Expert-germanist Vladimir Bespalov analyzed economic relations of Russia and Germany as the ground of political dialogue for “NewsBalt”.  READ MORE

Negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program held on a neutral territory of Kazakhstan gave the first results. For the first time in the history of this issue, Tehran did not delay with determination of the date for the next round of negotiations. It is important that the initiative of prompt meeting came from Iran. And this step is taken, despite the fact that in June, Tehran expects the presidential election, which could be a cover for a reluctance to enter into any agreements in the near future. All these facts prove that Iran is seeking the lifting of sanctions and is ready to meet requirements of the "six". READ MORE

Tentatively in April, President of Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus will discuss the issue of Ukraine's accession to the provisions of the Customs Union. According to an UNIAN correspondent, told the president of Ukraine, returning from Moscow. Vladimir Putin and Viktor Yanukovych discussed the format of Kiev with the Customs Union (CU) and agreed to continue to work not only for governments, but also with the involvement of the executive body of the Customs Union. While Moscow is offering Kiev to join the Customs Union, which will reduce the price of purchased natural gas in Russia. In Kiev, still hoping to sign an association agreement and a free trade area with the European Union and offer sectoral cooperation with TC under a "3 +1", but Russia is not satisfied. READ MORE

On the eve of the New Year  the mobile Kulluk drill ship owned by the energy company Shell ran aground in the Gulf of Alaska, near Kodiak Island. This made reconsider the readiness of oil companies to pursue drilling operations under extreme harsh weather conditions. Due to Shell‘s failures Norwegian Statoil is going to postpone the beginning of drilling in the Chukchi Sea, whereas the French Total announced that the risk of an oil spill in such an environmentally sensitive area was too high to start drilling in the Arctic.   READ MORE

Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerik Utembayev attended the session of the Union of the Voivodeships of the Republic of Poland in Warsaw, Kazinform has learnt from the Kazakh MFA's press service. READ MORE

Hungary hasn’t yet become an authoritarian state, but if the Prime Minister wishes so, it will. READ MORE

The Roman Catholic Church has chosen a new pope and he comes from Argentina. The papacy now enters a new era with Jorge Bergoglio, Latin America's first pope and the first pontiff to come from the developing world. READ MORE

Regional co-operation around the Baltic has helped spur trade growth, but more co-operation is needed, especially with Russia, if the region is to avoid the sea from becoming over-fished and polluted, argue two foreign ministers. READ MORE

Wrong message at the wrong time: it brings grist to the mill and populist Eurosceptic David Cameron. Romania and Bulgaria do not enter into the Schengen area of free movement. Their case will be, at best, reviewed at the end of the year, and nothing says that member states hostile to the entry of both countries have in the meantime changed their point of view to enable them to access One day in space without borders. READ MORE

Prime Minister and leader of the Lithuanian Social Democrats Algirdas Butkevicius claims that Lithuania will not create conditions for the implementation plans in the Kaliningrad region of nuclear plant project. READ MORE