Chat Session with prof. James Fearon, Department of Political Science, Stanford University . March 11, 2004

Ukhanova : Hello, participants.

Kate_Kuhns : Hello and welcome, you eager people!

Kate_Kuhns : We'll plan to begin in about 20 minutes.

Kostenko : Hello. My name is Pavel Balakin. I am the instructor of IDL104 at South Ural State Uneversity. I have a list of questions that the students are eger to ask. I will ask them when our time comes.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you Pavel, it is nice to finally meet you 'virtually'.

Kate_Kuhns : For Everyone: The order of universities is: MHSE, North Ossetian, Saratov , Yaroslavl , Amur, Southern Ural, Tyumen , Yakutsk , Ural and Petrozavodsk .

Kate_Kuhns : Please wait until your university is called before submitting your question.

Kate_Kuhns : As everyone logs on, please indicate your university, so I can track who is participating. Thank you.

Kate_Kuhns : Greetings, professor Fearon! Thank you for joining us. We'll get started shortly.

Pavlenko : Greetings, everybody! My name is Natalya Romashko from Southern Ural State University.

Kate_Kuhns : Greetings Natalya, and welcome

Fearon : Ok, I think I'm present.

Kate_Kuhns : Greetings Prof. Fearon! I hope you are finding the chat room user friendly.

Volkov : Good morning (evening) ! Saratov State University is here. My name is Mikhail Strakhov.

Kate_Kuhns : REMINDER: The order of universities is: MHSE, North Ossetian, Saratov , Yaroslavl , Amur, Southern Ural, Tyumen , Yakutsk , Ural and Petrozavodsk .

Kate_Kuhns : Welcome Mikhail!

Kate_Kuhns : A few reminders. I will ask universities to submit questions. Once a question has been submitted, no one else should submit questions until Prof. Fearon has finished answering.

Vlasova : Good evening! Ural State University is here

Khriaschov : Greetings from Yaroslavl !

Kate_Kuhns : It is now 9:00, so I think we should begin...

Kate_Kuhns : Welcome USU!

Kate_Kuhns : Is anyone from MHSE or NOSU present?

Anisimova : Hello to everybody! My real name is Alexei Burnakov

Kate_Kuhns : Okay, in the interest of time, let's begin with Saratov . Please submit your first question.

Anisimova : Southern Ural SU is in the room

Kate_Kuhns : Saratov , please submit your question.

Kukharenko : Blagoveshchensk is here

Volkov : Our first question to Prof. Fearon. How many conflicts is US government involved in mediating currently? What main strategies are implemented?

Fearon : Hm. I really don't know, this will be guess work ...

Ukhanova : Hello to all of the participants. PetrSU is on-line.

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Fearon : There are about 20-26 active civil wars on going at present, depending on how you define "civil war". I expect that US diplomats are involved in talking to participants in all of these ...

Volkov : We have another question: Do religious issues usually play a primary role in the development of modern conflict, or religion is used after the ethnic conflict has developed?

Kate_Kuhns : Saratov , one question ONLY at a time.

Fearon : Then there will be quite a few more conflicts that are not particularly violent yet or at the moment, I would guess that the US diplomats/personnel are involved in one way or another in talking to participants in many of these as well. But I'm not sure how many, if any conflicts, is the US formally designated as a mediator.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Next question from Yaroslavl , please. Then Amur state.

Fearon : should I speak to the religion question? (I'm new to this format!)

Khriaschov : ( YAROSLAVL STATE UNIVERSITY - Question #1) In your personal opinion, whether the problem of Chechen Republic is only an internal problem of Russia ? And can you imagine the settlement of the given conflict with the help of UN intervention?

Kate_Kuhns : Prof. Fearon, we go in order of university. I've asked Yaroslavl for their next question.

