bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
OSCE's police-related activities: Lessons-learned during the last decade
Authors: Stodiek Thorsten 
Published: March 2011

AbstractWithin the last ten years, police-related activities have become a key component of the OSCE's post-conflict rehabilitation operations and have gained increasing relevance in the organization's democratization and rule of law activities in states of transition as well as in the promotion of international co-operation in the fight against terrorism and organized crime. The article provides an overview of the wide scope of police-related activities the OSCE executive structures have undertaken, the achievements they have made, the challenges they have faced while developing and implementing their police assistance and reform programmes, and the strategies they have developed to address the challenges.
A dangerous precedent? The political implications of Kosovo's independence on ethnic conflicts in South-Eastern Europe and the CIS
Authors: Richter Solveig , Halbach Uwe 
Published: March 2011

AbstractKosovo's declaration of independence on 17 February 2008 has re-ignited debates about the interaction among the fundamental international legal principles of self-determination, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The question of conformity with international law was interrelated to scenarios on the political implications of secession. After more than one year the following article elaborates if the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo had a precedent-setting impact for long-standing autonomist and secessionist conflicts in South-Eastern Europe and in CIS. The Kosovo-precedent formula had its biggest impact in the secessionist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where a powerful external actor Russia, made effective use of the precedent-formula in its coercive diplomacy against Georgia. Generally speaking, in South-Eastern-Europe, the independence of Kosovo had only minor destabilizing effects with the exception of Bosnia and Hercegovina and Macedonia where political entrepreneurs used the opportunity to play the nationalist card and to profit from worst case scenarios of a disintegration of their country.
Missing the big picture? Retrospective on OSCE strategic thinking on Central Asia
Authors: Shkolnikov Vladimir 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe article makes two intertwining arguments about OSCE's work in Central Asia. The first is that the organization failed to engage the leaders of the region in a political dialogue, opting instead for a quasi-developmental approach centered on technical assistance projects, many of questionable provenance and of limited if not negative impact. The second is that the OSCE has failed to promote in the region its own comprehensive vision of security with the human dimension at its core, instead accepting the security notions of the region's leaders. The articles traces and discusses the key points in the OSCE's involvement in Central Asia, noting that the political influence of the organization has dissipated while the project portfolio has expanded. The article questions the wisdom of projects involving police support and assistance to other governmental power structures in the Central Asian states.
Deadlock and division in Moldova: the 2009 political crisis and the role of the OSCE
Authors: Deen Bob 
Published: March 2011

AbstractFollowing the contested parliamentary elections in April 2009, the Republic of Moldova entered a period of political crisis and deadlock between the ruling Communist Party and a coalition of opposition parties. Street protests by the opposition over alleged electoral fraud and a heavy-handed government response were followed by repeat elections in July after parliament failed to find a compromise over a presidential candidate. This article explores the origins of the crisis and the ensuing uneasy transition of power. It specifically examines the role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) during Moldova's political crisis, making the case that although it did not manage to play a key role so far, it has a wide array of crisis management instruments at its disposal through its permanent Mission and its specialized Institutions that could be more actively used to promote stability and democratic pluralism in Moldova.
Measuring the security of persons belonging to National Minorities: Indicators for assessing the impact of the FCNM in its State Parties
Authors: Malloy Tove , Lantschner Emma , Medda-Windischer Roberta 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe security of persons belonging to minorities is intrinsically linked to the implementation of minority protection instruments. This paper addresses the security of persons belonging to minorities in terms of international standards enshrined in the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM). The paper is divided in three parts. First, it presents indicators piloted to measure developments in the political discourse, including government actions and practices induced by the political discourse. Next, it introduces indicators to assess developments in the legislative branch, including public policies addressing issues protected by international standards. Finally, it presents indicators to assess awareness and acceptance in the judiciary branch of government, including not only court rulings but also matters of courts' structures and organization. A final concluding section relates each section to the overall issue of security of persons belonging to minorities through law and politics.
