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The article is devoted to the issue of the Flemish separatism, including autonomism and independism (the latter aiming at the creation of own power center), and how it is reflected in the programs of the Flemish right-wing populist parties. The author presents a brief history of the phenomenon; Flemish separatism is seen in the context of the European integration and in comparison with other separatist movements. Having been articulated politically in 1990s, Flemish separatism is now an inherent part of the right-wing populist party programs: of the Flemish Bloc program (since 2004 it is Flemish Interest) as an independence appeal, and of the New Flemish Alliance program as a call for further state reforming, aiming at the creation of a confederative system. A number of Flanders independence plans have been elaborated, whose authors posit that it is not Flanders that should quit the federation, but Belgium should officially disintegrate into two parts (because only in this case the French-speaking part of the country will not become the sole heir of the federation). The separatists usually see the EU as an institutional barrier; however, its role is acknowledged in the strengthening of regions’ position in the entireEurope. The elements that should keep the Belgian federation intact are not de facto functioning properly; however, gaining full independence would only fix the de jure already existing administrative and political split, and would also create a number of administrative problems. That is why the percentage of the Flemish independence proponents has declined recently, and the Belgian federation is now in a certain “break-even point” that can be distorted by the right-wing populist parties.

Contradictions between the regions of Belgium - Wallonia and Flanders - have a long history associated with uneven political, economic and cultural development of the territories, which in 1830 became parts of an independent state, the Kingdom of Belgium. The "Letter to the King", written by eminent Belgian politician and writer, socialist Jules Destree (1863 - 1936 gg.), is one of the most interesting sources on the history of Belgium of this period, It became a kind of manifesto of balance between the ideas of separatism and unitarianism. This article includes excerpts from the "Letter to the King", which were given for the first time in the author's Russian translation and conducted historical criticism of the source. The study is based on a set of scientific methods and approaches, including the principle of scientific objectivity and systematic approach, used in historical research. The main methods are problematic and historical-comparative analysis, classification and comparison of political and historical concepts. An external source of criticism included information about the place and the time of the creation of document, the biography of the author studies; internal critic source recreates the idea of the letter and the background of historical events. Prominent Belgian politician and writer, socialist Jules Destree (1863 - 1936), highly appreciated the personal qualities of King Albert I, appealed to his experience and political vision, describing all the problems Walloons faced in their opposition to the Flemish. Destree in his letter opposed the unequal development of the regions of Belgium and the protectionist policies of the central government in respect to the detriment of Flanders Wallonia. He summarized and formulated the factors that, in his opinion, interfere with the full development of his country. Destree pays great attention to linguistic differences, which were at the heart of conflicts between Walloons and Flemings, and are still shaken by Belgium. He reflects on the fact that the central government should be doing to reduce the national tensions that unites two people, and that the shares, which should be a system of education that future generations were able to overcome the historical alienation of such geographically close and ideologically distant peoples. Although Jules Destree firmly defends separatism idea for Wallonia as the only solution to the problem, however, by the end of his letter, reasoning it takes a more balanced position. The idea of a unitary state was not denied completely, but Destree emphasizes the importance of a balanced central government policy in relation to the regions in order to reduce internal tensions between the two nations. The ideas embodied in his "Letter to the King", formed the basis of the principles of peaceful co-existence of further autonomous regions as part of the union, which was manifested in the future during the First World War, when the Walloons and Flemings alongside confronted a common enemy.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Western European countries’ approaches toward the security issues on the territory of Europe and in the Transatlantic region after the collapse of bipolar system. Consider the interaction between European states and the USA in the sphere of security. Besides, the strengthening of the NATO’s position during the given period is explained.

