Georgia into the NATO?

The German chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, is vehemently supporting a membership of Georgia in the NATO and urges Russia to get its troops out of the region. But the Russian troops are not budging, and that makes you wonder if they don't care what's going to happen next. Will Europe act in any way? Will Georgia be Russia's Iraq? What will the US do?

Bi-Yearly German Jurists Forum to Suggest Changes to Corporate Law

The German corporation law is heading into a new direction, at least if this years meeting of the Deutsche Juristentag (German Jurists Forums) gets its way. The section of corporate law has worked for the last years on a modernisation and globalization of German corporate law. So far the German law does not make any distinction between corporations who are quoted on the common stock market, and those who are not. All companies are rather treated as if they were traded on the market. This is not the case in the EU law and therefor leads to discrepancies.
This years German Jurists Forum will take place from September 23 to 26 in Erfurt/Thuringia.

Peace in the Caucasus?

Russia and Georgia agreed to end the hostilities and return to the conference table. But don't be fooled - peace is far away, if not impossible, in the current situation.
Russia wants to maintain control in the region, and will not sit back and accept independence for the two breakaway Georgian provinces. Georgia on the other hand will continue to fight for South Ossetia, that it considers part of Georgia.
Obviously the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili took a big gamble with his military offensive against South Ossetia, which began last Thursday evening. He must have believed that Europe and especially the USA, who have been a big supporter of the Georgian independence movement, will come to the rescue, and support Georgia in it's fight against the Russian army. But the West's solidarity has so far been limited to words. Now a negotiator, who has the trust of both sides, is necessary to develop an agreement that is acceptable to Russia and Georgia.

War in the Caucasus

When the fights in the Caucasus region started on Friday, we saw the start of a war that was simmering for month, if not for years. Since the fall of the Soviet Union the entire region has been separated by different interested and subsequently the support came from different sides, too. South Ossetia, supported by Russia, and Georgia, which has received US military assistance, are bitter enemies. From Moscow's point of view, Ossetia has been an important strategic base near the Turkish and Iranian frontiers since the days of the czars. The USA, on the other hand, are courting Georgia, which they see as a way to curb the Russian influence in the southern Caucasus. Georgia is also an important transit country for oil being pumped from the Caspian Sea to the Turkish port of Ceyhan and a potential base for Washington efforts to encircle Tehran.
And we all know, as soon as oil is involved there is no fast way out. So the fight continues.

European National Libraries

All European National Libraries can easily be searched from one central website. The search might take a little longer but it's worth, as it safes time at the end.

Back to the Cold War?

After Russian military experts and diplomats started the discussion on reopening a military base on Cuba, Prime Minister Putin took over the debate. On Monday, August 5th, Putin said that Russia has to have a stronger military presence on Cuba and in other countries. So far Cuba doesn't seem to excited about this outlook and no official comment has been heard. The United States on the other hand are strongly objecting these plans and warned the Russian government to realize them.

German Law Archive

Just came across this archive with judgments, statutes, literature and bibliographies concerning German Law.