President Vladimir Putin yesterday named seven men to serve as his representatives in seven newly created federal districts. General Viktor Kazantsev, commander of the North Caucasus Military District, will be the presidential representative in the North Caucasus district (headquartered in Rostov-on-Don). General Konstantin Pulikovsky, deputy... MORE

Early this month, the government and National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU) moved closer to realizing President Islam Karimov's promise to restore the convertibility of the som in 2000. Although it did not take steps to liberalize the legal purchase of foreign exchange, the NBU devalued... MORE

GDP in Azerbaijan was reported up 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 1999 (Russian agencies, Central Asia and Caucasus Business Report, April 24-28). While this growth looks impressive compared to other countries, it suggests that Azerbaijan's economy is slowing: GDP growth of 7.4 percent... MORE

Mikhail Kasyanov's confirmation as Russia's new prime minister, according to some observers, marks a defeat for the advocates of radical pro-market reforms who, until now, have been seen as having the ear of President Vladimir Putin. The State Duma yesterday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Kasyanov,... MORE

The Federation Council, the upper house of Russia's parliament, yesterday gave its approval to Vladimir Ustinov, President Vladimir Putin's choice for the post of Prosecutor General. The council voted 114 to 10 in favor of Ustinov, who has been serving as acting Prosecutor General since... MORE

Yesterday evening, following the appointment and approval of Mikhail Kasyanov as prime minister and Vladimir Ustinov as prosecutor general, President Vladimir Putin went on state television to announce that he would introduce legislation to the State Duma that would deprive regional governors of seats in... MORE

Officials from both the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague and the Clinton administration in Washington have expressed outrage in recent days over last week's clandestine visit to Moscow by Yugoslav Defense Minister General Dragoljub Ojdanic. The Yugoslav general, who has been indicted on... MORE

In three separate statements, issued on May 15-16, Russia's Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov has warned Russia's neighbors in general, and Georgia and Azerbaijan in particular, against pursuing their rapprochement with NATO. Concurrently he sought to encourage Armenia to persist in a pro-Russian course. Ivashov, who heads... MORE

On May 15, the wraps came off an event which the Georgian government--and perhaps the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well--was hoping to keep from the public eye for as long as possible. Russian border troops have seized a Georgian village... MORE

UN Security Council members continued to battle last night over a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would, among other things, place an arms embargo on Ethiopia and Eritrea. The U.S. effort, which comes as fighting worsens between the two African countries, has run into opposition from a... MORE