The optimism over nuclear diplomacy with Iran has led to speculation that the West could also come to an agreement with Tehran on Syria. But analysts are cautious about such deals. READ MORE

Wednesday, November 6, Adazi, Latvia - President Dalia Grybauskaitė, together with Latvian President Andris Bērziņš, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, attended NATO Response Force Exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 at the Adazi Base in Latvia - the first such exercise in the region. It is the largest NATO exercise since 2006. READ MORE

In light of the international efforts to convene the Geneva II meeting next month – aimed at getting all the political actors in Syria, including opposition elements and the Assad government, to the table – USAK's Middle East expert Ali Bakeer was asked about the course that political developments surrounding Syria could take, who are the actors involved, and what roles do they play. READ MORE

The government and NAK Naftogaz Ukraine have accomplished the task set by President Viktor Yanukovych to minimize purchases of expensive fuel from Russian OAO Gazprom. READ MORE

A French court yesterday rejected a former Georgian defence minister's plea to be freed from custody but did not rule on his extradition to his homeland, where he is wanted on corruption charges. READ MORE

Thousands of troops are taking part in some of the regions biggest war games on the Baltics’ eastern shores from Nov. 2-7. The NATO-backed Steadfast Jazz exercises involve over 6,000 soldiers from 20 countries, as well as 40 aircraft and 15 vessels.Troops will be training at the Adazi base in Latvia, just north of Riga, and in Poland. READ MORE

It is said that Estonia’s position at the beginning of the race was better than that of Lithuania and Latvia – the support of the Scandinavian countries had a significant impact on the advancement of Estonia’s welfare. Currently Estonia is independent energy producer thanks to existing oil shale deposits. Yet, the constant tension raised by the Russian-speaking citizens (they account for about 25 percent of Estonia‘s population) partially aggravates the situation in the country.  READ MORE

According to the most conservative estimates, trade turnover of Asia and Europe will grow annually by an average of 2-3 percent. Thus, 7 years later, in 2020, it is estimated at 240 million tonnes in the physical terms and 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars in monetary terms. Even today there is a struggle for such a tidbit between countries that are expanding their transit potential, and between different modes of transport

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Poland's ruling Civic Platform has ruled out another internal election for the leadership of Lower Silesia in spite of vote-fixing allegations in connection with illicitly recorded material. READ MORE

Inaugurated on October 29, 2013, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey, Istanbul’s undersea Marmaray railway tunnel is the world’s first connecting two continents and is designed to withstand earthquakes up to 9.0 on the Richter scale.  READ MORE