Editor's Note 
Our focus countries are Cuba and Finland. While one country boasts of its prowess in communications technology, the other one remains unsurpassed in cigars. The year 2007 marks the 50th death anniversary of Jean Sibelius, and ‘An ode to the master composer’ is our homage to this great Finnish composer. General Leonid Ivashov’s ‘Russia-India: Geopolitical Project’ discusses important factors in Indo-Russian relations. To celebrate International Women’s Day 2007, we have a contribution from well-known journalist Neelam Mahajan Singh, who has tirelessly worked over the years towards women’s empowerment. Other topical issues that find place are...  Read the Note. 
  

ASEAN-India FTA: A New Horizon 
India has emmerged as a productive and profitable investment destination in Asia. Process of ASEAN-India economic integration is one of the most significant developments of the country in the last decade.  Read the Article.  
 

INDIA: Making A Difference   
Today, the Indian voice seems to have acquired a stentorian tone that has begun to carry considerable weight in international political and social forums that will eventually trickle down, affect, and benefit all Indians and those connected with India.   Read the Article. 
   

Republic of CUBA  
Cuba, also called the ‘Pearl of the Antilles’, has subtropical climate, adequate rainfall, significant minerals resources, and vast areas of fertile land suitable for farming. Geographically, Cuba is situated under the area of limestone platform of Yucatan, Florida, and Bahamas. Along the western coast, Cuba has beautiful and unusual range of Guanahacabibes Peninsula covered with eroded limestone. Thick pine forests—major sources of the country’s limber industry—cover most parts of the island.  Read the Article.  

CUBA-INDIA Relations   
Traditionally, Cuba-India relations have been warm and friendly. Cuba raised the level of its mission in India in 1972 to that of an ambassador and India followed suit in 1974. In 1960, the first Indian Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, met Mr. Fidel Castro in New York and Mr. Che Guevara visited India in July 1959. Both countries have maintained closed contacts with each other in various international forums like NAM, WTO, and UN.  Read the Article.  

INTERVIEW: India & Cuba are Natural Allies   
Cuba’s relationship with India is based on the perceptions of our foreign policy, and the guideline of our foreign policy is to have the best possible relation with all Third World countries.  Read an Interview.  
   

India-Canada Cooperation
Economist more accurately quoted the India of today as a ‘tiger on the prowl’. The symbolism of Tata Steel’s recent takeover of Anglo-Dutch Corus Group plc, the Birla Group’s purchase of Novelis Inc (a former subsidiary of Canada’s Alcan), and the recent transfer of Teleglobe International Holding Ltd to three Indian powerhouses send an unmistakable message to business leaders in Canada and elsewhere: India has arrived.  Read the Article.      
     

ATHENS: A Feast for the History Buff 
Of course, Athens’ most famous attraction is the Acropolis. Therefore, we picked a hotel in the old quarter, called Plaka, with a view of the famous piece of rock topped by the Parthenon. Plaka is an area of restaurants, jewellery stores, tourist shops, and cafes. It also has a great flea market with an antique section. Though it is quite touristy, Plaka is arguably the nicest neighbourhood in central Athens. Most of the restaurants are typical tourist places but the food is good and reasonably priced, as is the traditional Greek drink ouzo. Strong? Don’t ask! I can’t remember! Read the Article.
  

Russia-India Geopolitical Project
India is the second biggest buyer of Russian weapons after China. And in terms of the qualitative substance of military-technical cooperation, New Delhi is a unique and still unparalleled partner of Moscow.   Read the Article.
  

Energy and Transport Linkages: Between Central Asia and South Asia  
Being the sixth largest energy consumer in the world, India’s crude imports are expected to double in a decade. India’s major problem is connectivity with central Asian countries. India needs to get actively involved in linking the north-south corridor through the corridor continuum in south Asia and even beyond to south east Asia.  Read the Article.   
    

Fulbright Lecture Series: US Foreign Policy in 21st Century  
“Mutual relationship between two countries depends on specific factors, such as democratic governance, economic interdependence, and international collaborations” — Ms. Frances O’Neal  Read the Article. 
    

INTERVIEW: Indian companies have found good opportunities to cooperate with Finnish companies  
President Halonen had a very successful visit to India. There were three dimensions to the visit: the first one was to meet the political leadership of India to discuss and review bilateral issues, multilateral issues, and international affairs. In practical terms, this meant meeting the President, the Prime Minister, the leader of the Congress Party, the leader of the opposition, and so on. The second dimension was to promote trade and economic relations between Finland and India. In practical terms this meant that the delegation accompanying President Halonen included the Finnish Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen who held his own talks with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath. Also, the President was accompanied by a high-level business delegation.  Read the Article. 
    

JEAN SIBELIUS: An ode to the master composer   
Jean Sibelius, one of the greatest composers of all time, was born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius on December 08, 1865 into a Swedish-speaking family in Hämeenlinna in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland. When he was 11-year-old, he was sent to the Hämeenlinna Normaalilyseo, one of the first Finnish language schools in the country. His introduction to the Finnish language unfolded before him the Finnish national epic—Kalevala, which had a profound effect on his compositions. Other important influences included the Swedish lyric poets, Runeberg and Rydberg, and most important of all, Finnish landscape and nature. When he was in his 20s, Sibelius decided to change his first name from Johan to Jean in an attempt to internationalise his name, and then onwards he was known as Jean Sibelius.  Read the Article. 
    

The Movement for Women's Empowerment Propels World's Decision Makers   
International Women’s Day, in fact, is the story of ordinary women as makers of history. The struggle to participate in the society on equality basis is centuries old. The United Nations has designated March 08, as the day of the woman, many advanced nations also having a national holiday..  Read the Article. 
    

The Great Mexican Art: Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo   
The year 2007 marks the 50th death anniversary of one of the most prominent artists of the last century—Diego María Rivera. Rivera’s legacy to modern Mexican art is decisive in his murals and his canvases, and he gained international acclaim as a leader of the Mexican mural movement. Rivera took his art to the public, to the streets and buildings, always managing a precise, direct, and realist style, but full of social content. Featuring stylised representations of the working classes and indigenous cultures, and espousing revolutionary ideals in his murals of the 1920s and 1930s, Rivera developed a new, modern imagery expressing Mexican national identity. Essentially famous as a muralist, Rivera ranks among the great artists of the 20th Century.  Read the Article.