After the declarations of Alexander Lukashenko in Astana about the prospects of Kazakh oil supplies to Belarus experts close to Belarusian authorities started to persuade people that Kazakhstan is evidently interested in cooperation with our country as it opens a direct access to European market. The situation is represented in such a way that state of unsettlement of some issues of the CU impedes to involve Kazakhstan into the new way of hydro carbons supply to Europe. However, the reaction of Kazakhstan on these songs of Belarusian alarms looks pragmatically reserved. READ MORE

Austrian Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation of the crimes in which Kazakhstan blames its ex-Ambassador Rakhat Aliyev. Earlier several times Vienna has refused Astana to extradite Aliyev. READ MORE

In the past three decades the Islamic Republic of Iran has developed a well-earned sense of paranoia. First, in September 1980 Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in what he thought would be a quick military victory, but which quickly turned into an eight-year bloody slugfest, leaving an estimated 500,000-1,000,000 dead before the guns fell silent. READ MORE

If you were seeking endorsement of Iran's economic policies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) hardly seems like the ideal reference point. READ MORE

The EU has overestimated the importance of the Lisbon Treaty and the international community is still wondering who speaks for the European Union on the international stage, Finnish President Tarja Halonen said in an exclusive interview with EurActiv. READ MORE

As a controversy rages in Germany about a reported secret deal to sell tanks to Saudi Arabia, another partnership is less known. China and Saudi Arabia have become increasingly close in recent years. READ MORE

Cooperation began in 1990s. READ MORE

In the context of discussions and plans concerning construction of a new nuclear power plant (NPP) in Visaginas the following question arises: is Lithuania’s energy independence realistic and what measures or actions could guarantee Lithuania’s sovereignty? READ MORE

The process of the Common Economic Space launch preparation goes on. This is a new integration mega-project within post-soviet area. On July 1st 2011 starts a new formation stage of the Common Economic Space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Customs bodies finish the performance customs control over the goods within internal borders of the Customs Union states – the most important stage of the CES establishment. Its initiators underline success achieved within development of common internal market of the CU states undertime. The EU states spent 36 years on that; Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan with joint efforts managed to do that in a year. It is supposed that the CES starts operating on January 1st of 2012. READ MORE

Since the April 7, 2010 regime change in Kyrgyzstan, experts have debated whether the country is leaning more toward Russia or the United States. President Roza Otunbayeva has met with both the Russian and US presidents, participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana and visited several European capitals. Kyrgyz government officials and the parliament, however, have leaned more toward strengthening cooperation with Moscow and Kazakhstan. Which of the directions has been Kyrgyzstan’s priority in the past year? READ MORE