Tag Archives: United Nations

Rethinking our power and influence in a network centred world

Posted on May 28, 2012 by

William Hague is due to arrive in Moscow today to discuss the civilian massacres in Syria with the country’s closest Security Council ally. At the same time the UN Security Council has convened an emergency session to discuss what the … Continue reading →

Posted in British Foreign Policy, Ecumenism | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Avoiding a Diplomatic Train Wreck in New York.

Posted on September 14, 2011 by

Earlier this year, June 26th, President Abbas announced his decision to seek recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations along the 1967 borders with a right of return for refugees. There is intense diplomatic uncertainty, not to say anxiety, as to … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Peace Process | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Syria – Paying the Price for Our Mission Creep in Libya?

Posted on June 15, 2011 by

Today the United Nations Security Council will debate  Libya. It will take stock of the situation on the ground and assess the steps that have been taken to uphold UNSCR 1973. At the same time Britain and France will continue … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Operation Odyssey – The Last Hurrah for Liberal Interventionism?

Posted on March 21, 2011 by

Does the interpretation of and subsequent implementation of UNSCR 1973 make further humanitarian interventions less or more likely? I know this is a hypothetical question, and I recognise we are only a few short days in to Operation Odyssey, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, British Foreign Policy | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

UNSC Resolution 1973: Too Little, Too Late?

Posted on March 18, 2011 by

Last night the United Nations Security Council passed a robust and far reaching Resolution in response to the situation in Libya. Whatever happens from here this is an important moment in the life of the United Nations. There is no … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, British Foreign Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Ragged Rocks of Justice

Posted on March 10, 2011 by

The scenes of devastation and destruction emerging from Libya have rightly provoked international condemnation. Libya’s referral to the International Criminal Court for further investigation signal a rules based international order based on universal human rights and values. That is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Justice | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Libya and the Limits of British Foreign and Defence Policy

Posted on February 28, 2011 by

Libya appears to be on the edge of a precipice – teetering between the imminent overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi and a slow descent into a bloody and protracted civil war. Governments around the world have been slow to recognise that … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Libya: Whatever Happened to the Chicago Principles and our International Responsibility To Protect?

Posted on February 23, 2011 by

Even with media access to Libya seriously restricted pictures emerging from the country are shocking in the extreme. Even without the pictures the inflammatory language used by Colonel Gaddafi leaves one in no doubt that even though his grip on … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

For the sake of Climate Change do we Need to Abandon the UN Negotiating Process?

Posted on November 26, 2010 by

A year after the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, negotiators will reconvene on Monday this time in Cancun, Mexico for the start of two weeks of talks on climate change.  Will Cancun succeed where Copenhagen failed? What are the stumbling … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

How do you legislate for the Jesus nut?

Posted on October 29, 2010 by

For the last two days I’ve been participating in an expert seminar here in London on the arms trade. Its been a welcome break from trying to make sense of last week’s Strategic Defence Review. The seminar is the latest in … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms Trade | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments