A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Diplomatic Access: South Korea
In this interview, His Excellency Ahn Ho-Young, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the U.S., outlines South Korea’s concerns about and hopes for the Asia-Pacific region, including the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
Turkey's Aid Agency Works Beyond its Mission in Accomplishing Humanitarian Aid
Fuat Oktay, the president of Turkey's Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) remarked that AFAD is engaging in humanitarian aid by hosting Syrian refugees and that AFAD's accomplishments until now are beyond its mission.
Detoxifying US-Israel Relations
Previously strained US-Israel relations have turned “toxic,” in the words of former US secretary of state James Baker. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pre-election assertions are unlikely to be forgotten by Israel’s strongest ally, which has been committed for decades to the policy of two states for two peoples. While the US is currently reevaluating its options on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a pressing question remains: What can Netanyahu do in order to placate the White House and begin repairing this vital relationship?
Officials Make Final Push for Iran Nuclear Deal
Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers could continue right up to Tuesday’s deadline, U.S. officials said Sunday, as the two sides sought to hammer out the outlines of a final deal. The officials pointed to several unresolved issues in the negotiations, including the phasing of suspension and then lifting of United Nations Security Council sanctions on Iran, and the activities Tehran will be able to engage in during the final years of an agreement, which is now expected to last 15 years.
Rise of the “Utopian” Police State: How the Unlikely Triumph of Singapore Transformed the World Overnight
The legacy of Lee Kuan Yew, the founder and longtime leader of modern Singapore who died on Monday, is often framed as a lesson in nation-building and global statecraft. In the Los Angeles Times, Harvard’s Graham Allison recalls that every Chinese leader since the death of Mao has cited Lee as a mentor; Lee’s brand of “authoritarian capitalism” is often invoked with reference to Narendra Modi or Vladimir Putin.
Strengthening the Asia-Africa Partnership
Next month, Indonesia will be hosting the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference. According to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the commemoration aspires to remind the world that Indonesia played a significant role in the anti-colonial struggle. Amidst complex contemporary global politics, it will be a challenge for Jokowi to convince the world that this Asia-Africa gathering is necessary and relevant.
Singaporeans and World Leaders Gather for Final Farewell to Lee Kuan Yew
Thousands of Singaporeans braved torrential rains on Sunday for a final farewell to the country’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, whose funeral drew a long list of leaders and dignitaries from across the globe.
Obama in the Middle East: Condominium Or Equilibrium?
It is also perhaps a demonstration of Obama’s very challenging efforts to establish an “equilibrium” between Shia and Sunni forces throughout the Middle East region, especially in the Gulf. Obama explicitly made such equilibrium a strategic aim in the region in his famous interview with The New Yorker’s David Remnick 14 months ago.
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