German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was optimistic world leaders would reach an agreement at next month's G20 summit in London, despite signs of rifts between Europe and the United States.

Speaking after talks in London with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Merkel said she was confident a compromise would be reached by world leaders at G20 meeting scheduled for April 2. READ MORE

For the first time within an electoral period international intermediaries – co-chairs of the Minsk OSCE Group on Nagorno-Karabakh settlement (Russia, the USA, France) have gained the opportunity to proceed consulting the parties in and outside the region, as stated in the review. During the meetings held the international intermediaries intended to extend direct contacts of the Parties to reach an agreement on the basic principles of the conflict settlement. Armenian-Azerbaijani meetings at the summit level were held twice (on June 6th in Saint-Petersburg and on November 2nd in Moscow). READ MORE

Lately, the phrase “Way to Europe” has been used more often with the reference to the programs of long-term development of post-Soviet countries. Thus, recently Kazakhstan Government has published a program with the kind of title. And however, there is no clear definition of this term. Frequently its interpretations are absolutely different. The term itself carries diverse semantics. It comprises a total spectrum of the views of further development of all post-Soviet states. The understanding of the meaning varies from strategic plans of the EU joining and leading of Euro-oriented foreign policy, up to plain improvement of quality and standards of living. The only thing that unites all interpretations: the “Way to Europe” – is not a program of mass migration. READ MORE