RFE/RL Interview: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden
In an exclusive interview, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke with RFE/RL correspondents Brian Whitmore and Abubakar Siddique about the U.S. administration's policy on Russia, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Biden assured Central and Eastern Europeans of the United States' commitment to the region, and said that the United States will not ignore concerns about democracy in dealing with Iran on its nuclear program. READ MORE
Alexander Vershbow Visits Georgia: Who Holds The Key To The War?
Deputy Defense Secretary Alexander Vershbow arrived in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, on Tuesday October 20. READ MORE
Andrey Fedorov: “Lukashenko Knows Russia’s Pressure Points Very Well”
Executive director of National informational centre of Russia Andrey Fedorov told his opinion about development of Belarusian-Russian interrelations. READ MORE
All Countries Of Central Asia Should Benefit From The Presidency Of Kazakhstan In OSCE
Next year Kazakhstan will chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Kazakhstan joined OSCE in 1992 right after declaration of independence, and afterwards has actively cooperated with the Organization in all spheres during all these years. READ MORE
Nino Burjanadze: I Absolutely Don’t Understand Why Russia Challenges Georgian People So Openly?
Georgia remains in the focus of international policy and Mass Media. Current processes in the country incite ambiguous reaction, assessments among the upholders of the President Saakashvili as well as among his opponents. After the war in August of 2008 with Russia, Georgia lost 20% of its territory. One of the most famous Georgian politicians Nino Burjanadze gave an interview exclusively on her view on current situation and future prospects in Georgia. In 2008 she established and headed the opposition party “Democratic Movement “Edinaya Gruzia” (“United Georgia”). READ MORE
Sergei Martynov: Belarus Became Party To The Eastern Partnership Arrangement And We Work Together With Our European Colleagues
Transcript of the Press Conference by Belarus Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov following the meeting of the EU Troika and Belarus, 28 July 2009 (Brussels) READ MORE
The Russian Military Concentration In The Caucasus
After visiting breakaway South Ossetia on July 13 and Russian troops based deep inside Georgia, President Dmitry Medvedev traveled to Novorossiysk to inspect Russia's main deepwater Black Sea port and nearby military facilities. Medvedev visited the Black Sea fleet flagship cruiser Moskva, attended a meeting of the military top brass and inspected troops in the 7th airborne (VDV) division based in Novorossiysk. READ MORE
OSCE RIP in Georgia
On June 30 the OSCE officially terminated its Mission in Georgia, which had for 17 years monitored the situation in and around South Ossetia. Russia forced the OSCE to close the Mission by vetoing the prolongation of its mandate in the OSCE's Permanent Council. Also on June 30 the U.N. Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), which had for 15 years monitored the situation in and around Abkhazia, began evacuating its personnel, following Russia's veto against that Mission's mandate in the U.N. Security Council. READ MORE
Russian Military Chief Accuses Georgia of Preparing Aggression
The top Russian military commander, the Chief of the General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister Army-General Nikolai Makarov during the Paris air show this week said: "Georgia is saber-rattling and preparing weapons to resolve its territorial problems by any means." Makarov accused NATO of supporting Georgian aggressive intentions and E.U. observers of ignoring Georgian rearmament and war preparations. Makarov stated that the Russian army and the FSB Border Guards in Abkhazia and South Ossetia are preparing together with local forces and forming new military infrastructure. He confirmed that the defense ministry will permanently station "somewhat less combat troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia" than the previously announced 3,700 soldiers in each region. READ MORE
Kazakhstan Poised to Step into the OSCE's Chairmanship
Kazakhstan is actively preparing to take over the OSCE's chairmanship next year. The challenges are daunting to any chairing country and the organization as such. According to multiple, though unofficial reports from the organization's Vienna headquarters, Kazakhstan has asked Finland to host an OSCE summit in 2010 in Helsinki, focusing on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's initiative to create a "new European security architecture." The proposed event will be the OSCE's first summit at the level of heads of state since Istanbul in 1999. READ MORE