Fearon : I guess I'll move on to Chechnya then. I guess I think that civil war and related deprivations of and abuses of human rights would, in the best of all worlds, be considered global problems, or problems everyone should be concerned with. I do not think this means that Russia 's views and interests should not be considered in addressing the Chechnya conflict though. ...

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Fearon : the question of UN intervention in Chechnya is fascinating. I would guess this is highly unlikely. It could only happen if Moscow permitted it, and this would only occur if Putin saw some advantage to having international peacekeepers there. Further, I suspect it would not be an operation UN personnel would want to undertake, seeing as it is a really tough case, one that the "Brahimi conditions" would probably suggest the UN should stay away from. But it would depend on the exact circumstances of the peace agreement to be enforced.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Next question from AMUR STATE

Kukharenko : What is your perspective on the further development of situation on Haiti . What is the role of the US peacekeepers there in your opinion?

Fearon : I think the Bush administration was very concerned that there not be a bloodbath in fighting between Aristide supporters and the rebels (when they were coming into the capital), mainly for domestic political reasons ...

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Timasheva : What conflicts you can prognose in future,where there are indificators of the conflict and International community does nothing?

Timasheva : What conflicts you can prognose in future,where there are indificators of the conflict and International community does nothing?

Fearon : This would have caused big refugee flows to Florida , and just generally would have looked bad for Bush. So I think they strongly urged Aristide to leave to reduce the odds of a bloodbath. from a humanitarian point of view this might actually have been the right thing to do, but I'm not sure it was the right thing to do with respect to respecting formal democracy.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Next question from SOUTHERN URAL STATE

Kostenko : South Ural State Uni - 1: On what conditions and when will the NATO troops be able to leave Bosnia ?

Anisimova : Professor Fearon, is deterrence of spoilers of peace implementation the process that could be scientifically defined as going to develop well, given all the available data before the starting actions, or there is an inevitable room for chance – risk for those who implement? Thank you.

Fearon : On "peace keeping" in Haiti , I think US soldiers are likely to be there for quite a while, along with other foreign troops, as their is no functioning local police or military apparatus.

Kate_Kuhns : Question from Kostenko will be answsered next

Kate_Kuhns : Anisimova, what university are you from?

Anisimova : Southern Ural, in the role of our instructor

Timasheva : What is yopur opinion about the future of the UN?It will fail or will be succsesful

Kate_Kuhns : Okay, we take only one question per university. Therefore, Prof. Fearon should answer Kostenko's question first.

Fearon : On troops leaving Bosnia : There is no some talk about getting Nato out of Bosnia and turning the whole international component over to the OSCE/OHR, I believe. Seems to me this remains problematic or implausible for the time being. I don't think peace or a common economy (to the extent there is one now) can be maintained with an external force.

Kate_Kuhns : Timasheva, please wait your turn. We ask questions one per university, per time.

Fearon : I meant that there is NOW some talk about ...

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Next question from TYUMEN .

Kate_Kuhns : I don't believe there is anyone here yet from Tyumen or Yakutsk State , so let's continue with URAL STATE.

Vlasova : USU:One of the puporses of UN (as it's claimed in the Statut) is to protect peace and security. It's expected that UN intervention in a conflict would be impartial. However if we take the case of Haiti we'll see that the desicion was made only after the president left the country. Is it just a coincidence or...?

Fearon : while waiting more on Bosnia : When will troops be able to leave? I'm not sure they will for a long time. State dept. people and others I have talked to on this say the strategy is to try to integrate Bosnia with European supranational institutions, so that eventually people care less about their national identifications and more about public good provision at the local and supranational levels. In effect, the idea is to have the EU perform the functions once performed by the Ottoman empire (in a more benign way, one hopes!).

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you Professor. Next question from Vlasova.

Fearon : You mean the decision for a UN intervention was made only after the president left? Yes. But I'm not sure what you are saying. ...

