Politics

German-Iraqi Relations

Coming to Grips with the Past

The director of Germany's vast archive on East Germany's secret police has met with Iraqi groups in Washington to counsel them on how to proceed with a similarly difficult attempt to deal with the past.
Malaysia

Mahathir's Difficult Inheritance

Malaysia enjoys a reputation as one of the world’s few modern Islamic countries. However, Mahatir Mohamad's policy of favouritism towards the Muslim community has lead to an ethnification of the country’s society. Charlotte Wiedemann reports
Cyprus

Election Ends in Tie

Preliminary results show that Sunday's Turkish Cypriot elections, crucial to the fate of the divided island of Cyprus, ended in a dead heat, with two rival blocs landing 25 parliamentary seats each.
Germany

Arms Exports Under Fire

The German government approved weapon exports worth some €3.2 billion ($3.95 billion) in 2002, making the country the world’s fifth largest arms seller, an annual report has revealed.
Iraq

Chirac, Schröder Support Debt Relief

U.S. envoy James Baker met with French and German leaders on Tuesday. Both are willing to reach a deal to ease Iraq's debt, but the prickly issue of the awarding of contracts to rebuild Iraq still leaves open questions.
The Iraq Crisis

Saddam Hussein's Uncertain Future

Great Britain is in favor of trying Saddam Hussein before the Iraqi War Crimes Tribunal and Iraqi leaders say such a trial will have an "international dimension." But the U.S. has stayed quiet on the captive's future.
Digital Divide

Trying to Narrow the Gap

World leaders were in Geneva for the World Summit on the Information Society, aimed to bridge the "digital divide" between rich and poor. But forging common ground in the face of sundry interests will prove difficult.
Media Dialogue

Whither Iran?

The Iranian delegates at the third German-Iranian media dialogue in Berlin unanimously agreed that Iran needs reforms. What they could not reach agreement on was what sort of reforms it needs. Peter Philipp attended the event.
Anti-Semitism Debate

EU Survey Dogged by Controversy

A study on anti-Semitism, allegedly quashed by the EU for singling out Muslims and pro-Palestinian groups for anti-Jewish violence, has now unofficially been published on the net. Allegations of censorship are flying.
Afghanistan

From Mujahedeen to Farmer

Without disarming the country's 100,000 guerilla fighters, there's no way Afghanistan can count on a peaceful future. So far, too few have put down their weapons. But those who have face difficult choices. Report: Sandra Petersmann
The Uncertain Future of International Law

Terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and poverty. These are the issues that were focused on during a two-day conference organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Institute of International Law at Petersberg near Bonn.
A Role Model for Many Iranian Intellectuals

Roshanak Daryoush, Iranian translator and writer, died in early November in German exile. The organisation "Writers in Prison" raised awareness for her case, as it did for many other Iranian writers. Peter Philipp reports