Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
TYMOSHENKO COMES UP WITH ELECTION STRATEGY
Former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has formed an electoral bloc on the basis of her Fatherland party for next year's parliamentary polls. Tymoshenko apparently believes that her own high popularity should be enough for a good performance in the election -- there are no... MORE
CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM REGARDING GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ TALKS
Last week the saber rattling that has characterized Georgian-Abkhaz relation subsided as UN- mediated talks about confidence building commenced. Against a backdrop of continuing mutual violence in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia (see EDM, November 8, 29) the talks are intended to demonstrate that a... MORE
KREMLIN HAS UPPER HAND IN GAS NEGOTIATIONS WITH UKRAINE
President Vladimir Putin's December 8 televised argument for tripling the price of Russian gas to Ukraine, in cash only, as of 2006 (see EDM, December 9) in effect rejected President Viktor Yushchenko's plea by telephone the previous day for moving slowly to market terms over... MORE
DOES UKRAINE REALLY HAVE COUNTER LEVERS FOR GAS SUPPLIES?
As tensions increase on all sides of the Ukrainian gas delivery dispute, each player must review its strategic assets. Kyiv may have at least three forms of counter-leverage at its disposal to prevent bankruptcy or the need to surrender partial control of its transit pipeline... MORE
RUSSIA’S ARMS DEAL WITH IRAN: KREMLIN BELIEVES U.S. TOO WEAK FOR STRONG RESPONSE
The Russian leadership appears to believe that the Iraq debacle marked the tuning point in the short-lived era of American global supremacy. The Iran arms deal suggests that the Kremlin will likely continue pursuing an assertive foreign policy in regions the U.S. deems vital for... MORE
BESLAN MOTHERS TURN TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FIND THE TRUTH
The consequences of the September 2004 terrorist attack on the town of Beslan continue to shake the political situation in North Ossetia. Tensions between the Russian authorities and local residents have increased for more than a year and have now come to a head. Relatives... MORE
AFTER ELECTION LOSS, WHAT NEXT FOR THE KAZAKH OPPOSITION?
Kazakhstan's December 4 presidential election gave both the opposition and the ruling establishment an opportunity to test the popular theory of democratic "color revolutions." Could a popular uprising after a disputed election evict another ruling regime? The ruling regime has now recognized that it must... MORE
RUSSIA INSISTS ON TRANSFORMING THE TERMS OF GAS TRADE WITH UKRAINE
On December 8, live on Russian state television (which is widely received in Ukraine), Russian President Vladimir Putin harangued Ukraine at length to triple the price for Russian natural gas, and to pay in cash. Putin skillfully calibrated his tone to avoid antagonizing Ukraine's populace... MORE
RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AGREE TO DISAGREE ON GAS SUPPLIES
Despite top-level discussions and official pledges, Russia and Ukraine remain deeply divided over natural gas supply terms for 2006. Russia is satisfied with Ukraine's readiness to review prices for Russian natural gas to be supplied to Ukraine and then piped to Europe via Ukrainian territory,... MORE
JUDGES ALLEGE THAT SAAKASHVILI’S TEAM IS PURGING GEORGIA’S JUDICIAL BENCH
Widespread allegations about restrictions on judicial independence since the Rose Revolution have received new credibility following sensational confessions by four members of the Georgian Supreme Court. Tamaz Iliashvili, Merab Turava, David Sulakvelidze, and Nino Gvenetadze have publicly accused Kote Kublashvili, chairman of the Supreme Court,... MORE