January 23rd
Past Year of Priorities in the European Union
In 2011 Chairmanship in the European Union for the first time was trapped in the arms of two East European states. For the first time Hungary and Poland did it and it has become a significant event for each of the country. READ MORE
January 20th
The European Crisis in 2012
For much of the fourth quarter of 2011, it appeared the eurozone was doomed. Debt was piling up for several key states, and those with the ability to assist lacked the political will to do so. But the European Central Bank (ECB) stepped in in December with measures that have postponed -- not solved -- the European crisis. READ MORE
January 18th
Uncertain World: The war of nerves around Iran
The January/February 2012 issue of the magazine Foreign Affairs features an article with the shocking title: Time to Attack Iran: Why a Strike Is the Least Bad Option. It is indicative of the current mood and may set the tone for the rest of the year. READ MORE
CSTO Agreement on Foreign Bases Frustrates Tajikistan’s Ambitions
On December 20, 2011, members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) reached an agreement that makes it impossible for any individual country in the group to host a foreign military base on its territory without the full consent of all other members of the organization. The initiative empowers Russia to veto any foreign basing plans in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Hence, the move serves as a continuation of Russia’s efforts to counteract the influence of the US military and reassert its own role in its immediate neighborhood (Interfax, December 21). READ MORE
January 16th
Armed UAV Operations 10 Years On
One of the most iconic images of the American-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- as well as global U.S. counterterrorism efforts -- has been the armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), specifically the MQ-1 "Predator" and the MQ-9 "Reaper." Unarmed RQ-1 Predators (which first flew in 1994) were flying over Afghanistan well before the 9/11 attacks. Less than a month after the attacks, an armed variant already in development was deployed for the first time. READ MORE
Traditional Meeting Of Security Experts In Trakai Discussed The Ways Of Strengthening The Integration Of Nordic-Baltic Region
Nordic-Baltic cooperation was the focus of this year’s traditional informal Snow Meeting of experts in international and security politics from Europe and North America in Trakai on June 11-12. The discussions were opened by Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis, who highlighted the strengthening of economic ties and shared cultural identity regionally. READ MORE
Will a remote Kazakhstan become closer?
The economy of Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia (CA). Soon the country will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Independence (16 December 1991). What happened in the country during these years and what does Lithuania and Kazakhstan have in common? READ MORE
January 15th
AROUND THE EVENTS OF ZHANAOZGEN
Today, a real information war has been waged around the events in the Kazakhstan city of Zhanaozen. The strike of oilers that turned into clashes with the police and resulted in casualties is attracting the attention of the world, because instability in this region may be unpredictable. As a consequence – real "armed clashes" in pages of electronic media, where facts and fiction intersect with versions: one is more fantastic than the other. Without claiming to be the final truth, we still try below to clear up this heap of scattered facts in order to answer the main question: who is behind the turmoil, staged in this oil city? READ MORE
January 13th
Europe’s Foreign Policy Challenges
In a year when the survival of the euro is at stake, European Union foreign policy is unlikely to be the top priority in Brussels. READ MORE