FYROM: The uncertainty of the negotiations over the name dispute risks to jeopardize EU enlargement

The essence of the problem on the name dispute stems from the identity crisis of Macedonian people, while the populist approach adopted by different governments in Skopje is largely responsible for the current stalemate. The current government is conducting a relentless campaign to support a definition of Macedonian identity as descendant from the ancient Macedonian kingdom rather than from the Slavic people conquering the area centuries later. This is having jeopardizing effect on the domestic relation with the Albanian minority, while frustrating even more the relations with Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. Continue...

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Emanuele Scansani

(15 February 2010)

Ecuador: the National Assembly and the diplomatic conflict

Ecuador is currently facing transitions because of its National Assembly. Nevertheless, there is a threat that the country can follow a political authoritarian process similar to the one of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. On the other hand, after the diplomatic conflict with Colombia, the Ecuadorian government has been accused of collaborating with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Even though, president Rafael Correa has denied these affirmations, recent reports of The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) would have confirm a connection. In this context, Ecuador, potentially, still emerges as one of the most unstable countries in Latin America. Continue...

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Carlos Eduardo Pérez Crespo

(03 June 2008)

Iraq: The Oil Resource Management

To this day, Iraq owns 11% of the global oil reserves, equal to approximately 112 billion barrels of crude oil. A property from the difficult management caused by the multiple interests regarding it. The central government, out of respect for the USA politics, intends to privatise the sector, while large parts of the remaining political forces, including the Al-Sadur Shiite militants, demand that the exploitation of the repositories remain exclusively state prerogative. Continue...

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Marco Di Donato

(19 May 2008)

GCC: Constant but Disorganised Growth

For more than half a century since the birth of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on May 29 1981, the six signing countries (Riyadh, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) of the organisation, which was initially created to encourage an integration of the single economies, have not seen its original mission brought to close. It has seen the founding members proceed, on more than one occasion, in a disorganised manner in front of the challenge of globalisation. Today, despite the significant failure of cooperation of a structured and coordinated area, we must take note of the emergence of the Gulf's growing economy. Continue...

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Massimiliano Frenza Maxia

(16 May 2008)

Lebanon: The Causes of the New Internal Violence and Hezbollah's Position of Strength

Throughout the course of the weekend in Beirut, the prospect of a new civil war returned. The Hezbollah armed militia occupied the whole of the West of the capital and seiged the symbols of the pro-western government. The violence exploded suddenly after Siniora's decision to cut the telecommunication lines installed by the Party of God and to remove the organiser of Beirut's airport security. The Army remained neutral and has not taken part in the fights, resuming control of West Beirut after three days of strikes. Siniora withdrew the measures and Hezbollah was therefore the winner on all fronts. Continue...

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Stefano Torelli

(15 May 2008)

Middle East: The Human Development

The UN's last report on human development was published at the end of 2007. This report is a mine of data, which can make the many social dynamics of the Middle East comprehensible, in particular the way in which wealth is distributed in the region. Continue...

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Mauro Scalercio

(14 May 2008)

Egypt: The Prospective Politics After the Increase in Food Prices

The increase in the price of bread, a number of repurcussuions of the larger inflation of food prices on a global scale in recent years, has brought about manifestations, arrests and fatalities. Egypt questions its future, in the light of a probable withdrawal of Mubarak to the candidacy for the next presidential elections in 2011. They urge reforms to speed up the growth of the country. The American influence and the presence of groups organised by the Islamist matrix, inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood, represents the dilemma of the society and the Egyptian political class. On the horizon there is a new executive class which must live alongside these two opposite forces. Continue...

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Stefano Torelli

(13 May 2008)