Herman Van Rompuy, the head of the European Council, is headed to eastern and central Europe in an effort to counter the impression that Paris and Berlin have already sewed up a Eurozone reform package--the so-called "Competitiveness Pact"--with very little input from smaller members. As EUObserver reports:

Mr Van Rompuy hopes to undo the political damage done by Berlin and Paris' presentation of their pact as a fait accompli and to shepherd through a comprehensive solution for all EU countries.

In what he described as a "rethink" that restarts the discussion "from zero", the consultations will also be done in "association" with the commission. "I want to have an open and inclusive discussion with member states on how to achieve a higher degree of economic policy co-ordination," he said in a statement. "I will listen to all and I will also test my own ideas."

The success of the mission will likely hinge on Van Rompuy's credentials as an honest-broker. And judging by the anger he faced recently in the European Parliament--where one member compared the European Council to the Politburu--those credentials may not be all that strong.

Euro drops after an International Monetary Fund official worries about continued investor skepticism.

G-20 finance officials struggle to come up with "indicative guidelines" for managing global imbalances.

Don't treat Greece and Portugal like Ukraine or Argentina, says EU president.

Haiti's president casts doubt on Organization of American States report on last year's elections.

World Bank finalizes $1.7 billion loan package to build roads and battle cyclones in India.

Another abduction of U.N. personnel in Darfur.

The battle for Cote d'Ivoire, seen through a financial lens.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is worried about Kazakhstan.

Hot potato: Senegal wants the African Union to handle the case of exiled Chadian dictator.

International Monetary Fund board approves funds for Georgia, warns about need for foreign investment.

U.N. peacekeepers ambushed in Cote d'Ivoire.

Russia says Iran's nuclear facilities invite is interesting -- but can't replace IAEA inspections.

China would like to "participate actively" in any new euro stabilization activity, signals willingness to buy Spanish bonds.

Will the United States veto Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements?

Hillary Clinton warns that attempts to derail U.N.-backed Lebanon tribunal will fail.

World Bank expects global GDP growth to slow slightly in 2011.

Jimmy Carter says Southern Sudan might not sign on to the International Criminal Court, so as to keep dialogue open with Bashir.

Do Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund have an unhealthy relationship?

U.N. peacekeeping chief wants more troops for Cote d'Ivoire; Security Council sounds positive.

Good Euro news: New Euro-bonds sell out in an hour; plus, China still likes Spanish bonds.

Bad Euro news: Euro-zone retail sales drop unexpectedly.

A full plate: World Bank president wants the G-20 to help stabilize food prices.

Kidnapped U.N. employee in Darfur is released.

Indonesia is hosting an ASEAN ministerial retreat next week.

A report on the jostling and secret negotiations over the international tribunal for Lebanon.

Organization of American States report on Haiti elections expected soon.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn discusses the IMF's "triple comeback." Plus, Portugal is encouraged by a laudatory IMF report.

Hope: Oxfam calls Cancún "an important chapter in the epic story to tackle global climate change."

Funny money: Sarkozy wants IMF "special drawing rights" to play a greater role in the international monetary system.

African Union drafts model law criminalizing terrorism and banning ransom payments.

Opium on the rise in Southeast Asia, says new U.N. drugs report.

A look at Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's new brand of multilateralism.

What is NATO's real aim? asks (wacky) op-ed in Pravda.

Russia protests NATO Baltic-defense plan outlined in Wikileaked cables (though the plan was hardly news, points out the Economist).

IMF chief Strauss-Kahn criticizes the EU's "case-by-case" response to the financial crisis.

The U.N.'s environment program releases a new report on glacier-melting; plus, the U.N. refugee agency celebrates successful pledging session.

On Sudan, Human Rights Watch pleads with the Security Council not to forget the ICC.

In the 1950s and 1960s, China talked about an alternative to the U.N.; now, it's promoting an alternative Nobel Peace Prize.

El Tigre: Meet the African Union's new peacekeeping chief.

"Issues are resolved": EU backs Russia's WTO entry.

IMF's Lipsky insists that fears of a Euro collapse are "wildly exaggerated."

P5+1 set to meet Iranian representatives in Geneva next week.

Who should control an international climate fund? Not the World Bank or IMF, say many developing countries.

Interpol issues 'red notice' for Julian Assange.

Security Council willing to increase African Union troop level in Somalia; plus, United States takes over presidency of the U.N. Security Council today.

Will the Shanghai Cooperation Organization launch its own development bank?

Uruguay's Senate ratifies UNASUR treaty.

East Timor wants to join ASEAN next year, while Indonesia is chairing the group.

U.N. warns that cholera in Haiti is spreading faster than expected.

At a crossroads: the IMF explains what Greece still needs to do.

"We are prepared to go as far as NATO is prepared to go," Medvedev reportedly said to NATO leaders in Lisbon.

On eve of climate talks, China boasts about emissions reductions.

ASEAN and China schedule another meeting to talk about proper manners in the South China Sea. 

The Washington Consensus is alive and well, says leading IMF critic.

As Charles Taylor trial continues, Washington funnels needed cash to the Sierra Leone tribunal.

African Union apologizes for civilian casualties in Mogadishu.

Warming? Argentina asks the usually despised IMF for technical advice on inflation.

G-20 wrap-up: low expectations met! Plus, IMF warns that G-20 growth estimates are on the rosy side. Meanwhile, Obama insists he played effective small ball in Seoul.

