Energy shortages in the world makes the leading powers seek new ways to solve this problem. While in the field of sports leaders are determined during the Olympic Games, in the sphere of innovations development such a venue is International Specialized Exhibition EXPO. In 2017, it will be held in Kazakhstan. The main theme of the site designated as the "Energy for the future". We emphasize that showcase of the best mankind achievements in the development of green energy will be held in a country whose economy has been historically kept at the edge of the angle. Perhaps this will be the main "zest" of the upcoming event. READ MORE

The concept of smart defence is quite new although its principles have been discussed for several years. Today smart defence could be considered as one of the main NATO‘s philosophies which will be pursued by the Alliance at least during the recent decade. READ MORE

Hopes for reform in China have risen in recent weeks. Xi Jinping’s decision to make Shenzhen the site of his first formal inspection tour as party general secretary spurred predictions that he will seek to assume Deng Xiaoping’s mantle as an economic reformer (“Xi Jinping’s ‘Southern Tour’ Reignites Promises of Reform,” China Brief, December 14, 2012). Similarly, Xi’s speech regarding China’s need for the rule of law—given on the 30th anniversary of the 1982 constitution—gave rise to press speculation that he may pursue legal and political reform (South China Morning Post, December 13, 2012; AFP, December 4, 2012).  READ MORE

Relations between Russia and the European Union can’t be characterized as unclouded. At the moment, as Moscow is turning to Asia at the background of deepening crisis in Europe, the European Union has more acute dilemma: to build relations with Russia on the ground of values and principles or in the spirit of real policy. The last meeting of V.V.Putin with A. Merkel has already demonstrated that one shouldn’t expect sooner warming of lately worsened relations between the two poles of Eurasian geopolitical macro-region. Although objectively energy dependence of the EU, interest of Russia towards exchange of the latest technologies, common challenges in the sphere of security, the need of mutual strengthening of competitive ability, as well as cultural closeness push these two parts of big Eurasian space to cooperate, but still there has been no progress on many practical issues, such as signing of a new partnership treaty, third energy bag and visa relaxation for a long time.  READ MORE

Warsaw sees the first signals from Vilnius about national minorities as very promising, Polish Senate member Bogdan Klich, the country's former defense minister, has said in Lithuania on Friday. READ MORE

In Europe investigations have been started in relation to several current and former oligarchs from the countries of Central Asia. Gulnara Karimova, Maksim Bakiyev and Rakhat Aliyev are suspected to have broken the law. READ MORE

This article is based on Sergey Lavrov speech at the 20th Jubilee Meeting of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, December 1, 2012, Moscow. Other materials of the meeting will be published in our next issue. READ MORE

Exclusive interview Chief Adviser to the President of the Republic of Lithuania. READ MORE

NATO has begun to deploy Patriot missiles to Turkey to help Turkish troops repel attacks by missiles or aircraft from neighbouring Syria, BBC reported. READ MORE

2012 was a quiet year, a time of sorting out major changes previously set in motion. If there was a common theme, it is that while change can be breathtakingly swift in this globalized world, resolutions take longer than expected. READ MORE