Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
BISHKEK NEUTRALIZES OPPONENTS WITH DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS
Last month Kyrgyz opposition leader Melis Eshimkanov was nominated to become Kyrgyzstan’s ambassador to Switzerland. Eshimkanov is a member of the “For Reforms” parliamentary opposition bloc, which promotes long-term political changes in Kyrgyzstan. Despite widespread criticism in political circles for giving up the fight for... MORE
SPY ROW CHILLS U.K.-RUSSIA RELATIONS: FOR HOW LONG?
As the diplomatic crisis between Moscow and London deepened over the extradition request that Andrei Lugovoi stand trial for the murder of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, Russian politicians and media have reacted angrily to Britain’s decision to expel four Russian “diplomats.” British Foreign Secretary David... MORE
RUSSIA SHOWS MUTED PLEASURE OVER PROGRESS TO DENUCLEARIZE NORTH KOREA
The six-party talks over North Korea’s denuclearization resumed Wednesday, July 18, amid real grounds for cautious optimism. The agreement reached in February 2007 has held despite some delays in implementation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that the DPRK has shut down... MORE
TURKMENISTAN-CHINA GAS AGREEMENTS: STILL A VERY LONG SHOT
On July 17 in Beijing, the Turkmen and Chinese governments signed grandiose-looking agreements on gas field development in Turkmenistan and gas sales to China. Presidents Hu Jintao and Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov -- on his first visit to China since becoming president in February -- witnessed the... MORE
TURKEY OFFERS ROUTE TO EUROPE FOR IRANIAN AND TURKMEN GAS
On July 13 in Ankara, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler and Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on gas deliveries from Turkmenistan and Iran to Turkey and via Turkey to Europe. A deal along these lines could,... MORE
LUKASHENKA REMOVES KGB CHIEF
On July 17 Belarusian President Alyaksander Lukashenka dismissed the head of the KGB, Stsyapan Sukharenka as well as his first deputy, Vasil Dzemyantsey. Sukharenka's replacement is Yury Zhadobin, formerly head of the president's security forces. Zhadobin's first task is to clean up the organization, signifying... MORE
TURKISH ELECTIONS: AK PARTY MAY WIN ANOTHER MAJORITY GOVERNMENT
On July 19 Turkish newspapers published extensive pre-election data from the KONDA polling firm (Radikal, July 19). Based on nine surveys of more than 25,000 people conducted between February 15 and July, the results indicate that the ruling AK Party will likely form another majority... MORE
KREMLIN WOULD RE-WRITE OR KILL CFE TREATY
On July 14 Russia notified the 29 other state parties to the 1990 Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) as well as other countries of Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the Treaty. The suspension would take effect 150 days after the notification.... MORE
DISTINCT CHILL SETTLES OVER U.S.-RUSSIAN RELATIONS
At first, it seemed that the "lobster summit" in Maine between U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month had reversed the ever-widening Russo-Western fray. The two presidents announced further consultations on outstanding issues including missile defense, and they approved... MORE
RUSSIA PRODS CHINA TO PAY FOR SIBERIAN PIPELINE
On July 13 the foreign ministers of Russia and China met in Moscow to discuss bilateral ties, including energy issues. After the meeting Russia's top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, noted a shared interest in investment cooperation and coordination of plans to develop Russia's Far East and... MORE