Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
CENTRAL ASIA GAS UPDATE
Gas output data for 2004, just released by the three Central Asian producer countries, illustrate the region's underutilized potential as a supplier to the West, the absence of a Western strategy in this regard, and Russia's unchecked tendency to monopolize the marketing of Central Asian... MORE
RUSSIA CLAIMS STRATEGIC VICTORY IN GEORGIAN PRIVATIZATION ROUND
When Tbilisi recently completed the privatization of several Georgian industrial giants, Russian companies had become owners of several strategic economic entities in Georgia. All indications suggest that the Russian firms are not finished with their Georgian acquisition plans. Evraz Holding has taken ownership of 70.8%... MORE
ASTANA LAUNCHES AMBITIOUS HYDROELECTRIC POWER PROJECT
Last month the government of Kazakhstan approved a new strategy for developing the country's hydroelectric energy resources. Kazakhstan plans to build 20 power stations, with a total capacity of 4.8 kilowatts per hour, by the year 2015. Most of the stations will be located in... MORE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL’S HANDLING OF ABKHAZIA: A DISQUIETING PRELUDE TO BUSH-PUTIN SUMMIT
On January 28, the UN Security Council (UNSC) voted to approve a routine six-month extension of the UNOMIG (UN Observer Mission in Georgia) mandate to observe the ceasefire in Abkhazia. The UNSC had finalized the wording of the relevant resolution at a closed-door meeting on... MORE
GAZPROM’S CRISIS OF OVERGROWTH
Gazprom, Russia's almighty monopoly producer, distributor, and exporter of natural gas, is in serious trouble. Its directors' meeting on January 26 was expected to reveal the bitter disagreements about the current budget and investment program that have been smoldering since last autumn (Gazeta.ru, January 26).... MORE
TYMOSHENKO STEAMS ONWARD TO PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
Ukraine's new president, Viktor Yushchenko, nominated his populist ally, Yulia Tymoshenko, for prime minister on January 24 (see EDM, January 26) and submitted her candidacy to parliament on January 28. The Ukrainian constitution requires that a simple majority in the legislature, that is 226 votes... MORE
THE RISE AND FALL OF SOCIAL DEMOCRACY IN BELARUS
On January 18, the organization "Free Belarus" nominated Mikalay Statkevich as a candidate for the next presidential election, stating that its campaign must adopt the flag of the European Union and that its symbol should be a cornflower. The nomination followed two others from the... MORE
SECURITY FORCES AND MILITANTS SHOOT IT OUT IN NALCHIK
Russian special forces backed by armored personnel carriers battled for more than five hours on January 27 with suspected Islamic militants holed up in two apartments in a building in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. Seven people, including three women, died in the shoot-out, which followed a two-day... MORE
BAGAPSH, KOKOITI, SMIRNOV TOUCH BASE IN MOSCOW
On January 25-27, senior Russian officials conferred in Moscow with Igor Smirnov, Eduard Kokoiti, and Sergei Bagapsh and Raul Khajimba, Russian-installed leaders of Transnistria, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia, respectively. Although their schedule of meetings was kept confidential, there was official confirmation of meetings with First... MORE
YUSHCHENKO OUTLINES UKRAINE’S DESIRE TO “RETURN TO EUROPE”
This week the EU finally came round to the conclusion that Viktor's Yushchenko's support for Ukraine "returning to Europe" is no hollow rhetoric. Former president Leonid Kuchma also spoke of "returning to Europe" in 1998, when he first outlined plans for Ukraine to join the... MORE