Research Briefing
This paper provides a broad introduction to Southeast Asia. It offers key facts and figures about the region, followed by country studies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It then looks more analytically at two key issues for the region: democratisation and Islamist terrorism. It ends with a select bibliography.
Research Briefing
Comprehensive financial sanctions were imposed on Iran by Statutory Instrument 2775, The Financial Restrictions (Iran) Order 2011, to be debated on a motion to approve on 13 December 2011.
Research Briefing
Croatia has nearly finished the process of joining the EU: if all goes according to plan it will become the EU’s 28th Member State on 1 July 2013.
Research Briefing
The EU Treaties as amended by the Lisbon Treaty provides for the first time a Treaty base for the return, as well as the increase, of powers. Either would in all likelihood require a Treaty amendment.
Research Briefing
This note describes briefly the security situation in Afghanistan, the progress or otherwise of attempts to reconcile and reintegrate insurgents with the government and looks at the conference to be held in Bonn, marking the 10th anniversary of the conference which set up the present government.
Research Briefing
This Note brings together documents relevant to the proposed "Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive" (also known as the AIFM Directive or the "Hedge Funds" Directive), and its scrutiny in the UK and EU. It is not an attempt to define policy in this area. For information on policy developments contact Tim Edmonds on extn 4318. See also SN/BT/5099 European responses to the financial crisis specifically p39
Research Briefing
A brief run-down of the first election in Egypt since the fall of Hosni Mubarak
Research Briefing
Morocco holds an important parliamentary election on 25 November. Under constitutional reforms proposed by the King, Muhammad IV, parliament will gain significant new powers.
Research Briefing
There has been a lot of concern that Afghan women will be the main losers in the next few years as international forces withdraw and the Kabul government negotiates some sort of accommodation with the insurgency.
Research Briefing
This paper is essentially a short selective bibliography of resources on the Intelligence and Security Committee.
Research Briefing
Since December 2010, the most profound process of change has affected the countries of the Arab world. The change spread quickly between the countries of the region, underlining the many common factors that provoked unrest. How the region’s revolutions progress, however, depends on the individual characteristics of each country, which are very different. This paper looks at these similarities and differences and considers the possible outcomes in each case. The legitimacy of ruling regimes, the effect of societies’ divisions along confessional lines and the role of the region’s militaries are considered.
Research Briefing
Since October 2010 the MOD has been conducting a basing review to examine all of the issues that arose out of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. The conclusions of that review were announced in the House on 18 July 2011. In November 2011 the MOD announced the first tranche of moves envisaged under the rebasing programme.
Research Briefing
Quotas paid by member states are the main financial resource of the IMF. This note explains how they work with particular reference to the UK, and describes the proposed changes that will see quotas double.
Research Briefing
The 2006 Convention on Enforced Disappearance, which came into force in 2010, requires states that have ratified it to create new criminal offences in their domestic law and to adjust their laws on (for example) detention. The UK has not signed or ratified the Convention despite some pressure to do so.
Total results (page 158 of 184)