Mark Galeotti, Hybrid War or Hybridnaya Voina? Getting Russia’s
Non-linear Military Challenge Right, November 2016
The West is at war. Not a war of the old sort, fought with the thunder of guns, but a new sort, fought with the rustle of money, the shrill mantras of propagandists, and the stealthy whispers of spies. Often described as a ‘hybrid war,’ a blend of the military and the political, it reflects both the way that war is changing in the modern world and Russia’s attempt to divide, demoralize and distract the West as it asserts its claim to be a great power with a sphere of influence in Ukraine and beyond. This study explores the two parallel forms of ‘non-linear warfare’ and provides recommendations as to how the West can best respond.
For more information visit the website of the IIR.
Veronika Bílková & Tamás Lattmann, The Use of Force Against the Islamic State, November 2016.
The emergence of the so-called Islamic State (IS) has given rise to various legal questions. This policy paper written by Veronika Bílková and Tamás Lattmann considers some of them. It discusses whether the IS is a state, and if not, what its legal nature is; whether the use of force against the IS by countries other than Syria and Iraq is lawful under international law; what the nature of the armed conflict(s) in which the IS is involved is, which rules apply to it (them) and what the status of the IS fighters is; as well as which crimes the IS has committed, and what the options for criminally prosecuting IS members for these crimes are.
You can download the publication from this link.
Veronika Bílková, No Revolution Has Taken Place: The Post 2015 Human Rights Foreign Policy of the Czech Republic, October 2016.
In 2015, two new conceptual documents were adopted in the Czech Republic – the general Concept of the Czech Republic´s Foreign Policy and the more specific Concept of Human Rights Promotion and Transition Cooperation. The adoption of the new conceptual documents was preceded by a lively public debate, and fears were expressed that the Czech Republic was at the brink of a revolution in its human rights foreign policy. This reflection by Veronika Bílková argues that no revolution has taken place in the human rights policy of the Czech Republic. This is so because in the policy, the elements of continuity clearly prevail over those of discontinuity.
You can download the publication from this link.
Tamás Lattmann, The Referendum on the Refugee Quotas in Hungary – Protection of Sovereignty or Much Ado about Nothing?, October 2016.
This analysis gives information about the October 2016 referendum on the refugee quotas in Hungary, and examines its possible effects in the near future.
You can download the publication from this link.
Berfin Nur Osso, Success or Failure? Assessment of the Readmission Agreement Between the EU and Turkey from the Legal and Political Perspectives, October 2016.
This discussion paper by Berfin Nur Osso focuses on an assessment of the readmission agreement between the EU and Turkey.
You can download the publication from this link.
Michal Šimečka & Benjamin Tallis, Czech Strategic Partnerships: A Practice in Need of a Vision, September 2016.
The concept of a strategic partnership is gaining prominence in Czech diplomatic practice, but its meaning and implications remain inadequately understood. This policy paper by Michal Šimečka and Benjamin Tallis seeks to redress the situation by unpacking the concept and building a framework for understanding strategic partnerships in the Czech context. It argues that while it is not necessary to construct a rigorous definition of the concept, more coherence and clarity is needed for strategic partnerships to serve as a meaningful instrument of Czech foreign policy.
You can download the publication from this link.