The Pew Research Center has conducted one of its surveys in Europe, asking people in different countries their opinions about Muslims, Jews, and Roma. The results are quite striking with a high degree of variation among different countries. Italians hold the most unfavorable views toward Muslims, Greeks hold the most unfavorable views about Jews, and virtually every country holds negative views about Roma. The results testify to the growth of ethnic sensitivities in Europe, a development quite at odds to the European Union experiment.
On Wednesday Iran and the P5+1 will begin what is hoped to be the final stage of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear energy program. The 6-month interim agreement signed earlier is due to expire on 20 July, and that interim agreement left some vital issues unresolved. The fundamental obstacle is the desire on the part of some of the powers that Iran not have the “capability” to build a nuclear bomb. The problem is that Iran already has the capability to build a bomb, and satisfying the demand for no capability means that Iran would have to dismantle or destroy some of the facilities (mainly centrifuges) that it has already built. As the deadline nears, we should be prepared for a propaganda war by all sides.
The mediator appointed by the UN to negotiate a settlement in Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has announced that he will step down from the position on 31 May. The decision signals his deep frustration over the negotiations and likely signals his belief that a settlement is not possible. The decision by Syria to hold a presidential election in June, with current President Assad as the only viable candidate, appears to be the final blow to any serious negotiations. Assad has essentially announced that he will stay on on his own terms. There is no end in sight for the Syrian tragedy, and the entire world should be ashamed of its failure to save the innocents who have suffered so much in the civil war.
World Politics News 
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