NATO er svaret på vår tids nye
trusler.
Nesten umiddelbart etter terrorangrepet i Paris, etter
at president François Hollande hadde sagt et Frankrike var i krig, var
vurderingen fra folk på innsiden av alliansens byråkrati at det som
skjedde etter 11. september ikke kom til å gjenta seg.
Afghanistan forever
Den
gangen utløste terroren artikkel 5 i Atlanterhavspakten, den som sier
at et angrep på et medlemsland er et angrep på alle. Så ble det krig i
Afghanistan, og den pågår i praksis ennå. På utenriksministermøtet her i
Brussel denne uken kommer NATO sannsynligvis til å bli enige om å stå
med soldater i Afghanistan frem til slutten av 2018. I denne omgang. Om
man noensinne kommer seg ut av landet er et åpent spørsmål. Les også: Derfor sender ikke Norge militære til Tyrkia
Afghanistan
og Libya-operasjonen har forandret synet på bruk av NATOs militærmakt.
Lysten til å bruke slegge er redusert. Og det er sant som innsiderne
sier, noe mellom slegge og pressemelding finnes ikke i alliansen i dag.
Etter fjorten år med krig mot terror har ikke NATO de rette verktøyene
for å gå inn i kaotiske og asymmetriske konflikter som den i Syria.
Russland, Russland, Russland
Man
er isteden i dag tilbake til avskrekking mot øst som hovedoppgave. Det
jobbes raskt og intenst med å bygge opp nye forsvarslinjer mot et
Russland. Et Russland som er rustet opp til helt nye og langt farligere
kapasiteter enn før. Russiske styrker kan i dag nekte land adgang til
strategisk viktige områder til havs og i luften. Les også:Eksperter tror ikke på felles krig mot IS fra Russland og Vesten
Den
russiske krigføringen i Syria har vist frem en evne til avanserte
angrep med krysserraketter, og kompliserte bombetokt som begynner på
Kola og flyr langs hele Europas vestkyst før de ender i Syria. Det betyr
også at Russland både i teori og praksis kan angripe det europeiske
fastlandet både med raketter og bomber. Luftmakten i øst nærmer seg den
NATO-landene har vært alene om i mange år.
NATOs svar på denne
trusselen virker både resolutt og strømlinjeformet. Etter litt politisk
famling i kaoset etter invasjonen på Krim, er nå landene ganske enige.
Den politiske dimensjonen handler mest om hvor mye penger landene har å
bruke. Russlands invasjon på Krim har også fått USA til å ta det
lederskapet i alliansen som er nødvendig for å få landene til å gå
noenlunde i takt, men bare på akkurat dette feltet. Les også Per Olav Ødegård: Syriakrigen i alvorlig krise
Men
trusselen fra Russland er nok lavere i bevisstheten til innbyggerne i
mange NATO-land enn truslene og problemene som kommer fra Syria. Terror
er bare et av dem. Flyktningkrisen et annet. IS og krigen i Syria har
forverret sikkerhetssituasjonen i Europa betydelig, på møtet her omtalte
Jens Stoltenberg det som skjer som en global trussel.
Stor verktøykasse med bare ett verktøy
For
noen år siden ville slike ord fått noen til å gå i skapet og hente
sleggen. Om ikke annet for å vise den frem. Men ikke nå. Uttalelse etter
uttalelse, både offentlig og på bakgrunn, handler isteden om hvorfor
sleggen må stå i skapet.
Det er nok en riktig vurdering.
Afghanistan, Irak og Libya har alle vist hvilke begrensninger som ligger
i bruk av den militærmakten NATO-landene rår over. Appetitten på en ny
langvarig militær hengemyr er lavere enn lysten på lutefisk i januar.
Ikke minst i USA. Les også: Det hender Stoltenberg ikke vet hvor han er
Men
at verktøyene for å håndtere IS-trusselen eller andre asymmetriske og
kaotiske konflikter ikke finnes, bør bekymre NATO-landene. For hvis
alliansen reduseres til å bare handle om avskrekking mot øst, så
reduseres den viktige politiske dimensjonen. Det er en bekymring hos
mange i NATO at dette allerede er i ferd med å skje. Forklaringen som
oftest blir brukt er at president Obama ikke hatt vilje eller evne til å
lede NATO til å bli en viktigste aktørene i en ny sikkerhetspolitisk
situasjon.
Avmakt i møte med fremtiden
Å bruke
militærmakt mot IS er ikke umulig. Tvert imot vil det sikkert bli helt
nødvendig. Men ikke den makten NATO som allianse har i dag. Og det er
vanskelig å se at NATO er i ferd med å utvikle nye kapasiteter som kan
brukes mot nye farer, selv om flere av landene separat gjør det.
Å
gjøre NATO fullt ut relevant i møtet med disse farene blir den mest
krevende oppgaven for Jens Stoltenberg. Kanskje er det allerede for
sent. Den blodige fredagskvelden i Paris har så langt ikke ført til noen
ny enhet i kampen mot terror. Bildet er heller at alliansen er satt på
sidelinjen, mens Frankrike og andre søker forbindelser i andre fora. Det
lover ikke godt for fremtiden.
The
relations between Poland and Belarus are improving thanks to the
changes in the relations between the European Union and the Eastern
Partnership member states, Polish chargé d'affaires ad interim Michael Habros said at a press conference.
Despite the warming of Belarus-Poland relations, there has been no
Polish Ambassador to Belarus for a few months already, Euroradio told
the diplomat. The delay can be explained by domestic political processes
in Poland, Habros replied.
