European Union countries hold:   ·              two of the four UN Security Council permanent seats ·              four out of seven G7 seats ·              four plus the EU in the G20 ·              31.7% of IMF voting ·              In practice the right to appoint the IMF president   However, the collective weight and influence of the EU [...]

It is only a question of time before North Korea becomes a nuclear weapon power with a missile capability that can reach, Japan and probably Hawaii. There are three good reasons why North Korea must not have nuclear weapons. First, it is obvious that it would be potentially catastrophic as the régime is not rational [...]

The op-ed of John Fox and François Godement in the Financial Times of 19 May  urges Europe to stop “pandering to China” but offers no effective advice as what then to do.    They argue that “Europe’s engagement-at-all-costs approach over the last two decades has given China access to all the economic and other benefits [...]

Why, after the meeting between Barack Obama and Binyamin Netanyahu, do I see a glimmer of hope?  On the face of it, what hope is there of real peace negotiations?   The Israeli prime minister leads a coalition which includes right-wingers, religious extremists and xenophobes: his own his past record militates against peace.  The Palestinians, on [...]