Fearon : Clearly, the UN security council's actions are strongly influenced by the desires of the major powers most represented on it. for example, the first UN mission to Haiti in 1993/94 was the result of an implicit trade between the US and Russia ( Russia wanted a UN mission for Georgia/Abkhazia, UNOMIG).

Vlasova : Is it really impartial decision? Why did nobody intervene earlier? The conflict was going for quite a long time

Fearon : Russia agreed to support the Haiti mission in exchange for US support of the Georgia mission.

Fearon : There has been a great deal of UN-sponsored intervention in Haiti since 1993, with a whole series of PKOs, many focused on developing police capacity. These missions had wound down, and ostensibly the government was under the control of Aristide's elected government. But a new rebellion arose in the last several months.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Next question from PETROZAVODSK .

Ukhanova : Hello, dear Sir. PetrSU, question 1: Under Art.103 of the UN Charter obligations of states UN parties under the UN Charter should prevail over any other obligations of these states. Does it mean that acting under SC Resolutions states may supersede all human rights treaties?

Fearon : I'm not an international legal scholar, unfortunately. My guess is that SC resolutions could be held to override certain treaty obligations in certain circumstances. ...

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Fearon : But in a way this is moot, since we are talking about international relations where law doesn't operate the same way as in domestic affairs. Note that the UN has no court that can rule on what is a correct or incorrect interpretation of the Charter!

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. We've come full circle.so let's return to SARATOV

Volkov : Thank you! Our question: Do religious issues usually play a primary role in the development of modern conflict, or religion is used after the ethnic conflict has developed?

Fearon : I have done a lot of empirical research on this question and the related question of whether ethnic differences are a cause of conflict by themselves. ...

Fearon : With a collaborator, we find that if you compare countries at similar levels of economic development, ...

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Fearon : you find that knowing how religiously divided or ethnically divided a country is doesn't help you predict how likely it will be to have a civil war. ...

Fearon : This doesn't mean that ethnic or religious differences don't motivate people to engage in conflict sometimes, but rather that there are tons of countries with ethnic and religious divisions out there that nonetheless have no violent conflict. We argue that other factors are much more important for predicting which countries will get a violent civil conflict, such as ...

Fearon : whether the country is poor (which we think matters because it indicates a weak state apparatus), has rough terrain, a large population, or is going through political change at the top.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you, next question from YAROSLAVL

Khriaschov : ( YAROSLAVL STATE UNIVERSITY - QUESTION #2)The question about the role of the UN in the modern world. Whether it seems to you, that after Iraq conflict 2003 trust to the UN from modern society in an opportunity of settlement the conflicts has significally decreased?

Matros : AmSU. Our question: Iraqis agreed on the new constitution, the signing of which was meant to have taken place last week but was delayed twice. President Bush said the signing "marks a historic milestone in the Iraqi people's long journey from tyranny and violence to liberty and peace". What do you think, will it be really useful in solving the problem of ethnic conflicts on the territory of Iraq ?

Fearon : I think it is fascinating to see how the role of the UN has developed in recent years ...

Kate_Kuhns : Amur State, your question will be answered AFTER Yaroslavl 's

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Fearon : It is important to note that as recently as 1989, the US intervened in Panama and nobody even thought to mention or worry about UN authorization, either in the US or most other places. ...

Fearon : What has happened is that with the collapse of the Soviet Union, other states have become more worried about the US 's power, and have looked to SC authorizations as a sort of means of controlling or putting some kind of constraints on US unilateral action. The first time you see the US going to the SC for such authorization is the first Gulf War, and this kind of set of precedent for the post cold war that has now become important.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Now we can answer the question posed from AmSU / Matros.

Fearon : I don't think the Iraq case will have a huge impact on the UN's role here in the short run, which I think is influenced by the structural factor just mentioned.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you. Next question from SUSU.

Matros : Thank you.

Kostenko : South Ural State Uni - 2: What role should Russia play in the international security system?

