July 07, 2007

Introduction
A proposal by the new French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, for setting up a Union of Mediterranean Rim Countries has struck both right and wrong notes at the same time. This initiative was raised by Sarkozy in a campaign speech in February, and was reiterated in his electoral victory address. Such a proposed Union would gather sixteen countries with varied political and economic systems—from the European, West Asian, and North African region of the Mediterranean rim area—into an (…)

[(TRIBUTE)]
Ramchandra Gandhi, writer, philosopher and the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, died in India International Centre, on June 13, appropriately perhaps, because to Ramu, as he was known to both friends and acquaintances, the IIC was like a second home. He would work in the library and then just sit in the courtyard doing what he did best—philosophising.
He was the author of several books including ‘Sita’s Kitchen’; the shrine—sita’s rasoi buried under the debris of the Babri (…)

A Book of Condolence was kept open at the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba on June 25-26, 2007 for Vilma Espin Guillois who had passed away on June 18, 2007 at 4.14 pm after a prolonged and painful illness.
Who was Vilma? Her role in the Cuban Revolution is perhaps legion to every citizen in that country. At the time of her demise, she was a member of the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, Member of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, President of the Federation of (…)

[(The following piece is being reproduced for the benefit of the US Secretary of State.)]
The river of History looks placid: only when the snows melt on the high mountains do floods break the banks and sweep away all the dirt and refuse. And so do epochal changes in the journey of humankind: they come without fanfare, but they hurtle down upon the world with elemental fury sweeping away the debris of yesterday and freshen up the soil for the golden crop of tomorrow.
The Nonaligned (…)