战略与国际研究中心-Europe-Program-December-2005-E_7页_168kb

报告摘要

CSIS Europe Program E-Watch Summary - December 2005

Core Content Overview

The December 2005 issue of the CSIS Europe Program E-Watch provides a comprehensive overview of recent events, news, and analyses related to Europe and its relationship with the United States. It highlights key developments in political, economic, and security spheres, as well as upcoming activities and publications.

Recent Events (November 2005 - December 2005)

December 7th: CSIS hosted Rt. Hon. Barry Gardiner, the British Minister for Competitiveness, for a Transatlantic Briefing. The discussion focused on the UK's use of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance.
December 2nd–4th: The Brzezinski Scholars Forum was held in Kiev, Ukraine, with 35 Central and East European scholars participating. The forum addressed political and security challenges during the transition from communist regimes to free-market democracies.
November 20th–22nd: A U.S.-German Bilateral Dialogue took place in Berlin, Germany. Topics included security issues such as the Greater Middle East, China, Russia, defense transformation, and NATO-EU relations.
November 17th: CSIS hosted a Transatlantic Briefing with members of the Finnish National Defense College, covering Middle East security, NATO-EU relations, and Russia.

News & Analysis (November–December 2005)

Important Dates on the European Agenda

December 15–16: EU Summit in Brussels.
January 1: Start of Austrian EU Presidency.

Key Developments

EU Defense Agency (EDA): Established a Code of Conduct for creating a single European defense market on November 21.
Angela Merkel was sworn in as the first female German chancellor and the first from East Germany on November 22.
The Washington Post published an article on November 22 alleging the existence of secret CIA prisons in several European countries, sparking debate on transatlantic counter-terrorism methods.
EU and EUROMED neighbors agreed to a counter-terrorism Code of Conduct on November 28, during a summit celebrating the Barcelona Process.
The European Central Bank (ECB) raised its benchmark interest rate to 2.25% on December 1, the first increase in five years.
French President Jacques Chirac met with over 50 African leaders at the France-Africa Summit on December 3 to address poverty and illegal immigration.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began a five-day European tour on December 5 to discuss counter-terrorism and security efforts.
David Cameron was elected the new leader of the Conservative Party on December 6, with a shadow cabinet including key figures like William Hague and George Osborne.
Croatian Gen. Ante Gotovina was arrested in Spain on December 7.
Eastern EU border regions launched the Network of Eastern External Border Regions (NEEBOR) on December 8 to coordinate border security.

Country Highlights

Britain

David Cameron's leadership emphasizes "modern compassionate conservatism."
Additional £580 million was allocated for overseas military operations.
Gordon Brown downgraded the UK's economic growth forecast.

France

The French Senate discussed fiscal reform for the 2006 budget.
Nicolas Sarkozy is promoting a democratic primary system for the French presidency.
President Jacques Chirac addressed illegal immigration and fairer trade with African leaders.

Germany

A new ad campaign aimed at changing public opinion on domestic issues.
Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung pledged to maintain military reform plans and protect the defense budget.
Angela Merkel's trip to Europe signaled a shift from political paralysis to a clearer foreign policy stance.

Italy

Silvio Berlusconi faced criticism for electoral reforms and media access laws.
Concerns over global market pressures and Chinese competition threaten family-owned businesses in Italy.

Spain

Spain and Italy joined France in a three-way agreement to combat illegal immigration.
Spain and Venezuela signed a $2 billion arms deal, defying U.S. pressure.

Poland

Poland's new conservative government has raised concerns in Brussels.
The decision to release Cold War military files risks further tensions with Russia.

Transatlantic Relations

Condoleezza Rice improved relations with EU counterparts during her December 2005 visit, addressing counter-terrorism methods and security cooperation.
The U.S. and EU joined forces to combat piracy and counterfeiting during an informal meeting on December 1.
Oxfam warned of potential lawsuits over agricultural subsidies if not reduced during WTO talks.

CSIS Publications and Reports

Forthcoming Publications

"Visions of the Alliance: The United States, the European Union, and NATO" (December 2005), edited by Simon Serfaty, features contributions from leading scholars on transatlantic institutional, economic, and security issues.

Key Reports

"The United States, the European Union, and NATO: After the Cold War and Beyond Iraq" by Simon Serfaty discusses U.S.-EU-NATO relations and outlines strategic challenges.
"Test of Will, Tests of Efficacy" (2005) outlines a six-point agenda for renewing the transatlantic partnership, focusing on nuclear proliferation, Ukraine's democratic future, terrorism, WMD control, trade, and European defense.

Europe Program Director Dr. Robin Niblett: Recent Activities

"Europe Inside-Out" (Winter 2005–2006) discusses European politics and transatlantic relations.
"Diverging Paths Hurt U.S. and Europe" (September 2005) highlights growing tensions between the U.S. and Europe.
Niblett has been quoted in various media outlets, including BBC, Financial Times, and UPI, on topics such as transatlantic credibility, French-U.S. relations, and the Katrina crisis.

Europe Program Senior Adviser Dr. Simon Serfaty: Recent Activities

"Vital Partnership" (May 2005) is a transatlantic relations analysis with praise from prominent figures like Brent Scowcroft and John Hamre.
"A Europe of Weak Leaders", "Deadlocked Destiny", and "Terms of Estrangement" are recent op-eds and analyses on European leadership, NATO-EU relations, and French-American tensions.
Serfaty has participated in numerous panels and conferences, including the Istituto Affari Internazionali and the Transatlantic Policy Network, discussing European integration, NATO transformation, and global security.

Other Europe-Related CSIS News

The New European Democracies Project (formerly the East Europe Project) produces a weekly newsletter, Select Briefing, highlighting developments in new EU member states.
The International Action Commissions (IAC) organize events such as the Euro-Atlantic Action Commission and the U.S.-EU-Poland Action Commission, with Laura Jones as the coordinator.

Contact Information

For more information on events, contact Natalia Filipiak at NFilipiak@csis.org or (202) 775-3138.
Subscribe to the Select Briefing newsletter by sending an email to nedp@csis.org with your name, affiliation, and email address.
Visit www.csis.org/europe for conference reports, publications, and event details.

Summary of Key Themes

Security Cooperation: Focus on counter-terrorism, NATO-EU relations, and defense market integration.
Political Developments: Highlighting new leadership in key European countries and the impact of elections on foreign policy.
Economic Challenges: Including agricultural subsidies, interest rate changes, and trade negotiations.
Transatlantic Tensions and Collaboration: Addressing disagreements on counter-terrorism, security strategies, and economic policies.
European Integration: Ongoing debates on sovereignty, enlargement, and institutional reform.

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Center for Strategic & International Studies
1800 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006
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Website: http://www.csis.org/europe/index.htm

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