The article explores the variety of tools and vehicles applied within the EU to expand the prerogative of the regions of the EU member states. The author uses as an example the inter-regional policies in Belgium in respect of the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region. The author analyzes the mechanisms of promotion of external regional relations in Belgium as a means of addressing different problems both on national and all-European level, supporting the arguments and conclusions by examples of relevant EU initiatives. The article details the activities of the EU Regional Committee (RC), the EU advisory body with the powers of political initiative, upholding the principle ofsubsidarity in the implementation of the EU member states' regional policies. The involvement of the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region in the activities of EU RC is described and summarized. As a case study, the article deals with Belgium's rotating six months presidency in the EUin 2010 when the country, which was going through a severe political crisis with no federal government in place, was represented by the two regions. The special focus of the article is on the strategic EU program "Europe2020" and its implementation by the regions of Belgium. There is an account of the initiatives undertaken by the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region within the framework of this program outlining the interaction of the two regions. The author provides a comprehensive analysis of the involvement of the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region with various EU institutions describing how each party achieves the promotion of its regional interests. Within this context, it is a noteworthy development that the Flemish Region is participating in the international program "Pact 2020" on energy all by its own. The article features quotations by Flemish and Walloon political figures which serve as an illustration of the prevailing attitudes in the Belgian society to the process of regionalization of their country. The EU structural funds aimed at funding these policies play a crucial role in the maturing of the regional dimension of the activities pursued by the EU institutions. The author finalizes with the review of the EU reasons for placing high importance on the promotion of the development of inter-regional ties between member states.

The research focuses on the problem of military-political instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo experiencing continued armed conflict for a long time. Dozens of illegal armed groups both Congolese and foreign origin continue to destabilize situation in the eastern part of the country causing humanitarian disasters. Due to governmental weakness, economic backwardness, chronical lack of finance resources, interethnic conflicts, all-round and widely spread corruption of the authorities, the Congolese government at the moment is not able to overcome scores of problems including the problem of security. Assistanceprovided to the DRC by itspartnerssuch as, first of all, the former metropolitan country Belgium, as well as the USA, Great Britain, the Europe Union and China works only in favourof these country-donors. They are attracted by rich Congolese natural resources which the DRC remaining one of the poorest countries in the world cannot turn to advantage to the full extent because of its economic backwardness. In exchange for so-calleddevelopment programmes, expensive strategic raw material (such as coltan, wolfram, casseterit, cooper, gold, niobium, and other) is being extracted and exported from the country, in addition, often on the inequivalent basis. This is taking place for the reason that numerous mines and open-cast mines are being controlled by different illegal armed groups and not by the central government. Therefore, it turns out that in the context of a military-political crisis, for so-called partners it is more beneficial to pursue their own interests. Furthermore, western ideologists arouse "separatism-oriented" theories similar to "balkanization", in other words, a breakdown of this giant country into several independent states. The Congolese are tremulous to this issue, they try to counter such approachs and defend the territorial integrity of the DRC. However, it is not an easy task. The impediment is unsettled relations with neighbouring countries - Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi which for tens of years exploit illegally natural resources of the DRC and try to lay hold of frontier Congolese territories.

In this article the activities of Paul-Henri Spaak, a Belgian politician, are examined. Mr. Spaak is well-known as initiator of postwar European integration. He was one of the originators of the Council of Europe, participated in development of European Coal and Steel Community project, headed the committee, that elaborated Treaties of Rome about European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community. Owing to his active work at European association, in 1950s P-H. Spaak was surnamed «Mr. Europe».

