When Catherine Ashton was the surprise choice for the post of the European Union's first foreign minister, it was said she lacked any experience in the basics of diplomacy. She is clearly a quick learner.

European Union foreign ministers have urged Iran to stop jamming satellite signals that have affected transmissions by several Western broadcasters, including Deutsche Welle and the BBC.

European Union nations are calling for Iran to stop jamming international satellite broadcasts and censoring the Internet. A preliminary version of a statement that will go before EU foreign ministers next week demands that Iran cease its electronic interference immediately.

The European Union Vice-President will visit Lebanon Tuesday as part of her first tour of the Middle East aimed at stimulating dialogue in the region.

While few see any evidence of an actual rivalry between the two sides, it's possible that the combined damage to the relationship caused by the 2003 Iraq War and then the global financial crisis in 2008 has altered the way the major players view each other.

Last Thursday (March 4, 2010), some of the top thinkers currently engaging the issue of America’s image in the world testified on Capitol Hill in hearings before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs under the title ‘Restoring America’s Reputation in the World: Why it Matters.’ Joseph Nye of Harvard stressed the value of smart power. Andrew Kohut of Pew pointed to the fragility of the recent promising trends in world opinion and J.

I recently returned from the Middle East where I was part of a three week Arab & American Business Fellowship.