Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad The Rebuilding of Afghanistan by Larry Luxner Afghanistan, one of the worldís poorest countries, is seeking $28 billion over the next seven years to rebuild its war-ravaged infrastructure and get back on the road to democracy. That may seem like an enormous amount of money, given the fact that Afghanistanís embassy in Washingtonóits most important overseas mission in the worldógets by on a budget of only $30,000 a month. But then again, says Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad, "thatís not really so much when we consider that the United States is spending $9 billion to fight terrorism in Afghanistan. We would like this kind of expenditure to stop and this money invested in rebuilding Afghanistan, so we can have a democratic and prosperous society." more... Carnegie Endowment Senior Associate Robert Kagan Foreign Policy Analyst Says Rift Between America, Europe Is Widening by John Shaw When Robert Kagan, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote an essay several years ago about the troubled relationship between the United States and Europe, he expected it would be read by a small group of foreign policy analysts and then be forgotten. He did not foresee that it would be carefully deconstructed by foreign policy and security analysts on both sides of the Atlantic and e-mailed across Europe. more.... Sri Lankan Ambassador Seeking U.S. Support To End 20-Year Civil Bloodshed by Larry Luxner Sri Lankaís ambassador to the United States is an investment banker who owns a condo in Florida and can talk for hours about Latin American loan portfolios. Devinda R. Subasinghe, 50, is full of surprises. And the biggest surprise is that Sri Lankaóa nation embr oiled in civil war for the last 20 yearsóintends to negotiate a free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington. more.... Letter to the Editor From Sri Lankan Ambassador Devinda R. Subasinghe For Children and Antidepressants, Still More Questions Than Answers by Gina Shaw Being the parent of a child or teenager with clinical depression has never been easy, and over the past few months, itís gotten a lot more confusing. In December, a review of the use of certain antidepressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)ósuch as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloftódone in the United Kingdom prompted British regulators to prohibit the use of most antidepressants in children. On Feb. 2, at an emotional hearing before an expert advisory panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the FDA reported that their own clinical review matched the British analysis, indicating a possible increased risk of suicide among children taking these medications. more....

Culture Section Check out the arts section for the latest in museum exhibits, dance, theater and much more. See March 2004 Automotive Insert New Ambassador Evriviades Envisions Solution to Cyprus Problem by Larry Luxner Euripides Evriviades, the new Cypriot ambassador to the United States, says heís an optimist by nature. But for most of the past 40 years, a solution to the intractable "Cyprus problem" seemed hopelessóuntil now. On Feb. 13, after months of delicate negotiations, Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash accepted a proposal by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to end their bitter dispute and achieve reunification in time for the islandís May 1 entry into the European Union. more.... Ambassador Pritchard Critical Of Bushís Dealings With North Korea by Michael Coleman Some conservatives accuse Ambassador Charles L. "Jack" Pritchard of coddling the North Koreans in nuclear negotiations, but no one could criticize him for failing to speak his mind about the Bush administrationís diplomatic policies toward the communist country. more.... Niche Programs Combining Study, Work Becoming Available at Local Universities by Carolyn Cosmos A number of area universities are introducing distinctive and highly specialized programs that combine academic studies with internships at high-powered, prestigious organizations, companies and government institutions. more.... For Those Working in Diplomatic Circles, New York, Washington Are Different Worlds by Heather Nalbone For many diplomats, working in Washington, D.C., compared to New York City is in many ways worlds apart, despite the mere 220 miles that separate the two cities. more.... Receiving Line: NARSAD Gala Raises $1.4 Million