Das Lied zum Sonntag

Savages - City's Full (KEXP)

Tout disparaîtra

Sophie Hunger - Le vent nous portera (Noir Désir Cover)

The principle of non-intervention

Der Vizekanzler hatte am Vorabend in Brüssel ein Papier verteilen lassen, in dem Österreich seine Linie darlegt. Das Außenamt warnt darin vor einseitiger Parteinahme, einem Bruch des Völkerrechts und einer Torpedierung der bevorstehenden Syrien-Konferenz. Es weist zudem darauf hin, dass die Waffen, wie jüngst im Falle einer kroatischen Lieferung, bei der al-Nusra-Brigade landen könnten, die der al-Qaida angehört.

Hauptmotiv für Österreichs Haltung: Die Regierung sieht die Sicherheit der österreichischen UN-Soldaten in Syrien gefährdet, wenn die EU die Gegner von Diktator Assad aufrüstet.  

Die Presse: Faymann: „Und wenn wir die Einzigen sind“, 14. Mai 2013 

Simply failing to agree and allowing the embargo to lapse is a result nobody really wants as it would let the regime off the hook as well, unfreezing Assad's bank accounts for example. The most likely outcome is that the creative linguists in Brussels come up with a form of words that each member state can interpret in its own way. This is what happened when the embargo was amended in February, to allow "non-lethal support and technical assistance for the protection of civilians". Most EU members took this to mean technical assistance related to non-lethal equipment. The UK took a more liberal interpretation, relating to all forms of technical assistance, including forms of military training. 

The Guardian: Austria says UK push to arm Syrian rebels would violate international law, May 14, 2013

The Guardian: The Austrian position on arms embargo in Syria - official document, May 15, 2013 

EuroNews: EU foreign ministers argue over Syria arms embargo, March 23, 2013

Financial Times: EU resists lifting Syria arms embargo, March 15, 2013

The articles cited in the Austrian position paper are here (Principle of Non-Intervention), here (common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment) and here (Responsiblity of STates for Internationally Wrongful Acts). 

The sanctions on Syria were imposed in May 2011 and "included an embargo on the supply of arms, military equipment and equipment which might be used for internal repression.", following the violent reaction of the Syrian regime to peaceful anti-government protests. Since then, concerns have risen over some groups linked to the Free Syrian Army or taking part in the struggle against the Syrian government separately. 

Austrian Armed Forces have served in the Golan Heights as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force guarding the accord between Syrian and Israeli forces since 1974. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria, there have been repeated violations from the Syrian side. In the beginning of May, four peacekeepers were released after being detained by "armed elements of the Syrian opposition". The Philippines, Japan, Croatia and Austria (which supplies the largest contingent - AUSBATT has a strength of approx. 370 men) have considered withdrawing troops because of the deteriorating situation.

Das Lied zum Sonntag

Thao Nguyen - Tiny Desk Concert (September 2008)

Linkliste unbehandelter Themen

Politics: 

Pakistan is holding a general election this Saturday. 

One election is driven by fear, in which liberal-minded candidates and party offices are attacked almost daily by Pakistani Taliban who’ve declared this democracy un-Islamic. In three of four provinces, there has not been much of a campaign. Political space has been narrowed to “corner rallies,” Skype video appearances, ads on TV screens or meetings on social media. 

NY Times: Elections in a Time of Taliban, May 10, 2013

President Obama has signed executive orders "directing the Central Intelligence Agency to shut what remains of its network of secret prisons and ordering the closing of the Guantánamo detention camp within a year".

This should be a thing you remember whenever you're at a clothing store and considering buying a low-prized item made in Bangladesh. 

Results of the regional election in Carinthia, Lower Austria and Salzburg. 

Pop Culture: 

Please support Save Bomb Girls! 

Parks and Recreation has been renewed for a sixth season. Elementary is shooting an episode for its second season in London and has suitably cast an actress who has portrayed Anne Boleyn / is currently portraying Margaery Tyrell as Irene Adler. Orphan Black is an excellent show that relies on its lead actress, Tatiana Maslany, to portray a whole selection of captivating characters. 

The Bletchley Circle, one of my favourite shows in 2012, has been renewed for a second (longer) season. It's about former WW2 code breakers solving crimes (so basically the best idea for a crime show ever), and stars Anna Maxwell Martin (brilliant in everything, but especially The Night Watch), Rachael Stirling (Tipping the Velvet, the most recent episode of Doctor Who), Julie Graham and Sophie Rundle.

Also maybe check out Defiance. It's difficult to explain the show without relying on other pop cultural comparisons ("like Deadwood with aliens" comes fairly close), but it comes with the added bonus of being recapped brilliantly at Television Without Pity (and features, apart from Jaime Murray, Julie Benz and Mia Kirshner, Stephanie Leonidas from the adaptation of Neil Gaiman's MirrorMask). 

The National are releasing a new record, Trouble Will Find Me, in two weeks, and just performed their song Sorrow for six hours straight at the MoMA. 

Das Lied zum Sonntag

No Joy - Hare Tarot Lies



DJ Koze feat. Apparat - Nices Wölkchen

Reading List: April

Non-Fiction: 

A.L. Kennedy: On Bullfighting.

Fiction: 

Margaret Atwood: Oryx and Crake.
Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale.
Fannie Flagg: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
Toni Morrison: Paradise.
Megan Abbott: Dare Me.

Films: 

Trigger (2010, Bruce McDonald).
Cloud Atlas (2012, Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, Tom Tykwer).
The Ruins (2008, Carter Smith).
La Répétition (2001, Catherine Corsini).
Family Tree (2011, Vivi Friedman).
Pieta (2012, Kim Ki-duk).

Shows: 

Justified, Season Four.
Scott and Bailey, Season One.
Bad Girls, Season One, Two and Three.
South Riding.
Hemlock Grove.
Broadchurch.