Under a wise guidance of President Nursultan Nazarbayev Kazakhstan enjoys leading positions in Central Asia to date. Ertan Tezgor, Personal Envoy of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office for Cooperation with Asian Partners said speaking on the country's role in the region and the Kazakh President's contribution to enhancement of its positions on the international arena. READ MORE

The issue of oil customs duties has been left outside the framework of the Customs Union, and Belarusian authorities have finally surrendered to Moscow. READ MORE

Today the gas pipeline Nabucco is probably the most important Western energy project in Eurasia. If implemented, it would significantly reduce energy dependence of the EU on Russia. Therefore Nabucco acquires a wide geopolitical dimension exceeding its possible economic benefit. READ MORE

At an informal meeting of European Union’s foreign ministers on 5-6 March in Córdoba (Spain), Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and his counterparts discussed the shaping of the new European External Action Service, the EU’s relations with large emerging economies, as well as the situation in the Middle East. READ MORE

The responsibility of running the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe may be having a moderating effect on Kazakhstan, Vladimir Shkolnikov, an expert on the workings of the Vienna-based multilateral organization tells EurasiaNet. For one, officials in Astana are finding that it is not so easy to impose their own political preferences on a group that comprises 56 member states, and which requires consensus to get anything done. READ MORE

Demonstrating a predictable lack of strategic foresight, the U.S. Congress plans to renew its obsession with the Armenian genocide tomorrow, when the House Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold its mark-up session for the Armenian Genocide resolution. In 2007, the resolution -- which "[calls] upon the president to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning . . . the Armenian Genocide" -- passed out of committee but never reached a vote on the House floor, following a strong pushback effort from the Bush administration. The supporters of this year's iteration hope the Obama White House will prove less resistant to its foreign policy being held hostage to Congress's parochial interests. READ MORE

Amid growing demand for natural gas, politicians are being urged to improve networks as a regional approach to cross-border connections is still "sadly missing," industry representatives told a Brussels conference. READ MORE

Newly-elected President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych is inaugurated in Kiev. READ MORE

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has visited Moscow for his second foreign visit since being sworn in. Long considered a pro-Kremlin politician, he said he wanted to open "a new page" in relations with Moscow. READ MORE

Nino Burjanadze, leader of the Democratic Movement-United Georgia, left on a visit to Moscow on March 3. She is the second opposition politician to visit Moscow, following in the footsteps of leader of the Movement for Fair Georgia Zurab Noghaideli, and the visit has already caused controversy. READ MORE