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By Barbara Serra in Europe on November 21st, 2009

The Vatican may well describe Saturday’s talks between Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Pope Benedict as “cordial”, but for many Anglicans, relations between the two churches are anything but.

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 20th, 2009

 The US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once famously asked the question "Who do I call if I want to call Europe?" Now, for the very first time we have the answer to that question.

Baroness Cathy Ashton has been appointed Europe’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. In an interview with Aljazeera just moments after being chosen for the position she declared that she is the person Kissinger would call.

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 18th, 2009
Photos by AFP

We've spent the day wading through the murky waters of European politics. Leaders from across Europe arrive here in Brussels on Thursday to choose the first ever President of the European Council.

But we really have no idea who they are going to choose. The process has already been described as "secretive" - so much so, the former Latvian President Vaire Vike-Freiberga (herself a candidate) told the Times newspaper that the EU should:

"stop working like the former Soviet Union"

There is much debate about whether to choose a tough, high profile leader in order to affirm Europe's role on the world stage, or alternatively appoint a low key consensus politician from one of the smaller EU states. Both options have their critics. 

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 17th, 2009

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I thought this was an interesting observation on social media from the independent Australian Website Crikey.

The statement was sent to subscribers recently. It adds a note of caution for us all as we embrace new and social media platforms.

Dear Sole Subscriber,

 

The rise of social media presents vast opportunities for consumer empowerment, a more democratic media and resistance to the information control that the world’s worst regimes routinely practice.

 

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on November 13th, 2009

The European Parliament has endorsed a plan to give citizens from Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia the right to visa-free travel in most of the countries of the European Union.

It's expected that EU governments will give final approval to the plan by the end of the year. For citizens of those three countries, this is great news. Anyone who has travelled through the Western Balkans knows that people there feel cut-off and frustrated by the difficulty of obtaining a visa to go to the EU.

The sense of injustice is exasperated by the fact that, in the old days, citizens of Yugoslavia could travel freely around Europe.

But ... that still leaves Albania, Kosovo, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Except it's not quite that simple, as the Economist explains.

By Alan Fisher in Europe, Middle East on November 13th, 2009
Photo by Reuters

It's all about joining the dots.

The visit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Paris is the latest step in a process which could bring peace talks with Israel.

The two sides talked last year with the Turks as mediators. The Gaza War brought those discussions to an abrupt halt.

Now in the last 10 days, there's been some significant movement, which in some quarters is inspiring hope of renewed talks.

First, the Turkish foreign minister popped over to Paris. It's understood he was briefing the French on how far things had developed last year.

Then, the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu arrived for lunch on Wednesday and stayed for nearly two hours.

Those close to him say he's willing to talk to the Syrians again "without preconditions".

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on November 8th, 2009
Photo by Reuters

Berlin is gearing up for the 20th anniversary celebrations of that wonderful and unpredicted event, the fall of the Wall.

Leaders from around the world are flying in, the security tightening. I've been out and about on a very cold day, walking through the excited crowds that are milling aound the Brandenburg Gate, which will be the centre of the ceremonies. The people look prosperous and happy.

Berlin the city is a work in progress, but here in the centre, Mitte,  the government buildings are splendid and lavish. It's difficult to imagine that where we're walking, underneath the Gate,  was no-man's land just 20 years ago, a bleak landscape of barbed wire and floodlights, patrolled by East German guards who did not hesitate to shoot-to-kill. 

By Alan Fisher in Europe on November 5th, 2009
Photo by Getty Images

And so the climate change summit in Barcelona will draw to an end here on Friday with a draft agreement, a form of words that will make no one happy.

Remember this was meant to be the conference which paved the way for the big extravaganza in Copenhagen next month, where world leaders came together to sign up to legally binding commitments which would turn back climate change and save the world. Only it hasn’t. And they won’t.

The UN’s climate treaty man says it’s physically impossible to complete every detail of a treaty in Copenhagen. Given it’s been a two year process, that’s a bit hard to understand.

There are enough people here to get it done. There are enough climate change experts in Barcelona to fill a room. I know, because they have. What is missing is the political will to get things done.

By Alan Fisher in Europe on November 5th, 2009

Figures dominate the discussions here in Barcelona. In every corridor, every meeting hall, it’s all about the numbers.

So here are a few important ones:

Africa wants advanced economies to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2020. The European Union says it’ll cut by 20 percent but will go up to 30 percent if other countries pile on. Japan says it’ll cut 25 percent but hasn’t given any details of the conditions involved.

By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 5th, 2009

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On Monday Germany will mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are loads of celebrations planned, which culminate in the "Festival of Freedom".

There will be heads of state and guests from all over the world, including the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. There's even going to be a performance (I'm reliably informed) by "the Hoff" (David Hasselhoff), who remains enormously popular in Germany. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to turn up for the open air concert.

The main event, however, is going to involve giant dominos. Around 1,000 of the over-sized blocks will be knocked down a two kilometre route passing through the Reichstagsufer, the Brandenburg Gate to Potsdamer Plastz. It's designed to symbolise the fall of the Berlin Wall.

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