The role of the OSCE in the conflict in Georgia
Authors: van Rie Marie-José 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe OSCE mission was established on the invitation of the government of Georgia and with the consent of the leaders of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. One would therefore conclude that there would have been a sound basis for a political solution of the situation. The reality has proved otherwise. The JCC set up to serve as a forum for negotiations, became part of the problem and compromised rather than enabled the OSCE to fulfill its mediating role. The OSCE's security enhancing role in the break away regions was curtailed due to a lack of personnel. As a regional organization lacking political and economic leverage the OSCE was not up to the challenges of this complex situation. The article highlights the constraints of the OSCE in carrying out its mandate: no legal basis, consensus, increasing opposition from the part of CIS countries.
A new START to begin with: recent developments in US-Russian strategic nuclear arms reductions
Authors: den Dekker Guido 
Published: March 2011

AbstractNuclear arms control is high on the international agenda again. With START expired, the US and Russia have been taking more time than envisaged to negotiate a START follow-on treaty. The agreed further reductions are far from impressive. As regards future nuclear arms reductions, much will depend on the political-strategic climate between the US and Russia as well as on the regional (NATO) and global (nuclear non-proliferation) levels. Instead of fixating on the end-goal of a nuclear weapons free world, international attention should focus on the small but concrete legal steps towards meaningful nuclear arms reductions. The new START should be only the beginning.
Whose Responsibility to Protect?
Authors: Eckhard Frederic 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe 2009 challenge in the United Nations General Assembly to the Responsibility to Protect was a warning call. This landmark piece of human rights legislation makes a lot of governments nervous; some of them would want to wipe R2P off the books. It might be worthwhile therefore to review how it came about and ask what its importance is to you. R2P had many “fathers”, but one important one was UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Seared by the UN experience in Bosnia, the genocide in Rwanda and the persecution of the Kosovars by Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, Annan asked the International Peace Academy to look into the basis in international law for humanitarian intervention. They couldn't find one. Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy then stepped in and set up a commission that did in a report called e Responsibility to Protect. Annan carefully laid the groundwork for international acceptance of the principle. He created a high-level panel to study security threats in the 21 st century and named former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans to it. Evans co-chaired the Canadian panel. Annan's panel endorsed R2P. With that crucial backing, he put R2P to the General Assembly, which, against all odds, voted in favor of it in 2005, making R2P international law. Humanitarian intervention is in fact a threat to national sovereignty. But so are most international treaties. Governments trade on their sovereignty when it is in their interest to do so. On R2P they did so again. Why should it matter to you? Just remember the Holocaust.
Phylogenetic analysis and biogeography of Aegean taxa of the genus Dendarus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
Authors:   Trichas,   Giokas,   Mylonas,   Chatzimanolis
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe genus Dendarus Latr. is distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin with numerous species in the Aegean islands. This paper presents a phylogenetic analysis and the biogeography of most taxa present in the area. Phylogenetic analysis of two outgroup and 25 ingroup taxa based on adult morphology, including 50 characters and 119 character states, produced two equally parsimonious trees (tree length = 148, C.I. = 0.42, R.I. = 0.70, R.C. = 0.294). These trees provide strong support for the monophyly of Dendarus and also define four species groups: the foraminosus group, present mainly on the island of Crete; the rhodius group, present in Dodecanese islands, the sinuatus group present in the central Aegean islands, and another group consisting of taxa from mainland Greece (D. messenius, D. caelatus, D. tenellus, and D. plicatulus paganettii). All area cladograms produced by Compatibility Component Analysis, Brooks Parsimony Analysis, and especially by Component Analysis, correspond quite closely to the hypothesized palaeogeographic history of the studied area and therefore partly support the idea of a vicariant evolution of Dendarus taxa in this region. We distinguished certain monophyletic groups distributed (with some exceptions) within well-defined geographical and palaeogeographical regions of the Aegean. However, we found certain inconsistencies (with Reconciled Tree Analysis) that are probably the result of dispersal, extinction, or duplication events that are independent of the sequence of vicariance events.
