Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
UKRAINE’S NATIONAL UNITY DECLARATION: NO GUIDE TO POLICY OR ACTION
The August 3 Declaration on National Unity, signed by leaders of four political forces -- the Party of Regions, Our Ukraine, the Socialists, and (with reservations) the Communists -- as a basis for a governing Coalition of National Unity, is a declarative rather than a... MORE
RUSSIA MOVES TO DEVELOP AND REPOPULATE THE KURIL ISLANDS
As Russia has failed to secure any significant economic incentives from Tokyo, especially a Japan-bound Pacific oil pipeline route, the Kremlin has moved to develop and repopulate the Kuril Islands, apparently indicating a loss of interest in resolving the long-standing territorial dispute. Russia's government has... MORE
YUSHCHENKO, YANUKOVYCH REACH COMPROMISE
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has decided not to disband parliament. Instead, he nominated Viktor Yanukovych, who lost the presidential election to him in December 2004, for prime minister. These were the only two options that Yushchenko faced after the Orange coalition between his Our Ukraine... MORE
YUKOS BANKRUPTCY: THE BIG PICTURE
A court decision declaring Yukos -- once Russia’s largest oil company -- bankrupt has finally brought to an end the sad story of confrontation between private business and a powerful state. But the ruling also highlighted the unhealthy nature of the country’s raw-materials-based socio-economic system.... MORE
RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES PUT VIRTUAL ORGANIZATIONS ON TERROR LIST BUT IGNORE HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH
On July 28, the official Russian newspaper Rossiiskaya gazeta published a list of organizations that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation had designated as “terrorist.” The list was drawn up by the Federal Security Service (FSB) and includes 17 terrorist organizations. The roster has... MORE
CONSTANTA-TRIESTE PIPELINE PROPOSAL FOR KAZAKHSTAN’S OIL
The Romanian government has initiated a five-country project for transporting oil from Kazakhstan via the Black Sea to European consumer markets. The project envisages construction of a pipeline from the Black Sea port of Constanta, passing through the territories of Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia... MORE
RUSSIA’S OIL PIPELINE LEAK SPARKS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
A leak in one segment of Russia's Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline has not only affected international prices, but the incident has also reignited debates regarding the safety record of the country's aging pipeline system. The leak occurred July 29 on the Russian border with Ukraine and... MORE
RUSSIAN OIL SUPPLIES TO LITHUANIA CUT OFF
Since July 29, Russia’s oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has stopped deliveries to Lithuania’s Mazeikiai refinery, the largest economic entity in that country and sole refinery in the Baltic states. Transneft’s move seems designed to block the consummation of the three-way deal whereby Poland’s PKN Orlen... MORE
YUSHCHENKO’S INITIATIVE REVEALS HURDLES TO UKRAINIAN UNITY
The constitution gives Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko 15 days to endorse the parliamentary majority’s choice for prime minister, and Yushchenko has used this entire interim trying to persuade his rival, Viktor Yanukovych, to accept his conditions in return for the endorsement. Today, August 2, is... MORE
HOW SECURE IS LUKASHENKA?
Having attained through dubious means another overwhelming election victory last March, and having amended the Belarusian constitution yet again so that there are no limits to his term in office, President Alexander Lukashenka appears to be more firmly in power than ever before. Yet there... MORE