Latest Articles about Middle East

Fsb Restructuring More Modest Than Expected

The presidential decree restructuring the Federal Security Service (FSB), which was signed by President Vladimir Putin on July 11 and made public by the Kremlin on July 14, has not amounted to the worst-case scenario that some human rights activists had feared, namely the restoration... MORE

Pipeline Pirouette In Northeast Asia

Competing oil pipeline projects in the Russian Far East were the topic of a lively symposium among specialists from Russia, China, Korea, Japan, and the United States at the Slavic Research Center in Sapporo, Japan, on July 14-16. Last year the Russian government surprised observers... MORE

Sergei Lavrov Goes To Korea

The six-power negotiations over North Korean nuclearization have essentially two purposes. One obvious goal is to resolve peacefully and equitably the crisis generated by Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. The second, and less obvious, goal is to codify a new status quo in Northeast Asia and... MORE

Oecd, World Bank Evaluate Russian Economy

The World Bank and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development have just released their latest reports on the state of the Russian economy. Both reports are surprisingly bullish about Russia's long-term prospects. Surprising, that is, given the daily stream of news about the bankrupting of... MORE

Russian Media Mull Significance Of Klebnikov Murder

Russian observers continue to discuss the July 9 murder of American journalist Paul Klebnikov, editor of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine. Gazeta.ru wrote that the list of Russia's 100 leading tycoons along with estimates of their wealth published in the magazine in May broke... MORE

Paul Klebnikov’s Murder: Cui Bono?

The murder of Paul Klebnikov, editor of the Russian-language version of Forbes magazine, which began publication in April, has shocked observers in both Russia and the West. It has also sparked intense speculation about who was behind what everyone believes was a contract killing. The... MORE

Dmitry Rogozin Becomes Rodina’s Sole Leader

With the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) now split in two (a faction of KPRF members who oppose its leader, Gennady Zyuganov, held their own party congress on July 3, the same day Zyuganov and his supporters held the regular congress), Rodina (Motherland)... MORE

Bankers Beware

This week, in addition to the drama surrounding Yukos and its $7 billion tax bill, Moscow has been in the grip of a banking crisis. Panicking depositors have been cashing out their savings, causing long lines, and threatening the stability of several banks. The main... MORE

Crisis Week For Yukos

The Yukos affair began on July 2, 2003, with the arrest of director Platon Lebedev. Exactly one year later, Russian police marked the anniversary with a dramatic raid on the company's downtown Moscow headquarters. At 2:00 p.m. on Saturday July 3, some 50 police and... MORE