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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- Russian Calls to Recognize Georgian Breakaways
- Israel Frees Palestinian Prisoners
- Democratic National Convention Kicks Off
- Karzai Denounces U.S. Air Strike

TOP OF THE AGENDA: Russia’s Nod to Georgia’s Separatists

Russian lawmakers have adopted a resolution (RFE/RL) urging Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister told Spiegel Online that Russia would begin withdrawing troops from the two Georgian areas in “days not weeks,” but warned that allowing Georgia into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would be very dangerous. The Washington Post reports that death tolls for the Russia-Georgia war have most likely been overstated, but hundreds of thousands did flee their villages. Christian Science Monitor takes a Kremlin-sponsored trip to see the war’s effects in South Ossetia.

A new report from the European Council on Foreign Relations suggests the European Union should help stabilize other “frozen conflicts” instead of focusing on short-term sanctions against Russia.

In Newsweek, CFR President Richard N. Haass argues that Russia should be kept in the G8 and that U.S. barriers to Russia joining the World Trade Organization should be lowered. “We have a range of interests,” he writes, “and Russia, for better or worse, is critical to many of them.”

CAMPAIGN 2008: Biden’s Foreign Policy

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) announced on Saturday that former Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the Democratic senator from Delaware, will be his running mate. The Los Angeles Times and New York Times look at Biden’s foreign policy record, with special emphasis on Iraq and the Balkans.

The Washington Post says party unity tops the agenda as the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Denver.

This CFR.org Candidate Position Tracker details Biden’s views on a range of foreign policy issues.

RUSSIA: Obama urged the international community to maintain pressure on Russia to comply with the negotiated cease-fire on Saturday.

IRAQ: Both presidential candidates released statements over the weekend commenting on U.S.-Iraq negotiations for a Status of Forces Agreement. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he was “pleased” that security in Iraq “has improved to the point at which we can responsibly talk with our Iraqi allies about U.S. troop withdrawals.”

Obama said he is “glad” that the Bush administration is working to negotiate a withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq. The agreement should be “carefully reviewed, and must include immunity for U.S. troops and Defense Department personnel from Iraqi jurisdiction,” Obama said.

MIDEAST: Israel Frees Palestinians

Israel is freeing 198 Palestinian prisoners (YNet) today in a goodwill gesture ahead of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit to the region.

UAE: Citizens of the United Arab Emirates are having trouble getting jobs (The National) because their educational training is in the wrong fields.

Lebanon: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner tells Lebanon that France-Lebanon relations are dependent on Lebanon-Syria relations (Daily Star).

ASIA: China-South Korea Summit

The Chinese and South Korean presidents met today in Seoul and agreed to continue cooperating closely (Seoul Times) on the North Korea nuclear issue as well as to expand economic ties.

China: Analysts wonder if the Olympics will have a lasting effect on China (LAT).

SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA: Karzai Hits U.S. Strike

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai says a U.S.-led air strike killed seventy-six Afghan civilians (LAT).

Pakistan: The country’s shaky coalition government faced a crucial deadline Monday for a deal on reinstating deposed judges (AP).

In an interview with Newsweek International, Pakistan’s Asif Ali Zardari, head of the Pakistan People’s Party, discusses the country’s coalition government and says it is “stable enough to last for five years.” Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States discussed the post-Musharraf transition at the Center for Strategic and International Studies last week.

India: The Washington Post reports that violence against women is the fastest-growing crime in India, though new educational opportunities have opened for women in the country.

AFRICA: S. Africa Rules on Chinese Status

A South African court ruled that South African Chinese people should be considered black (The National) under the economic empowerment laws instituted post-apartheid.

Zimbabwe: The head of the International Crisis Group’s Africa program argues that a power-sharing deal will only be possible in Zimbabwe if the military’s control over politics is dismantled (East African).

Nigeria: Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua will announce an economic development package (Vangaurd) for the Niger Delta region within the month.

AMERICAS: ICC Studies Colombian Abuses

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) visits Colombia this week to determine whether the ICC should open an official investigation into the country’s paramilitaries, the FARC guerrilla group, and politicians allegedly linked to the paramilitaries.

Adam Isacson writes on the Plan Colombia and Beyond blog that political pressure on the “para-politics” investigation has increased.

Mexico: Giving Mexican women access to abortions has proven challenging since the passage of a law legalizing the procedure in Mexico City last year (NYT).

EUROPE: Swiss Role in Nuclear Intrigues

The New York Times reports on the Swiss government’s decision to destroy a huge cache of files documenting the links between a family of Swiss engineers and nuclear scientists in Libya and Iran.

TRANSNATIONAL: Private Aid to End Poverty

Two experts from the Brookings Institution argue that private donors have the potential to be more effective at reducing poverty than traditional aid channels.

OPINION ROUNDUP

In Monday’s Roundup: Closing Ceremonies, Porcupine States, and Zardari’s Presidential Bid.

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