CIAO DATE: 06/2008
Volume: 9, Issue: 1
Spring 2008
Madeleine Albright
America's next president will face an array of problems more daunting than any since the Vietnam era and will be constrained to do so with US assets—military, economic and political—under severe strain. Our new leader must therefore arrive in the Oval Office equipped not only with the right programs, but also the right temperament to handle the world's most challenging job. Qualifications include analytical skill, an understanding of global strategy, a willingness to recognize and correct mistakes, and a gift for persuading others to do—and even more important to want—what we want.
To begin, the new president must assemble a national security team that consists of strong individuals who are also team players. He or she must choose to be surrounded by people who speak honestly, whether or not their tidings are welcome. The White House works best when it is a place of intellectual ferment, where knowledge is sought, reason honored, and conflicting information sifted and weighed.
From its first day, the new administration should use the full range of our foreign policy tools, including force (selectively), allies (respectfully), diplomacy (creatively) and international law (assertively). Our leaders must learn from the past without allowing historical clichés to dictate future actions. Not every enemy is Hitler and intelligent acts of diplomacy should not be confused with appeasement. We must recognize, as well, that torture is not a means for fighting terror, but a gift to al-Qaeda. Moral credibility is a precious national asset.
Rebuilding Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations (PDF)
C. David Welch
On November 27, 2007, President George W. Bush brought together Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland to launch renewed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations with the shared aspiration of concluding a permanent status agreement by the end of 2008. This landmark event demonstrated the commitment of the United States and of the parties themselves to realize President Bush's vision, first articulated in June 2002, of two states living side-by-side in peace and security. More than 40 Foreign Ministers attended the conference, representing a broad swathe of the international community including traditional European allies, 15 Arab states (plus the Palestinian Authority), and important Muslim states such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. In a sense, Annapolis was the culmination of US and Quartet* efforts that were reinvigorated following Israel's war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006. But most importantly, Annapolis was the starting point for political negotiations now underway. Only such negotiations can lead to the establishment of an independent, viable, peaceful and prosperous Palestinian state that can be a source of stability and security for Israel and the broader Middle East
Personal Commitment and Shared Values: A New Chapter for US-Saudi Relations (PDF)
Ford M. Fraker
Since the historic meeting between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and His Majesty King Abdulaziz Al Saud aboard the USS Quincy in 1945, the US-Saudi relationship has grown and strengthened, though we weathered a difficult period immediately post 9/11. However, we have passed through this challenge, and our relationship is now embarking on an exciting new chapter. Historic visits, first by Mrs. Laura Bush, then by President George W. Bush, gave new momentum to joint initiatives. New progress is building on the fine work we have pursued over many years. I am proud to lead our mission into a new era marked both by close, personal bonds and a shared, future-oriented vision.
A New Chapter in Climate Diplomacy: The United States and the Bali Action Plan (PDF)
Paula J. Dobriansky
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said, climate change has truly global implications for each and every nation. Armed with the recent findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, leaders around the world are increasingly addressing the growing challenge of climate change head on.
As a result, we and our partners in the international community have never been in a better position to create a comprehensive, effective new path for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing for energy security, and supporting economic prosperity. Last December's UN Climate Conference in Bali opened a critical new chapter in climate diplomacy. In Bali, the United States joined the other 191 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in forging consensus on the "Bali Action Plan," an achievable roadmap toward a new multilateral arrangement on climate change.
Assessing Pakistan's Election (PDF)
Wendy J. Chamberlin
Something very positive just happened in "the most dangerous country in the world." Pakistan surprised the chorus of pundits who predicted the parliamentary elections held on February 18, 2008, would not be credible, and the public reaction would turn violent.
Instead, Pakistan made history. For the first time in its tumultuous history, a military dictator participated in the peaceful transition to civilian government through democratic elections. To his credit, President Pervez Musharraf responded to internal and international pressure to lift Emergency Rule and to step down as Chief of Army Staff.
Libya and the United Nations Security Council (PDF)
Giadalla A. Ettalhi
What are Libya's priorities in the United Nations Security Council? This is a question that has been raised repeatedly since my country sought membership in the Security Council, and particularly since Libya was elected to the Council for the period of 2008-2009.*
Libya, through its membership in the UN Security Council, will seek to maintain constructive collaboration with permanent and elected members, in order to achieve the aims of the UN Charter, as outlined in Chapter I, particularly with respect to the maintenance of peace and security in accordance with the principles of justice and international law. Libya also will contribute, with its utmost capabilities, to the settlement of issues of immediate concern to its interests, namely African and Arab issues.
