Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
KOSOVAR INDEPENDENCE RECOGNIZED, RUSSIA’S BLUFF CALLED IN ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA
On February 17 Kosova declared officially its independence from Serbia. On February 18 the United States and several major European countries recognized Kosova as an independent state. More than 20 (out of 27) European Union member countries are prepared to extend recognition. Russia anticipated this... MORE
NAZARBAYEV’S MESSAGE TO HIS PEOPLE FUELS CONTROVERSIES
The most salient features of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s February 6 address to the nation, presented at a joint session of government and parliament and broadcast on two national television channels, were its brevity and poor delivery. Occasionally interlacing his discourse in Russian with passages... MORE
TURKEY THROWS ITS WEIGHT BEHIND NABUCCO
The European Union has intensified its efforts to turn the Nabucco pipeline project into a reality, now that Turkey has pledged to throw its weight behind the project. Due to its geographical proximity to the suppliers, Turkey is a linchpin in the network, which is... MORE
TURKISH MILITARY SET TO WARN AKP OVER HEADSCARF
The Turkish military is expected to use the opportunity provided by the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Thursday, February 21, to issue a strongly worded warning to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government over its attempts to lift the headscarf ban in universities... MORE
RUSSIA-UKRAINE GAS RELATIONS: MURKY AFTER PUTIN-YUSHCHENKO MEETING
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine have agreed on a reshuffling of the cards in Russia-Ukraine gas relations. During Yushchenko’s February 12-13 visit to Moscow (see EDM, February 14) the two presidents adopted on a personal basis what Yushchenko termed “tactical... MORE
KREMLIN EFFORT TO EXPAND COMMERCIAL TIES WITH CHINA BACKFIRES
Last year Russia and China recorded an unprecedented increase in bilateral trade. In 2007, Russia’s trade with China reached $48.16 billion, up 44.3% over 2006, according to Russian statistics. This follows a recent trend, as in 2006 bilateral trade amounted to $33.4 billion, up 15%... MORE
NATO EXPANSION IN THE BALKANS
While the issue of Ukraine’s possible entry into NATO is currently filling the European press, Macedonia is also facing the issue of accession. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki to discuss the issue on February 14; later that... MORE
POLICY AND PERSONALITY: A RIFT OPENS IN TURCO-GERMAN TIES
The recent angry exchanges between the Turkish and German governments over the integration of Turks living in Germany have highlighted the increasing vulnerability of Turkish policy to the personality of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On February 10, Erdogan told an audience of around 18,000... MORE
RUSSIA WILL REGAIN DEMOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC, AND MILITARY STRENGTH, PUTIN CLAIMS
Speaking to a session of the State Council on February 8, President Vladimir Putin outlined his vision of Russia’s development through the year 2020. The State Council is a consultative body incorporating Russia’s regional leaders that Putin created to provide advice from time to time.... MORE
PUTIN WARNS UKRAINE AGAINST SEEKING NATO MEMBERSHIP
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine met on February 12-13 in Moscow for their final bilateral summit before the end of Putin’s presidency. The meeting opened with Yushchenko describing Russia repeatedly as Ukraine’s “strategic partner” in front of the assembled media.... MORE