US House Vote Adds New Twist to Turkey-Armenia Diplomacy
 with Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan-1.jpg)
A key committee in the United States House of Representatives has once again approved a draft resolution recognizing the 1915 mass killings and deportations of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. The dramatic development, condemned by Ankara and welcomed in Yerevan is widely seen in Armenia as heralding a last-ditched attempt by Washington to salvage the Turkish-Armenian normalization agreements signed in October under American mediation. READ MORE
US Assists Kyrgyzstan in Constructing Anti-Terrorist Center in Batken
During his visit to Bishkek on March 10, the Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General David Petraeus, reiterated that by helping to build an anti-terrorist center in Batken city, Washington does not seek to open an additional military base. The Kyrgyz President, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, in turn, argued that most security challenges to Kyrgyzstan stem from Afghanistan and that his regime needs to be better prepared to resist terrorism (Times of Central Asia, March 10). The US government will invest $5.5 to build the center and construction work will begin next year. READ MORE
The 'Reset' At One Year: The View From Moscow
Vladimir Putin was in favor of Barack Obama's reconfigured missile defense plan before he was against it. READ MORE
Interview: McFaul On U.S., Russian Stereotypes And His Controversial Co-Chair
The first meeting of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission’s Civil Society Working Group was held in Washington on January 27. The group is part of a larger effort begun last summer by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to reset relations between the two countries and explore new opportunities for partnership. The two co-chairs of the group are Michael McFaul, special assistant to Obama and senior director for Russian affairs at the National Security Council, and Vladislav Surkov, first deputy chairman of the Russian presidential administration. READ MORE
OSCE In Georgian Dead End
On May the 18th-19th another round of international discussions in the framework of Geneva process and the discussions of the Parties on the development of new UNO Mission mandate took place.
The event in Geneva is organized in accordance with the agreements of Russian and French Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy, reached in August 2008 to resolve the issue of security assurance in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The discussions are held under the co-chairing of the EU, UNO and OSCE. They include Russia, the USA, Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. READ MORE
Turkey: Washington’s Geopolitical Pivot
The recent visit of US President Obama to Turkey was far more significant than the President’s speech would suggest. For Washington Turkey today has become a geopolitical “pivot state” which is in the position to tilt the Eurasian power equation towards Washington or significantly away from it depending on how Turkey develops its ties with Moscow and its role regarding key energy pipelines. READ MORE
US Envoy Morningstar: No Either-Or Situation in Eurasian Energy
Answers by the US Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, Ambassador Richard L Morningstar, to questions by Novinite.com's Ivan Dikov during Morningstar's press conference after the end of the Sofia Energy Summit "Natural Gas for Europe", April 25, 2009.
Obama european benefis
United States and its main European allies broadly share a common view of the problems facing the world – from Afghanistan and nuclear disarmament to the economic crisis.
Superficially the first appearance of the new American president among the world political beau monde was more than impressive: participation in three actions at the highest level at once plus five hundred of accompanying persons. Much more important, however, how efficient this opening to him Europe as well as his opening to Europe turned out to be. READ MORE
The Alliance of Civilizations Forum: A Major Test for Turkish Diplomacy
On April 6-7, Istanbul hosted the second United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) forum, co-chaired by Turkey and Spain under the auspices of the UN to foster international dialogue and cooperation. The forum was attended by five heads of state, 26 foreign ministers, 11 ministers and high-level officials from 12 international and regional organizations, providing an opportunity for Ankara to discuss bilateral relations with its neighbors and showcase Turkey's growing international profile . READ MORE
