Series:Association for International Affairs - Briefing Papers

Ukraine 2005-2006: The Empire Strikes Back

Ukrajina 2005-2006: Impérium vrací úder

Author(s): Luboš Veselý / Language(s): Czech

At the time of the creation of the first version of this post, the colon in the title was followed by a postscript twice into the same river, and it was supposed to be primarily about thinking about how, after all the mistakes made by the forces of the Orange Revolution, it would be possible to create a new Orange government and try to repair that history does not allow so often. However, the "rollover" of the oranges did not end even in the most critical moments, and the result is what it is. A year and a half after the Orange Revolution, the forces that were defeated at the end of 2004 and in whose perspective few believed in the future again claimed power. This did not happen on the basis of some radical change in the nature of these forces that were associated with the former Kuchma regime, but almost exclusively this rebirth of Viktor Yanukovych, the Party of Regions (SRU) and all that is connected with them participated in the policies they pursued the oranges at the time they gained power.

Hugo Chavez's Road to Power

Cesta Hugo Cháveze k moci

Author(s): Dalibor Bartoš / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Hugo Chavez; dictatorship in Venezuela;

The outlook for the Venezuelan opposition is poor, as it is unable to unite itself. It is losing one election after another and currently does not have a single lever to push its demands in the country's political system. Chávez's popularity derives from the contentment of the Venezuelan poor, especially in Caracas, which the left-wing populist provides with money from oil sales. Only long-term lower oil prices on world markets can break Chávez's neck. Which is utopia. Rather, he will pay for the fact that he does not invest in the modernization of oil facilities, which are already dilapidated today. As oil production declines, so will the volume of finance for the expanding concept of democratic socialism.

Expansion of the Schengen Area

Rozšíření Schengenského Prostoru

Author(s): Vít Nejedlo / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Schengen-Area;

At its meeting on December 6, 2007, the EU Council for Justice and Home Affairs finally confirmed the expansion of the Schengen area by nine new member states, including the Czech Republic. These are countries that joined the EU three years ago, and their joining the group of states that abolished border controls among themselves is often understood as the definitive tearing down of the former iron curtain. As of December 21, 2007, border controls at land borders (or at ports) will therefore be abolished, and on March 31, 2008, controls at international airports for flights within the extended Schengen area will also end.

The EU Energy Cooperation with China in the field of Clean Coal Technology

The EU Energy Cooperation with China in the field of Clean Coal Technology

Author(s): Pavel Zástěra / Language(s): English

Keywords: carbon energy; coal mining;

The technology cooperation in the field of energy is one of the tools available to tackle climate change. Considering the provisions of economic growth in developing countries, introduction of low Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions’ technologies in these countries seems to be of primary importance. Coal, the most polluting fossil fuel, is expected to remain a significant source of energy in the near future. The Clean Coal Technology (CCT) has the potential to reduce negative environmental impacts of coal consumption. The article is aiming to analyse different aspects of the EU-China energy cooperation in the field of clean coal. Firstly, prospects of energy consumption and technical aspects will be considered. The second part focuses more closely on actual bilateral and multilateral frameworks for CO2 mitigation that can be applied to the introduction of Clean Coal Technology in China and related to the EU interests. Thirdly, different projects using Clean Coal Technology run by European companies both in the EU and China are presented.

How to avoid the Iron Curtain between the EU and Belarus?

How to avoid the Iron Curtain between the EU and Belarus?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU and Belarus relations;

The EU claims that its priority in relations with Belarus is not to isolate the country despite its harsh policy towards the Lukashenko regime, but instead to “engage with Belarusian society by further strengthening its support for civil society and democratisation” and further, to “intensify and facilitate people-to-people contacts”. Notwithstanding this, after 1 January of 2008, Belarus is paradoxically the only EU Eastern neighbour whose citizens have to pay €60 for a single entry Schengen visa that approximately equals one third of the average monthly salary there. As the current authoritarian regime of Alyaksander Lukashenka has no sincere interest in maintaining good relations with the EU and the country does not even have a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, it wasn’t possible to enter into negotiations with the former on a visa facilitation, in contrast to Moldova, Russia and the Ukraine which have already signed such agreements. The way in which the EU will addresses the visa relations with Belarus could well prove to be one of the most important matters concerning the future of Belarus and its citizens.

