
Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles

Will Tajikistan’s Karategin Valley Again Become a Militant Stronghold?
The Karategin (literally “black mountains”) Valley—also called Rasht Valley, located in the West-Central part of the country—is a very special region of Tajikistan. During the 1992–1997 Tajikistan Civil War, the Karategin was a stronghold for the Islamic opposition and became the site of numerous battles... MORE

Ingushetia Experiences Spike in Violence as Militants Mount New Attacks
August ended with fresh casualties among both civilians and law enforcement personnel in Ingushetia. According to independent estimates, there were 44 casualties in Ingushetia in August—19 killed and 25 injured. Of the 19 people killed, nine were law enforcement officers, seven were rebels and three... MORE

After APEC Summit in Vladivostok, Moscow Declares War on EU
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit last week in Vladivostok has been declared to have been a resounding success in Moscow. The Kremlin has been criticized by the Russian press for spending well over $20 billion on hosting the APEC forum to show off... MORE

Disrespect for Human Rights Undermines Dagestan’s Security, Activists Say
On September 6, the Memorial human rights organization unveiled an extensive overview of the human rights situation in Dagestan. At the Moscow International Book Fair, Memorial presented a book titled “The New Course of Magomedov?” which was compiled from extensive data collected by activists in... MORE

Kazakhstan Set to Become Major Source of Rare Earths in CIS
On August 9, China launched the world’s first rare earth exchange in an apparent bid to formalize its global leadership in the production of rare earth elements (REE). This move comes almost two years after the Chinese Ministry of Commerce introduced export quotas for REE,... MORE

Presidential Council on Inter-Ethnic Relations Meets in Saransk
On August 24, in the ethnic republic of Mordavia, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the recently re-instituted “Council for Inter-Ethnic Relations.” The Council, which Putin had dissolved in 2001, was re-established in June 2012. The timing and location of the first meeting symbolically celebrated... MORE

A New Mongolian Government Is Finally Formed
On August 25, Prime Minister Norovyn Altankhuyag chaired the first full cabinet meeting since Mongolia’s sixth parliamentary election, which was held on June 28 (Mongolian Government Press, August 26). Because his Democratic Party could not obtain the 39 parliamentary seats necessary to form its own... MORE

Kazakhstan Hosts Steppe Eagle 2012
Kazakhstan is hosting the international peacekeeping exercise Steppe Eagle 2012, amidst growing speculation that the country plans to deploy a company of peacekeepers abroad. Astana ultimately resisted the West’s efforts to persuade the country to send peacekeepers to Afghanistan, but is now turning to consider... MORE

Azerbaijan Drives the Planning on Trans-Anatolia Gas Pipeline Project
The Azerbaijani-Turkish Trans-Anatolia gas pipeline project (TANAP) for Caspian gas to Europe seems set to grow in scope and strategic ambitions. The line is planned to run from the Georgia-Turkey border to the Turkey–European Union border. The project’s initiator, Azerbaijan, is driving its growth in... MORE

Turkey Sees Opportunity in Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline Project
Turkey is revisiting the trans-Caspian gas pipeline project after a decade-long hiatus. Ankara is now aligning with the European Union, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, supporting the transportation of Turkmenistan’s gas to Turkey and onward to Europe. Ten years ago, Turkey failed to capitalize on the first... MORE