Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
GROWING RISKS TO BALTIC SEA SAFETY FROM RUSSIAN ENERGY PROJECTS
The Russian government’s latest ideas about energy transit through the Baltic Sea are adding to the already considerable risks involved in these projects. Moscow is launching its new ideas apparently without consulting the countries affected or the European Union and is ignoring the Council of... MORE
RUSSIA REMAINS IN DENIAL REGARDING EXISTENCE OF NUCLEAR BAZAAR
Last week Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili disclosed that a sting operation had resulted in the February 1, 2006, arrest in Tbilisi of a Russian citizen, Oleg Khintsagov, who had attempted to sell 100 grams of weapons-grade uranium. The Georgian authorities carried out the sting... MORE
TURKMEN OPPOSITION INVITE MAY SPOIL CAREER OF UKRAINIAN MINISTER
A visit to Kyiv by prominent members of Turkmenistan’s opposition following the death of Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov on December 21 has triggered a scandal in Ukraine. Their host, Transport and Communications Minister Mykola Rudkovsky, has been accused of interfering with diplomatic affairs. Officials fear... MORE
GAZPROM’S CLOCK TICKING ON BP’S KOVYTKA PROJECT
Gazprom and the Kremlin look poised for another forced takeover of major Western assets in Russia’s energy sector. On January 29, Nature Inspectorate (RosPrirodNadzor) deputy chief Oleg Mitvol announced that his agency and the Resources Inspectorate (RosNedra) are about to launch the final phase of... MORE
KAZAKH FOREIGN MINISTER SHIFTS PRIORITIES FROM SUPERPOWERS TO NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS
One of the more puzzling turns in Kazakhstan’s recent cabinet reshuffle was the replacement of Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev, a professionally trained and skilled diplomat, by the dark horse Marat Tazhin, who had made an inconspicuous career as a chairman of the Security Council and... MORE
U.S. MILITARY NEEDS LONG-TERM STAY IN MANAS
On January 24 U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Marie Yovanovitch gave an important indication of Washington’s long-term commitment to its deployment at Manas air base. Specifically, U.S. military personnel will remain in Kyrgyzstan as long as counter-terrorist operations continue within Afghanistan. Although these expressions of the... MORE
PUTIN IS LOST BETWEEN EAST AND WEST, BUT MEDVEDEV SHINES IN DAVOS
Russian President Vladimir Putin was the guest of honor at the Independence Day parade in New Delhi last Friday, January 26, and was entertained by the traditional program including ceremonial elephants and the camel cavalry. His two-day visit to India was as successful as planned,... MORE
GAZPROM DETERMINED TO CONTROL MAJOR SHELF PROJECTS
On Thursday, January 25, Russian Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev urged the government to make it tougher for foreign investors to access the mineral resources of the Russian continental shelf. “As these are strategic interests,” he said, “a tougher procedure will be introduced to grant... MORE
LUKASHENKA REDOUBLES OVERTURES TO THE WEST
Addressing a Minsk academic forum on January 26, President Alexander Lukashenka in fact had the European Union in mind for much of his speech, clearly signaling a turnabout from his hitherto exclusive Russian orientation. Lukashenka also made the same points in accompanying remarks to the... MORE
MOSCOW STUNG BY ESTONIAN BAN ON TOTALITARIANISM’S SYMBOLS
Russia’s government, parliament, and state-controlled media are redoubling the anti-Estonian campaign in the wake of the Estonian parliament’s adoption of the “Law on the Protection of War Burial Sites” (January 10) and the first-reading passage of legislation against public display of totalitarian symbols (January 24).... MORE