EU 'ring of friends' turns into ring of fire
Ian Bond from the CER, called the current policy a "mess of inconsistency and wishful thinking". The last review in 2010-11 had urged a focus on promoting "deep and sustainable democracy", he noted. Yet since then two countries - Libya and Syria - had fallen into near anarchy, one - Egypt - had had a military coup, and repression of civil society and the media had worsened in several, including Azerbaijan, Bond said.