Fearon : I have not had a chance to read the document yet, but surely it will provide a better chance than they have had until recently. Nonetheless, I see no chance for a free-standing government in Iraq -- it will have to be supported by the implicit threat of military support by US or other troops for a long time. I opposed the war in Iraq because I expected that the US would find itself stuck there in this role, much as in Bosnia , and I still expect this.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you, next question from S USU / Kostenko.

Kelekhsaeva : Kate, may we put a question from Vladikavkaz?

Fearon : I think world politics has changed so that great power competition has much less point than in the prenuclear era. My belief, and I guess it is also a hope, is that ...

Kate_Kuhns : Of courses., I was not aware that you were here! Why don't you pose a question after Prof. Fearon answers Kostenko

Kate_Kuhns : PLEASE HOLD YOUR COMMENTS *** QUESTION BEING ANSWERED

Fearon : Russia, the US, and other major powers now face common threats from WMD proliferation, refugee flows, drug smuggling, and so on, things that tend to come from or ...

Fearon : worsened by failed/collapsed states, and bad government. So I would hope that US and Russia and other major powers would be able to work on the basis of such common interests to construct new arrangements and institutions to reduce these common threats.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you, next question from NOSU (apologies!)

Kelekhsaeva : Yes, Vladikavkaz is in. Professor Fearon, would you share your conception of a Global Federal State . Is it a kind of utopia or does it have real prospects?

Fearon : At the moment it is still a utopia, I think. But it does look to me as if there are long run pressures pushing in the direction of greater supranational government, or certainly higher levels of international coordination through institutions.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you, next question from USU.

Zulharneev : Do you think there is today any conflicts in which Russia or the US are interested in? IF the Cold War is over, why then Russia conserns so much about the USA - Georgia relations, as well as the USA - about Russia - Serbia (1999) relations?

Fearon : not sure I understand, can you clarify?

Kate_Kuhns : I think the question asks why Russia is so concerned about US-Georgian relations, and why the US was so concerned about Russian-Serbian relations in 1999, and might there b e any conflicts in the world in which the US and Russia are on the same side. I think this is the jist?

Zulharneev : May be it\s profitable for Russia to have conflict between Georgia and Abchazia, and some conflicts mihgt be profitable for the USA .

Fearon : Still not sure what the question is, (sorry)

Fearon : If it is what Kate says, then it is true that for most of the 90s you had ...

Zulharneev : We mean the USA as well as Russia provocke conflikts on purpose.

Fearon : the US, Britain , and France on one side is most Security Council debates, and Russia and China on the other. Russia (and China ) have been much more concerned about moves towards "humanitarian intervention" due to worries that this could be used against them on Chechnya . But there are many cases where interests played out differently.

Fearon : does the US provoke conflicts on purpose? Do you have a specific example in mind?

Zulharneev : Russia - in Abchazia, Americans - in Kosovo.

Fearon : yes, certainly the US pushed hard on the Kosovo issue and choose to go to war there. Nothing I have read suggests to me that a desire to compete with are work against Russian interests was an important factor in the Clinton admin's decisions here. Rather, they were concerned about not getting accused of letting another Bosnia happen.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you, LAST question from PETROZAVODSK and then we will have come full circle.

Matros : AmSU. May we ask?

Ukhanova : PetrSU, question 2: Is it possible for the UN SC to determine that situation constitutes “threat to peace” and then to authorize intervention on the ground of economic or environmental disaster? Are there some examples?

Kate_Kuhns : No, unfortunately, the last question to Petrozavodsk . And then I'll ask Professor Fearon if he has any questions for you.

Fearon : One of the interesting things about UNSC is that it can decide that ANYTHING is a "threat to international peace and security." Again, notice that there is no court, so that the SC is effectively the body that interprets the meaning of the charter. However, I can't think off hand of a UN sanctioned intervention to remedy an economic or environmental disaster, per se.

