Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
TURKEY TARGETS ACTIVE ROLE IN MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
Turkey has stepped up its efforts to become involved in the Middle East peace process by brokering a meeting in Ankara between Israeli President Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) ahead of the Israeli-Palestinian summit in Annapolis, Maryland, later... MORE
NETHERLANDS JOINS RUSSO-GERMAN GAS PIPELINE PROJECT
On November 6 Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller and Nederlandse Gasunie CEO Marcel Kramer signed a framework agreement on Gasunie joining Nord Stream, the project to build a gas pipeline from Russia directly to Germany on the Baltic seabed. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Dutch Prime... MORE
“PROTECTION” IN RUSSIA: DIFFERENT PROVIDERS, BUT SAME RACKET
In early 1994, the Analytical Center of the administration of then-President Boris Yeltsin produced a shocking report stating that 70-90% of Russia’s private enterprises and commercial banks in major cities were being forced to pay “tribute” to organized crime groups, totaling 10-20% of their turnover.... MORE
PRO-KURDISH PARTY CALLS FOR KURDISH AUTONOMY IN TURKEY
The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) held a leadership conference on November 8, during which Nurettin Demirtas was elected the new party leader. Demirtas is thought to be less moderate than outgoing party leader Ahmet Türk. Türk surprised everyone in July when, upon entering the... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN MOVES FURTHER AWAY FROM RUSSIAN DOMINATION
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao recently concluded a whirlwind tour of Central Asia following the sixth Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, held in Tashkent on November 2. While there, Wen met with Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Masimov. While no details of the meeting emerged, Wen... MORE
MOSCOW FORCING LUFTHANSA TO SWITCH FROM KAZAKHSTAN TO SIBERIAN HUB
Russia’s Transport Ministry has threatened to close Russia’s air space to Lufthansa’s cargo flights to East Asian countries, unless Lufthansa Cargo establishes a Russian ground-based hub for its East Asia business. The Russian ministry warned its German counterpart that Lufthansa Cargo’s overflight authorization could be... MORE
UZBEK REGIME OPTS FOR SHORT-TERM STABILITY OVER POLITICAL REFORM
On November 6 Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov announced his decision to enter the upcoming presidential elections on December 23. Karimov’s choice to seek another term provides a short-term solution to the fears of potentially ruthless competition for state power among local politicians and business elites.... MORE
YUSHCHENKO WANTS TRANSPARENT ENERGY DEALS WITH MOSCOW
Russia’s top officials are loudly complaining about Kyiv’s tactics in a bitter dispute over Ukraine’s Kremenchug refinery, pledging to defend the interests of the Russian shareholders there. The incident is just the latest irritant in an already uneasy energy relationship between the two neighbors. “I... MORE
ANKARA WILLING TO RISK U.S. SANCTIONS FOR CHEAP IRANIAN ELECTRICITY
Iran and Turkey are broadening their energy cooperation to include electricity. According to recent statements by Turkish Minister of Energy Hilmi Guler, Ankara is determined to proceed with energy agreements signed with Tehran earlier this year. Specifically, on August 20 Turkey signed a deal with... MORE
SAAKASHVILI: DEFIANT AND READY FOR ACTION
Last Saturday evening, November 3, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili granted me a two-hour interview in his office, which is a few minutes’ walk from parliament. Demonstrators have been protesting in front of the building, demanding his resignation. On Friday, November 2, an estimated 50,000 protesters... MORE