HELSINKI, March 24. The war in Iraq has dealt a serious blow to
the system of international law. As a result of the war, which was
begun without UN approval, international law will suffer a major
setback, said Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja during an
appearance on Finnish television on Saturday, March 22.
Tuomioja said that it was important that the US' chosen manner of
behaviour did not turn into a 'generally accepted model' on the
basis of which any state could prevent or attempt to prevent a real
or exaggerated threat from another state by the use of military
force. He said that Europe and other countries should work to ensure
that a new understanding of the importance of multilateral
cooperation and taking into account mutual interests becomes
embedded in the international community before too much harm is done
and many people die.
DISCUSSION
Russia's
forthcoming entry into the WTO continues to provoke heated debate.
Optimists see a golden economic future, but pessimists fear the
consequences for the poorer sections of Russian
society.
The
restructuring of state energy holding UES of Russia will be
carried out under the control of the government and the holding's
new shareholders, who have successfully cut the 'energy cake'
between them.
France and
Germany's policy is causing a rift within NATO which could
eventually lead to the loss of US influence in Europe and EU
displacement of NATO.
Russia has
overtaken Saudi Arabia in terms of oil production. However, there is
unlikely to be any increase in export capacity in the near future.
If it
continues being pampered, the Russian auto industry may go belly up
when forced into equal competition with foreign makers.
Rosbalt's
German-based writer offers five highly personal views of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, portraying the depth of feeling that
separates the participants.