Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
TRANS-CASPIAN OIL PIPELINE PLANNED IN KAZAKHSTAN
A recent session of Kazakhstan's cabinet of ministers commissioned plans for creating a trans-Caspian westbound export route for Kazakhstani oil, bypassing Russia on the shortest route to consumer countries. Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov and KazMunaiGaz (Kazakh oil and gas) state company chairman Uzakbay Karabalin endorsed... MORE
MASSES REJECT CHARGES OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISM IN UZBEKISTAN
Early this morning thousands of residents took to the streets of Andijan, Uzbekistan, to protest a show trial of alleged Islamic extremists. Initial reports say that nine people are dead and Uzbek President Islam Karimov is on his way to the city. Reportedly demonstrators stormed... MORE
MOSCOW AND BRUSSELS TRY TO MEND FENCES BUT SERIOUS PROBLEMS REMAIN
On May 10, the 15th Russia-EU summit was held in Moscow. Coming immediately after the pompous celebrations of Victory Day in the Russian capital, the meeting resulted in the signing of a new partnership agreement aimed at forging closer economic, political, and cultural ties between... MORE
SKINHEAD ATTACKS ON THE RISE IN UKRAINE
Since the Orange Revolution in November-December 2004, there have been a growing number of attacks by extreme right groups against Westerners in Ukraine. These attacks are commonly blamed on "skinheads," but real skinheads have denied involvement, saying that their only targets are individuals with darker-colored... MORE
UKRAINE’S ARMED FORCES LEAD THE WAY IN THE CIS
Ukraine took another key step toward closer relations with NATO with the disclosure of their intention to upgrade military communications to NATO standards. Major-General Volodymyr Rudyk, deputy chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, stated that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense intends to replace the current,... MORE
KREMLIN ASSAILS BALTIC STATES
From the standpoint of Russia-West relations, perhaps the most consequential aspect of the May 9 anniversary celebrations in Moscow was the Kremlin's verbal assault on the Baltic states, amid complete and even complacent silence on the part of the European Union, NATO allies, and the... MORE
IS RAMZAN KADYROV LEAVING THE LIMELIGHT?
Ramzan Kadyrov, deputy prime minister and leader of the pro-Russian forces in Chechnya, likes to be the center of attention. He makes numerous public statements that tend to be quite extravagant. Last summer, for example, as the conflict in South Ossetia escalated, Kadyrov promised to... MORE
KYRGYZ INTERIM GOVERNMENT STILL CLEANING UP PROBLEMS LEFT BY AKAYEV
Kyrgyzstan's Acting President, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, joined other CIS leaders for an informal meeting in Moscow on the eve of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Bakiyev raised a series of bilateral issues with Russia, including dual citizenship, Kyrgyzstan's... MORE
CIS SUMMIT: DECORATIVE, YET ACRIMONIOUS
Russian President Vladimir Putin and the presidents of nine other CIS member countries attended an informal CIS summit on May 8 in Moscow, as part of Russia's anniversary celebrations of victory in the Second World War. Presidents Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia and Ilham Aliev of... MORE
SAAKASHVILI DECLARES BUSH VISIT “A HUGE POLITICAL VICTORY”
U.S. President George W. Bush paid an unprecedented visit to the republic of Georgia on May 9-10. His warm reception in Tbilisi contrasted with Moscow's frosty view of the trip, which one Russian analyst described as "a fly in the ointment" of Russian-American relations. Some... MORE