Undoubtedly, as the only Arab member in the Council, it is our duty to give special attention to the issues of the Middle East and North Africa. At the forefront of Middle Eastern issues is the "Question of Palestine." Six decades have elapsed without an end to the devastating conflict from which all the peoples of the region have suffered. The fact remains, however, that the plight and suffering of the Palestinian people is sui generis, unique in its dimensions and severity
The Evolving US-Japan Relationship (PDF)
J. Thomas Schieffer
In the first years of the 21st century a profound change has occurred in the US-Japan relationship. We have moved beyond the security and economic paradigm of the Cold War to understand the global opportunities presented by our strategic partnership. The US-Japan alliance has long been the cornerstone of American foreign policy in the Pacific and remains so today. Both the United States and Japan recognize that the positioning of US forces on Japanese soil reassures the region and deters potential aggressors so that peace and security can be maintained. More and more, the United States and Japan also recognize that their strong and active partnership can meet other global challenges as well.
A Common Vision for the Future: US-Dominican Relations in the 21st Century (PDF)
P. Robert Fannin
The United States of America's relationship with the Dominican Republic is based on shared goals and aspirations for greater economic prosperity, security and democracy. With an estimated one million Dominican Americans living in the United States, there is a natural constituency for close and collaborative relations between our two countries on the full spectrum of bilateral economic and political issues, and there is a long-term recognition of the need to support our friendship in times of plenty and in times of need. This relationship extends to a common fight to control the illicit trade in narcotics, to strengthening democratic institutions and fighting corruption, building the educational foundation for the Dominican Republic's next generation, and many other vital areas. Yet the true building block of the strength of our relationship starts with the cultural and social ties we share and cultivate.
The US-Russia Strategic Framework Declaration (PDF)
The White House
From March 17-19, 2008, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates traveled to Russia to meet with their counterparts, Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Anatoly Serduykov, to discuss opportunities for US-Russian cooperation. Following their visit, President Bush and President Putin met in Sochi, Russia on April 6, 2008, and released a US-Russia Strategic Framework Declaration which will guide US-Russian relations in the years to come. The following text is extracted from the Fact Sheet on the US-Russia Strategic Framework Declaration, issued by The White House on April 6, 2008.
A Mediterranean Success Story: Malta's EU Integration (PDF)
Molly Bordonaro
Within the space of a few weeks earlier this year, the Mediterranean island nation of Malta further advanced its integration into European Union institutions by adopting the euro currency and joining the Schengen zone.* Malta has the distinction of being the first and only EU member state to adopt the euro and join Schengen at the same time. This achievement is even more impressive when you consider the fact that Malta joined the European Union less than four years earlier, in May 2004.
Malta's success in planning for and implementing these changes can serve as a model for other EU member states who have yet to adopt the common currency or accede to the Schengen visa regime. Despite its small size and population, Malta has effectively and rapidly met the requirements for full integration into the eurozone and Schengen area, and in doing so, has stepped confidently onto the European stage and bolstered its relationship with Brussels.
The United States and Croatia: The Bilateral Relationship Since 1991 (PDF)
Thomas P. Melady
The period of 1991-2008 witnessed significant development in the bilateral relations between Croatia and the United States. Is this situation due to one person or several? Did events energize this change or was it the result of a series of well conceived strategies? Before proceeding with the diagnosis, it would be appropriate to examine briefly the history of Croatia.
The United States' Public Diplomacy Platform in Davos (PDF)
Peter R. Coneway
The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, is unlike any other event of its kind. Over a five-day span at the end of January each year, 2,000 world leaders, Fortune 500 chief executive officers, international media moguls and nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders gather in the small alpine village of Davos to participate on panels, in industry meetings and in "off the record" sessions. The WEF meetings in Davos have been a ripe target for public diplomacy efforts over the past 38 years, and the WEF's founder, Dr. Klaus Schwab, has preserved the original intent of the forum in maintaining its focus as a place for informal dialogue and debate on major social and economic problems.
Using Philanthropy for Diplomacy (PDF)
Thomas C. Foley
I cannot remember who first mentioned prior to my posting to Ireland that I should consider promoting philanthropy as one of my objectives at post. It may have been during consultations with Richard Haass at the Council on Foreign Relations or Michael Gallagher, Director of the Office of United Kingdom, Benelux and Ireland Affairs at the State Department. Whoever it was, it was an excellent idea.
Ireland has cleverly orchestrated a rapid rise in incomes and wealth over the last fifteen years, going from the lowest per capita income in the European Union to the second highest behind Luxembourg. Ireland's hard-earned and well-deserved economic growth has brought wealth and bounty unimaginable only a half generation ago.* Ireland's already very generous culture is now aligned with new capacity creating a nascent interest in largescale giving. Embassy Dublin saw an opportunity to share the US philanthropy experience with Ireland as it develops a philanthropic model of its own.
To North Korea With Music (PDF)
Donald Blinken
My diplomatic experience proved valuable on the historic New York Philharmonic Orchestra's February visit to North Korea in which my wife, Vera, and I participated.
Before our departure for Pyongyang, the advice offered to us was, "Take food, you will be hungry" and "Take warm clothes, you will be cold." One of our briefers, a Western diplomat living in Pyongyang comforted us by saying that staying in a hotel assured we would have both light and water at the same time. Because very few Americans have been to North Korea over the past 55 years (the United States and North Korea are still technically at war), we did not know what to expect. Also, such advice did not take into account our privileged status as guests of the government.