Hold the line on defence spending, Secretary General urges
Allies should hold the line on defence spending and look for ways to close the gaps in their capabilities, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said as he launched his second Annual Report on 31 January 2013. READ MORE
Ukraine vote ushers in new constellation of power
In Ukraine's parliamentary elections, more radical parties saw success while the oppositional camp gained ground. Experts foresee difficult negotiations between political powers there. READ MORE
Uzbekistan Snubs SCO Peace Mission 2012
Uzbekistan is often cast as a reluctant or difficult member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) or the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), because of its consistent opposition to new initiatives in either body and relentless prudence concerning its participation in multilateral military exercises. Yet, the complex policymaking in Tashkent that produces such thorny approaches to security issues is also frequently refracted through the Russian media in such a way as to distort its purposes or deeper considerations. Once again, behind the colorful official claims of success surrounding the latest SCO Peace Mission exercise, Tashkent exposed the disunity in the organization by refusing to participate (Interfax, June 9). READ MORE
