Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
BAKIYEV’S NEW GOVERNMENT FOSTERS LARGE-SCALE CORRUPTION
Kyrgyzstan’s recently appointed Prime Minister Azim Isabekov formed a new government this week. The changes made by Isabekov suggest that he largely followed directions from Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his deputies. The new government excludes some former popular political leaders and increases the powers... MORE
TOLERANCE REDUCES NEED FOR RUSSIAN LANGUAGE LAW IN UKRAINE
Although Ukraine’s Party of Regions introduced a new draft language law to parliament last fall, interest in the bill will decline following the unexpected death of key party ideologue Yevhen Kushnariov last month. Elevating Russian to an official or second state language requires a change... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN DEEPENS TIES WITH GERMANY
President Nursultan Nazarbayev has moved to deepen the level of Kazakhstan’s cooperation with Germany. On January 30, during a visit to Germany, Nazarbayev explored ways to increase existing bilateral political, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Reportedly, both leaders share... MORE
UKRAINE BARS RUSSIAN-PROPOSED ALIENATION OF NATIONAL GAS TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s February 1 call to “unite” Ukraine’ gas transit system with that of Russia has strongly backfired. In Kyiv, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko initiated and the Verkhovna Rada adopted almost unanimously on February 6 a law banning any form of alienation of... MORE
CONTRADICTORY KREMLIN STATEMENTS THWART ATTEMPTS TO FORMULATE COMPREHENSIVE DEFENSE AND SECURITY POLICY
The Russian constitution requires the country to have a military doctrine. President Vladimir Putin signed the present doctrine in April 2000, after his election, but before his inauguration, making him legally still acting president (Nezavisimoe voennoe obozrenie, April 28, 2000). In January 2000, two weeks... MORE
IRAN SUGGESTS ACTING AS SECURITY GUARANTOR IN CENTRAL ASIA AND CAUCASUS
The headlines on Russo-Iranian relations at the end of January focused on Iran’s support for a “gas OPEC” and Russia’s reiteration of the idea that this is an attractive prospect that it needs to examine (www.president.ru, February 1, 2). However, this proposal is hardly news.... MORE
RUSSIA MAY DOUBLE OIL EXPORTS THROUGH THE BALTIC SEA
In its latest challenge to Europe’s energy security, Russia has confirmed the intention to increase its oil exports through the Baltic Pipeline System’s (BPS) maritime terminals by up to 100%. The recent, not yet resolved, confrontation with Belarus over the terms of overland transit ostensibly... MORE
BELARUS: A NEW DIALOGUE TO PRESERVE THE INDEPENDENT STATE?
The recent rift between Belarus and Russia has caused some soul-searching among the Belarusian political opposition, including proposals for a new dialogue with the government. At the same time, the proposed Second Congress of Democratic Forces is scheduled to take place in March, but it... MORE
RUSSIA SET TO EXPAND ECONOMIC PRESENCE IN ARMENIA
Russia looks set to enhance its already strong economic presence in Armenia by capitalizing on Armenian President Robert Kocharian’s apparent desire to secure his political future with the Kremlin’s backing. The two governments have indicated that Russian companies will soon get hold of more chunks... MORE
GEORGIA TO SEND, LITHUANIA TO AUGMENT TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
High-level Georgian-Lithuanian talks on February 2 in Tbilisi included the issue of deploying a Georgian military unit and civilian specialists to Afghanistan with NATO forces there. Lithuania’s Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas, Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekunas, Chief of Staff Brig.-General Vitalijus Vaiksnoras, and Defense... MORE