Abstract: This article focuses on the recent changes in the current Middle East policy of the Federal Republic of Germany. The purpose of this study is to identify and formulate the main trends of the evolution of German foreign policy in the Middle East. The object of the study is the foreign policy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Middle East and North Africa. The subject of this study includes the main trends and patterns of the evolution of the Middle East policy of the Federal Republic of Germany at the present stage of development of the system of international relations and the world politics.The methodological basis of the research is the system, structural and functional and comparative political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation.The author draws attention to the high level of political dynamics in the relations of the Federal Republic of Germany with the leading countries of the Middle East region, which allows us to conclude about the transformation of the paradigm of Germany's foreign policy in this region. Particular attention is paid to Germany's foreign policy relations with Iraq and Iran in a wide range of spheres and the role of Germany in resolving the Iranian crisis (related to the Iran nuclear deal) and Germany's participation in the coalition against international terrorism. The paper also draws certain historical parallels.

Keywords: color revolutions, security, state, interests, diplomacy, international relations, global instability, world politics, global information space, political system

Abstract: The article analyzes the evolution and the origins of terror and terrorism in the world political practice. For centuries, these phenomena had been the most radical ways to gain and assert political dominance within certain state-organized societies.The French Revolution was a special stage of their development, which institutionalized terror as a principle of revolutionary expediency. Subsequently, it served as justification of repressions against certain social groups and peoples in the major social and political convulsions of the XXth century. The research methodology is based on the system, structural-functional and comparative-political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and observation.As an effective means of gaining political dominance, terror and terrorism were also used by the leading countries in their colonial policy. The methods of terror were actively used by the United States against indigenous peoples in the XIX century, by Britain and other colonial powers and Nazi Germany before and during World War II.In the modern political practice, terror and terrorism have become a global problem, and are used to gain and assert dominance by certain states and their alliances and international terrorist organizations.

Keywords: color revolutions, security, state, interests, diplomacy, international relations, US foreign policy, world policy, Russia, political system

Abstract: As far as Belarusian authorities have been recently expressing their readiness to negotiate, the opinion has confirmed in Russia that Belarus has decided on Eurasian integration. But in the author’s opinion, such a confidence seems to be premature. It is not quite correct to speak about the decision without a public opinion analysis, though it doesn’t influence the real policy much yet. Besides, taking into account the ambiguous history of the political dialogue between the two countries, the longevity and the apriority of Belarus’s orientation towards the union with Russia casts serious doubts. The study is based mainly on the analysis of the transformation of public preferences in Belarus using sociological survey’s data. The scientific novelty of the study consists in the fact that after the latest presidential election in Belarus, the new sociological trends can appear which would influence the country’s foreign policy more profoundly. Russian expert and political community not always notice the inner Belarusian transformations. But Ukraine’s experience had shown that these transformations hold a serious potential of influence on the country’s development including the external and integration aspects, which are so important for Russia. 

Keywords: power, balancing, NGO, Soft power, Integration, Choice, Society, Belarus, Relations with Russia, EEU

Abstract: The article studies the problem of the world community’s struggle against religious extremism represented by radical Islamic groups, which widely use the method of terrorism to achieve their criminal objectives. The author considers the military and political group “Islamic State” (IS) as the international terrorism vanguard aiming at gaining world supremacy under Islamic slogans. The so-called pseudo-Islam with all the attributes of medieval bigotry has nothing in common with real Islam as one of the main world religions. Particular states, political parties, NGOs and groups of people use the still existing ethno-confessional contradictions to their advantage and provoke new wars and conflicts between peoples. The research methodology is based on the system, structural-functional and comparative-political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and observation. The author states that the today’s civil wars between Sunnites and Shiites in Iraq and Syria have been triggered off with the help of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. The donors of radical Islamites use the Islamic State and the related Islamic groups with Salafist and Wahhabist ideology to overthrow legal governments and seize power. The author concludes that such practices had resulted in the real threat to international security. 

Keywords: USA, security, state, international conflicts, diplomacy, international relations, US foreign policy, world policy, Russia, geopolitics

Abstract: Using the method of historical reconstruction, the author clears up the causes and the nature of the 1997 civil war in the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), one of the bloodiest conflicts on the African continent for the entire post-colonial period. Comprehensive analysis of historical sources, including media sources materials, memoirs of participants of the events and investigative journalism allow ascertaining the motives and the goals of all parties to the conflict in this cruel confrontation. Special attention is paid to elucidating the role of France and some African countries (such as Gabon, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the outbreak of the Civil War in the Republic of the Congo; to the specific manifestations of the geopolitical doctrine of "Françafrique" in the internal conflict in a sovereign country. The research methodology is based on the system, structural and functional and comparative-political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and observation. This article demonstrates the role of the French secret services, the lobbyist networks of Charles Pasqua and the oil company "Elf" in the establishment of dictatorial regimes of Fulbert Youlou and Denis Sassou Nguesso and the assassination of the President Marien Ngouabi, in the organization of the coup and the 1997 civil war inciting. The author concludes that the interference of the Elysee Palace in the internal affairs of the Republic of the Congo was conditioned by the will to preserve the allegiance of the Congo-Brazzaville from the former metropolitan country, to gain unconditional preferences in the development of the oil deposits of the Gulf of Guinea and to ensure military and political dominance in the strategically important region. The study is funded by the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation (RHSF), Project number 15-01-00363 , "External interference in the internal affairs of the Third World countries in the period of the Cold War: the experience of a multi-level analysis ".

