Eurasia

The main Western-backed Syrian opposition group says it has sent a delegation to Geneva for consultations ahead of proposed peace talks.

Turkey declared Egypt’s ambassador in Ankara as “persona non grata” in a reciprocal step after Cairo expelled its envoy, according to a statement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday. The move comes few hours after Egypt expelled Turkey’s ambassador in Cairo Huseyin Avni Botsali, declaring him “persona non grata.”

Pakistan closed border with Afghanistan in the country’s northwest on Saturday ahead of protest against the American drone strikes, official sources said.

Egypt has told the Turkish ambassador to leave the country and downgraded relations between the two countries. Egypt’s foreign ministry blamed Turkey’s continued “interference” in its country’s internal affairs. Turkey’s diplomatic representation has been lowered to the level of charge d’affaires, the ministry said in a statement. Egypt has already recalled …

1. The Western Balkans area is situated along the main fault line of the Huntington-type “clash of civilizations” in Europe: a) Between Christianity and Islam – resulted in the main Muslim enclave in Europe (Albania + Kosovo) b) Between Western Christianity (Catholic/Protestant) and Orthodoxy – resulting in splitting the Slavic …

In the Balkan region, new geopolitical forces are playing an increasingly role and old actors seem to be losing their influence. The gradual decline of U.S. leadership coincides with the Eurozone recession that makes the EU to be perceived as less disposed to offer to the Balkan states a form …

Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Rodić and his Bosnian counterpart Zekerijah Osmić say there is “room for improvement of military-economic cooperation.”

The start of the South Stream pipeline section through Serbia, one of the largest investments in the country in several decades, will formally begin on Sunday. The start of the work will be marked by welding the first two pipes in Šajkaš, northern Serbia, but the work on the ground …

The presidents of Georgia and Turkey had a telephone conversation. Turkish President, Abdullah Gul congratulated his Georgian counterpart, Giorgi Margvelashvili on his victory in the presidential election. The Georgian presidential administration said on Nov. 22 that the sides discussed the Georgian-Turkish relations and the prospects for their development. Abdullah Gul …

The European Union has expressed disappointment over the decision by the Government of Ukraine on Thursday to suspend the process of preparation for signature of the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the EU and Ukraine.