The EU & EgyptMiddle East peace Syria
  • Europe's struggle for influence in Egypt
    Insight by Rem Korteweg, 23 August 2013
    Europe's struggle for influence in Egypt
  • How the EU can help Kerry with Israeli and Palestinian peace talks
    Insight by Clara Marina O'Donnell, 07 August 2013
    How the EU can help Kerry with Israeli and Palestinian peace talks
  • A Balkan map for the road to Damascus?
    Bulletin article by Ian Bond, 24 May 2013
    A Balkan map for the road to Damascus?
  • 'One blood and one destiny?' Yemen's relations with the Gulf Co-operation Council
    Opinion piece by Edward Burke
    London School of Economics & Political Science, 20 June 2012

    For years Yemen has been the poor, neglected relation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Long-promised aid commitments from the GCC have not materialized because of concerns over Yemeni absorption capacity.

  • Let Russia show the way on Syria
    Opinion piece by Edward Burke
    The New York Times, 11 June 2012

    Like him or loathe him over his stance on Syria, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, is a better diplomat than most. Experience counts, and Lavrov has spent almost three decades at the United Nations.
  • Time for France to take the lead on Syria
    Bulletin article by Edward Burke, 25 May 2012

    Western policy towards Syria is a mess and needs to be rethought before it is too late. Lebanon is sliding into conflict and jihadist and other extremist groups have increased their presence in both countries.
  • Why closing the Irish embassy in Tehran is a mistake
    Opinion piece by Edward Burke
    Politico, 24 April 2012

    The recent furore over the closure of closure of the Irish Embassy to the Vatican drowned out any discussion over the withdrawal of other embassies, including that in Tehran last month. Almost unnoticed, Iran has been lumped in with Timor Leste as one of two other Irish diplomatic missions that is surplus to requirements.
  • A new political bargain in Afghanistan
    Bulletin article by Edward Burke, 26 March 2012

    Reports by official US agencies, such as the Government Accountability Office, make it crystal clear: the Afghan government is stealing money from the international community and from the Afghan people, on an alarming scale. US and European officials in Kabul are dismayed but seem paralysed: their response is to vow to ‘stay the course’.
  • The power balance in Afghanistan
    Opinion piece by Edward Burke
    The Times, 09 March 2012

    Letter to the editor (The Times)Sir, You say that the situation in Afghanistan is "not chaos" [see leading article 8 March 2012]. This assertion does not ring true.
  • Le veto russe sur la Syrie n’est pas injustifié
    Opinion piece by Edward Burke
    Le Temps, 28 February 2012

    Sans doute Moscou fait-il de la realpolitik en s’opposant à un projet de résolution du Conseil de sécurité exigeant le départ de Bachar el-Assad. Toutefois, la diplomatie russe a raison de penser qu’un tel texte serait intenable.
  • Russia is not completely wrong about Syria
    Insight by Edward Burke, 17 February 2012

    The Kremlin may be playing realpolitik and taking pride in blocking the West in Syria, but it has drawn attention to some weaknesses in Western diplomacy.