New EA correspondent Aysegül Er offers this report on events in Europe:
On Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, meeting in Paris, put forth a ten-year blueprint for political and economical cooperation. The blueprint complements and extends a security cooperation which has been marked for 20 years by regular meetings of the Franco-German Defense and Security Council and an economic relationship in which bilateral trade reached €137.3 billion ($187 billion) in 2008.
The new cooperation covers diplomatic policy, security, defense coordination, economic and fiscal initiatives, environment protection, and biological diversity. Technological concerns also have emerged in initiatives such as a cross-border electro-mobility program for electric cars, joint bureaus dedicated to renewable energy, and aeronautic co-operation.
UPDATE 1245 GMT: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Israeli President Shimon Peres, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have all offered congratulations. The Taliban, however, are ruining the party: “We have seen no change in his strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghanistan”
UPDATE 1135 GMT: Another reader jumps in, “I’m positive. He has given us hope, gives it still.”
UPDATE 1035 GMT: An EA contributor is in the midst of a heated discussion on Facebook. Most of the reaction is far from thrilled: “are you serious?”, “farcical”, “very ridiculous”. This, from our contributor, is the sharpest point: “The Nobel prize has a very good rationale if it is awarded to people who are persecuted because of their activities, such as Shirin Ebadi, Chinese dissidents, Ms. Maguire, etc. It makes no sense whatsoever to assign it to some who is well-fed, well-protected, in favour of troop rises in Afghanistan, and who wins it for 1 speech in Cairo and another one in the UN containing vague promises on nuclear disarmament, becoming buddies with the Islamic world, and other assorted dreams. It’s actually almost pathetic…”
EA Staffer #1: Wonder what folks in Afghanistan think?
A Reader: How can Obama get the Nobel Peace Prize hours before the US is supposed to bomb the Moon?! Read the rest of this entry »
Lebanon: Hezbollah in Government: Prime Minister-designate Sa’ad Hariri declared on Wednesday: “The national unity government will include the [ruling] March 14 alliance, and I also want to assure the Israeli enemy that Hezbollah will be in this government whether it likes it or not because Lebanon’s interests require all parties be involved in this cabinet.”
France and Germany Speak Out on Middle East, Iran: On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then reiterated Germany’s call for two-state solution: “We shouldn’t let the window of opportunity pass… The time is absolutely right. Let us do everything to use it.” Read the rest of this entry »
The four-hour meeting between President Obama’s envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ended. Predictably, there has been no agreement on the settlement issue. However, the joint statement put out by both sides characterized the meeting as “good” and added: “Both sides [Israelis and Palestinians] need to take practical steps towards furthering the peace.” Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE 1730 GMT: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has said today that Israel and the United States are nearing a compromise that would allow for the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians and as well as “normal life” for Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
However, Netanyahu held firm on his stance that Israel will not limit Jewish construction in East Jerusalem. “The settlers need kindergartens and homes for their families,” adding that this does not mean that this would necessitate expropriating more land in the West Bank.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in London, scheduled to meet his British counterpart Gordon Brown on Tuesday and President Obama’s envoy George Mitchell on Wednesday before seeing German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »
Saturday is likely to be a steady-as-she-goes day, as the regime tries to consolidate its hold on public space, and any political discussions occur in private.
The non-appearance of the Supreme Leader at Friday prayers sent a powerful message to Iranians. Ayatollah Khameini could stay away because the situation was returning to normal, with a reduction in the demonstrations on the streets and less vocal opposition from key politicians. Read the rest of this entry »
After a visit to the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Obama, and camp survivor Elie Wiesel made these statements:
CHANCELLOR MERKEL: (As translated.) Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen. Here in this place a concentration camp was established in 1937. Read the rest of this entry »
New EA correspondent Aysegül Er offers this report on events in Europe:
Lebanon: Hezbollah in Government: 
The four-hour meeting between President Obama’s envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ended. Predictably, there has been 
Saturday is likely to be a steady-as-she-goes day, as the regime tries to consolidate its hold on public space, and any political discussions occur in private.
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