Eurasia

RUSSIA Russian PM Vladimir Putin has given the clearest indication yet that he might run again for the Russian presidency. Putin did not commit himself, but hinted that he is thinking of coming back in 2012 when President Dmitry Medvedev’s current term expires. The two leaders would not compete, but …

TURKEY The International Monetary Fund’s goal of reaching agreement with Turkey for a possible loan to the country doesn’t have to be achieved at the lender’s annual meeting next month in Istanbul, an IMF spokesman said. “Both the Turkish authorities and the IMF would like to reach a conclusion regarding …

CROATIA The Swedish Presidency over the EU welcomed today the agreement between Ljubljana and Zagreb for unblocking of the Croatian pre-accession talks, emphasizing that the Croatian entrance is of interest of the entire Union.

BALKANS Although the United States is not focused on the Balkans as it was in the 1990s, the challenges in this region are still reviewed at a very high level in Washington, a prominent US political expert said. John Stilides, a political strategist of the Republican Party and chairman of …

CROATIA Slovenia is set to unblock Croatia’s EU accession talks, while Zagreb is set to withdraw the disputed documents that prejudice the border between the two states. The major breakthrough in the negotiations emerged Friday at a meeting of Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor …

KAVKAZ During a meeting on September 14, EU Foreign Ministers are expected to launch a debate on how to bring the bloc’s outreach to the South Caucasus up to date. The EU recognizes that the South Caucasus is gaining in importance in terms of regional stability, energy, and trade. All …

CYPRUS CYPRUS is the only European Union member-state which did not vote in favour of a UN resolution that recognised the right of return of all internally displaced persons and refugees and their descendants to their homes throughout Georgia, it emerged yesterday. Cyprus was among 78 countries which abstained from …

RUSIA Rising tensions between Russia and Georgia over shipping rights to a breakaway Georgian region have opened a potential new theater for conflict between the countries, a little more than a year after they went to war. Georgia’s coast guard has commandeered five merchant vessels from various countries this year …

BULGARIA As a matter of fact Bulgaria has had very bad image in Brussels. It depends on us whether we will change it. It is important people to have hope and to give us a chance to do it, said Prime Minister (PM) Boyko Borisov in an interview with Radio …

RUSSIA Attacks in the volatile North Caucasus are the latest deadly episode in a wave of violence to hit the region. In Dagestan, Russian security forces killed four suspected Islamist rebels in heavy fighting as insurgents continue to challenge Kremlin rule. In the neighbouring republic of Chechnya, where Russia fought …