The Lauxaniidae (Diptera) described by C. F. Fallén with description of a misidentified species of Homoneura van der Wulp
Authors: Merz Bernhard 
Published: March 2011

AbstractC. F. Fallén described 15 species of Lauxaniidae, the types of 13 could be studied in the collection of Fallén in the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm and one type is located in the collection of Zetterstedt in the Zoological Museum Lund. The type of Sapromyza multipunctata was not found. Lectotypes are fixed for 12 species. Homoneura subnotata Papp is a new junior synonym of Homoneura notata (Fallén). Homoneura notata auctt. nec Fallén is now called Homoneura dilecta (Rondani, 1868). Homoneura interstincta (Fallén) has been misidentified in the past. It is fully redescribed and illustrated. Homoneura mediospinosa sp. n. (= H. interstincta auctt. nec Fallén) is described and illustrated. Sapromyza pallida Fallén is unrecognizable, because the only existing syntype, belonging to the Lyciella illota group, cannot be properly identified.
Systematics and song structure of Prozvenella bangalorensis sp. n. with a discussion of song features in Podoscirtini crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Podoscirtidae)
Authors: Balakrishnan Rohini , Metrani Sapna , Desutter-Grandcolas Laure 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe systematics of the podoscirtine genus Prozvenella Gorochov, 2001(2002) is reviewed, with the description of one new species, P. bangalorensis sp. n. A diagnosis of all known species of Prozvenella is given and a key for male identification is proposed. The monophyly and relationships of Prozvenella are discussed and the homologies for male genitalic characters in Podoscirtini are re-examined. The calling song of P. bangalorensis is described and examined for its variability. A general schema of song variation in Podoscirtini is discussed with a preliminary appraisal on song evolution in this clade.
A revision of the Neotropical species of the lynx spider genus Peucetia Thorell 1869 (Araneae: Oxyopidae)
Authors: Santos Adalberto , Brescovit Antonio 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe spider genus Peucetia includes 54 species of medium-sized and widely distributed spiders. The majority of its species occurs in the tropical regions, of which only the African fauna has been recently revised. In the Neotropical Region 26 species were described, of which 17 are here synonymyzed. Peucetia tranquillini Mello-Leitão 1922, P. rubrigastra Mello-Leitão 1929, P. meridionalis Mello-Leitão 1929, P. villosa Mello-Leitão 1929, and P. viridisternis Mello-Leitão 1945 are considered junior synonyms of P. flava Keyserling 1877. Eight names, Peucetia similis Keyserling 1877, P. amazonica Mello-Leitão 1929, P. heterochroma Mello-Leitão 1929, P. maculipedes Piza 1938, P. trivittata Mello-Leitão 1940, P. duplovittata Mello-Leitão 1941, and P. roseonigra Mello-Leitão 1943 and Tapinillus argentinus Mello-Leitão 1941 are considered junior synonyms of P. rubrolineata Keyserling 1877. Both senior species are extremelly common, occurring from Colombia to northern Argentina. Peucetia macroglossa Mello-Leitão 1929, recorded only from Central Brazilian Amazonia and Guyana is considered a senior synonym of P. melloleitaoi Caporiacco 1947. Two species occur from Southern USA to northern Colombia: Peucetia viridans (Hentz 1832) and P. longipalpis F. O. P.-Cambridge 1902. The former is recognized as a senior synonym of P. poeyi (Lucas 1857), P. bibranchiata F. O. P.- 1902 and P. rubricapilla Petrunkevitch 1925 and the later as a senior synonym of P. cauca Lourenço 1990. Peucetia viridis (Blackwall 1858), known from Africa, southern Spain and Middle East is newly recorded from the West Indies. One new species, Peucetia cayapa sp. n., is described and illustrated based on males and females from Ecuador and Peru. Peucetia caldensis Garcia-Neto 1989, from Brazil, is transferred to Tapinillus Simon 1898. The type specimens of three species, P. quadrilineata Simon 1891 and P. thalassina (C. L. Koch 1847) from Central America, and P. smaragdina Mello-Leitão 1941 from Colombia are probably lost. Since their original descriptions are not sufficiently clear for their recognition, they are considered nomina dubia.
