06.03.2009
Eurasia: News In Review
Central Asia and Eastern Europe
and their Relations with Russia
February, 2009The following resource is meant to give readers a quick overview of recent events within the FSU but outside of Russia. Much of the news here concerns how Russia and/or the US are affected by these generally small but politically, economically, and militarily important nations. This news review is part of SRAS's monthly "obzor" publications. For more reviews, see the newsletter for this corresponding month. To receive the free monthly newsletter and obzori by email, simply sign up. General Kazakhstan Devalues Its Currency By 18%
Kazakhstan's central bank radically widened the tenge's trading corridor on Wednesday, allowing the currency to drop by almost a fifth from the previous day's close. Kazakhs Get New Credit
Russian state-controlled bank VEB has agreed to open a $3 billion credit line for up to 10 years to Kazakh state welfare fund Samruk-Kazyna, VEB said on Thursday. Don't reinterpret WW2, Russia tells neighbors
President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia should resist attempts by some of its ex-Soviet neighbors to "falsify" the history of World War Two by underplaying Moscow's role in defeating Hitler. Turkmen personality cult takes a bashing!
The web-site 'Chronicles of Turkmenistan' says members of a special governmental commission are visiting various organisations and replacing all traces of Niyazov with books and portraits of the current president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Latvia's Government Falls on Economic Toll
Latvia's center-right coalition government collapsed Friday, a victim of the country's growing economic and political turmoil. Ukraine, Ireland and the sensitivities of fallen empires
Perhaps the closer the imperial power is to a junior partner, geographically, linguistically and culturally, the more agonised the parting when it comes. With the dubious exception of Belarus, Ukraine was always the closest of the Soviet republics to Russia, and the one whose loss Moscow most resented. Major energy pipelines in central/southern Europe
Nabucco is a 7.9 billion euro project to transport gas from Turkey to Austria through Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. Construction of the 3,300-km (2,050 mile) pipeline is scheduled to start in 2011 and first deliveries are expected in 2014. Russian Flight from Central Asia Seen Accelerating
From 1.4 to 3.2 million ethnic Russians are likely to leave the former Soviet republics in Central Asia over the next four years in order to live and work in Russia. Belarus Forms New Council
Belarus announced the creation on Wednesday of a consultative council including members of the opposition, the latest in a series of reforms expected to improve ties with the West. Moldova Has ‘Most Stable’ Economy
Moldova, Europe's poorest country, is basking in its new-found status as one of the world's most stable economies, even if it did take a global slump to earn it the accolade. Belarus Signs New Air Defense Deal
Russia and Belarus agreed to form a joint air defense system, the Kremlin said Tuesday, strengthening military cooperation between the two uneasy allies. In Reversal, Tajik Leader Will Visit Russia After All
Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon will travel to Moscow later on Tuesday after reversing an earlier decision to cancel a visit to the Russian capital, the foreign ministry said. Kyrgyzstan Last Flight Out of Kyrgyzstan
How the U.S. Lost a Vital Air Base US finds new Afghan routes amid Kyrgyz defiance
The United States said on Friday it had found new Central Asian routes for sending supplies for expanded military operations in Afghanistan after Kyrgyzstan refused to reverse its closure of a key base. Kyrgyz base closure risky for Moscow
When the United States was served an eviction notice from its only military base in former Soviet Central Asia last week, Russia scored a tactical victory in its quest to restore military and diplomatic dominance over the energy-rich region. US-Kyrgyz air base talks continue
Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced this week that the Manas air base outside Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, would close after securing $2bn of Russian aid during talks with Dmitry Medvedev, his Russian counterpart, in Moscow. Politicians say U.S. airbase closure weakens Kyrgyz independence
Kyrgyz opposition politician, Miroslav Niyazov, ex-secretary of the country's Security Council, however, told journalists on Wednesday: "It is totally clear that the decision to close the airbase was not taken without Russia's participation." Georgia Putin's Spokesman Slams Georgia's Eurovision Song
Georgia's Eurovision 2009 song poking fun at Russia's PM Vladimir Putin is "hooliganism," Dmitry Peskov, the Russian PM's spokesman, said on February 20. Georgia Gets New Premier
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili nominated Nika Gilauri, the Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister for the post of Prime Minister. Abkhazia Expects Deals on Russian Bases Soon
Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia expects to sign a deal within a few months allowing Russia to establish a naval base and an airbase on its soil, a separatist official told Reuters on Thursday. U.S. Envoy Slams Abkhaz Base Plan
Russia must refrain from opening a naval base in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia and should agree to extend the mandate of U.N. monitors in the region, said a senior U.S. envoy. Russia lost 64 troops in Georgia war, 283 wounded
A total of 64 Russian servicemen were killed during last year's war with Georgia and in the immediate aftermath, while another 283 were wounded and three are missing, the deputy defense minister said on Saturday. Senior US diplomat sees Georgia talks at risk
Talks on improving security in Georgia and its breakaway regions risk failure unless the question of independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia can be put on hold, a U.S. official said Monday. Georgians, Russians Divided on What They Have in Common
Despite the Russian invasion of Georgia last summer, more than a third of Russians and more than half of Georgians say that the cultures of their two nations are close or very close, attitudes that might serve as the foundation for the development of relations in the future. Russia proposes NATO talks on Georgia to ease ties
Russia is ready to discuss its war in Georgia to help unblock ties with NATO but alliance nations are divided over resuming formal talks and no de-freeze is likely before April, diplomats said Thursday. NATO, Russian envoys ending Cold War over Georgia
