Latest Articles about Foreign Policy
Critics Question Kazakhstan’s Membership in Collective Rapid Response Force
The Kazakh Interior Ministry recently released a detailed press account of an armed clash between Arlan anti-terrorist detachment and a group of "extremist forces" in the Zelenov District of West Kazakhstan Province. Four soldiers from the Arlan group were reportedly wounded during the fight, but... MORE
The Chinese Armed Forces and Non-Traditional Missions: A Growing Tool of Statecraft
Over the past decade, western militaries and governments have struggled with growing pressures to engage in and balance their responsibilities in “nation-building,” “peacekeeping operations” and other various non-combat tasks. At the same time, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been taking on an increasing... MORE
China and Indonesia: Military-security Ties Fail to Gain Momentum
From February 18 to 19, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Indonesia as part of an 8-day voyage through Asia. Prior to her trip, Clinton stated that Washington was committed to a stronger relationship with Indonesia, a country she described as “one of... MORE
Wang Jiarui’s New Year’s Visit to Pyongyang and China’s New Approach to North Korea
Chief of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Wang Jiarui visited Pyongyang on January 21-23, the eve of the Lunar New Year holiday, to mark the beginning of the "Year of China-DPRK Friendship" (Xinhua News Agency, January 23; Korean Central News... MORE
Beijing Launches Diplomatic Blitz to Steal Obama’s Thunder
Beijing has unleashed an unprecedented diplomatic blitz while the new Obama administration battles doubts about its stimulus packages to salvage the struggling American economy. For the first time, both Chinese State President Hu Jintao and Vice-President Xi Jinping were on trips abroad earlier this month—the... MORE
Two Calls, Many Scenarios: How Will Washington Readjust to Turkey’s New Regional Role?
President Barack Obama telephoned President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip separately on Monday. In his first official contact with the Turkish leaders since his inauguration, Obama discussed cooperation between the two countries over a wide spectrum of issues of common concern. Earlier this... MORE
Turkey and Russia Developing a New Economic and Strategic Partnership
Turkish president Abdullah Gul paid a four-day visit to the Russian Federation from February 12 to 15, marking the flourishing multidimensional relations between the two countries. Gul met with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and other officials and also traveled to Kazan,... MORE
Armenia and Turkey Make Progress on Delicate Task of Restoring Relations
After months of intensive negotiations, Armenia and Turkey appear to be heading toward a full normalization of their historically strained relations that could redraw the region's geopolitical map. Such a possibility has become even more likely after the latest flurry of face-to-face contacts between Turkish... MORE
Deep Concern in Baku after CSTO News
The summit of the heads of states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on February 4 in Moscow brought unexpected, yet alarming news for Baku. The members of the organization have decided to create collective rapid reaction forces: the first ever joint military forces... MORE
Turkey and Armenia Move Closer to a Deal on Formal Diplomatic Relations
In light of recent events surrounding Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's harsh denunciation of Israeli policies in Gaza, one of the emerging concerns of Turkish diplomats is that there may be "a possible attempt in the U.S. Congress to recognize the events of 1915 as... MORE