ISSUE #17
11/05/2010

Many European observers expressed their opinion that local elections in Ukraine did not meet the standards set by the Council of Europe, in particular as to their transparency, fairness and professional conduct. This opinion was expressed namely by the Head of the Delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom. The European Union (EU) Committee for Regions representative Teet Kallasvee notes that the election proved the weakness of the new law «On Local elections» adopted only three months prior to the elections. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affaires and Security Policy Catherine Ashton expressed her concern regarding the accounts of violations in the course of voting in Ukraine which undermine people's trust in the electoral process. Similar concerned were also voiced by the European Parliament (EP) Deputy, Co- Chairman of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Pawel Kowal. He noted that the final report on Ukrainian local elections prepared by the EP observers would focus on the preparations for the elections, their conduct and the vote count. READ MORE

• December 10, 2010

Latvian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hardijs Baumanis said Azerbaijan is the country's most reliable partner in the region.

• December 9, 2010

As part of a 1.25-billion-dollar agreement, Serbian and Chinese officials signed a 344-million- dollar contract for the first phase of work to upgrade the outdated Kostolac thermal generating plant, on Wednesday in Belgrade.

• December 9, 2010

Reviewed by Professor Andrej Kreutz

Due to both her theoretical approach and substantial arguments, Helen Belopolski’s monograph differs greatly from many other works, which have been published on the subject of the Russian Federation’s foreign policy.

• December 9, 2010

The results of the August 15-17 Eurasian Economic Community summit have potentially profound ramifications for the geopolitical contest in Central Asia involving the region's natural resources. The summiteers agreed to proceed with two projects

• December 8, 2010

When Toshio Koizumi heard Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited cold and windy Kunashiri island on November 1 he quivered with indignation.

• December 8, 2010

It does not worth waiting for progress in the negotiations on Iran's nuclear program yet, Anatoly Tsyganok, the head of Military Forecast Center of the Institute for Political and Military Analysis, said.

• December 8, 2010

In an effort to fulfil the growing energy demands, India and Kazakhstan will likely to sign a key oil deal. As per the deal, India's OVL, the foreign arm of ONGC will acquire 25 per cent stake in Kazakhstan's Satpayev Block by end of February.

• December 7, 2010