NATO and Russia discussed new supply routes for alliance troops in Afghanistan in a meeting Monday that helped to mend ties suspended after Russia's August war with Georgia. PACE to Debate on Georgia-Russia War Resolution
A draft resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) became "became stricter" and "clearer in condemning" Russia's failure to fulfill the PACE's October resolution provisions. Georgia war: auditing the damage
Russian and Georgian forces both used cluster munitions, causing civilian deaths and putting more civilians at risk by leaving behind unstable "minefields" of unexploded bomblets. Tbilisi Says will not Sign Non-Use of Force Treaties with Sokhumi, Tskhinvali
Georgia has no plans to sign separate agreements on non-use of force with the authorities of breakaway regions, as such move will legitimize "puppet regimes," Georgian Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze, said. Medvedev: 'We Want Independent, Democratic Georgia'
Russia has always remained and will remain "committed to centuries-old tradition of good neighborly and friendly relations with its close Georgian people," Russia's President, Dmitry Medvedev, told the Georgian community living in Russia. Talk with Government Saakashvili Tells Moscow
Russia should talk with the Georgia's leadership, if it is really willing to have a dialogue with the Georgian people, President Saakashvili said. Domestic Saakashvili's First Televised Phone-in
Saakashvili said Georgia had no enemy like Putin since Shah Abbas – Abbas I, the Shah of Persia notorious in Georgia for his invasion of Georgia's eastern region of Kakheti in the early 17th century. Natelashvili: U.S. Wants Alasania as Georgia's Next President
Irakli Alasania is a figure who has been "packed like a gift in the United States" and sent to Georgia to take over presidency, Shalva Natelashvili, leader of the opposition Labor Party said. Georgian opposition parties unite against Saakashvili
Two major Georgian opposition groups, the Republican Party and the New Right party, merged on Monday to form the Alliance for Georgia with Tbilisi's former ambassador to the UN, Irakly Alasaniya. Georgia Marks 1921 Red Army Invasion
In aftermath of the August war the occupation of Tbilisi by the Bolshevik's Red Army 88 years ago on February 25 is commemorated with special focus this year in Georgia. No Russian soap operas as Georgia marks anniversary
Georgia, still smarting from a brief war with Russia last August, halted broadcasts of Russian soap operas and songs to mark the anniversary of its 1921 occupation by the Soviet Red Army. Eduard Shevardnadze on RT
Together with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev we changed the world 20 years ago, says former Soviet Foreign minister and ex-Georgian President Eduard Shevarnadze in his exclusive interview to RT. U.S. Boosts Aid to Georgia for Fight Against Nuclear Smuggling
The U.S. increased aid to Georgia to help the former Soviet republic combat nuclear smuggling after its five-day war with Russia in August raised security concerns in the region. GEORGIAN DEMOCRACY GETS BLEAK ASSESSMENT
Freedom House, a non-governmental organisation set up in 1941 to campaign for democracy and human rights, last week took Georgia off its list of "electoral democracies" and called it only "partly free". Abkhazia optimistic about a brighter future
While high-ranking officials in Europe and Russia are busy talking, people in Abkhazia are coping with everyday life and struggle for their dreams of a better life. Ukraine Ukraine's economic slump. Default options
Leaders bicker as the economy sinks. Ukraine Gets Loans From 2 Countries
Ukraine, which needed aid from the International Monetary Fund to avert a default, has secured new loans from two countries to cover its budget deficit this year, Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko said. Court Settles 40-Year Black Sea Feud
A 40-year dispute between Romania and Ukraine over an energy-rich area of the Black Sea was resolved Tuesday as the International Court of Justice drew a border giving Romania the larger share. Firtash Says New Firm Could Guarantee Gas
Ukraine should set up a joint venture with Russia’s OAO Gazprom and European companies including E.ON AG and GDF Suez SA to guarantee gas supplies after last month’s dispute, according to Ukrainian billionaire Dmitry Firtash. Priorities for U.S. Policy toward Ukraine in the Obama Administration
"Ukraine, emerging hopeful and independent from the ruins of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, was viewed by many as the stable keystone for a peaceful, united, prosperous, democratic Europe, stretching from the Atlantic ocean to the Ural mountains," stated William Green Miller, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Crisis in Kiev tests patience of Berlin and Moscow
Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine has been a high priority for German foreign policy Russia dismisses Ukraine's Black Sea Fleet claims
Russia dismissed claims by Ukraine that the Black Sea Fleet is violating a 1997 bilateral agreement on the deployment of warships at naval bases on Crimean Peninsula , a Russian Foreign Ministry source said. Recasting Ukraine's identity?
Ukrainian leaders hoped to mobilise western sympathy by portraying their country as a victim of Russian imperialism, while Russian leaders sought to portray the Ukrainians as thieves. In the end, however, all these strategies failed. Strategic planning is needed to prevent further crises in Ukraine
Inevitably, Ukraine's national energy company Naftogaz will start once again to build up debts to Russia's Gazprom and a new crisis will begin, with Gazprom again threatening to cut off Ukraine's supply of gas. Russia denies Ukraine gas system move
Russia rejected Ukrainian suggestions that its behaviour in last month's European gas crisis indicated that Moscow's long-term aim was to gain control of the Ukrainian gas transit network. Putin Undermines Gazprom as Ukraine Pact Freezes Out Yushchenko
Marginalizing Yushchenko was one tactical Putin victory; that the West could do little more than issue statements and grumble at Russian temerity was another. Experts Say Ukraine's Image Tarnished by Gas Dispute with Russia
Many analysts, including Katinka Barysch with the London-based Center for European Reform, say the dispute with Russia and the unsettled political climate have damaged Ukraine's chances of becoming a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. Russia: Famine that killed millions not genocide
Russia issued a DVD and a thick book of historical documents on Wednesday to dispute claims that the Ukrainian famine of the 1930s amounted to genocide. Find Out More!
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