COMMENTARIES
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Spotlight West Asia
Current Syrian Peace Processes Sterile: A New Approach Needed
Ranjit Gupta · 14 Mar, 2016 · #4997 · Commentary · Column
Several initiatives have been taken to try to end the war in Syria. The first was by the Arab League, then Geneva I and Geneva II by Russia and other countries, and finally, the Vienna Process, where even a calendar of steps for bringing peace t...
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Dateline Colombo
Conflict to Co-existence: Debating Heritage and Homogenisation
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera · 08 Mar, 2016 · #4996 · Commentary · Column
“From amidst the Samanola’s montane rings
And sprawling glades there serenely springs
The Lotus-the Buddha’s Sacred Feet,
Ushering Loving-kindness wide, in surfeit
This is our heritage and birth-right
...
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Pakistan: Kamal’s Dramatic Return and the Fate of MQM-A
Rana Banerji · 04 Mar, 2016 · #4995 · Commentary
On 03 March 2016, the former Mayor of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal, held a press conference to announce the formation of a new insofar unnamed political party. His castigation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Altaf's (MQM-A) leader Altaf Hussain as...
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Tibetan Parliamentary Elections in Exile: Glitches and Prospects
Apa Lhamo · 04 Mar, 2016 · #4994 · Commentary
The preliminary round of the direct election to elect the 'Sikyong' (prime minister) and 'Chithue' (members) of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile was held on 18 October 2015. The final round is scheduled for 20 March 2016. How much...
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Forecast 2016: Afghanistan
Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy · 25 Feb, 2016 · #4993 · Commentary
In 2015, Afghanistan swung back and forth between several transitions. Insurgency reached levels insofar unseen since 2001. As late as December 2015, the Afghan Taliban, notwithstanding its internal problems, showed no signs of retreating for wi...
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Strategic Space
Pak's Nuclear 'Normality' through External Deals: Chasing a Chimera
Manpreet Sethi · 22 Feb, 2016 · #4992 · Commentary · Column
Several recent writings have recommended how Pakistan could and should be accommodated into the nuclear mainstream. Mark Fitzpatrick, a non-proliferation analyst at the IISS, London, had advocated this through his Adelphi paper entitled “Ove...
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India-Nepal
Significance of Prime Minister KP Oli's New Delhi Visit
Pramod Jaiswal · 19 Feb, 2016 · #4991 · Commentary
The Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Sharma Oli, will his maiden visit to India, from 19 February 2016. During his six-day visit, he is scheduled to meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari, Indian Prime Minister Nar...
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Examining Iran’s Ballistic Missile Test
Kimberley Anne Nazareth · 21 Feb, 2016 · #4990 · Commentary
Iran’s recent firing of its ballistic missile – the second since the nuclear deal – has further fueled regional apprehensions regarding the deal. Do these concerns mirror those of the international community? What are the motiv...
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The Maldives-EU
Should Europe Impose Sanctions on the Maldives?
Richard Howitt · 17 Feb, 2016 · #4989 · Commentary
One key test of democracy in countries where it has only recently emerged is based on how far the rights of the political opposition are fully respected. There is a temptation for governments to dismantle the tools that enabled them to be electe...
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Red Affairs
Forecast 2016: Shrinking Space for Left-wing Extremism
Bibhu Prasad Routray · 17 Feb, 2016 · #4988 · Commentary · Column
Left-wing extremism (LWE) in India has more or less ceased to be a national problem. Over the past two years, there has been a significant drop in the extremists' ability to orchestrate violence, and consequently, extremism-related deaths ha...