After G-20 extravaganza in Seoul, Japan offers low-key APEC summit.

Iran insists U.N. nuclear agency would pass confidential information to Americans. Not so, says IAEA spokesman.

NATO parliamentarians convene in Warsaw, strive to appear non-threatening to Moscow.

Turkey's still wrestling with NATO missile shield decision.

At United Nations, U.S. opposes resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty.

Obama's new envoy to ASEAN is very experienced -- in raising money and securities litigation.

African Union and United Nations team up on Sudan negotiations.

EU investigators bust organ-trafficking ring in Kosovo.

World Bank president expands on the role for gold.

Security Council finally ready to release report on North Korean technology exports. Some excerpts here. Plus, Abbas wants Council meeting on Israeli settlements.

Don't forget Bosnia: A warning that the Balkans could disrupt EU and NATO festivities this month.

Forward or backward? ASEAN welcomes Myanmar's elections as a "significant step."

Gutsy: Spanish warship on EU mission attacked by Somali pirates.

European auto industry emitting less CO2, says the EU.

Portugal struggles to keep the "IMF scenario" at bay.

Russia ready to open transit routes for Afghanistan-bound NATO vehicles.

With NATO summit around the corner, a pessimistic look at European military spending.

Are Germany and the United States drifting apart as the G-20 approaches?

Preparing to take over leadership of the G-20, Sarkozy rolls out the red carpet for China's Hu.

All together now: The U.N., WTO, and OECD plan joint warning to G-20 on growing protectionist pressure.

IMF officials talk taxes with Pakistan, which badly needs the next tranche of a loan.

NATO says that Russian agents can continue drug raids in Afghanistan.

Singapore again tops World Bank report on ease of doing business; Kazakhstan is most improved.

Israel suspends ties with UNESCO after decision on holy site designation.

U.N. refugee agency slams Kenya for forcing back Somali refugees.

A tiger on paper: European Union may slap duties on cheap Chinese paper. Meanwhile, WTO chief gently urges greater Chinese enforcement of intellectual property rights.

I've argued previously that Steve Walt is too eager to sound the NATO death knell (in part, I think, because NATO's continued existence is nettlesome for realists). Apparently, his students are of the same mind. But Walt himself remains skeptical that the alliance has a future, in large part because there isn't an obvious next mission:

If the Afghan war ends in a defeat or even some sort of messy compromise, then more people will ask if the Alliance ought to be in the nation-building business at all. And if it's not performing some sort of global policing duties, then what is it for? Finally, as the Asian balance of power starts to loom larger in everyone's consciousness, NATO's relevance will almost certainly decline even further. NATO may be willing to give the United States some modest assistance in the Gulf or in Central Asia, but it is hard to imagine Europe doing much of anything in some future conflict over Taiwan or the South China Sea. Indeed, they'd be more likely to stand aloof and trade with both sides.

There's an important point here. Since the Cold War ended and NATO's principal strategic purpose ended with it, the alliance has always seemed to have some project or another to bind it together and hold the attention of policymakers and the public: stabilization in the Balkans and the expansion push dominated the alliance agenda for much of the 1990s. Walt is right that post-Afghanistan, there's no obvious new focus, and I've wondered myself whether NATO needs some kind of new crisis. But I also think Walt here is implicitly assuming the inevitability of the past. Alliance expansion, Balkan peacekeeping, and the Afghanistan mission were choices, not inevitabilities. At discrete moments, the key players in the alliance decided to direct the alliance toward these not obviously appropriate challenges and missions, sometimes in the face of determined opposition. I see no reason why they could not make the same choice about a whole host of future challenges.

Romanian government survives no-confidence vote -- and improves odds of keeping IMF loans.

Fireworks: NATO responds to Gorbachev's gloom and doom on Afghanistan.

East African summit moved to help Kenya avoid awkward ICC questions.

Baroness Ashton lays out her vision of the EU External Action Service. 

U.N. General Assembly again condemns U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Georgia keeps up tough talk on Russian WTO accession.

Japan prepares a Plan B in case the G-20 fails.

Interpol opens a regional bureau in Buenos Aires.

The price of international carbon reduction credits is in flux.

One of the more concrete outcomes of last week's G-20 ministerial meeting in Korea was an agreement on changes in IMF governance, which managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn called "the biggest reform ever in the governance of the institution." The months-long U.S.-led effort to shift power from what it considers overrepresented European states to emerging economies resulted in agreement to transfer two of the 24 board seats from Europe to emerging economies and to increase emerging economy voting share by at least six percent (although this may not be completed until 2012).

It's still not clear which European countries will lose their executive directors, though speculation is focused on Belgium and the Netherlands. (There are reports that the two might consider joining forces to retain a place at the table.) Nor is it clear who will fill the two soon-to-be-vacant board seats, although Strauss-Kahn suggested recently that Turkey would be a "good candidate."

Given that formal votes at the Fund are conducted on the basis of voting share, rather than board seats, it's easy to see all the jockeying over seats as a bit silly. But an IMF official recently reminded me that formal votes are rare and that, for the most part, the organization runs by consensus. The give-and-take in board meetings can be significant and executive directors with little voting power can, by dint of experience and expertise, "punch above their weight." Having a voice in the board room matters, and the jostling for seats will continue.