DGAP in the news

WTO Ministerial in Geneva

Interview with Katharina Gnath
21.07.2008 | SR3-Saarlandwelle

In an interview with Saarlandwelle, Katharina Gnath assesses the chances of success for this week's "Mini Ministerial" at the WTO in Geneva where 30 to 40 trade ministers will convene to revitalise the stagnating Doha negotiations. The prospects for a deal are bleak: The EU, the US and big emerging countries such as India or Brazil continue to fundamentally disagree on questions of agricultural subsidies and market access for industrial goods.

„Obama is planning a coalitation of those willing to pay“

Interview with Josef Braml
18.07.2008 | Financial Times Deutschland

Josef Braml, expert on the United States at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin, warns of too much Obama euphoria. “Many expect the arrival of the Messiah, who is going to lead America back to the path of virtue. I’m afraid, they may expect too much.” If elected, Obama’s main focus will be to solve the domestic economic problems. “He needs a lot of money for this”, says Braml. Consequently, Obama’s foreign policy would pass the costs for the deployment of foreign troops on to allies. Thus, Obama would attempt to turn Bush’s Iraq war “coalition of the willing” into a “club of members willing to pay.”

Germany in the UN Security Council

Interview with Henning Riecke
15.07.2008 | Deutsche Welle TV, Tagesthema

Should Germany continue to seek a permanent seat in the UN Security Council? Yes, said Dr. Henning Riecke in the "Tagesthema" of the Deutschen Welle TV, on the occasion of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's visit to Berlin. The expansion of the Security Council is part of a reform of the UN as a whole, clearly in Germany's interest. German foreign policy can well create influence in multilateral institutions. To be sure, the outlook for this is still bleak: Italy is working against the German accession, permanent member China against that of Japan, plus there is no African candidate yet. Germany is right to keep the topic on the agenda and to make compromise proposals, but should underline its claim by taking over responsibility in stabilizing international order.

Mediterranean Progress?

Interview with Jan Techau
11.07.2008 | Deutsche Welle online

In an interview with Deutsche Welle Online, Jan Techau analyzed the upcoming founding of the new Union for the Mediterranean by the EU. Techau expressed his scepticism about the endeavour, pointing to fact that the new body’s predecessor, the EU’s Barcelona process, had failed mostly due to the reluctance of Mediterranean countries to embrace liberal economic and political reforms. Principally, however, the new approach seems to be an improvement as it replaces hard-to-implement macro-projects with smaller, more practical, and thus more feasible plans.

G8 agenda in Toyako

Interview with Katharina Gnath
08.07.2008 | Rosbalt News Agency

Katharina Gnath told the Russian News Agency Rosbalt that this year's summit agenda is unusually broad: Beyond traditional topics of international economics and finance, the heads of states and governments of the leading industrialised countries discuss a broad range of issues, including energy security in the face of high commodity prices, climate change and the current food crisis.

US-forces in Germany

Interview with Dr. Henning Riecke
08.07.2008 | Ceska Televize

What experiences do the Germans have with the deployment of US forces on their territory? Dr. Henning Riecke commented on this question in the public network's news magazine of the Czech Republic, where a contract on a US radar installation will be signed these days. Riecke saw the US deployment in Germany as an expression of jointness in security policy in the Northatlantic Alliance. The US forces are also a an important factor for the regional economy, although the Federal Gortvenmnent has to carry some costs for maintenance and damage management. The announced withdrawal of US-troops will go ahaead slower and on a smaller scale, but will lead to a concentration on fewer US bases. Questions regarding the safety and the future of US nuclear weapons in Germany, says Riecke, should be debated in the NATO framework.

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