Diplomacy
MH17 crash site: A police-led approach is the right solution
Last night Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that Australia has prepositioned 50 Australian Federal Police officers, presumably from the International Deployment Group, in…
Australia's new activism: The view from Washington
When US officials talk about the US-Australia alliance, they almost always highlight, as President Obama did in his November 2011 speech in Canberra, that Australians have fought…
Syria, MH17 and the art of the possible at the UN
Australian diplomacy at the UN has kicked up a gear over the last two weeks. On 14 July the Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2165, drafted by Australia, Jordan and…
MH17: The Australians get their resolution
The UN Security Council observes a minute's silence for the MH17 victims. (UN photo.)
The clocks at the UN were approaching midnight on Sunday night when the Security Council…
The US and the international power structure: Reviewing 'Still Ours to Lead'
The rapidly escalating situation in Iraq is a major test for US foreign policy. President Obama, who outlined in his West Point address a policy of selective US engagement and…
Commentary
Australia's battle at the UN
Australia's battle at the UNRichard GowanSydney Morning HeraldPlease click here for full online text.Richard Gowan
Assessing Australia's UN performance
Prime Minister Tony Abbott visited New York this week and, as leaders have to do when in the Big Apple, got together with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the state of…
Football vs international policy: No contest
Tomorrow I begin a bleary-eyed month of World Cup watching. In part to justify my reduced productivity over the next four weeks, I wanted to identify some of the key points at…
The monarchy and Australia's image abroad
As you return to work after the Queen's Birthday long weekend, take a moment to reflect on how this holiday looks to the rest of the world. What message does Australia’s…
SBY: Abbott says farewell to a friend of Australia
Tony Abbott has effectively said farewell to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president of Indonesia.
Our prime minister was right to praise him. SBY has presided over remarkable…