Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
NEW REMAINS DISCOVERED IN BESLAN: INCOMPETENCE OR CRIME?
On February 25, residents of Beslan, North Ossetia, found clothing and physical remains of several child hostages killed during the rescue operation on September 3, 2004. Jeremy Page, a reporter for the London Times, was with the residents when they made the discovery. In his... MORE
PUTIN’S “WALKING TOGETHER” MOVEMENT COMES UP SHORT
A specter is haunting Russia's political class -- the specter of Ukraine's Orange Revolution. The Putinists seem hell-bent on preventing any repetition of Ukrainian or Georgian events in Russia. On March 1, the pro-Putin youth movement Walking Together announced that it "had launched a new... MORE
KYIV LAUNCHES FAR-REACHING REFORM OF INTERIOR MINISTRY
It was inevitable that radical, democratizing reforms would be launched within the Ukrainian Interior Ministry (MVS) after the appointment of Yuriy Lutsenko as interior minister. Already, the new atmosphere inside the MVS has contributed to progress in the Gongadze murder investigation (see EDM, March 2).... MORE
WAR OF WORDS INTENSIFIES BETWEEN ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER AND PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
Armenia's governing coalition has been thrust into fresh turmoil by a bitter row between two of the three political parties represented in it. The row between the Republican Party (HHK) of Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party led by... MORE
COMPETING THEORIES ABOUT ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION IN ABKHAZIA
Alexander Ankvab, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia in Georgia, narrowly escaped death late on February 28 when still-unidentified assailants shot at his motorcade. Ankvab and his entourage were heading from the capital, Sukhumi, north toward Gudauta. The gunmen were waiting to ambush... MORE
RUSSIA SENDS MIXED SIGNALS ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS
Russian officials have hailed Moscow's announcement of a potentially historic deal with Iran, concerning its continued involvement in developing the nuclear power facility at Bushehr, as a breakthrough. Alexander Maryasov, Russia's ambassador to Iran, believes it removes all concerns about the possibility of Tehran utilizing... MORE
MOSCOW INSISTS ON SEEING NO EVIL IN IRAN
Russia's position on Iran, as presented by President Vladimir Putin to President George W. Bush in Bratislava and by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the EU "troika" in Luxembourg, is crystal clear and rock solid. Their nuclear cooperation is strictly commercial and has absolutely no... MORE
“DOUBLE VECTOR,” DOUBLE GAME: MOLDOVA’S CENTRIST OPPOSITION AND MOSCOW
The presidents of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, and Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, held meetings with Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin on March 1 in Kyiv and March 2 in Chisinau, treating him as a partner for the long term. Their decision to convene the talks was an emergency... MORE
RUSSIAN POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TO INFLUENCE MOLDOVA’S ELECTIONS
Since February 17, Russian authorities have been conducting a massive political offensive with a view toward toppling Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and lifting pro-Russian groups to power in the upcoming general elections. A new Moldovan parliament will be elected on March 6, and that parliament... MORE
PROTESTS RISE FOLLOWING DISPUTED KYRGYZ VOTE
Kyrgyzstan held parliamentary elections on Sunday, February 27. Some 388 candidates vied for 75 parliamentary seats. According to preliminary data collected by the Central Electoral Commission, candidates secured a first-round victory in 32 districts, while the other 43 seats will be determined in a runoff... MORE