The Kremlin has reiterated its pledges to implement sizable infrastructure development projects in Mongolia in an attempt to boost bilateral economic ties. On ?May 13, the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia, urging the country to create new major joint ventures and develop agricultural... MORE

On May 25, the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev presented his budget address during a Kremlin meeting with cabinet members and parliamentary chairmen. "In 2009, unfortunately, we expect a sharper fall in GDP than we had thought," Medvedev said. "The global economic crisis is far from... MORE

On May 15 in Sochi, Gazprom signed bilateral agreements with Italy's ENI, Bulgarian Energy Holding, the Greek DESFA Corporation, and Serbia Gas -all state-controlled companies- on implementing Gazprom's South Stream project for gas export to Europe. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attended the signing of... MORE

On May 20-23 Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited Turkey. Bilateral economic ties were an important element on da Silva's agenda, who was accompanied by government ministers and leading businessmen. The visit highlighted the prospects for improving cooperation between the two emerging economies,... MORE

On May 21 Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev characterized the country's forthcoming chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as a vital part of its interest in pursuing integration with Europe. Having entered the OSCE troika this year (alongside Finland and Greece),... MORE

On May 21 the newly elected Moldovan parliament fell one vote short of the three-fifths majority necessary for electing the head of state. All the 60 deputies from the nominally communist party voted for the party's presidential candidate, incumbent Prime Minister Zenaida Greceanai, who is... MORE

Gazprom's extensive network of loyalists, often act as "men of sacrifice," devoted to cleansing the image of the Russian state owned gas monopoly. Working out of a modern office building in Berlin owned by Gazprom Germania, a German registered company fully owned by Gazprom Export... MORE

The latest hurdle to emerge between Israel and Turkey over the persistent technical problems in developing the former's Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's), has highlighted not only the weakness of the Turkish defense industry infrastructure, but also Israel's customary failure to fulfil its commitments. "It... MORE

When Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced in March that he will hold early elections on July 23, the opposition saw an opportunity to challenge the regime. Several opposition parties tried to consolidate and nominate a candidate to compete with Bakiyev, despite long being accused of... MORE

Gas and oil supplies to energy-hungry Europe have always featured as the key topic in talks between Astana and EU officials, concerning Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship in 2010. Stifled by the precarious situation in the energy sector, the EU has often ignored the heavy-handedness of the... MORE