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2011 Asia and Africa today

 

RUSSIA - ASEAN: NEW PROJECTS AND FORMATS OF COOPERATION by G.M.Lockshin, PhD (History)
Keywords:  ASEAN,  Russia,  China,  integration, cooperation
The article by G.Lokshin assesses the results of the 2nd  ASEAN+Russia Summit held in Hanoi at the end of October  2010 which took place within the framework of the 17th  Summit of the ASEAN with the participation of the President  of the Russian Federation D.A.Medvedev. The author  considers it to be an important step of Russia’s integration  into dynamic economy of the huge Asia-Pacific region which  is now generally recognized as a main generator of the global  economic growth. He believes that the process of integration  and regionalization in the East Asia and the construction of  the East Asia Community has promising perspectives  although it would take relatively much time. The author  presents the decision of the 5th East Asia Summit in Hanoi to  invite the Russia and the US to participate in all Summits of  the emerging East Asia Community since the 2011 as the  most considerable result of this year Vietnam’s presidency in  ASEAN and substantial success of the Russian foreign policy  on its eastern direction.

WORLD ECONOMY: RECOVERY AND POST- CRISIS DEVELOPMENT
AFRICA’S PLACE IN THE POST-CRISIS WORLD ECONOMY by L.L.Fituni, Dr.Sc. (Economy). Article 3, concluding (articles 1 and 2 read in “Asia and Africa Today”, 2010, № 8, 9).
Keywords: Africa, world economy, global crisis, resources
The author is summing up the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on Africa’s place in the world economy and contemporary international economic relations. He offers his view of the changing role of Africa in the world economy. L.Fituni argues that in the foreseeable future the external economic relations of African countries will depend a lot on the speed and stability of recovery of the developed economies and domestic economic conjuncture in North America and Western Europe. Africa felt the shocks of the crisis through the influence of global financial markets, decline of international trade volume and investment activity, as well as through reduction of transfers.
Due to the lower level of integration into the most globalised segments of the world economy, the recession in Africa was comparatively mild. The slump in GDP was limited to 12-14 months. At the same time those African countries which accumulated significant currency reserves and maintained positive balance of payment budgets without deficits went through the crisis with less losses than those which followed the course of deregulation and liberal market relations.

AUSTRALIA IS THE FIRST DEVELOPED COUNTRY WHICH HAS OVERCOME THE CONSEQUENCES OF CRISIS by V.Y.Arkhipov, Dr.Sc. (Economy)
Keywords: Australia, world crisis, balance of payments, financial-economic reforms
The article presents numerous facts indicating that Australia was the first among developed countries which emerged from the world financial crises. Australian currency rate increased considerably. So did foreign investments. The employment in Australia went up significantly.

THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AS AN ISSUE IN CHINA-US RELATIONS by Y.V.Leksutina, PhD (Political)
Keywords: China, the USA, religious freedom, Tibet, religious movement Falungong
The article analyses the problem of religious freedom in China which is an important human right issue from American point of view, rendering an essential influence upon US-China relations. In the context of Washington’s criticism of the violations of religious freedom in China as a whole, particular attention is being paid to limitations of freedom of some specific religious groups, such as Catholic congregations, Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims and Falungong adherents.

INDIA:  NATIONALISM  DOES  NOT  SURRENDER  by A.Y.Yakovlev, PhD (Political)
Keywords: terrorism, nationalism, India, Assam, Nagaland
Conflicts on national and religious ground is the most painful and challenge problem of modern India. The article covers the evolution of nationalist terrorist movements of small nations in the north-eastern Indian states (Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura).

COPTS IN MODERN EGYPT by Y.V.Zinkina, Post-Graduate Stugent
Keywords: Egypt, copts, discrimination
Egyptian copts make the largest Christian community in the Near East and in Northern Africa. They number approximately 7-8 mln people or about 10% of the whole population of the country. The author analyses an evolution of the role of the copts communities in Egyptian social and political life during the XXth and the beginning of the XXI cc. Particularly attention is paid to those problems which the copts face while living in Muslim environment.

IRAN AND TURKEY: MODELS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT by N.M.Mamedova, PhD (Economy)
Keywords: Iran, Turkey, economic development
Iran and Turkey have tested different models of economic development. Up to the end of 1970s these models in many respects were similar. However since 1980 the economic development of Turkey and Iran has gone in opposite directions. Turkey has chosen the model of accelerated modernization on the western sample, while Iran as a result of Islamic revolution has tried to construct a new Islamic economy with no foreign capital participating in this process. The article contains an analysis of efficiency of two different approaches to economic development. The influence of external factors on economic growth is also examined.

