February 4 — Middle East/International Organizations: SYRIA/UNITED NATIONS
China and Russia veto a UN Security Council draft resolution condemning the Syrian government for its violent crackdown on protesters and calling to end the killings and to implement political changes.
February 7 — Middle East: IRAQ
Iraq’s Sunni ministers and most of 76 parliamentarians from the Iraqiyya bloc, who boycotted the cabinet and the parliament since last December, end their walkout in order to avert a political crisis and a collapse of the unity government.
February 11 — Africa: SUDAN/SOUTH SUDAN
Sudan and South Sudan sign a non-aggression pact mediated by South Africa’s former president, Thabo Mbeki. Since South Sudan’s independence in July, both sides have seen border clashes over unresolved secession disputes. One of the more polarizing issues is oil export fees.
February 13 — Europe: GREECE
The Greek parliament approves a new tough austerity measure package in order to qualify for the next installment of the EU and IMF bailout amounting to $170 billion. The austerity measures include cuts of thousands of public jobs and pensions, scrapping bonuses, further cuts in government spending, and making labor market more flexible, including lowering the minimum wage by 20 percent. Tens of thousands of people protest the move across the country. (February 15): The Greek parliament passes a law allowing the debt write-down with private creditors, who will be asked to write off more than 50 percent of the Greek debt.
February 13 — Former Soviet Union: TURKMENISTAN
Turkmenistan’s president, Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, wins a second term in office, gathering 97 percent of the vote. When Berdymukhamedov took over as president five years ago, he promised democratic reforms, which, however, have never materialized. His rule has resembled the autocratic rule of his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, who created a cult of personality of himself. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has decided not to send election observers.
February 15 — East Asia/North America: CHINA/UNITED STATES
China’s Vice President Xi Jinping pays an official visit to the United States, meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, the Senate and House of Representatives leaders, as well as business leaders. Xi, who is expected to become China’s next president, says China is ready to cooperate on Iran, North Korea, and counter-terrorism, but is also calling on the U.S. to recognize Taiwan and Tibet as part of China.
February 19 — Middle East/Europe: IRAN/UNITED KINGDOM/FRANCE
Iran announces that it is halting oil exports to Great Britain and France in response to an earlier decision by the European Union (EU) to impose an embargo on imports of Iranian crude as of July 1. The EU’s embargo is meant to put pressure on Iran to stop enriching uranium, which can be used in nuclear weapons. Both Great Britain and France import only a fraction of their foreign oil from Iran.
February 21 — Middle East: YEMEN
Yemen’s vice president, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, is elected the country’s new president in uncontested elections. He will replace embattled Ali Abdullah Saleh after 33 years in power. Hadi vows to reunite the country after recent fighting between the government forces and many different factions, and to bring thousands of refugees back.
February 23 — South Asia/North America: AFGHANISTAN/UNITED STATES
United States President Barack Obama apologizes to the Afghan people for the burning of copies of the Koran by U.S. soldiers which has caused violent anti-American protests across Afghanistan. U.S. soldiers believed that Taliban prisoners were using the books as a secret message system.
February 27 — Latin America: PERU
Peruvian authorities capture Comrade Artemio, the leader of Peru’s Maoist rebel group called the Shining Path. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, the Shining Path led a rebellion against the government with a goal to establish a communist state. The conflict has claimed the lives of about 70,000 people. However, the capture of its founder Abimael Guzman in 1992 has weakened the group and turned it into a drug smuggling organization.
February 29 — East Asia/North America: NORTH KOREA/UNITED STATES
Following the negotiations between North Korea and the United States, North Korea agrees to suspend its work on enriching uranium and tests of nuclear and long-range missiles. In exchange, the country expects to receive 240,000 tons of food aid.