Research Papers

Euromid regularly produces research papers on various subjects. Below are details of our most recent publications.

On the ‘Muddle East’ scene, the latest news is that a multinational force is being deployed in the south of Lebanon under the insignia of the United Nations and the terms of UNSC resolution 1701 . The weeks leading to the launch of UNIFIL 2 – named after the UNIFIL mission of 1978 - were characterised by reservations concerning the mandate of mission, considered ambiguous, and by a diffuse misreading of the role of peacekeepers. (more)

On Sunday, June 25, members of Hamas' military wing killed two Israeli soldiers and captured one during a cross-border raid in the Kerem Shalom base, in the south of Israel. On Tuesday 27, Israeli responded sending IDF units to the Gaza Strip with the official goal of rescuing Corporal Gilead Shilat. On the same day, however, Israeli forces arrested dozens of Hamas cabinet ministers and lawmakers, suggesting that the Israeli incursion could go beyond the incursion's stated purpose ,rescuing the kidnapped soldier, and involve a direct attack against members of the Hamas-led PA government. (more)

The Gaza crisis is taking place in the backdrop of a situation that in Gaza and in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, is worsening day after day. (more)

The Euro-Mediterranean Summit was summoned on 28 November 2005 in Barcelona to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, launched on 28 November 1995 in the Catalan city. Ten fact that ten years after 25 ministries and heads of states and governments had signed a joint ministerial declaration, only a lame 'statement by the chairman' closed a conference with only two due high ranking delegations attending it ( Turkey and the Palestinians), gives the dimension of the 'great success' that Chairman Tony Blair ascribed to the recent Barcelona gathering....(more)

EU-Iran talks collapsed in August when Iran ended its suspension of uranium conversion, the first step towards making enriched uranium, which can be used to fuel nuclear reactors or/and as the explosive core of atom bombs. Iran has repeatedly said it will continue with conversion work, although it is suspending actual enrichment as a confidence-building measure. Backed by the United States, the European Union is trying to resume talks with Iran on guaranteeing the Islamic Republic is not secretly developing nuclear weapons....(more)

"Short history of Iran’s nuclear program", 14 september 2005. The Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear program goes back to many decades. The foundations for Iran's nuclear program were laid in the 1960, within the framework of bilateral agreements between Iran and the US. In 1968, Iran became part to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) restricting the possession of nuclear weapons (art.1) and preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons. After 1968, Iran's atomic agency was established and plans were drawn by Shah Pahlavi - Iran's monarch - to construct nuclear power stations across the country. By 1975, the U.S. and Iran brokered the ‘U.S.-Iran Nuclear Cooperation’, laying out the details of the sale of nuclear energy equipment and other peaceful nuclear facilities....(continue).

"The EU-Syria Association Agreement", 25 May 2004. After finalising negotiations in December 2003, the EU is to sign an Association Agreement with Syria in Spring 2004. The last country yet to sign this bilateral agreement in the framework of the Euromediterranean Partnership, Syria is arguably also the most interesting. This paper casts light on several issues the EU may wish to consider whilst pondering the strengthening of links with the hereditary Arab republic.....(continue).

The European Neighbourhood Policy and the Nroader Middle East - Institucional options for a coherent policy and reinforced multilateral partnership in the light of the review of thz Barcellona Process, 20 June 2005. In Article 56 of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe the EU's external action is provided with new instruments. Through these the Union seeks 'to establish an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, founded on the values of the Union and characterised by close and peaceful relations based on co-operation'. The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), unveiled after the 1 May 2004 enlargement, echoes the wording of the Constitution for Europe, in that it purports to bring neighbouring countries - including Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs) - closer to EU economic and political standards, although with no prospective of membership.......(continue).

The European Neighbourhood Policy.......PDF Version .Word version

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