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This report investigates the underlying issues surrounding Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons capability and critically examines U.S. policy options for resolving the current deadlock. Iran is located in a strategically important and volatile area and its policies have the potential to significantly impact regional security in the Persian Gulf, the Caucasus and the wider Middle East and South Asia. America's wars with Iraq and Afghanistan have put Iran at the heart of the world's most sensitive region, giving it ample opportunity to play an important role in facilitating or hampering America's objectives. Iran with its 69 million inhabitants and control of 10% of the world's oil reserves remains a major concern to those who formulate U.S. foreign policy. The international community also faces concerns with myths and misperceptions clouding issues that often inhibit dialogue and negotiations. At stake in the emerging crisis is concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions. For the international community, preventing a nuclear program with the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capability in Iran is vital. The United States, the EU, and the United Nations recognise that the consequences of a nuclear Iran would not only affect the region and its security, but might also inspire other countries to follow in the same vein. With the increased U.S. presence and interests in Iraq and Afghanistan, containing Iran and curtailing its potential threat to the region is even more critical. Added to this, the fear that nuclear technology would reach the hands of terrorist groups is profound. U.S. Iranian relations remain trapped by the legacies of the past and the very real differences of the present nearly a quarter-century since the revolution, which placed a modernising monarchy with a radical religious state. Concern surrounds Iran's continuing support for militant groups involved in a variety of regional conflicts, including the Palestinian- Israeli dispute. This has abrogated the close alliance with Washington. For more than a decade American officials, in Congress and successive administrations have fixated on the threat of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. With recent developments in the region, the spectre of a nuclear Iran has become an issue of even more potent relevance.For both the U.S. and the international community, a large part of the problem in dealing with Iran is the lack of information and the inability to identify or clarify key elements on issues that concern them, in order to formulate appropriate policies and/or actions towards Iran. Some analysts view the deception and confusion as a deliberate game played by the clerics, who continue to defy the West and still manage to remain resilient despite obvious power struggles on the domestic front. The ongoing struggle in Iran between Islamic reformers and Islamic hard-liners, along with struggles within the U.S. foreign policy establishment between hawks and those seeking accommodation, has left U.S.-Iranian relations in a state of flux. A three-way power struggle between popular moderate Islamist President Mohammed Khatami, hardline clerics, who still wield substantial influence, and resistance movements seeking more radical changes has left the future of Iran in question. This report critically examines issues surrounding Iran's efforts to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, its domestic politics, the significance of its impact on what is already a strategically important region, recent developments in U.S. foreign policy, and diplomatic efforts made by the international community. This report concludes by analysing options available to US policy makers should they choose to help Iran's transition from pariah state toward a more moderate role in the Persian Gulf. Key recommendations of this report include: 1 Stabilizing of Middle East, where Iran can play a vital role 2 U.S. to actively participate in dialogue between Iran and EU, for a greater push to end Iran's nuclear developments with diplomacy 3 U.S. to use both carrot and stick to support reasonable and realistic demands for change; Encourage future leaders of Iran who wants to undo the antimodem policies pursued by clerics; U.S. to devise a non-proliferation policy that anticipates where Iran is headed and formulate a more consistent policies towards Iran This report provides an incisive view of what could conceivably be an emerging crisis of regional and global significance.

Dedication to parliamentary democracy and aver sion to totalitarianism characterize the approach of Burma and her leaders to national and international problems. By means of democratic socialism Burma is endeavoring to create a society of free and equal peoples. The Burmese see the world as plagued by age-old tensions—political, social, and economic— and they believe firmly that the safety and survival of free political institutions depend upon resolving these tensions before they become intolerable. Although committed herself to demo cratic ideals, Burma refuses to pass judgment on the interna tional affairs of other countries and subscribes instead to the principles of peaceful coexistence. She believes that man must rise to the challenge of his age—an age which calls for a new outlook, a new approach, even a new philosophy. The old ways are no longer adequate for the new circumstances and for the crucial issues of today. These issues include not only com munism versus democracy but also strong versus weak, pros perous versus poor, ruler versus ruled, master race versus sub human. These issues can be resolved only when mankind is willing to sit down together and create for itself a world which will guarantee freedom, justice, well-being, and equality to all.—Ed.

Party mergers are a new development in Myanmar politics. Given that such mergers often assist the consolidation of new democratic regimes, some broader system-wide effects may also occur. Myanmar's ethnic parties consistently choose merger strategies over other forms of pre-electoral coalition. This highlights a transition from a focus on questions of authoritarianism and democracy to one on the creation of a federal system of government with a stronger cleavage between competing Bamar and ethnic nationalisms. Despite cooperation among political parties outside the electoral process, pre-electoral coalitions such as constituency-sharing or campaigning for allies have generally not been successful. Five of the six mergers among ethnic parties attempted prior to the 2015 general election failed. However, between 2017 and 2019, five mergers involving parties representing the Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin or Karen, and Mon ethnicities, achieved success. The successful mergers were motivated not only by desires for electoral success in 2020 but also by shared federal aims, which involve ethnic parties in Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin or Karen, and Mon states forming a strong local party in their respective regions to strive for ethnic equality and self-determination. The mergers are between parties with markedly different platforms and their success is conditioned by their preferences for particular kinds of federalism. Mergers cannot guarantee electoral success. And other pre-electoral coalitions, such as avoiding competition for the same constituencies, also proved successful in the 2018 by-elections. But what mergers can uniquely do is respond to public demand for parties to unite and make the resulting party stronger in terms of resources and public support. In general, mergers can reduce system fragmentation, avoid vote wastage and lead to the formation of stable parties. Ethnic party mergers also simplify party labels for voters and make it easier for them to vote on the basis of ethnic preferences. In addition, mergers can increase public interest and political participation among members of ethnic communities.

Introduction: the fall of Mandalay; 1. Kings and distant wars; 2. The Irrawaddy Valley in the early nineteenth century; 3. The court of Ava; 4. Empire and identity; 5. The grand reforms of King Mindon; 6. Revolt and the coming of British rule; 7. Reformists and royalists at the court of King Thibaw; 8. War and occupation; 9. A colonial society; Conclusions: the making of modern Burma.