“Internal stability and anti-terrorism are main focuses for the United States in Ethiopia,” said David Kramer, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Kramer was part of a panel of experts at the Center for Strategic & International Studies who held a discussion today on “Human Rights and Governance in Ethiopia.”

“We have seen a number of efforts that are perceived in many circles, in Ethiopia and here, of trying to close the political space in Ethiopia. Of immediate concern is the latest draft of the Charities and Societies Proclamation as well as the Media Law. Both of these run the risk of curbing freedom of speech, civic development and capacity building that we feel are very important to development of a democratic system and a respect to human rights in that country,” said Kramer.

Yoseph Mulugeta Badwaza, Secretary General of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, described the likely impact of the pending legislation known as the “CSO Bill,” which threatens non-governmental organizations that receive foreign contributions in support of human rights, civic education, and peace building activities. Ethiopia is currently the third largest recipient of U.S. aid in the African continent, and the panel agreed this legislation would severely hamper human rights regulation in the country.

Chris Albin-Lackey of Human Rights Watch said the draft of this legislation “isn’t just important in it of itself, it’s also very important as a bellwether and a very alarming signal about the overall direction that Ethiopia is moving in.”

“Important things are happening in Washington today,” John Hamre of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said at a joint press conference with the President of Kurdistan, Masoud Barzani, concerning the future of Iraq.

President Barzani stated that his visit comes at a critical time, not only for the United States but for the entire world because the new president of the United States impacts the world. President Barzani said that his visit is intended to express his gratitude to the United States for their assistance in getting Iraq out of a dictatorship.

“A great opportunity has come to Iraq. An opportunity to have democracy and a free state but there are challenges ahead,” President Barzani said. He stated that the role of the Kurds is important and that they have shed blood fighting along side the United States. “The Kurds will continue to play a positive role to have a federal democratic state in Iraq,” President Barzani said.

He further stated that Kurdistan will stay committed and determined to make sure terrorists aren’t able to find foot ground in Iraq. He wants to make sure that Kurdistan maintains good relations with their neighbors. “ A lot of good meetings have happened with Turkey and Iran and we hope it continues for the sake of everyones freedom,” President Barzani said.

President Barzani assured that there is a current agreement being drafted between Iraqi officials and the United States. He said that the agreement has a timetable for withdrawal of troops in 2011 and that this agreement is better then any agreement that has been made in the past. “Fortunately the terrorists have not been able to gain a base in our region. If we look at the situation now, the terrorists have been weakened and are losing ground. If we do not continue on the successes we have had, there is always a chance of them gaining strength again,” President Barzani concluded.

The United States, a country with so much abundance, cannot sit back as impoverished nations suffer from high food prices, said John Hamre, President and CEO of The Center for Strategic and International Studies. (more…)

At a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on developing definitive strategies against the world food shortage, Senator Robert Casey (D-Pa.) says Americans are summoned by their consciences to help. He said the extent of the food crisis is “hard to even comprehend.” (0:38)

 

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At the Center for Strategic and International Studies Nadia Bilbassy-Charters held a discussion with Patrick Cockburn, the author of “Muqtada: Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia Revival, and the Struggle for Iraq.” Bilbassy-Charters is the Senior Correspondent for Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) TV, and has been with the 101st Marines Division in Kuwait as well as The Sudan People’s Liberation Army. She talked with Cockburn about his new book and the power that the “poorly understood religious leader” Muqtada holds over Iraq. (more…)

Janusz Bugajski, Director of the CSIS New European Democracies Project, discusses Russia’s involvement with NATO and Ukraine. (0:47)

 

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The Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) held a press briefing discussing President Bush’s upcoming trip to the NATO summit. The panel leading the hearing investigated the effectiveness NATO, soon to celebrate its sixtieth anniversary, has had in policing the world, American involvement in Afghanistan, European involvement in Kosovo, missile defense, and the possible admittance of new nations into NATO.

Janusz Bugajski, director of the CSIS New European Democracies Project, emphasized how Membership Action Plans (MAPS) are sometimes successful, but limited, guidelines for the three nations trying to become allied with NATO to follow. As Bugajski cautioned, MAPS is not always effective for hopeful nations trying to gain admittance into the alliance.

Bugajski noted that US and Russian tension might “reach a head” over Ukraine’s possible admission into NATO. While President Bush is seen as a strong supporter of NATO enlargement, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, Bugajski explained, sees Ukraine’s entrance as an undercut in their strategy to influence Ukrainians.