The Cold War mindset is difficult to fade away. With the announcement of the design and building of the nuclear energy centre in Myanmar by Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency, the US has raised concerns about the peaceful nature of Myanmar’s nuclear energy programme. The proposed 10-megawatt light water reactor has attracted international attention in Myanmar. The negotiation for acquiring nuclear technology between the Russian Agency and Myanmar was shelved since 2003 due to specific payment problems.
President Vladimir Putin’s recent address to the Russian Parliament has attracted much attention for obvious reasons. Pitched betwixt his second term as the President, which according to some could be extended through a constitutional amendment and his seemingly carefully calculated desire to name the successor, the speech reflects three interrelated factors – robust nationalism, comprehensive national power, and a reassertion of the state in global politics – a concoction of which conforms to what is known as realism in international relations.