Kate_Kuhns : Actually, I forgot that NOSU only was able to ask one question. If Prof. Fearon doesn't mind, I'll ask them to ask the last question.

Fearon : no problem.

Kate_Kuhns : NOSU, please ask the last question.

Kate_Kuhns : If no question from NOSU, then I will ask Prof. Fearon if he has any questions for the Russian students?

Fearon : What do YOU think ought to be Russia 's role or approach in international politics?

Kate_Kuhns : Please feel free to answer at will.

Zulharneev : can you be more precise?

Kostenko : Russia must take an acvtive part in creation of a new mechanism of providing international security instead of the UN

Kostenko : For example in creation of a new international court system (SUSU)

Khriaschov : Because Russia has a nuclear weapons it should be a great country and all important politics decision should be discussing with our country!

Fearon : well, someone asked me the same thing, I recall, and I thought it was an interesting (if general) question. I imagined that Russian students might have views on how they would like to see Russia play a role in international conflicts or issues.

Volkov : Saratov State University : Russia is a model of a large federally organized state - therefore it has a lot of experience in internal conflict management, so we can share this experience with other states.

Fearon : re nuclear weapons: If this is true for any country with nuclear weapons, then every state, no matter how small, will want to get them! Could be a problem.

Kostenko : The principle of the "permanent five" should be reviewed to solve effectively international security problems (SUSU)

Zyryanova : USU: I think they Russia should deny the principle of supporting anybody who is weak and poor, we have to solve our own problems, there is nothing bad to join the "group of the strong"

Fearon : Do you think the SC should be expanded, and if so, which countries should get permanent seats?

Khriaschov : re nuclear state. I agree this you and that is why the problem of nuclear non-priliferation is so important now!

Kostenko : It's vital to create a new international treaty/law that would be a basis for carrying out peace-keeping operations by single countries (SUSU)

Zulharneev : Russia has expierence of settlement of different conflicts in the territiory of the former USSR . This experiance should be used

Ukhanova : I think that Russia should collaborate with the USA in the field of security as it does now making agreements in the nuclear field.

Kostenko : It sould not be expanded but reformed. The principle of veto should be abolished (SUSU)

Kate_Kuhns : We have already been workng for over an hour, and I fear it is rather late at night here. A couple more minutes for last questions, and then we will say goodnight.

Zemtsov : Russia 's role in international politics may be more acvtive part in UN and in regionals organizations for carrying out peace-keeping operations by single countries (SUSU)

Volkov : We think that no single country should take full control in mediation of the conflict in other countries (to Kostenko :) )

Timasheva : I suppose it impossiable to make new permanent seats In future there will no any desisions due to that fact that only this 5 have such great influence and WMD

Cherkasova : USU: actually there are more important problems concerning UNO besides the expansion of SC. First of all we should think about the consolodation of the whole Organization. Thank you.

Kostenko : to Volkov: it must be a single country but under the law that all the countries would sign (SUSU)

Kate_Kuhns : Professor Fearon, any closing remarks to these great comments?

Fearon : What do you mean by consolidation? I am also curious whether you are generally positive about the UN, or would like to see the whole thing torn down and start over with a new institution?

Ukhanova : Dear professor Fearon, we appreciate very much your efforts to answer our questions. Dear Kate, thank you very much for the assistance. Best regards, Anna Ukhanova, Petrozavodsk State University .

Ukhanova : Thank all the participants. Bye.

Kostenko : to Zulharneev: Russia did not provoke the conflict in Abhasia. The Abhasians started the conflict.

Volkov : Saratov : We're generally positive about UN, it is there already, already working, maybe should be changed for the better

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you Anna. glad you were able to participate.

Fearon : No closing remarks, except thanks very much for the opportunity. Technology is amazing. I'd love the opportunity to use it to get a better sense of all your views on these matters.

Volkov : Dear Professor Fearon, dear Kate ! Thank you for the chat. All students here in Saratov have appreciated it a lot!

