Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
RUSSIA: DEMOCRACY DISMANTLED
No serious observer can dispute the fact that Russia is no longer a "managed democracy"; it is a bureaucratic-authoritarian regime. On September 13, 2004, President Vladimir Putin announced that the leaders of Russia's regions would henceforth be appointed, not elected as they had been for... MORE
RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS DEBATE STRATEGY FOR 2005
As the year 2005 begins, Russia's foreign policy strategy appears to be at a fork in the road. Most experts agree that the country's principal strategic dilemma remains unresolved. On the one hand, Russia aspires to join the "Western world." On the other, it cherishes... MORE
A BLURRED VISION IN BRUSSELS
On January 5, Poland's leading newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, printed excerpts from the speech given by the European Parliament' President, Josep Borrell, to the previous day's closed-door session of the Forum for New Economics in Madrid. Borrell, a Spanish Socialist who is critical of the United... MORE
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ANDREI ILLARIONOV?
Russian President Vladimir Putin clearly wanted to have the last word about the year 2004. First he shifted his "traditional" lengthy press conference to December 23, and then he confidently insisted that the country is on the right course whatever question a bothersome journalist would... MORE
LACK OF REGIONAL COORDINATION FACILITATES REGULAR FLOODING IN CENTRAL ASIA
The government of Kazakhstan, true to its tradition of international solidarity, was quick to offer a helping hand to tsunami-affected areas of Southeast Asia. On January 3 a cargo plane took off from Karaganda airport to deliver 46 tons of foodstuffs and medicines to Sri... MORE
OPPOSITION LEADER RESIGNS IN ATTEMPT TO RE-ENERGIZE AZERI POLITICS
Etibar Mammadov, the long-time chairman of the Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP) and one of the most influential opposition leaders in Azerbaijan, announced his resignation from his party position on December 24. His decision came as a surprise not only to other political parties, but... MORE
TAJIKISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN LOOK BEYOND U.S. SECURITY ASSISTANCE
Despite growing levels of post-9/11 U.S. security assistance aimed at strengthening the weak militaries and security structures in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, both countries show clear signs of diversifying their security interests, reflecting a resurgent Russia and burgeoning Chinese interests in Central Asia. Tajikistan has prioritized... MORE
KARZAI’S NEW CABINET AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai announced his new cabinet on December 23, almost 50 days after his election as president. His new roster reflects bold steps to exclude the powerful warlords from his government while also appointing new and hitherto unknown technocrats and professionals to the... MORE
RUSSIAN OIL THROUGH BTC PIPELINE: A POLITICAL SCHEME OR ECONOMIC STRATEGY?
Speaking at his quarterly press conference, David Woodward, President of BP-Azerbaijan, surprised attendees with the announcement that BTC Co. shareholders, together with the British-Russian oil company TNK-BP, were considering the possibility of transporting Russian oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (Zerkalo, December 22). The independent daily... MORE
MASSIVE PRICE HIKE FOR TURKMEN GAS TO UKRAINE
Rising world prices for oil and gas, and to a lesser extent for metal products, as well as the dollar's fall, have enabled Turkmenistan to force up the dollar price of its gas deliveries to Ukraine and to present similar demands to Russia. Already in... MORE