Blackburnia lata sp. n. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Kauai: morphological transformation in the arboreal microhabitat
Authors: Liebherr James 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBlackburnia lata sp. n. is described from the western reaches of the Alakai Swamp Trail, Kauaikinana Stream watershed, Kauai. Blackburnia lata is placed phylogenetically among other Kauai species in the subgenus Blackburnia Sharp, 1878. It is sympatric with three closely related species, all distributed largely within the limits of the primeval Kauai caldera, but allopatric with its adelphotaxon, B. atra Liebherr, found on Mt. Kahili, an isolated southern spur of the Mt. Waialeale massif. All five species occur in arboreal mossmats, at the same time exhibiting substantial variation in tarsal configuration. Tarsal evolution across this mossmat-specific lineage suggests that a single tarsal conformation is not required for occupation of this arboreal ecological zone. Historical transformation patterns of tarsal characters are not entirely congruent with the phylogenetic relationships among these species, and inclusion or exclusion of these characters in cladistic analysis is irrelevant to the definition of phylogenetic relationships. This incongruence argues against the necessity of excluding characters from phylogenetic analysis because they are deemed adaptive, while supporting the total evidence approach, wherein all potential synapomorphies are analyzed simultaneously to estimate phylogeny, regardless of their putative adaptive significance.
Revision of the European Aethes rubigana complex with a description of genetically confirmed Aethes kyrkii sp. n. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)
Authors: Lankinen Pekka , Itämies Juhani , Mutanen Marko 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe Aethes rubigana complex is shown to comprise four closely related species in the Palearctic region: Eurasian Aethes cnicana (Westwood, 1854), European A. rubigana (Treitschke, 1830), Asiatic A. citreoflava V. I. Kuznetsov, 1966, and A. kyrkii, here described as a new species from northern Finland. A. kyrkii is morphologically most close to A. cnicana, but enzyme electrophoresis revealed complete genetic isolation between them. Descriptions are given of the three species occurring in Europe, and their respective biologies are outlined. Statistical analyses of traits of the forewing are given. The taxonomic status of A. arcticana (Brandt, 1937) is revised.
Revision of the quill mites of the genus Picobia Haller, 1878 (Acari: Syringophilidae) with notes on their host-parasites relationships
Authors: Skoracki Maciej , Wauthy Georges , Bochkov Andre 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe genus Picobia Haller (Acari: Syringophilidae) is revised. The species of this genus are permanent parasites living in quills of bird body feathers. In total 19 species are recognized. Four new species are described from passerine birds (Passeriformes): Picobia locustella sp. n. from Locustella naevia (Sylviidae), P. biarmicus sp. n. from Panurus biarmicus (Panuridae), P. sturni sp. n. from Sturnus vulgaris (Sturnidae) and P. cissa sp. n. from Cissa chinensis (Corvidae). Two species are redescribed: P. dryobatis (Fritsch) and P. zumpti (Lawrence). A neotype for P. dryobatis is designated. A new diagnosis for the genus Picobia and a key to females are provided. Parsimony analysis of the genus is conducted. Host-parasite relationships are briefly discussed.