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you Professor Fearon. We have a second chat scheduled for later in April. Maybe we can find a different format which will allow you more interaction with the students.

Kostenko : The UN sowed itself as an INEFFECTIVE body for solving international conflicts

Khriaschov : THANK YOU PROF. FEARON, THANK YOU KATE FOR THIS INTERSTING CHAT! THANK YOU FOR ALL STUDENTS JOINED THE CHAT! GOOD LUCK ANS SEE YOU AGAIN! Vladimir Khryaschev, YAROSLAVL STATE UNIVERSITY

Zyryanova : Thank you all, Good bye

Cherkasova : USU: I don't think we have to make a new organization. It'll be better to strenghen the links of the present one. Thank you very much for your answers.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you everyone!!! And especially a great thanks to Prof. Fearon.

Vlasova : USU: thank you, prof. FEARON, for your answers

Zemtsov : Thank you all, Good bye (SUSU)

Fearon : ok, good night/morning!

Kate_Kuhns : Good-bye everyone.

Zyryanova : Who does not agree that Russia provockes conflict in Cenytral Asia? Why do then we give them Russian passes?

Zyryanova : Sorry in Caucauses

Kostenko : To Zulharneev: How did the Americans provoke the war in Kosovo? Did they bring with them the Albanian there?

Zyryanova : No, they just support them with weapons and amunition, because the Albanians opposite - Serbia was supported by Russia

Kostenko : To Zyryanova: That support was AFTER the Albanians started the war?

Zulharneev : to Kostenko:in reality they were supporting the radical KLA but they were not mediating in the conflict.

Kostenko : To Vidal: How do you treat the idea of reforming the UN? Should it be reformed or should a new orfanization be created?

Kate_Kuhns : What do you think of these chat sessions. Honestly - are they helpful and interesting?

Zyryanova : The whole clash of the Ugoslavia was profitable for the USA , that\s why they have wonderfull bases in Croatia . After the collaps of the USSR the NATO with USA showed what they mean now.

Kostenko : To Zyryanova: Nice to see that at least somebody has read Skvortsov:)))

Zulharneev : To KAte: it's really interesting but it's a pitty we're short of time :(

Vidal : RE:UN Creating a new organization implies enormous costs (not necessarily economic ones) but in time and coordination. I don't think no one is willing to invest in it.

Pavlenko : Kate, It was very interesting to participate in a chat like that. Thanks for providing the students with such a wonderful opportunity to ask questions and communicate with Professors and each other in general. Natalya Romashko (SUSU)

Zyryanova : I don\t agree to Skvortzov actually.

Kostenko : To Zurharneev: What about attempts of mediation in Rambuillet?

Vidal : Reforming seems the better option, but not very likely. Why? because those who can reform it (the SC) are the ones more interested in keeping everything as it is.

Vidal : What do you think Kostenko?

Kostenko : To Vidal: So it is profitable for the states that the UN fail operations, isn't it??

Zulharneev : these were not the negotiations but something really strange during the war preparations. Everyone knew the war was inevitable and NATO starts strikes.

Zyryanova : to Kostenko, is that not quite obvious that USA mediate and intervene only when they have a dog in it? Iraq , Kosovo... Do you need more examples?

Vidal : Not necessarily. It depends on who takes the public blame for the failures.

Kostenko : To Vidal: We think that all sattes have a strong interest in creating a new mechanism as civil wars are an international security problem.

Zulharneev : to Kostenko: Thank you very much, but I have to leave chat

Zyryanova : OK, I liked our dispute, BYE

Vidal : RE: Yes that's true. But not all states agree on how it should be done and, more importantly, which countries should control it.

Pavlenko : To Kate Kuhns: Kate, if you are still with us, I have a question. Have there been organized such chats between students and professors from different countries before or is it a new practice, for our programs? Natalya Romashko (SUSU)

Vidal : RE: Yes that's true. But not all states agree on how it should be done and, more importantly, which countries should control it.