Czech-Brazilian Relations in the Context of the EU-Brazil strategic Partnership

Česko-Brazilské vztahy v kontextu strategického partnerství EU-Brazílie

Author(s): Jan Němec / Language(s): Czech

On April 11 and 12, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid an official state visit to the Czech Republic. He became the first president of the Federative Republic of Brazil to visit the Czech Republic. On this occasion, the Foreign Ministers of both countries signed the Framework Agreement on Economic and Industrial Cooperation. This agreement replaces a similar bilateral document from 1994. President Lula's two-day visit to Prague particularly emphasized the interest in developing economic relations between the two countries. The signing of the updated Framework Agreement on Economic and Industrial Cooperation between the Czech Republic and Brazil is just one manifestation of full political support at the highest level for the growing interest of the Czech business sector in the Brazilian economy and vice versa.

Perspectives of EU-Russia relations during the Czech presidency

Perspektivy vztahů EU-Rusko v průběhu českého předsednictví

Author(s): Lukáš Tichý / Language(s): Czech

The main priorities of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU, which the Czech Republic at the beginning of this year, i.e. took over from France in 2009, they were summarized in the slogan "3E" - economy, energy and Europe and the world. The field of external relations is one of the biggest challenges of every presidency, and the Czech Republic intends to engage primarily in the development of transatlantic relations and the European Neighborhood Policy, within which attention is paid to, among other things, relations with the Russian Federation.

Georgian-Ossetian conflict

Gruzínsko-Osetinský konflikt

Author(s): Vakhtang Darchiashvili / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Georgia; South-Ossetia;

The Caucasus has always been a place of pervasive diversity. Although the diversity of the Caucasian nature creates a beautiful symbiosis, the ethnic and religious diversity in this part of the world from time to time creates considerable difficulties. As reality shows, these difficulties in connection with power interests can turn into a bloody war. There are plenty of such examples in the Caucasus in recent history (the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the conflict in South Ossetia, the conflict in Abkhazia and, of course, the conflict in Chechnya). Until August last year, the least known of them was the one in South Ossetia.

The drug cartel war in Mexico and its implications for Mexican-American relations

Vojna drogových kartelov v Mexiku a jej implikácie pre mexicko-americké vzťahy

Author(s): Ivan Kovač / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: drugs-trafficking;

Mexico is practically the most important transit country for drug production from all of South America, taking into account its strategically important geographical location as a neighbor of the USA. According to data from the US Department of State, up to 90% of cocaine enters the US through Mexico. Today's powerful and highly organized smuggling groups are successors in the long smuggling history of the Mexican cartels. During the long period of one-party rule in Mexico (the PRI government; 1929-2000), the authorities tried to keep the negative effects, mainly violence, to a minimum, also by using quiet "drug trafficking management". In practice, this meant that central and regional governments often turned a blind eye to these crimes, either for profit or to maintain the peace. The result of the government's passive policy towards the cartels was mutual tolerance based on the principle of non-interference. Until the first half of the 90s, armed conflicts between competing drug organizations were only sporadic.

The Sahwat Movement and the Sons of Iraq: The Roots and Consequences of the Tribal Revolt Against Al-Qaeda in Iraq

Hnutí Sahwat a Synové Iráku: kořeny a důsledky kmenové revolty proti al-Qáidě v Iráku

Author(s): Naďa Aliová / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: al-Qaida; Irak;

The security situation in Iraq has improved significantly over the past two years. This development was marked by the adoption of a new American counter-insurgency strategy in 2007, which responded to the long-term failures of coalition forces. Its main points were the increase in the number of American troops in the country and the use of contradictions between the rebel groups themselves, which began to be evident in mid-2005.

