Eurasia

KOSOVO Pieter Feith says that three new Kosovo municipalities and one expanded one will be constituted straight after the local elections on November 15. According to the International Civilian Representative’s (ICR) press bureau, Feith said that preparations were complete in the new municipalities of Gračanica, Klokot-Vrbovac, Ranilug, as well as …

KOSOVO Canada will not be taking part in the oral debate on the legality of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence at the ICJ. Although, as a NATO member, Canada took part in the air strikes on the then Yugoslavia in 1999 and subsequently participated in peace building and civilian projects in …

SERBIA Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Koštunica expects early elections, after which the current opposition would take power. “Great pressure from aggrieved, impoverished and disenchanted citizens will force the authorities to call early parliamentary elections, and the opposition to unite and create a new, nationally responsible government,” Koštunica …

RUSSIA NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was quoted on Wednesday as calling for an “open-minded and unprecedented dialogue” with Russia. The appeal comes in a bid to reduce security tensions in Europe and confront common threats.

MOLDOVA Though economic indicators fell in most spheres of activity, the aggregate payroll fund in January-July 2009 did not diminish. On the contrary, it grew up by 4.2% against the first 7 months of the previous year, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Sergiu Sainciuc stated during his meeting with …

TURKEY Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu meets with three opposition parties to discuss the reconciliation process with Armenia and urge them to support the two proposed protocols in the upcoming parliamentary vote. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu consecutively visited three opposition parties Tuesday afternoon to urge them to back the two agreed-upon …

BiH EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that the institution Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina should be renamed into an Office of Representative of the European Union. Rehn stated that at the yesterday’s session, the EU foreign ministers discussed the developments in BiH. He pointed out …

GREECE, MACEDONIA Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis is expected to meet UN mediator Matthew Nimetz later this month. The meeting with Nimitz has been scheduled for September 27 in New York. Bakoyannis and Nimitz will discuss the course of negotiations for resolution of the name row between Greece and Macedonia.

BiH Muslim and Croatian victims of Bosnia’s war voiced outrage on Tuesday at the UN war crimes court’s decision to grant early release to a Bosnian Serb ex-president Blijana Plavsic. “It might be in line with international law, but it has nothing to do with justice,” said Murat Tahirovic, head …

GEORGIA The U.S. will continue supporting consistently the Georgia- the NATO rapprochement, Alexander Vershbow, U.S Deputy Minister of Defense for International Security said at the meeting with Georgian vice Prime Minister, Giorgi Baramidze. Vershbow said Georgia has its own way of membership at NATO and in this way Georgia should …