Kostenko : To Kate Kuhns: Who should solve serious ethnic conflicts: the UN, regional organizations or separate states?

Kate_Kuhns : Natalya, the IDL program is really the first of its kind in the US , offering international security courses to a foreign country...

alexeis : Hi everyone, Alexei Sitnikov here in Moscow

Kostenko : To Vidal: The "permanent five" should take the initiative of preparing such a document

alexeis : look like you had a good chat

Kate_Kuhns : In that sense, this is a new experience. We have been doing it for the past 4 years.

Kate_Kuhns : To Kostenko: I think that it of course depends on the conflict. In many cases, I think that regional organizations could play a more effective role than the UN, since they know the local players.

Kate_Kuhns : Hi Alexei, we had a great chat, at least from my perspective ;-)

Pavlenko : To Kate Kuhns: If I may ask, do you find such programs useful and if yes, in what ways. It would be great to hear your opinion and impressions of the results so far.

Vidal : Re Kostenko: but wwhat kind of outcome do you expect? My guess is that they will elaborate a document where they retain most power for decision-making. What's your opinion?

Kate_Kuhns : Well, of course I am really pleased that we have this opportunity to work with all of you. We not only share with you some perspectives from the US , but we get to learn from you as well.

Kostenko : To Kate: What organization should have solved the conflict in Iraq then?

Kate_Kuhns : Well, I was not supportive of the Bush administration's call to war. I am of the opinion that the UN and the IAEA was doing a good job of deterrence and containment. And I was quite disappointed that Colin Powell did not 'win out' in the administration in his efforts to have the UN play more of a role.

Kostenko : To Vidal: I think the principle of veto is one of the reasons for the UN being ineffective in providing international security.

Kate_Kuhns : To Kostenko: Who do you think should be in charge of resolving the situation in Iraq ?

Pavlenko : To Kate Kuhns: I agree with you. I do enjoy the course myself and this is the first IDL course that I am taking, and hopefully not the last one. And I find for myself that I learn so much interesting and new infromation that helps to understand other people's points of view. It's great that Stanford started this Initiative, I wish the program to unfold and to have more and more students involved. Natalya Romashko (SUSU). Thank you, Kate

Kostenko : To Kate: the same in Afganistan? Could the UN take the responsibility of solving the problem there?

Kate_Kuhns : Well, I think the situation in Afghanistan is better simply because of the multilateral activites of the NATO allies. I don't think the situation is perfect, but it seems to be bet\ter.

Kostenko : to Kate: the USA

Kostenko : to Kate: but under the international control.

Kate_Kuhns : Thank you Natalya! Comments like that certainly make us feel good! I hope to see you participating in other IDL courses next year.

Vidal : Re: Kostenko. You're absolutely right. However, my view is that without the veto, the big countries wouldn't have accepted to participate in the UN. It seems unlikely that countries such as Russia or the US would agree to an organization where they are treated as equals with the rest of the world. Or do you think otherwise about Russia ?

Kate_Kuhns : Kostenko: What do you have in mind when you s ay 'international control'?

Vidal : Re: Kostenko. You're absolutely right. However, my view is that without the veto, the big countries wouldn't have accepted to participate in the UN. It seems unlikely that countries such as Russia or the US would agree to an organization where they are treated as equals with the rest of the world. Or do you think otherwise about Russia ?

Kostenko : To Kate: I mean responsibility for false facts at the court that should be created especially for such cases.

Kostenko : To Vidal: they'll have to otherwise they won't be able to provide their own security.

Kate_Kuhns : Kostenko: So a special tribunal of the IC should be created to monitor events? I think this might be a bit too difficult to implement. I think it would be better just to have the UN take on more of the organizational role. And I think this is de facto what is going to have to happen after 6/30.

Kostenko : We are having a class today and I will discuss the chat with my students. bye, Pavel.

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