The current political-security crisis in Yemen

Současná politicko-bezpečnostní krize v Jemenu

Author(s): Jan Kužvart / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Yemen, Houthi-rebels;

Political and security instability in Yemen is caused by Houthi rebels in the north of the country, separatists in the south and the activity of the al-Qa'ida terrorist network. The current Yemeni regime of President Ali Abdullah Salih also plays a partially negative role. It is an asymmetric conflict involving guerrilla warfare, national separatism and terrorism. The crisis has 3 geographic levels: 1) local including some areas of Yemen and the Saudi-Arab border, where insurgents, separatists or terrorists from al-Qa'ida are active, 2) regional including the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula - i.e. Oman and Saudi Arabia threatened by the expansion of the crisis, 3) international, which mainly concerns Iran and the USA, which are trying to increase their influence in Yemen.

Maastricht Criteria and their Criticism

Maastrichtská kritéria a jejich kritika

Author(s): Tomáš Búry / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Maastricht Criteria;

The first efforts for a common monetary policy within the European Union date back to the end of the 1960s. With the gradual economic convergence and the improvement of the common internal market, the early ideas took on a concrete image. After an unsuccessful attempt to link individual currencies with fixed oscillation bands, it was possible to establish a common currency unit, the euro. The Bank of England's significant losses sustained as a result of speculative attacks on the pound strengthened British distaste for the single currency, leading to Britain opting out of the Eurozone. Later, Denmark also claimed an exemption, and it is de facto also held by Sweden, where the citizens rejected the euro in a referendum. For other countries, the obligation to adopt the euro applies, as they committed to this in the accession treaty.

The Euro in the Visegrad Four countries

Euro v zemích visegrádské čtyřky

Author(s): Katarína Lokšová / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Euro-currency;

The countries of the Visegrad Group already committed themselves to the adoption of the common European currency by signing the Treaty of Accession to the European Union (April 16, 2003 in Athens). Unlike Great Britain or Denmark, they did not negotiate the so-called an opt-out clause that would release them from this obligation. However, the timing of the accession process is fully within the competence of individual states. Despite the seriousness of this decision, it initially seemed that the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary started a race to see who would finish first. Over time, however, Central European governments, with the exception of Slovakia, postponed the introduction of the euro until they reached the current situation. Currently, apart from Slovakia, which has already introduced the euro, none of its neighbors is planning to adopt the common currency in the near future.

Czech Foreign Policy – The Prospects of Change in the Wake of 2010 Parliamentary Elections

Česká zahraniční politika – perspektivy změn po volbách 2010

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Czech

Publishing an analysis of the new government's foreign policy at a time when the political parties are still discussing its program may seem very premature, even presumptuous. The Association for International Affairs and the Institute for European Policy Europeum, the leading Czech foreign policy think-tanks that dared to take this step, nevertheless do so with faith in a certain predictability of public policy with regard to the programs and long-term positions of political parties that now sitting behind the negotiating table. Both institutions have been analyzing Czech foreign policy for more than ten years and are recognized co-creators of the Czech discourse on international relations. We believe that this analysis will encourage public discussion on a topic that fundamentally affects the future of the Czech Republic, although it is not at the center of attention of voters or most politicians. // The analysis is intended for all those who are thinking today about what to expect from the new government. You can compare our conclusions with the future coalition agreement, the government statement and, above all, with the real results of the new government during the next election period. // We are, of course, aware of the risk that the parties will not reach an agreement and the intended coalition will not be formed - but this will certainly not be the fault of contradictions in the field of foreign policy.

Czech Foreign Policy – The Prospects of Change in the Wake of 2010 Parliamentary Elections

Czech Foreign Policy – The Prospects of Change in the Wake of 2010 Parliamentary Elections

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

This study is intended for those who would like to know what to expect from the new Czech government in the realm of foreign policy. Soon enough, a reader will be able to confront our findings with foreign policy priorities as enumerated in the coalition agreement and government’s declaration of priorities. But perhaps the most effective way of measuring the accuracy of our predictions will be foreign policy initiatives the new government sets out to pursue. We are fully aware of the possibility that the ongoing government talks might collapse and the coalition government as envisaged in its current form will not be formed. That said, however, any failure to form a new government will hardly be blamed on the discord over foreign policy.

