This Week at ISN

18 - 22 Feb 2013 Nationalism and balance of power politics continue to define the security dynamics of East and Northeast Asia. As China's influence grows and the United States' 'pivot' evolves, this week we consider how the region may respond to the geopolitical and security challenges that lie ahead.

Managing East and Northeast Asia

ANZUS and the Asia Pivot: A Fork in the Road?
18 Feb 2013

America's pivot to Asia is forcing many states in the region to try and strike a balance between their strategic relationship with Washington and their growing economic ties with China. John Bruni looks at Australia's and New Zealands attempts to reconcile these two imperatives. More More Security for Rising China, Less for Others?
19 Feb 2013

China's growing economic and political power is fueling its increasingly assertive regional policies. Denny Roy argues, however, that East Asia's evolving security architecture will also be defined by the willingness and ability of neighboring countries to stand up to Beijing's demands. More Mongolia's Turn at the 'Great Game'
20 Feb 2013

Mongolia's rich mineral reserves are turning it into a regional economic powerhouse. According to Alicia Campi, this growing wealth is emboldening Ulan Bator to develop energy policies that will serve its own interests, including the restructuring of Northeast Asia's energy markets. More Japan and the US Pivot to the Asia-Pacific
21 Feb 2013

Japan's so-called military normalization has raised eyebrows throughout the Asia-Pacific region. According to Matteo Dian, however, these developments do not reflect a more independent and assertive Japan. If anything, they illustrate a loss of Japanese bargaining power with the US. More The Diminishing Returns of China's North Korea Policy
22 Feb 2013

China continues to fear the possibility of a unified Korea being led by a pro-US government in Seoul. As a result, Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt believes Beijing will continue bankrolling North Korea, even as their onceclose political relationship continues to unravel. More

Security Watch
Diplomatic Efforts in Latin America Require Fresh Faces
18 Feb 2013

Now that he is US Secretary of State, will John Kerry nudge Washington to adopt a new diplomatic approach towards Latin America? Robert Valencia explores this question and the current status of the United States' bilateral relations with a region it once dominated. More

Kazakhstan: Astana Registers Diplomatic Boost with Iran Nuclear Talks

19 Feb 2013

Kazakhstan is set to host multinational talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program. Our partners at EurasiaNet consider how Astana pulled off this 'diplomatic coup' and what it might mean for the Central Asian state's international reputation. More Interview With Mary Ellen O'Connell, International Law Expert, on US Drone Policy
20 Feb 2013

In this interview with the IPI's Global Observatory, Mary Ellen O'Connell criticizes the US's legal justifications for its drone policies. The Obama administration, she argues, is "playing at making law" and undermining internationally accepted rules. More The Northern Ireland 'Flag-Riots': A One-Off or a Sign of Things to Come?
21 Feb 2013

Deciding to limit the number of days the Union Flag flies over Belfast recently resulted in sectarian violence, or so many have argued. Alex Mackenzie disagrees. To him, the 'flag riots' reflect something much deeper continued frustration with Northern Ireland's long-term structural problems. More China's Risky Strategy in Maritime Disputes
22 Feb 2013

China claims that it was unaware of a recent 'incident' involving Chinese and Japanese naval vessels. Our partners at STRATFOR warn that Beijing's muted response is deliberate. It is designed to convince its neighbors that the Chinese military might act independently to support Chinas territorial claims. More

ISN Blog
Conflicts and Conflict Resolution in the Caucasus
18 Feb 2013

The Center for Security Studies' most recent 'Evening Talk' provided us with a welcome opportunity to talk to Oxford University's Neil Macfarlane, who provided insights on the current status of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute and Georgia's breakaway republics. More Time to Deal with the Epidemic of Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean
19 Feb 2013

The deportation of convicts and a 'misguided' war on drugs are just two reasons behind an upsurge in crimerelated violence across Latin America and the Caribbean. To overcome this, Robert Muggah and Sam Doe suggest making 'citizen security' a core element of future development agendas. More The China-Japan Tango, Talks, and Time
20 Feb 2013

Jean-Marc Blanchard argues that Japan and China just don't get it. They need to remember that their 'political tango' includes more countries than just themselves. Then, they need to pursue more wide-ranging and creative policy options if they hope to overcome their mutual tensions. More "The Longest Sought, Hardest Fought Prize" A New Boost for the CTBT?
21 Feb 2013

The swift detection of North Korea's recent nuclear test shows that the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has the monitoring technologies it needs. What it still requires, argues Julia Kreienkamp, is the full ratification of the treaty by all signatory states. More India Gears up for a Heavyweight Clash at the Next General Election
22 Feb 2013

India is set to elect a new Prime Minister in 2014. Olof Blomqvist looks at the two leading candidates who, for very different reasons, can be considered among the 'heavyweights' of Indian domestic politics. More

Video
Australia-China Ties: In Search of Political Trust In this Lowy Institute video, Linda Jakobson analyzes the current state of diplomatic relations between Australia and China. She argues that while the two nations enjoy strong economic ties, the political and strategic relationship between Beijing and Canberra remains underdeveloped. More George Friedman on The State of the Union Address In this video, STRATFOR's Founder and Chairman, George Friedman, discusses the most important foreign policy aspects of President Barack Obama's recent State of the Union address. More Uncharted Strait: The Future of China-Taiwan Relations In this Brookings Institute video, Richard Bush examines the current state of diplomatic relations between China and Taiwan. He further outlines how the two countries could deepen their social, economic and political engagement. More

Would you like to link to the ISN? Copy the ISN logo to your website and create a link to (http://www.isn.ethz.ch).

International Relations and Security Network (ISN) - Managing information, sharing knowledge. www.isn.ethz.ch The ISN is a service of the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at the ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich). If you would like to change your subscription profile, please do so at: http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Services/Newsletters. Contacts: List moderator ISN Secretariat