Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
CENTRAL ASIA: REPLAYING THE GREAT GAME
There is a direct parallel between the current Russian-American rivalry in Central Asia and the military-diplomatic duel that the Russian and British empires were waging in the Eurasian heartland in the 19th century, the analysts say. Both Moscow and Washington deny they are intensely competing... MORE
EU LAUNCHES UNPRECEDENTED MISSION ON UKRAINE-MOLDOVA BORDER
The European Union is launching a Border Assistance Mission (BAM) on the long border shared by Ukraine and Moldova, including the Transnistria sector. The European Commissioner for External Affairs and Neighborhood Policy, Bettina Ferrero-Waldner, signed the relevant agreement with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of... MORE
WILL INCREASING U.S. PRESENCE IN AZERBAIJAN MEAN MORE TROUBLE FOR RUSSIA AND IRAN?
Yesterday the governments of the United States and Azerbaijan convened a two-day conference in Baku on "Black Sea and Caspian Sea Maritime Nonproliferation." Running October 12-13, the workshop seeks to develop close cooperation among the coast guard and border agencies of the Black Sea and... MORE
RUSSIAN LUKOIL PLANS TO DIG DEEP FOR KAZAKH OIL
After two fruitless years exploring the Tyub Karagan deposits, Russia's Lukoil refuses to remain a bystander while major Western and Chinese companies battle for Kazakhstan's oilfields. The most persuasive indication of the Russian drive to regain lost positions in Kazakhstan is the announcement of Lukoil's... MORE
YUSHCHENKO TRIES TO REVERSE HIS RATINGS SLIDE
Last week Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko appealed to the nation in an effort to reverse the dwindling popular trust in his government and to save the parliamentary election campaign for his party. Over four days Yushchenko gave an extensive interview to four TV channels, addressed... MORE
NEW UNREST IN JAVAKHETI PROMPTS WARNING FROM YEREVAN
Akhalkalaki, the main town in the predominantly Armenian-populated and Armenia-bordered Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia, was the site of an anti-government protest rally on October 5. The incident reaffirmed that this turbulent region remains unstable, despite the Georgian government's efforts to normalize the situation there. The... MORE
TAJIKISTAN SEARCHES FOR BORDER SECURITY ASSISTANCE
Tajikistan has launched another serious diplomatic effort aimed at increasing its border security capabilities and addressing the long-standing international security issues presented by the weakness of the Tajik-Afghan border. Dushanbe is looking not only towards the United States and NATO, but also seeking funding from... MORE
CACO-EEC MERGE TO ELIMINATE OVERLAPPING GOALS
As leaders of Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan gathered for the October 6 Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) summit in St. Petersburg, they decided to merge their grouping with yet another post-Soviet institution. The move appears to indicate that Moscow's policies in Central Eurasia still... MORE
KYRGYZ, UZBEK LEADERS CHOOSE COLD PEACE OVER OPEN CONFRONTATION
On October 6 Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Uzbek President Islam Karimov held a bilateral meeting to discuss future cooperation. The meeting took place during Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in St. Petersburg. This is the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents following several... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN STRENGTHENS TIES WITH NATO
Kazakhstan has taken further steps towards strengthening its partnership with the NATO Alliance, as part of its ongoing strategy aimed at improving its domestic and regional security while balancing its relations with the United States, Russia, and China. During a visit to Kazakhstan in early... MORE