Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
TURKEY OFFERS “DIALOGUE” TO ARMENIA
Turkey has offered to enter into a “dialogue” with neighboring Armenia that would aim at improving the historically strained relations between the two nations. The diplomatic overtures have prompted a positive response from Armenian leaders, raising fresh hopes for the elimination of a major source... MORE
ALLEGED SURVEILLANCE OF SENIOR JUDGES RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT POLITICIZATION OF TURKISH POLICE
On May 16 the Ankara Public Prosecutor initiated an investigation into claims by Vice President of the Constitutional Court of Turkey Osman Paksut, that he had been the subject of a surveillance operation by the country’s police. The Constitutional Court is currently hearing a case... MORE
OBSERVERS DEBATE WHETHER THE SILOVIKI HAVE WON OR LOST
The general consensus about the personnel changes in the Kremlin administration and cabinet of ministers that have been made in the week and a half since Dmitry Medvedev was inaugurated president and Vladimir Putin was named his prime minister is that the reshuffle has meant... MORE
THE NORTH CAUCASUS IS THE KEY SECURITY CHALLENGE FOR PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV
Virtually all the political talk in Moscow since the beginning of last week and, probably, for weeks to come, has been about the new appointments in the government and the presidential administration. It is indeed exciting to speculate about the declining influence of the siloviki... MORE
GEORGIA HOLDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN A DANGEROUS SECURITY ENVIRONMENT
Georgia is holding parliamentary elections on May 21 against a backdrop of Russian military threats and economic and transport blockades overall Western passivity in the face of those pressures. These parliamentary elections are the latest challenge in the series of problems that have befallen Georgia... MORE
FIGHTING THEM ON THE BEACHES: TURKISH SECULARISTS AND ISLAMISTS PREPARE FOR THE VACATION SEASON
The month of May traditionally marks the beginning of the tourism season in Turkey. Despite rising prices and the domestic turmoil triggered by the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), 2008 is expected to be another record year. Over 27 million... MORE
U.N. RESOLUTION ON ABKHAZIA SHOWS WHO’S WHO ON ETHNIC CLEANSING
On May 15 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Georgian resolution recognizing the right of expellees to return to Georgia’s Abkhazia region. The voting was 14 countries in favor, 11 against, and 105 abstaining, with another 63 countries not voting. Adoption of the resolution... MORE
LITHUANIA AND KAZAKHSTAN PLAN COOPERATION PROJECTS
On May 13 Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and subsequently told reporters that Lithuania was seeking to deepen its energy cooperation and bilateral trade with Kazakhstan. Kirkilas told journalists, "We touched upon very important energy issues, because Lithuania is... MORE
U.S.-AZERBAIJAN RELATIONS GO THROUGH TENSION, YET MAINTAIN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
As the presidential elections in Azerbaijan are approaching, the issue of Western influence in those elections and the perceived threat of the West’s support for the color revolutions is once again emerging in the country. In this context the role of the United States is... MORE
RISING UNEMPLOYMENT RINGING SOCIAL ALARM BELLS IN TURKEY
The latest employment figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat) have reinforced concerns about the possible social impact of the slowdown in the Turkish economy. At end-February, the official unemployment rate stood at 11.6 percent, up from 11.4 percent at end-February 2007. The official... MORE