Eurasia

Minister for Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanović has called on Serbs in the Kosovo enclave of Štrpce to refrain from conflicts and work together. “We have to do everything we can to overcome the divisions in the Serb community (in the Štrpce municipality), because it does not help us,” Bogdanović told …

Romanian President Traian Basescu received new European Union President Herman van Rompuy for talks Monday evening, with the Bucharest leader putting in a good word for neighbouring country Moldova’s EU membership aspirations. Basescu urged the EU to provide clear prospects to Moldova on future membership.

Georgia will hold several events in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Jan.20 tragedy in Baku, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia said. The Soviet Army commenced military operations against Azerbaijan early morning Jan. 20, 1990 before declaring a state of emergency. The tragedy claimed the lives of 131 people, …

The candidacy of Bulgarian Commissioner-designate Rumiana Jeleva has been withdrawn according to the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament. A letter was sent to Joseph Daul this morning by Rumiana Jeleva. Jeleva has resigned from her position as Commissioner-designate and her position as Foreign Minister.

The Turkish Cypriot political leadership’s recent proposals on solving the Cyprus issue was unacceptable, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said Monday. “We want a solution that will end occupation and division in Cyprus, because the Cyprus issue is primarily a problem of occupation by Turkey,” Papandreou said after meeting with …

Macedonia’s President Georgi Ivanov has promised to push for a solution to his country’s long-running name dispute this year, but not at the price of ‘putting identity onto the negotiating table’. “It is regretful that due to an irrational reason, an imposed dispute, generations of Macedonian citizens are hindered on …

Head of the European Commission Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert spoke about the genocide suits filed by Serbia and Croatia. “It is up to every country individually to see how it wants to lead this process. We will encourage both countries to talk about that question, to establish dialogue again,” …

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said on Monday that 2009 was a tough year for global economy, though there were a few good moments for Macedonia. “2009 left deep scars and we want these scars healed as soon as possible. We want to put these scars behind, but we have to …

Slovenian EP reporter on Macedonia Zoran Taler have filed several amendments to the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels. Taler seeks from the EU Council of Ministers set a date for accession talks with Macedonia in March 2010. The European Parliamentarians will discuss Taler’s amendments on January 26.

OSCE observers have said that the election laws of Ukraine must be improved and brought in line with the international norms and standards, Heidi Tagliavini, the head of the election observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, has said. “We would like to note that …