Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
TURKEY’S KURDS OPT FOR ISLAM OVER THE PKK
The results of the Turkish general election of July 22 suggest that Turkey’s Kurdish minority is looking increasingly to Islam rather than the secular nationalism of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) is generally regarded by both its opponents and... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN AND RUSSIA RENEW EFFORTS TO CURB DRUG TRAFFICKING
A shared opposition to the constant stream of drugs flowing from the poppy fields in Afghanistan is apparently one of the few remaining areas of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia. Since Russia handed over responsibility for protecting the troubled Tajik-Afghan border to poorly equipped and... MORE
RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET PLANS FORCE BUILD-UP AT NOVOROSSIYSK
Admiral Vladimir Masorin, commander-in-chief of Russia’s naval forces, announced ambitious plans to expand the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s forces and missions during his just-completed visit to the fleet’s main base at Sevastopol in Ukraine. The plans focus on developing Novorossiysk as a major naval base... MORE
RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET CLINGING TO SEVASTOPOL WHILE IT CAN
Apparently expecting petrodollar-fed budgetary infusions, Russia’s navy expects to reinforce its Black Sea Fleet with new units, beef up its Novorossiysk base on Russian territory, and attempt to cling to the Sevastopol base in Ukraine past the 2017 deadline. Such is the gist of remarks... MORE
TURKISH MILITARY EXPELS OFFICERS FOR ALLEGED ISLAMIC ACTIVITY
On August 4, the Turkish military officially announced the expulsion of ten serving officers for alleged Islamic fundamentalist activities. The announcement came one day after the end of a three-day meeting of the Supreme Military Council (YAS), which traditionally meets at the beginning of August... MORE
NIYAZOV’S SECURITY CHIEF ARRESTED, HUNT BEGINS FOR STOLEN FUNDS
The December 21, 2006, death of Turkmenistan’s self proclaimed president-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov set off an intense round of speculation about both the succession process and who might gain access to the world’s fifth-largest energy reserves, responsible for more than $2 billion annually in export revenues.... MORE
PACE CHAIRMAN BENDING TO THE KREMLIN WIND AGAINST ESTONIA
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Chairman, Rene van der Linden, fell into line with Moscow’s anti-Estonia propaganda during his just-completed visit to Russia. He was accompanied by Konstantin Kosachev, head of Russia’s delegation to PACE, during this trip, which included a visit to... MORE
GAZPROM’S CHALLENGE TO BELARUS: INTERNAL REACTIONS
On August 2, Belarusian president Alyaksandr Lukashenka declared that his country would dip into its reserves to pay its existing debt to Gazprom of $456 million (Itar-Tass, August 2). His decision brought a temporary halt to the current crisis raised by Belarus's failure to meet... MORE
NEW GAS PIPELINE TO LINK AZERBAIJAN AND ITALY, VIA TURKEY
Since the 1991 collapse of the USSR, resource-poor but strategically vital Turkey has sought to position itself as a major transit hub for burgeoning Caspian energy exports. For 15 years Ankara looked on helplessly as Russia, invoking its rights under the 1936 Montreaux Convention, turned... MORE
TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TRIGGERS POWER STRUGGLE WITHIN AK PARTY
Debates over its candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections appear to have triggered a power struggle within Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Under Turkish law, the president is elected by parliament. With 341 seats in Turkey’s 550 member unicameral assembly, the AK... MORE