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‘No mandate for Iraq war’ – Dutch
By Jonny Dymond
BBC News

<img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47090000/jpg/_47090355_-41.jpg” align=”left” width=”226″ height=”170″ alt=”Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende, December 2009″ border=”0″ vspace=”4″ hspace=”4″>

A Dutch inquiry into the run-up to the Iraq war is to issue its report.

The current Dutch government set up the inquiry following the leaking of foreign ministry memos casting doubt on the legal basis for the war.

The Netherlands gave political but not military support to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The report has the potential to bitterly embarrass the Dutch government and reinforce the international case against the Iraq war.

The Davids Commission – named after the retired senior judge who leads it – was established just under a year ago, following a political revolt against Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende.

It was Mr Balkenende who, back in 2003, lent political support to the invasion of Iraq.

The justification was then made that UN resolutions had been flouted, but a memo from the time by Dutch foreign ministry lawyers, subsequently leaked, suggested that the war was in fact illegal under international law.

The inquiry has looked into the legality of the war, the quality of Dutch intelligence and the government’s decision-making process.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Josipovic elected Croatia leader
By Mark Lowen
BBC News, Balkans corresponden

<img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47075000/jpg/_47075190_008513287-1.jpg” align=”left” width=”226″ height=”170″ alt=”Ivo Josipovic (left) and Milan Bandic” border=”0″ vspace=”4″ hspace=”4″>

Croatia is preparing to vote in elections for a new president.

The first round of the election in December was won by Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic, but he failed to get an outright majority.

Opinion polls suggest he has a lead over his challenger in the run-off election – the current mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic.

Croatia’s president has little power to direct policy, so this election has focused on personality more than ideas.

And the difference is stark.

On the left, Mr Josipovic: a mild-mannered classical music composer and doctor of law, credited for his untarnished background but criticised for lacking charisma.

And on the right, Mr Bandic: a long-distance runner who says he is close to the people, but has been hit by corruption allegations.

Corruption concerns

Corruption has been the dominant theme in the campaign, with Croatia determined to clean up its image in order to gain EU membership by 2012.

Also of concern to Croatian voters is the impact of the recession.

The country’s economy is expected to shrink by almost 6% in 2009 and show barely any growth this year.

Unemployment stands stubbornly high at around 16%.

There is a general mood of public disenchantment with politics in Croatia, leading to the lowest ever turnout in the first round of this presidential election at just 44%.

But both candidates have led an increasingly aggressive end to the campaign and have appealed to voters both in Croatia and the over 250,000 Croats in Bosnia to cast their ballot.

They will almost certainly be electing the head of state of the European Union’s 28th member.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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Source: news.bbc.co.uk

In pictures
Germany turns white as winter weather takes hold

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Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Miliband in Pakistan terror talks

<img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47073000/jpg/_47073342_008514977-1.jpg” align=”left” width=”226″ height=”170″ alt=”From left: David Miliband and Yusuf Raza Gilani” border=”0″ vspace=”4″ hspace=”4″>

Foreign Secretary David Miliband has arrived in Pakistan for talks on Afghanistan and combating terrorism.

Mr Miliband’s visit comes ahead of an international conference on Afghanistan to be held in London later this month.

He also said he would discuss the political, economic and security challenges facing Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has previously contradicted Gordon Brown about claims that Osama Bin Laden was in Pakistan.

Mr Miliband will be holding talks with Mr Gilani, President Asif Ali Zardari and other ministers and military leaders.

Speaking ahead of the two-day trip, the foreign secretary said: "Pakistan’s armed forces and Pakistan’s civilians have suffered greatly from terrorist violence and they are showing great sacrifice in taking on the internal terrorist threat that I believe is the greatest threat to the future of Pakistan.

International ties

"I will be discussing how Pakistan is rising to the challenge, with international support, of addressing the danger that it faces."

He added that he was looking forward to discussing the current situation on each side of the Afghanistan and Pakistan border "and how we can extend co-operation across that border".

Mr Miliband also said Britain and Pakistan shared many ties through their histories, cultures, families and political aims.

Mr Brown had suggested Pakistan should be doing more to tackle terrorism in the region prior to a meeting with Mr Gilani at Downing Street last month.

But Mr Gilani said Pakistan had not been given any credible information by the West about Bin Laden’s whereabouts.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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Source: news.bbc.co.uk