Eurasia

Bulgaria keeps one eye on domestic poll in EU vote

Bulgarians are viewing today’s European elections as a dress rehearsal for the country’s own parliamentary poll next month. Campaigning among the main parties has been intense in a bid to mobilise the largest part of their electorate so as to gather momentum now for the July 5th vote. Prime Minister …

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PIC Meets Over Bosnian Serb Challenge

Ambassadors of the countries of the so-called Peace Implementation Council, PIC, which is overseeing peace implementation in Bosnia, will meet in Sarajevo today to discuss the escalating conflict between the Bosnian Serb leadership and the west’s top envoy. In the preparation for the meeting, US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina …

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Serbia to SEE: Patience on Kosovo

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has petitioned foreign ministers from South-East European Cooperation Process, SEECP, states for patience over the issue of Kosovo’s independence ahead of an international court ruling on the issue. At a meeting of SEECP foreign ministers in Chisinau, Moldova, Jeremic also reaffirmed Serbia’s commitment to regional …

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Three Balkan States Eye Visa-Free Travel

European Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot confirmed the possibility that the EU might decide this year to grant a visa-free regime to three Western Balkans countries. Barrot reported to interior ministers in Luxembourg on the European Commission’s recent report on the advancement of each country in the region towards visa liberalisation. …

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Russia WW2 Article Triggers Polish Anger

Poland demanded an explanation from Russia on Thursday after an article blaming Warsaw for starting World War Two was published on the Defence Ministry’s website, setting back attempts to improve strained ties. Relations between Poland and Russia have been frayed since the former communist bloc country left Moscow’s orbit at …

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US ambassador says Serbia co-operating with Hague

BELGRADE, Serbia US Ambassador to Belgrade Cameron Munter says his country considers Serbia to be co-operating with The Hague war crimes tribunal and has told The Netherlands this. The Dutch government has long refused to advance Serbia’s EU accession process, until it arrests war crimes indictee Ratko Mladic.

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Downer says no UN reunification plan for Cyprus

NICOSIA, Cyprus The UN is not working on any plan to reunify the divided island of Cyprus, nor attempting to interfere in the negotiating process between the Greek and Turkish communities, UN envoy to Cyprus Alexander Downer said on Wednesday (June 3rd).

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Greece to host foreign ministers

ATHENS, Greece The foreign ministers of Russia and the 28 NATO member-states will meet on June 27th on the Greek island of Corfu, NATO Spokesman James Appathurai announced on Wednesday (June 3rd). The meeting of the NATO-Russia Council was supposed to take place on May 20th in Brussels. Russia cancelled …

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