Briefing paper for the European Council (June 17, 2010)

Briefing paper k Evropské radě (17. červen 2010)

Author(s): Václav Bacovský,Tomáš Búry,Vít Dostál,Ivana Jemelkova,Katarína Lokšová / Language(s): Czech

The summit was shortened to just one day compared to the original plan. The permanent president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, explained this by the inflation of the various high-level meetings convened in recent months mainly due to the critical situation in the eurozone. // The main item on the agenda will be the approval of the new EU strategy for 2020. Although everyone is aware that the competitiveness of the European economy is key to future development, the failure of the Lisbon Strategy and the persistent differences of opinion regarding the way forward for the Eurozone crisis lead to rather cautious expectations. // On an informal level, the summit will reveal whether the attitude of German foreign policy towards the EU is really changing and whether the Franco-German engine is stuck // The EU will seek a common position for the next of the series of G20 summits, which will take place in Toronto. Proposals to tighten the regulation of financial institutions and efforts to concretize the long-term vision of economic growth will be in the forefront of interest. // Other items on the agenda of the summit include the Millennium Development Goals, climate change, sanctions against Iran, Iceland's entry into the EU and the institutional solution to the issue of the number of members of the European Parliament.

Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Belgické předsednictví v Radě Evropské Unie

Author(s): Ivana Jemelkova / Language(s): Czech

Belgium is one of the founding countries of the European Communities, and it was Belgium that, as the first country in history, assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Economic Community in 1958. Since then, it has tried out the role of president a total of eleven times. In particular, the last two presidencies – in 1993 and 2001 – were very demanding in terms of international and European events. The Belgian six-month presidency in 1993 was marked by speculative attacks on the European monetary system, the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty and tensions surrounding the nearing end of negotiations on agricultural policy reform within the framework of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

The Cheonan incident and the escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula

Incident Čchonan a zostření napětí na Korejském poloostrově

Author(s): Michal Vodrážka / Language(s): Czech

Keywords: Korea;

The following text was written in October 2010 for the lecture of the Association for International Issues Political, economic and strategic context of the Cheonan incident. In connection with the events of November 23 – i.e. the North Korean artillery shelling of the South Korean military base on Yongpyong Island – some of the conclusions he reaches become relevant again. This is mainly due to the fact that neither South Korea nor its American ally and protector can essentially respond militarily to North Korean provocations. This situation has persisted on the Korean Peninsula for several decades, and allows the DPRK to basically provoke or increase tensions in the area at any time, knowing that it will get away with essentially no consequences, aside from economic sanctions and diplomatic protests.

How European laws vary I: Patients' rights in cross-border care

Ako sa varia európske zákony I: Práva pacientov v cezhraničnej starostlivosti

Author(s): Viera Knutelská / Language(s): Czech

On January 19, 2011, the European Parliament approved the second reading of the draft directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare, and on February 28, the Council of the EU added its final approval. Member States will have two and a half years to transpose it into national law, so patients will feel its effects for the first time at the end of 2013, even though the first proposals for the regulation of cross-border care appeared as early as 2004. Why did the preparation of this European directive take so long? so long? What were the attitudes of the main actors and who had to back down? And does the approval even mean a substantial change?

Bahrain: A proxy battle?

Bahrain: A proxy battle?

Author(s): Petra Kartalová / Language(s): English

Bahrain is a wealthy banking center and also an important American ally. U.S. 5th fleet is based here to ensure the flow of oil through the Hormuz Strait and to protect American interests in the region. Bahrain represents a crucial security interest for Saudi Arabia as well, given its geographical location across from the primary Saudi oil region. On the other hand, there is also considerable Iranian influence. Iran claimed Bahrain was an Iranian province in the past, but the Shah officially renounced the claim in 1971. However, today many Shia clerics in Bahrain have been trained in Iran and every now and then the issue of Iranian influence is raised. Put together, these aspects make Bahrain one of the most volatile countries in the Gulf and at the same time one of the most strategically important.