Politics

China's Involvement in Sudan

Criticism of the Red Giant

While China and Sudan have been celebrating record levels of trade, there's increasing unhappiness among the people of Sudan about China's role in the country. Human rights activists criticise China's behaviour in the Darfur conflict and elsewhere. By Marc Engelhardt
Middle East Quartet Meeting in Germany

No Tangible Progress, But Important Signals

The Arab states are to be involved more strongly in revitalising the peace process in the Middle East in future. That is the outcome of the meeting of the "Middle East Quartet" in Berlin this week. Rainer Sollich comments
The Kurdish Issue in Turkey

Limits to the Policy of Assimilation

Around 20 percent of the Turkish population is Kurdish. Since the time of Atatürk, in spite of the size of this minority, the Turkish state has followed a policy towards them of assimilation or "Turkification." Mesut Yagin reports
Conflict in Southern Thailand

A Policy of Small Steps to Reconciliation

Because the country's interim government has not yet been able to bring the conflict under control, the situation in the mainly Muslim southern provinces of Thailand remains critical. Now Malaysia has offered to help establish peace in the turbulent region. Nicola Glass reports
The Nuclear Conflict with Iran

Tehran's Game of Cat and Mouse Continues

In the mounting dispute with the West over its nuclear program, Iranian foreign policy has taken some confusing and contradictory twists and turns. Bahman Nirumand takes a look behind the scenes
The West and Iran

Iran's Attack Blowback

A military confrontation with Iran will serve only to revive the fortunes of the country's infamous president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and fortify the Islamic Republic's last, desperate grab for a rebirth.
By Nasrin Alavi
Dispute over Iran's Nuclear Programme

Compromise-Free Politics

Sanctions or military intervention would achieve exactly the opposite of what they are allegedly being used to achieve. Instead of isolating the regime, Iranian civil society would be split right down the middle, writes Bahman Nirumand
Controversial Immunity Law in Afghanistan

National Reconciliation at the Cost of the Victims?

A new law has been proposed in Afghanistan to pave the way toward national reconciliation by guaranteeing all groups involved in the war during the past 28 years immunity. Ratbil Shamel with details
Intellectuals in Turkey

Targeted by the Nationalists

Following the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink, the lingering ultra-nationalist mood in Turkey is becoming more and more unbearable and dangerous for intellectuals. Gunnar Köhne reports from Istanbul
Palestinian Government Crisis

Abbas and Meshaal Strike Deal for Unity Government

Palestinian leaders Mahmoud Abbas and Khaled Meshaal ended two days of intensive talks in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where they reached an agreement on the formation of a national unity government. Louisa Schaefer has more
The UN Human Rights Council

"The Situation Is Worse Than Before"

When the Human Rights Council was established in March 2006, it replaced the UN Commission on Human Rights, which was often criticised for the high-profile positions it gave to member states with bad human rights records. In this interview, Council member Günter Nooke talks about the work of the new institution
Saudi Arabia and the Middle East Conflict

Not an Enemy of Israel

On the one hand Saudi Arabia is, together with Israel, the most important US ally in the Middle East; on the other, Saudi Arabia lays claim to a leadership role in the Arab and Muslim world, where radical anti-Israel positions are widespread. By Guido Steinberg