DGAP in the news

Junge DGAP in Frühcafé-Talk

04.03.2010 | tv.berlin

On the 3rd March 2010 TV. Berlin interviewed Bea Satory, Speaker for the JUNGE DGAP on the successful launch of the initiative in 2009 and the future developments, events and aspirations in the year to come. Discussed in general was an overview of the JUNGE DGAP, what is its purpose? Who is it aimed at and what does a membership offer.

Meeting of the Dalai Lama with President Obama

Interview with Prof. Dr. Eberhard Sandschneider
18.02.2010 | ARTE | Deutschlandradio | SWR

The dispute over the US visit of the Dalai Lama shows the relatively high willingness of both the USA and China to engage in conflict, said Prof. Dr. Eberhard Sandschneider, Otto Wolff-Director of the DGAP Research Institute, in interviews with the television channel ARTE and the radio channels Deutschlandradio and SWR. On the one hand, the US government is willing to offend China by inviting the Dalai Lama. On the other hand, China does not hesitate to provoke the United States by threatening to imposing sanctions on US companies. However, Sandschneider stressed as well that both countries are aware of their interdependency and share many interests. Furthermore, the Chinese government recognized that Obama was under domestic pressure to welcome the Dalai Lama. How much damage the meeting has caused will be visible in China’s future willingness to cooperate with the United States on important international matters.

“More sanctions against Iran miss the point“

Third-party article by Konstantin Kosten
10.02.2010 | Die Tagesspost

“All-embracing dialogue is the better alternative” says Konstantin Kosten, expert on Iran at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), with regard to upcoming new sanctions against Iran in a third-party article for the daily “Die Tagespost”. The Iran-policy of the 5+1 must not lose sight of its main ambition preventing a nuclear armed Iran and an arms race in the Near and Middle East. Tougher sanctions and isolation do not contribute here. Konstantin Kosten argues that for this reason, the time has come for an even more courageous Iran-policy being ready for further compromises during the negotiations. Despite of the fact that this promises a major success for a much contested government, the long-term result is crucial: “The Iranian people will obtain more and not less room for manoeuvre if Iran would be integrated in an all-embracing dialogue”.

German-french “Agenda 2020“ insufficient

Interview with Claire Demesmay
05.02.2010 | Die Welt

Claire Demesmay, head of the programme France/German-French Relations at the German Council of Foreign Relations, has evaluated the results of the twelfth meeting of the Franco-German minister council held on February 4th in Paris as “insufficient”. Indeed, the “Agenda 2020” has initiated about 80 Franco-German projects but it lacks great initiatives. Germany has reacted on the French proposals with too much hesitation, said Claire Demesmay. Thus, Sarkozy’s proposal of a joint ministry was refused by a German veto. The “Agenda 2020” includes the creation of 200 new Franco-German day-care centres, a bilateral youth parliament and a joint school textbook on European integration. Main subjects such as economics and finances have been neglected which, at the end, will cause problems for the future creation of the Euro-Zone.

Sanctions against Austria Unlikely in Today’s European Union

Commentary by Almut Möller
02.02.2010 | Der Standard

The European Union imposed sanctions against Austria ten years ago, when a government was formed in Vienna that included the xenophobic FPÖ party. The Austrians particularly resented the neighbouring Germany’s push for sanctions. “But the events back then have to be interpreted in a wider EU context”, said Almut Möller, an EU expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), in an interview with the Austrian daily Der Standard. The European Union was worried about its credibility. Only a few days before the sanctions were applied, the European Union had started accession negotiations. Applicant countries have to fulfil the Kopenhagen criteria. They include a democratic system and the rule of law, the respect of human rights as well as the protection of minorities. Back then, Möller said, these values had an important place in the European debates, as it was also shown in the deliberations in the European convention between 2002 and 2003. In the meantime the wind has changed. Values are being interpreted in a more flexible manner, often to the advantage of business relations e.g. with China. And in today’s European Union of 27 members, a united front like against Austria ten years ago is unthinkable, not the least because right wing populism has become a more common phenomenon.

Haiti needs a comprehensive reconstruction strategy

Interview with Fritjof von Nordenskjöld
18.01.2010 | Phoenix | Deutsche Welle | BR

Fritjof von Nordenskjöld, executive vice president of the DGAP, commented in a live interview with the television channel Phoenix, in the international talk show Quadriga of Deutsche Welle TV and in the Bavarian Radio Broadcaster on the current situation in Haiti. He requested that the international community should not restrict itself to relief supplies but should develop a comprehensive reconstruction strategy for Haiti. The aim should be to actively support the political, administrative and economic reconstruction of the country. In this context, von Nordenskjöld also emphasized that it is important to incorporate the Haitian society into the reconstructiom process and to be careful not to interfere with the country’s affairs.

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