FOREIGN CAPITAL IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE PERSIAN GULF by L.V.Shkvarya, Dr.Sc. (Economy)
Keywords: countries of the Persian Gulf, investment legislation, inter Arabian investments
The essay presents an analysis of the nature of the foreign investments in the countries of the Persian Gulf, influence of foreign capital on national economies, and the factors defining their character and dynamics. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the leaders in attraction of foreign capital in the region. The manufacturing industry and sphere of services are the most attractive for foreign investors.
The author underlines, that monarchies of the Persian gulf have achieved significant successes in social and economic development and in creation of favorable investment climate. The countries of the region produce about 2% of world economy and attract 4% of world investments.

ETHIOPIA: VICTORIOUS RDFEP FACES NEW CHALLENGES by A.N.Bragin (Addis Ababa)
Keywords: Ethiopia, RDFEP, Meles Zenawi
The article contains a detail review of the internal political situation in Ethiopia after general election held in May 2010. As it was expected the party in power, the Revolutionary-Democratic Front of Ethiopian Peoples (RDFEP) has won.
The historical summary of the country’s parliamentarianism is also given, as well as an analysis of the performance of the key political figure - Meles Zenawi. The authors shares also his opinion on the prospects for Ethiopia’s economic development for the next 5 years.

DISTANT AND CLOSE THAILAND by A.S.Zaytsev, PhD (Economy)
Keywords: Thailand, Bangkok, the Russian-Thai relations
The author narrates the curious facts from history of the Great city of angels, the capital of Thailand Bangkok, also telling us the interesting moments of the Russian-Thai relations. For example, readers will learn that one of the Thai princess was of the Russian origin.

NEWS OF ORIENTAL STUDIES

THE INSTITUTE OF ORIENTAL STUDIES OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE - THE LEADER OF KOREAN STUDIES by A.V.Pak
The article deals with the solemn action which has taken place in the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Science in the end of 2010. It was devoted to publication of the multivolume edition «Studies of Korea in Russia in the Past and in the Present». This event has been dated to the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea (РК) and the Russian Federation.

RELIGION AND ART IN MODERN CAMEROON by Ch.M.Turinskaya, PhD (History)
Keywords: Cameroon, traditions and the present, religions, cultural variety
The article covers the religious situation in Cameroon, the role of traditional values and modern culture and art of Africans. The author considers a phenomenon of embodiment in art of traditional political culture and symbolics of authority. She underlines that symbols of authority (prestigious sitting, gongs, images of «royal» animals, etc.) are directly connected with traditional beliefs which are still as important as it used to be.

THE JAPANESE PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE BOUNDARY OF CENTURIES by P.V.Kolosov, Post-Graduate Student
Keywords: Japan, photo, culture
Development of art and techniques of photography in the country of Rising Sun is based on the same philosophical and aesthetically principles, as the traditional culture of Japan, and its communication with the Japanese engraving and other kinds of the fine arts is obvious.

TWO WORLDS OF DALJIT NAGRA by I.Y.Kotin, Dr.Sc. (History), St.-Petersburg
Keywords: poetry, immigrants, the Great Britain, ethno- racial minority
Millions people of Southern Asian origin live in the Great Britain, Canada, the USA and other countries. In the Great Britain alone Southern Asian diaspora numbers nearby 2 million persons. The article contains a review of poetry by Daljit Nagra, british poet of Indian origin. For the first time his verses are published in Russian in I.Kotin’s translation.

SOMALIA: THE COUNTRY OF POETS AND PIRATES by G.L.Kapchits, PhD (Philology)
Keywords: Somalia, Mogadishu, Puntland, pirates
Our magazine publishes some essays by Georgi Kapchits who has recently paid a visit to Somalia. The author shares his observations and impressions about meetings with ministers and peasants, fishermen and pirates, inhabitants of cities and villages. He speaks about culture and traditions of the Somalis, about their way of life, the situation in the country which is enduring the most difficult period in its history.

CASBA: HISTORICAL HEART OF THE CAPITAL of Algeria by Y.N.Zinin, PhD (History)
Keywords: Algeria, Casba, historical heritage
The article is about Casba - the heart of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The author narrates the history and the legends associated with this ancient quarter. Casba is included into the list of monuments of the world historical heritage of UNESCO alongside with the city of Gardaya and natural park Tassili in the South of Algeria. For the public and authorities this quarter means more than Algiers, than only a historical heritage and a monument of original architecture. Casba is a symbol of national Algerian spirit, thereby activists work for preservation of this unique corner of capital.

TOLSTOY IN JAPAN by G.V.Alekseyeva, PhD (Philology)
Review of the book of Fumico Davis «The Ark. Tolstoy’s Family» (Moscow, «Russia» - «Olympus», 2010).

ISLAM AND THE PROBLEM OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP by A.M.Hazanov, Dr.Sc. (History) Review of the S.A.Voronin’s book «Islam, Nationalism and Authority» (M., «Labyrinth», 2009).

THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF ТANZANIA by E.S.Lvova, Dr.Sc. (History) Review of the collection titled «Julius Nyerere. The First President of Free Tanzania» (Institute for African Studies, RAS, 2010, 95).

Summary