Kazakhstan has taken a small, but significant step towards preparing more of its military personnel to receive education and training in Western countries by opening a new military language institute in Almaty. In many ways this development serves to highlight the extent of the uphill... MORE

Russia and the OSCE have worked out a package of military measures and agreements that could, if implemented, turn Moldova into a Russian military foothold on NATO's flank. The package has recently been submitted to the OSCE in Vienna, as "restricted" documents, both in the... MORE

While the OSCE's new framework for the demilitarization of Transnistria is flawed in principle, the proposed verification and inspection system opens more loopholes, and again in Transnistria only, where much is hidden from view. By contrast, right-bank Moldova hardly has combat forces or arms factories,... MORE

As Azerbaijan's November 6 parliamentary elections draw closer, opposition parties are becoming more active. On Saturday September 10 the opposition bloc Azadliq (Freedom), a coalition of three major parties in Azerbaijan -- Musavat, Popular Front, and Democratic Party – held yet another rally in Baku... MORE

On September 7 the lower house of Kazakhstan's parliament put an end to months of speculation and scheduled presidential elections for December 4. Members of parliament and the Constitutional Court had argued over whether elections should be held in December 2005 or December 2006. The... MORE

The removal of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's government on September 8 came as a surprise in Ukraine, as it had not been accused of corruption until days earlier. On September 5 the outgoing head of the presidential secretariat, Oleksandr Zinchenko, had raised such accusations against... MORE

In the immediate aftermath of Russia's recent joint military exercise with China, the Kremlin lost little time to further boost the bilateral "strategic partnership." Notably, visiting Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan was received at the highest levels, indicating the growing importance of bilateral military ties.... MORE

Ten days ahead of Germany's parliamentary elections, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended on September 8 in Berlin the signing of a framework agreement to construct a gas pipeline from Russia directly to Germany along the Baltic seabed. The line would bypass... MORE

On September 8 in Berlin, top executives of Russia's Gazprom and Germany's BASF and E.ON companies signed the framework agreement on the North European Gas Pipeline (NEGP) project. President Vladimir Putin and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder witnessed the ceremony, as they had the signing of the... MORE