Recent legislation to tackle religious extremism in Kyrgystan is a pretext for targetting Evangelicals and religious minorities. State propaganda has created popular hostility towards non-Muslims. Tackling this situation requires inclusive rhetoric from local leaders and the curbing of anti-westernism. READ MORE

Greek OSCE Chair pledges to be honest broker, forge stronger ties among States in time of challenge.

The OSCE is well placed to address Europe's changing geopolitical challenges in a time marked by crises, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, said today in her first address to the Organization's 56 participating States. READ MORE

Legal amendments bolstering the power of the Turkmen parliament went into effect January 13 after being published in the government-run newspaper, Neutralny Turkmenistan. READ MORE

Widely monitored unprecedented gas conflict between Ukraine and Russia, resulting in grave energy crises in Europe, has become not only one of the most acute crises in the relations of the two former USSR states. It appeared to be an alarming sing for CIS countries, political ideology of which is primarily oriented on West European values. And economic interests above all are lying in the most receptive and solvent European market. READ MORE

First Vice-President of the European Parliament Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou speaks to New Europe.  READ MORE

The year 2008 will be remembered for its oil price volatility. Crude prices have plunged by as much as 70 percent below USD 40 since reaching all-time highs of USD 147 a barrel. This marks the highest ever prices for oil, followed by the lowest prices in four years. OPEC ministers agreed on December 17, 2008, to remove an additional 2.2 million barrels of crude from the market starting in January 2009 the deepest single cut it has ever made  to little avail. The cartel also counts on non-OPEC members  Russia, Azerbaijan, Norway and Mexico  to compliment the cut by lessening their output. So is two million barrels enough? READ MORE

On December 3, 2008 the European Commission adopted a proposal by Poland and Sweden on establishing closer ties with six ex-Soviet countries. The new ‘Eastern Partnership’ scheme, which EU member states must yet endorse, will offer a step change in the EU’s relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, plus Belarus, if it embraces democracy. READ MORE

Russia was defeated in gas game within its own territory. Major states exporting natural gas agreed on presented Russia’s propositions and measures to stabilize gas market. Nevertheless they refused to give the leading role to the Kremlin.

But let’s start from the very beginning. Ministers of Energy of 14 states, possessing 73% of world gas reserves and providing 42% of world “blue fuel” production, discussed and adopted a Charter of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). This took place on Tuesday in Moscow “President-Hotel”. Speech of the Russian Federation Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was one of the key events. READ MORE

Last events in gas industry sphere can acutely intensify political tension around Azerbaijan. Moscow meeting of gas exporters evoked serious anxiety within Western states.

Let’s recall the events: on the 23rd of December Ministers of Energy of 14 states, possessing 73% of world gas reserves and providing 42% of world “blue fuel” production in Moscow “President-Hotel” discussed and adopted charter of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. Russian mass media gladly quoted the speech of Russian Federation Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who, considering the fall of oil and gas costs, stated, that the time of cheap energy had past, that importing states should obtain firm guarantees of gas supply; exporting states should obtain guarantees of their “exporting sovereignty”. Referring to transiting states, i.e. still “hostile” Ukraine, Prime Minister only listed the obligations of gas transition without any problems. READ MORE

In the middle of December Moscow became the stage of another discussions of a topical issue – accomplishment of the program “Kazakhstan way to Europe”.
 
Comments of Moscow experts on Kazakh program of cooperation with EU can be reviewed in two perspectives: on the one hand it is an attempt to explain why Kazakhstan moves to Europe instead of more conventional way in “Eurasian direction”. The second objective is to illustrate that presidential program has much more deeper and fundamental basis other than simple presidency in OSCE. READ MORE