One Week Later....

Russia/US: growing differences

In  Weekend retreat,  we said that US President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin would seek to exorcise ill-feeling by signing a joint strategic framework document.

• The two men failed to reach an agreement on a US-proposed missile defence plan in Central Europe.
• Russia's relations with the United States have been marked by growing differences over key security questions, including Kosovo, missile defence (MD) and NATO enlargement.

Armenia: Sarkisian show

In Armenia: balancing act,  we wrote that Armenian President-elect Serge Sarkisian was due to take office in a hornet's nest.

• The ceremonial inauguration of Sarkisian was shown live on national television despite the opposition's determination to continue protesting against the legitimacy of his February election victory. The Arminfo news agency reported more than 1,000 opposition supporters gathering in a central Yerevan park despite an official ban.
• The new president has nominated Central Bank Governor Tigran Sarkisian as his prime minister. 

Egypt criticised

In  Egypt: rough and smooth,  we wrote that plainclothes state security forces had been roughing up hundreds of opposition Islamists in recent weeks, ostensibly an attempt to smooth the ruling National Democratic Party's path to future presidential elections. 

• The United States criticised Egyptian authorities for disqualifying opposition candidates from local elections and said it was pressing Cairo to open up the political system.

Political Masterstroke

The World Next Week Political Masterstroke award goes to the Olympic torch. The flame is receiving the kind of treatment usually accorded to top-level diplomats. In the United States, following the torch became an elaborate game of hide-and-seek, as city officials secretly rerouted the planned torch relay, swarmed its runners with blankets of security and then quickly evacuated the torch to the airport in a heavily guarded motorcade. (IHT)

Analytica™

Worthy of note, or news to us.

Burmese tragedy

More than 50 Burmese illegal migrants suffocate in the back of a lorry taking them into Thailand, police say.

Lisbon treaty

Slovakia and Poland ratify the Lisbon Treaty, bringing to nine the number of EU countries approving it.

And finally…

The US secretary of state asks for 'embarrassing' travel restrictions on Nelson Mandela to be lifted. (BBC)