Entries by paula@hcss-site

Information & Security vol. 33: Evolving Concepts of Security

Edited by Milos Jovanovic, Fraunhofer INT, and Tim Sweijs, HCSS This volume looks into the challenges of formulating and implementing a comprehensive approach to security while taking into account the perceptions of variety of stakeholders. It includes studies on the Syrian asylum seekers in view of the concept of human security, CBRN crisis management frameworks, […]

Common natural gas purchases may get green light from EU

European Union member states and natural-gas companies may get the green light to examine common gas purchases as a tool to boost their bargaining power vis-a-vis Russia and other external suppliers. The European Commission, the regulatory arm of the 28-nation EU, plans to improve oversight of gas deals and to seek closer regional cooperation under […]

Turkey to enhance presence in Asia with China’s new bank

In an interview with Ankara-based Anadolu Agency, Willem Oosterveld said that Turkey and Turkish companies have a clear stake in the country’s membership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as Turkey is a key western terminus of China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative. The AIIB is the principal vehicle for financing projects relating […]

Time for Iran to become a constructive player in the Middle East

Implementation Day has rightly been hailed as a landmark event that heralds the return of Iran into the fold of the international community. Coming at the end of months of tense diplomatic activity between Tehran and the EU3+3, it is another piece of evidence that shows that Iran is able to engage in constructive engagement […]

Ja, de kiezer kan de democratie om zeep helpen

De burger is in staat om via de stembus zijn eigen belangen te schaden en zelfs de democratie om zeep te helpen. Dat is, in mijn woorden, de korte samenvatting van ‘Weerbare Democratie’, een in boekvorm uitgegeven proefschrift van Bastiaan Rijpekerk. Ik moest eraan denken naar aanleiding van de discussie in Polen waar stukje bij […]

Oil’s plunge a helping hand as Gazprom cements German grip

Russia increased its European natural gas market dominance last year, supplying more than half of Germany’s imports as oil’s longest slump on record made its fuel more attractive. Germany will remain an important buyer of Russian gas in the future for sure, especially since Gazprom’s pivot to Asia is not going according to plan and […]

Hoe groot is Islamitische Staat in Rusland?

In verband met de aanslagen in Istanboel zijn door de Turkse politie drie Russen opgepakt. Rusland voert sinds eind September vorig jaar bombardementen uit in Syrië ter ondersteuning van de Syrische President Assad. Maar, ook veel Russen, vooral uit de deelrepublieken uit de Noordelijke Kaukasus, zijn naar Syrië afgereisd om zich daar aan te sluiten […]

Politici, steek meer tijd in het uitleggen van besluiten

Lag het aan de vluchtelingencrisis en de terreur dat de burger vorig jaar weer bozer is geworden? In ieder geval constateerde het SCP in december dat het vertrouwen in de politiek weer is gedaald. En toch geeft de gemiddelde burger zijn eigen leven een dikke voldoende. Rara, hoe kan dat? Kennelijk lijden we collectief onder […]

Planetary Security Initiative

Our world faces increasingly complex threats and risks – and climate change is part of many of them. A growing number of research centres and experts have shown the general nature of these risks and tracked their impact on politics, peace and conflict. The United Nations, the World Economic Forum, NATO, the European Union and many governments have […]

Nord Stream 2 is facing opposition from Naftogaz

Russia’s plan to double the size of the Nord Stream pipeline running under the Baltic to Germany is coming under fire from Ukraine’s Naftogaz, which loged a complaint with the Energy Community. Naftogaz claims the pipeline project, agreed between Russia’s Gazprom and a consortium of Western European companies, violates EU energy market regulations. What impact […]