Abstract of the journal number 7, July, 2010

New Start in the Array of Issues of Global Security. The Political Dimension

S. Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

A broad and realistic assessment of the political implications of the New Start should be based on clear understanding that for Russia the Treaty means much more than an isolated disarmament initiative. From the outset, the agreement was carefully synchronized with Russia's general concept of international cooperation in the security sphere.

Keywords: Global security matrix, New Start, Russian President D. Medvedev, Cold War, peaceful coexistence epoch, disarmament agreements

The Golden Collection

Present-Day Challenges of the Global World: Secularism vs. Religious World-View

Ilarion, Chairman of External Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk

The dialog between secularism and the religious world-view is centered around the purpose of life, the future of mankind, the humanity's chances for continued existence or extinction, and the moral norms behind human behavior.

Keywords: Secularism, Lautsi v. Italy case, Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, Greek Catholic Church

Editor's Column

“Treason, cowardice, and deception are everywhere!”

A. Oganesyan

“If Russia needs redemptive sacrifice, I will sacrifice myself!”, said Russia's Last Emperor Nicolas II. He kept the pledge...

Diplomacy

On the Art of Diplomacy

Yu. Dubinin

Intellectual dare, luck, political intuition, and profound analysis helped the Soviet and later Russian diplomacy handle brilliantly even the most sophisticated tasks. Nowadays, success in international affairs, apart from political regards, is linked to innovativeness in the art of diplomacy.

Keywords: Art of diplomacy, intellectual heroism, political intuition, Russian school of diplomacy, synchronous ratification of treaties

Benefiting Hearts and Minds. On the Youth Cooperation Between Russia and Germany

I. Kravchenko

Largely, it was direct communication between Russians and Germans – and not only in the sphere of politics - that for decades sustained the atmosphere of trust, understanding, and interest in building up bilateral relations. A vast portion of the communication is taking place between the younger generations, and here lies a promising segment of cooperation between Russia and Germany.

Keywords: Cooperation between youth groups, Council for youth exchanges, International Youth Exchanges Foundation, summit-level international consultations, Russia-Germany youth forum, interests of today”s young

Politics

Russia's Policies in the Post-Soviet Space: Lack of Soft Power

E. Solov'ev

Russia's ability to sustain its energy superpower status and build up its potential in the energy sector largely depends on the strengthening of its positions in the post-Soviet space. The latter task cannot be accomplished relying exclusively on the means the Russian diplomacy traditionally employed over the past 15-20 years.

Keywords: Post-Soviet space, energy factor, new independent states, soft power, interethnic and sectarian strife

Russia – Germany: Partnership for Modernization

V. Belov

The shift of power in Germany from the Social Democratic Party of Germany traditionally favoring cooperation with Russia to renown critics of Russia – the Free Democratic Party led by current Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle - initially made watchers worry that the relations between Germany and Russia might be affected. It is clear at the moment that the concern was for the most part groundless.

Keywords: Cooperation between Russia and Germany, the offer of new security partnership, Russian-German Trade Chamber

Now That Times Are Tough for Atlantism, What's on the Horizon?

Yu. Minaev

Former United States Permanent Representative to NATO Kurt Volker called for unity in the ranks of Atlantists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in a paper featured by Europe's World. Is that a realistic agenda considering that at the moment the US is facing the main challenges in dealing with Afghanistan, and the EU – with Russia?

Keywords: Atlantists, EU, NATO, Russian theme, NATO-skeptics

Russia Keystone of the Multipolar System  

Tiberio Graziani

The new multipolar system is being consolidated. The main actors are the US, China, India and Russia. While the European Union is completely absent and in hiding in the framework of indications-diktats coming from Washington and London, some South American countries, particularly Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay, are showing their steady willingness to actively participate in the construction of the new world order. Russia, with its central position in the Euro-Asian land mass, its vast size and its current orientation stamped on foreign policy by the Putin-Medvedev tandem, will probably be the keystone in the new planetary structure.

Keywords: Dominant countries, subordinate countries, Eurasia, Indo-Latin America

History Milestones

Correspondence Between W. Churchill and J. Stalin During World War II As Reflected in British Archive Documents

V. Pechatnov

The correspondence traditionally serves as a source of information on the World War II diplomacy of the allies, but until recently relatively little was known about the process of drafting the widely known letters. Even top experts on W. Churchill and the Soviet-British relations in the war epoch wrote surprisingly little on the subject. Yet, examination of the British side of the Stalin-Roosevelt-Churchill correspondence triangle may present us with particularly interesting findings.

Keywords: Correspondence between W. Churchil and J. Stalin during World War II, E. Iden, Foreign Office, Joint Chiefs of Staff, British ambassadors to Moscow S. Cripps and A. Kerr, Soviet ambassadors to London I.M. Maisky and F.T. Gusev

Bookshelf

Great Power's Ambassador

B. Pyadyshev

S.Yu. Deryabin's Is Being an Ambassador Easy? would attract the kind of readership that is driven by restless curiosity, enjoys learning about various countries and epochs, and readily shares impressions with peers. At the same time, the book would benefit the specialists eager to study carefully the profound experience of a superb professional, a gifted analyst, and a serious scholar.

Keywords: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, North Europe, Finland, Norway, Russia”s Foreign Ministry, Security Council of the Russian Federation

Dedicated to Economists Engaged With the Diplomatic Service...

A. Sokolov

The above epigraph opens The Economic Diplomacy: Economy, Politics, and Law, a monograph written by Dr. D.A. Degterev, a young researcher and professor of the Global Economics Department of the Moscow Institute for International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The phrase adequately reflects the underlying philosophy of the treatise surveying various opportunities for the promotion of economic interests internationally by diplomatic means.

Keywords: Economic diplomacy, broad interpretation, narrow interpretation, macroeconomic diplomacy, microeconomic diplomacy

Where Do Illusions Lead? Department of State Veteran Dispels US Cold War Myths

A. Gasyuk

In his “Illusions: How Myths and False Ideologies Led America Astray— And How to Return to Reality”, J. Matlock departs boldly from the standard US foreign-politics thinking and directs biting criticism at his country's diplomacy over the mistakes it has been making in the post-Cold War period.

Keywords: Jack Foust Matlock, monograph, US international policies, global political dynamics, bipolar confrontation

Analytic Monitoring

International Conflicts

A. Ageychev, E. Guseva, N. Piskunova, I. Timofeev, I. Fomin

What evolution awaits the debates over Iran's nuclear program, Georgia's conflict with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and the situation with piracy in the Gulf of Aden? Forecasts are offered by analysts from the Center for Analytic Monitoring of the International Studies Institute of the Moscow Institute for International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Keywords: Monitoring, conflicts, crises, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, US, Russia

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