Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
RUSSIA STILL GETS IT WRONG ON UKRAINE
Russian leaders were delighted, even gleeful, when Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was fired in early September. Their unabashed gloating confirms that Moscow still does not realize why its interference in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential elections failed so miserably (see EDM, September 23). Instead, Russian... MORE
RUSSIA’S NAVY PINS HOPES ON BULAVA NUCLEAR MISSILE
During his September 27 call-in television program, Russian President Vladimir Putin once again invoked one of his favorite themes. Specifically, he stressed that under his leadership Russia is developing new hypersonic, high-precision missiles that can change their course and altitude unlike any other missiles belonging... MORE
RUSSIA’S PACIFIC OIL PIPELINE GAME REMAINS INCONCLUSIVE
In a statement on September 29, Russia's Natural Resources Ministry rejected a feasibility study for a Siberia-to-Pacific crude oil pipeline. The pipeline would pass within just 800 meters of Lake Baikal, a violation of Russia's environmental legislation. According to the Ministry, "As the pipeline crosses... MORE
KYRGYZ PARLIAMENT REJECTS FEMALE CABINET NOMINEES, INCLUDING OTUNBAYEVA
On September 30, the Kyrgyz parliament completed the appointment process all 16 cabinet ministers and key members of the new government. The selection process took two rounds, because six of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's candidates were rejected in the first round. Roza Otunbayeva, the primary force... MORE
ANDIJAN TRIAL OPENS IN TASHKENT WITH SHAKY GOVERNMENT CASE
The trial of 12 Uzbek citizens and three Kyrgyz citizens accused of organizing the May uprising in Andijan, Uzbekistan, opened in Tashkent on September 15. The 15 defendants are accused of terrorism, murder, taking hostages, trying to organize an anti-constitutional coup, and receiving $200,000 from... MORE
ASTANA ADOPTS MORE PRUDENT POLICY TOWARD ETHNIC KAZAKHS
On September 29 around 300 ethnic Kazakhs from 32 countries gathered in Astana for the Third World Congress of Kazakhs. For many participants this was their first time to see the booming new capital in the land of their ancestors. They were obviously impressed to... MORE
PUBLIC MOOD IN AZERBAIJAN POINTS TO A NEW WAR
On September 26-27, OSCE Minsk co-chairs Bernard Fassier (France), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), and Steven Mann (the United States) met in Vienna to discuss further steps in the Karabakh peace process. Before the meeting, Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, declared, "The peace process has not yet... MORE
BELARUS AUTHORITIES MOVE TO SHUT DOWN MAIN OPPOSITION NEWSPAPER
Belarus's main opposition newspaper, Narodnaya volya, did not appear on the streets of Minsk on October 1. On September 20, its assets were seized by the Lenin district court in Minsk, and the printing house and factory responsible for distributing the newspaper annulled their agreements... MORE
WILL NEW PRIME MINISTER MAKE CRIMEA ANY BETTER?
Following recent events in Kyiv, Ukraine's only autonomous republic, Crimea, has dismissed its prime minister. The two events were not directly linked. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko fired Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in early September because her populism and huge ambitions had started to undermine trust... MORE
TATARSTAN RETAINS PRIVILEGED RANK AMONG RUSSIAN REPUBLICS
Following the September 2004 tragedy in Beslan, the Russian State Duma adopted President Vladimir Putin's new law to eliminate the direct election of regional leaders. Now, all incoming governors in Russia are appointed by the president, subject to approval by local parliaments. Tatarstan, a republic... MORE