OSCE

On The Eve Of OSCE Chairmanship, Lithuania And Kazakhstan Strengthen Cooperation

During his official visit in Astana (Kazakhstan) on 8 June, Lithuania‘s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas met with Kazakhstan‘s Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin. READ MORE

Astana Drifts Away From EU-Favored Energy Projects, Nazarbayev

By Farkhad Sharip

Gas and oil supplies to energy-hungry Europe have always featured as the key topic in talks between Astana and EU officials, concerning Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship in 2010. Stifled by the precarious situation in the energy sector, the EU has often ignored the heavy-handedness of the Kazakh authorities in dealing with the opposition press, and has toned down its criticism on the non-compliance of Kazakhstan's laws with democratic standards. In appreciation of western backing for Kazakhstan's coveted chairmanship of the OSCE, Astana invariably showed interest in European energy projects. READ MORE

Merkel Confident G20 Summit Will End in Global Agreement

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was optimistic world leaders would reach an agreement at next month's G20 summit in London, despite signs of rifts between Europe and the United States.

Speaking after talks in London with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Merkel said she was confident a compromise would be reached by world leaders at G20 meeting scheduled for April 2. READ MORE

US, Russia Agree to Work Out New Arms Deal

Russia and the Uniteds States have agreed to a work plan towards a new strategic arms reduction treaty, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday, March 6, after talks with her Russian counterpart. READ MORE

Euro-Atlantic factor

Albert Dunn

Moscow is still going to persuade its partners in the OSCE to realize by means of this organization an ambitious reform of the system of international security.

Appearance in Washington of the new administration has agitated the hopes on softening confrontation with Moscow. In some political narrators’ opinion, the presidents Obama and Medvedev, both representing the first generation of politicians, developed after the Cold War, can manage to do what their predecessors did not. This optimism strengthened still more after a presentation of the US vice president Joe Bayden on recent Munich conference, where he stated that in Russian-American relations it came time to press the button "reset". READ MORE