Exploring Tanytarsini relationships (Diptera: Chironomidae) using mitochondrial COII gene sequences
Authors: Ekrem Torbjørn , Willassen Endre 
Published: March 2011

AbstractMitochondrial DNA sequences from COII and flanking regions were retrieved from 42 species of Chironomidae belonging to the genera Cladotanytarsus, Corynocera, Diplocladius, Eukiefferiella, Lauterborniella, Micropsectra, Orthocladius, Pagastiella, Paratanytarsus, Psectroladius, Prodiamesa, Rheotanytarsus, Stempellinella, Sergentia, Stictochironomus and Tanytarsus. Some Tanytarsini have unusually long intergenic regions between COII and the flanking tRNAs. Length variation of the COII gene is associated with hypervariable regions including internal indels. We discuss the possibility that flanking tRNAs and intergenic repeat patterns may make COII susceptible to small scale rearrangements. These mutational patterns are not assumed to disturb the functionality because the polypeptides can be folded to the 3D structure described by the Swiss Model, and putative copper binding active sites in Anopheles COII are conserved in the chironomids. Phylogeny was inferred on COII data using maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses. A general time reversible model accounting for the proportion of invariable sites and with gamma correction for nucleotide substitution rate heterogeneity (GTR+Γ+Ι) was found as the best model for evolutionary change. Implementation of the model in Bayesian analyses recovered a phylogenetic consensus tree that corresponds well with the hypothesis of Tanytarsini relationships derived from morphological studies. High probabilities were estimated for monophyly of the genera examined, except that Corynocera ambigua becomes the sister taxon of Tanytarsus gracilentus. The tree is also in agreement with the taxonomic division of subtribes Tanytarsina and Zavreliina. However, the data and model only weakly support many of the suggested relationships between the genera of Tanytarsini.
Final stage larvae and puparia of Platypezidae (Diptera)
Authors: Chandler Peter , Gilbert Francis , Rotheray Graham 
Published: March 2011

AbstractPlatypezidae occupy an important basal position within the Muscomorpha. However, morphological analyses of larval Platypezidae are incomplete and early stage data is insufficient to inform phylogenetic analysis and recognition of groundplan characters and states within Muscomorpha. For example, knowledge is poor of the characters of respiratory organs, head, head skeleton, thorax and segmental sensilla. In this study we describe and compare these features of 16 species in 11 genera. The head appears as a distinct fleshy organ with atrium and antennae and maxillary organs separated on the dorsal surface. Head skeletons are characterised by an anteriorly projecting labrum and labium with laterally placed mandibles. The prothorax is frequently armoured with sclerotised regions and spicules. A repeated and uniform pattern of up to 11 pairs of sensilla circumvent each thoracic and abdominal segment. Respiratory organs vary little in size and arrangement of spiracular openings. Using a set of 43 larval and puparial characters and based on a Brachyceran outgroup, a sequence of genera is established which places Melanderomyia as the most basal. These results are compared with estimates of phylogeny based on adult characters.
Corydasialidae fam. n. (Megaloptera) from Baltic amber
Authors: Chatterton Chris , Ross Andrew , Wichard Wilfried 
Published: March 2011

AbstractA new family of the order Megaloptera from Baltic amber is suggested: Corydasialidae fam. n. The type species is Corydasialis inexspectatus gen. & sp. n. The new family is characterized by some autapomorphic traits: 4th tarsal segments of the legs are bilobed, underside of the 4th tarsal lobes with a brush of sucker disc-shaped hairs, in forewings Sc and R1 are not fused and both CuA and CuP distinctly forked.
The first instar larva of Apodacra pulchra (Diptera: Sarcophagidae, Miltogramminae)
Authors:   Pape,   Szpila
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe morphology of the first instar larva of the miltogrammine flesh fly Apodacra pulchra Egger, 1861 is described using SEM and light microscopy. The larva is shown to possess a strongly modified pseudocephalon with comb-like lateral processes, a large ventral organ, and a transversely enlarged, slit-like (or ⊥-shaped) functional mouth opening. The thoracic cuticle is forming longitudinal ridges, and the abdominal segments have a single long lateral sensory sensilla on each side. Morphology is discussed in context of the remaining Oestroidea in general and of the subfamily Miltogramminae in particular.