Politics

Presidential Elections in Turkmenistan

Opposition Left Out in the Cold

Turkmenistan will elect a new president this coming Sunday. For the first time, citizens have the chance to choose between several candidates. But the victor is already a foregone conclusion – the old, new President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov. Gesine Dornblüth reports
EU Positions on Turkey's Membership

Negotiations in the Freezer

Views on Turkey's EU membership bid are still widely divergent in many European countries and in all political parties. Daniela Schröder summarizes the various European positions
Islamic Banking

Investing as Pleases God

Financial transactions in accordance with Islamic law are gaining ground. Klaus Hachmeier discusses "riba" prohibition, "murabaha" transactions and other principles of Islamic banking
Holocaust Research

The Arab Righteous of the Maghreb

Was there an Arab Raoul Wallenberg? This question was the inspiration for Robert Satloff's five-year research into the "lost stories of the Holocaust's long reach into the Arab lands". Götz Nordbruch takes a look at Satloff's findings
Escalation in the Palestinian Territories

High Noon in Gaza!

Fighting between fractions from Palestinian Hamas and those from the Fatah movement has reached a bloody climax in the Gaza strip. Christian Sterzing reports with an appraisal of the situation
Interview with Burhan Ghalioun

"The West Has Relied Too Much on Violence"

If George Bush had his way, the principle under which Western policy in the Middle East is pursued should be: where violence doesn't help, try more violence. Syrian-born Burhan Ghalioun, told Mona Sarkis why he believes this approach has polarised the region
Analysis F. Stephen Larrabee

Central Asia's Other Turkmenbashis

A dictator's sudden death almost always triggers political instability. But it is doubly dangerous when it poses a risk of region-wide destabilization and a scramble for influence among the world's greatest military powers, argues F. Stephen Larrabee
Europe and Central Asia

Dictators, Politics and Oil

Germany intends to launch a new foreign policy initiative to build closer ties between the EU and the countries of Central Asia. But dealing with dictatorships in this key region poses a major challenge. Marcus Bensmann reports from Baku
Turkish Media Comment on the Murder of Hrant Dink

"The Hostile Bullet Backfired"

Although Hrant Dink had been taken to court over his statements on the genocide against the Armenians and had been attacked by the main Turkish media as a "traitor," it was now the same media which used his murder to invoke a new national unity. Antje Bauer reports
Joint Palestinian and Israeli Curriculum Project

Learning Each Other's Historical Narrative

In 1998, the Palestinian educationalist Sami Adwan and the Israeli psychologist Dan Bar-On founded the Peace Research Institute in the Middle East. Now, they have developed an unusual history textbook for the school system. By Joseph Croitoru
Obituary Hrant Dink

A Voice of Moderation and Humanity

Following the assassination of Hrant Dink, one of the most prominent voices of Turkey's shrinking Armenian community, the country is still in a state of shock. Dorian Jones, Istanbul, remembers of the courageous editor of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly "Agos"
EU-Syrian Relations

Acting in Good Faith

Despite the fact that Syria is a pariah of the international community, the EU has granted Syria millions in aid money - on the condition that it be used for the promotion of good government, social development and equitable economy. Tiziana Sforza reports