Eurasia

The Croatian Foreign Ministry has summoned home the country’s ambassador to the United Nations on suspicion that he used his diplomatic benefits for personal gain. Croatian Ambassador to the UN Neven Jurica, who took office in early 2008, is suspected of having embezzled several hundred thousand dollars worth of taxpayers’ …

„Perseverenţa cu care în ultima perioadă este atacată această realizare supremă a poporului nostru [statalitatea, n. n.] determină clar preocuparea fundamentală a Guvernului ţării” (Programul Guvernului Greceanâi II) Există şi vor exista multe diversiuni în campania electorală care a început deja la Chişinău: calomnii, atacuri la persoană, lansarea unor candidaţi …

The current global financial crisis couples with the perennial instability of the Balkans, and raises suspicions around the creation of much stronger organized crime groups that will be able to dictate their rules of the game to both local governments and international institutions. Already a trend emerges which has not …

Water management is attracting the attention of businessmen in Greece, especially when it is related to the water cycle and energy production. Dams, water transmission pipelines, water depots, and seawater desalination plants are all included in the five-year plan that the Karamanlis administration has relayed recently to the press, as …

Regarding Kosovo’s prospects Ahtisaari noted that utilising its vast lignite reserves the country could become an energy production centre of the region. Budapest – Kosovo could become a regional centre for energy production, which could help the country tackle political problems, former UN Special Envoy for the Kosovo status process …

BELGRADE, Serbia Serbia rejects any partial implementation of the interim trade accord it signed with the EU, as proposed by the Netherlands and Belgium last week. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic insisted late on Saturday (June 20th) that such a solution would be “inadequate” and warned it is dangerous …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana voiced full support Sunday (June 21st) for High Representative Valentin Inzko’s decision to annul a resolution passed by Republika Srpska’s (RS) parliament. It obliged entity institutions and officials to oppose any future transfer of power to BiH.

PRISTINA, Kosovo UNMIK will keep its legal office operating despite the staff reduction due to the reconfiguration process, local media reported on Sunday (June 21st). Before the February 2008 declaration of independence, the legal office supervised all laws approved by parliament.

The Obama administration on Monday reaffirmed support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while it pursues better relations with Russia — Georgia’s adversary in last year’s military conflict. The White House says Vice President Joe Biden will visit Georgia next month after President Barack Obama’s summit visit to Moscow.  

WASHINGTON US Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Georgia and Ukraine next month for talks on boosting the former Soviet republics’ economies and supporting democratic reforms, his office said Monday. Both trips involve political sensitivities with Russia, and the visit would come shortly after US President Barack Obama travels …