Keywords: diplomacy, international relations, global instability, world politics, global information space, France, interests, state, security, risks

Abstract: The paper studies the two basic ideologemes of the modern political rhetoric of the People’s Republic of China: “the Chinese dream” and “harmonious culture”. Based on the wide range of materials, including the works of the modern Chinese political scientists of 2014 – 2015 and the works of the modern Russian and Western scholars, the authors reveal the content of “the Chinese dream” and “harmonious culture”. After the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China, the realization of “the Chinese dream” has become the main purpose of domestic and foreign policy of the state. The main research method is the critical and analytical review of the most important expert opinions, including those of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping, Chinese political scientists, Western specialists in the contemporary policy of China and Russian scholars analyzing the concepts of the “Chinese Dream” and “harmonious culture”. Besides, the authors apply the method of conceptual analysis to the ideologemes the “Chinese dream” and “harmonious culture”. The authors fix the concrete content of these ideologemes. Harmony is the main national worth according to the party and government documents of the modern China. The authors agree with the conclusions of those scholars who claim that the political rhetoric of contemporary China tends to traditionalism and nationalism, though the real economic situation and global transformations are connected with cosmopolitism and the newest foreign cultural practices and technologies. Chinese leaders attempt at solving this contradiction via an active use of the concepts “harmony”, “harmonious society” and “harmonious culture”. The concrete content of the “harmony” concept is defined as rhetorical triunity of Marxism, traditionalism and the newest cultural technologies typical for the Western countries. 

Keywords: revitalization of the nation, soft power, Chinese socialism, harmonious culture, harmonious society, the Chinese Dream, 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, Chinese ideology, China

Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of the US's role in the 2013 - 2014 Ukrainian crisis, which had led to the overthrow of the legitimate President Viktor Yanukovych and the rise to power of the right-wing anti-Russian forces, supported by the US and the EU. The object of the study is the 2013 - 2014 political crisis in Ukraine. The subject of the research is the US's role in the 2013 - 2014 political crisis in Ukraine. The purpose of this study is to identify and define the role of the United States (the "external factor") in the emergence and escalation of the political crisis in Ukraine which became fatal for the regime of Viktor Yanukovych. The author draws attention to the fact that the legitimate regime of Yanukovych was overthrown using the technologies of color revolutions designed by the Western states, primarily by the US. The research methodology is based on the system, structural-functional, comparative-political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and observation. In late November 2013, mass protest actions were taking place in Kyiv, known as Euromaidan, which had been provoked by the decision of the Ukrainian leadership (the then Ukrainian President V. Yanukovych) not to sign the Association Agreement with the EU. The Euromaidan eventually led to the overthrow of the legitimate regime and the establishment of the pro-Western government, loyal to the US. The coup and the preceding events in Ukraine led to severe consequences for the country: it actually split, as the Euromaidan hadn’t been supported by all the citizens; the mass disturbances broke out in the south-eastern parts of the country which led to the loss of the part of the territory by Ukraine (Crimea was attached to the Russian Federation); the confrontation between the Kyiv government and the south-eastern regions led to the civil war which resulted in the dozens of thousands of victims and more than a million refugees. 

Keywords: diplomacy, international relations, U.S. foreign policy, world politics, Russia, political system, interests, state, security, USA

Abstract: The article studies the potential of Japan’s soft power. The author analyzes the main sources, institutions, problems and prospects of this direction of foreign policy of contemporary Japan. Since the early 21st century, the emphasis of Japan’s soft power has been placed on the promotion of the modern popular culture. The special “Cool Japan” concept had been developed. The concept was supported by Japanese scientists and politicians. Today, this concept is being implemented by Japanese soft power institutions – the Agency of Culture, working within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Internal affairs of Japan, the Cool Japan Fund and the Japanese centers established in the late 20th centuries in the developing states. The author applies the method of historicism, the institutional approach and comparative analysis. Japan’s soft power is studied in its historical aspect; the author analyzes the work of its institutions and compares its potential with the potentials of soft power of other countries of Asia-Pacific region. The author concludes that contemporary Japan tries to win the world not with the attractiveness of its ancient traditions, but with the modern technologies and popular culture. Thus, Japan’s soft power is primarily aimed at achieving its geo-economic objectives. 

Keywords: Japanese cuisine, Japanese language, Manga, international image, soft power, diplomacy, foreign policy, Japan, Cool Japan Fund, Cool Japan

Abstract: The research subject is the regime of disclosure of information about lobbying established by the US legislation. Special attention is paid to the study of the mechanism of the “Lobbying Disclosure Act” implementation. The author reveals the problems faced by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives in their law enforcement activities. Besides, the paper considers particular decisions of the US Supreme Court which in this or that way deal with the exercise by the Congress of its legislative and administrative responsibilities. The author analyzes the real state of the process of legal regulation of lobbying in the US. The author applies various scientific methods, including historical, logic, comparative-legal and formal-legal. The novelty of the study lies in the analysis of significant, but not-so-obvious problems of implementation of the provisions of the law regulating the interaction between lobbyists and officials. Based on the profound analysis, the author offers various ways to solve these problems and concludes about the need for a serious revision of the Lobbying Disclosure Act.

Keywords: legal regulation, attorney, clerk, secretary, Congress, lobbyist, lobbying, lobbying activity, enforcement