Eurasia

Russia and Austria have agreed to move swiftly on a pipeline deal that would cut Ukraine out of the gas supply route. At a meeting in Moscow, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann expressed his support for the Russian South Steam pipeline. Russia is keen to cut-out Ukraine after allegations of theft. …

A possible Greek decision to block EU member states from setting a date for the start of Macedonia’s EU accession talks would mean Skopje’s southern neighbour does not have any interest in resolving the name row, the Macedonian Prime Minister told media. “In December we shall see if Greece really …

Macedonia’s government has decided to turn its liaison office in Pristina into embassy, Deputy Prime Minister Abdulakim Ademi said. The decision was reached at a government session late Wednesday. “This is the government’s final decision. At the same time the government initiated a procedure for appointing an ambassador to Pristina,” …

Radovan Karadzic has asked the Hague Tribunal to grant him the right to appeal the Tribunal’s decision ordering the appointment of a defence attorney to represent him. In a motion filed with the Tribunal, Karadzic said that the decision imposing a defence attorney on him was “of extreme importance” for …

The EU’s Enlargement Commissioner has appealed to Albania’s government and the opposition to find a solution to the current political stalemate and end the opposition’s month-long boycott of parliament. “It takes two to tango and I appeal to the opposition to end the parliamentary boycott which does not respect European …

If Macedonia fails to secure a date of its EU accession talks in December, DUI and SDSM won’t call for snap polls because they don’t want to harm the positive momentum that will last in the coming months. “Unless Prime Minister Gruevski comes up with a plan, SDSM is ready …

The Romanian Parliament on Wednesday adopted legislative amendments that will empower the acting government to draft and ratify laws, crucial to adopting a budget for 2010. Romania’s current political crisis, following the resignation of former Prime Minister Emic Boc last month, has left the country without a government that has …

The “name” row between neighboring Macedonia and Greece could be settled using the recent Croatia-Slovenia model, through international arbitration, Macedonia’s foreign minister Antonio Milososki said Wednesday.   Milososki made this remark after meeting Spanish members of the European Parliament, Francisco Jose Millan Mon and Jose Ignacio Salafranca, the Macedonian MIA …

Greece will support any possible agreement that aims to resolve the longstanding dispute on Cyprus, the Greek prime minister has said. Prime Minister George Papandreou, who is also in charge of the Greek Foreign Ministry, called on his European counterparts to work together on the Cyprus dispute in a statement …

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to hold talks in the first half of 2010 to prepare and agree a new intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the gas sector, the Russian Fuel and Energy Ministry’s press service reported.