Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
GAS COMPANIES WELCOME HUNGARIAN MOL’S “NETS” PROJECT FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
On March 14 Romania hosted the first joint meeting of the gas transmission companies from Central Europe and Balkan countries to consider the NETS project. Hungary’s energy company MOL initiated the NETS project -- New Europe Transmission Systems -- last December (see EDM, December 10,... MORE
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REPORTEDLY PICKED CIVIL SOCIETY REPS TO MEET WITH RICE
During their visit to Moscow this week, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates held meetings with President Vladimir Putin and president-elect Dmitry Medvedev. They also met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to discuss such... MORE
NATO EXPANSION PUSHES MISSILE DEFENSE OFF RUSSIAN AGENDA
This week U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Moscow, but their arrival was not accompanied by any breakthroughs on U.S.-Russian differences on missile defense, arms control, and Kosovar independence. Still, both sides reported “good progress.” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov... MORE
BLOWBACK FROM IRAQ INCURSION SPARKS POLITICAL DEBATE IN ANKARA?
Turkey’s February 21-29 military incursion into northern Iraq is roiling Turkish domestic politics. Both right-wing and left-wing parties accuse the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) high command of yielding to pressure from Washington, as U.S. Secretary of... MORE
U. N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION SEEKS TO FILL GAPS IN THE KARABAKH “PEACE PROCESS”
On March 14 the United Nations General Assembly adopted an Azerbaijan-authored resolution, calling for: • “immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”; • “respect and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally... MORE
YEREVAN CONTINUES POST-ELECTION WITCH-HUNT
Armenia’s embattled leadership has unleashed an unprecedented crackdown on the opposition following the bloody suppression of street protests against the official results of last month’s disputed presidential election. More than a hundred supporters of the main opposition presidential candidate, former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, have been... MORE
UZBEKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN EYE STRONGER PARTNERSHIP BASED ON ENERGY NEEDS
On March 10-11, Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov visited Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most populous country, where he was greeted by Uzbek President Islam Karimov. The visit was intended to further develop ties between the two countries, Karimov commented. In response, Berdimukhamedov hailed Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan’s "constructive... MORE
AKP FACING THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS OF ITS FAILURE TO CREATE JOBS
The latest employment figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) suggest that, despite six years of robust macro-economic growth, Turkey is failing to create enough jobs for its growing population. On March 17, TURKSTAT reported that, at the end of 2007, the unemployment rate... MORE
RUSSIA TO INCREASE PURCHASE PRICES FOR CENTRAL ASIAN GAS: OUTLOOK AND IMPLICATIONS
Moscow has decided to increase significantly the price of gas it purchases from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. As announced on March 11 and confirmed on March 13, Gazprom has agreed with Turkmengaz, KazMunayGaz, and Uzbekgaz to raise that price in 2009 to levels nearer the... MORE
RUSSIAN ENERGY POLICY REMAINS UNDER PUTIN’S CONTROL
The purpose of a transitional period between a presidential election and the winner’s inauguration is to secure a smooth transfer of authority to the new leader and his team. Nothing of this sort has happened in Russia in the last two weeks. Outgoing President Vladimir... MORE