Цель стaтьи – дaть обзор эпохи мaмлюкского прaвления нa Ближнем Востоке (около 1100- 1500 гг.) в Европе и США, где мaмлюковедение состоялось кaк сaмостоятельнaя облaсть нaуки. В рaзвитии мaмлюковедения нa Зaпaде вaжную роль игрaют тaкие нaучные оргaнизaций, кaк Ближневосточный центр документaции в Чикaгском университете (MEDOC), Центр «История и общество в эпоху мaмлюков (1250–1517)» имени Анны Мaрии Шиммель Коллег в Университете Боннa (Гермaния) и «Школa мaмлюковедения », оргaнизовaннaя усилиями ученых Чикaго (США), Льежa (Бельгия) и Венеции (Итaлия). В упомянутых учреждениях осуществляются проекты, кaк оргaнизaция ежегодных конференций, проведение семинaров, выпуск нaучного журнaлa «Обзор исследовaний мaмлюков », онлaйн-библиогрaфия мaмлюковедения, онлaйн-энциклопедия мaмлюковедения, интерaктивные онлaйн-кaрты мaмлюкского Султaнaтa, веб-ресурс Mamluk Mint Series (Мaмлюкскaя Монетнaя Серия), рaзрaботкa и прогрaммировaние бaзы дaнных aрaбского переводa нa aнглийский язык. Предостaвленнaя информaция будет полезнa для исследовaтелей, ученых и студентов в поиске мaтериaлов по истории и культуре мaмлюков, a тaкже для руководителей центров в кaчестве европейского обрaзцa для рaзвития деятельности в перспективе. Ключевые словa: мaмлюковедение, центры мaмлюковедения, Школa мaмлюковедения, конференция, нaучный журнaл, онлaйн-кaрты, онлaйн-энциклопедия.

Мақала әлемдегі өте күрделі мәселелердің бірі болып табылатын әлемдік қауіпсіздік мәселесіне арналған.Ядролық қауіпсіздік жарты ғасырдан астам уақыт бойы әлем назарында ең күрделі, ең қатерлі мәселе болуда. Көп жылдар оның шешімін іздестіруге әлем жұртшылығы қатысып келген. «Қырғи қабақ» соғыс кезіндегі бәсекелестікте бес алып мемлекеттің қолында бүкіл адамзатты жоюға шамалы қару қорлары шоғырланған. Тек ядролық сынақтардың өзі өмірге шексіз қауіп төндіргені белгілі. Әлемде 2025 сынақ жүргізілген қазақ халқындай азап шеккен бірде-бір халық болмағанын атасақ артық болмас. Аты шулы Семей полигонында 500-ге жуық атом, сутегі бомбалары сыналып, олардың саны барлық сынақтардың ¼-ін құраған, ал қауқары жағынан Хиросима мен Нагасакидегі жарылыстардан 40 мың есе асып түскенін Ресей ресми мәліметтері жобалайды.КСРО-ның ядролық зобалаңынан 1 млн. қазақ халқы шейіт болып, осы күндері 0,5 млн адам неше түрлі ауру-сырқатқа шалдығуда. Туылған сәбилер арасында адам көрмеген, естімеген, ойламаған хайуан сияқтылары да кездесуде. Сондықтан ядролық мәселе көтерілгенде Қазақстан жұрты неғұрлым жағдайда тұра алмайды. Ол қаруды жоюға біздің ел 1992 жылы қолындағы 1150 ядролық оқ тұмсықтан бас тартып, өзін ядролық қарусыз мемлекет деп жариялауы да әлемді толғатқан. Өйткені сол күш біздің елді дүние жүзіндегі 4-ші орынға шығарған болатын. Ал кейінгі он жылда Иран елінің ядролық бағдарламасы халықаралық сахнада дау туғызып, аймақтағы тыныштыққа өз әсерін тигізуде. Ол туралы, әсіресе АҚШ және Израиль тарапы дүркін-дүркін Иранды бомбалау керектігін «дәлелдеп» келді. Иран атом қауқарын бейбіт істерге пайдалануына соншама дуылдатып жүрген АҚШ та, Израиль да өздерінің қолындағы ядролық қаруды жоюға, болмаса қысқартуға барғысы келмейді. Ақырға мәліметтерге қарасақ, АҚШ он мыңға жуық ядролық оқ тұмсықтарын сақтауда, олардың 5737 тұрақты түрде әскери дайындықта, алтауы шет елдерде (Бельгия, Ұлыбритания, Италия, Нидерландия, Түркия, Германия) орналастырылған, Израильде 100-ге жуық, кей мәліметтерде 400 атом бомбасы мен снарядтар шоғырланған.