December 2010

Key positions:
• In recent months Turkey has witnessed harsh prison sentences and threats of litigation by Turkish authorities in response to Kurdish protests and unfavourable press respectively in the past months. This is a worrying sign in that after nearly a decade in power, AKP authorities have become just as reactionary as the military backed governments of previous decades, only this time with an Islamic tinge.

• At the NATO Lisbon Summit on November 19-20, Ankara claimed victory for swaying its allies away from designating Iran as the main threat facing the alliance with regards to a proposed missile defence system which NATO is currently considering. While Turkish government officials indicated prior to the conference that they would demand command and control of the system if based on their territory, in Lisbon, that decision was put off for future discussion.

• Wikileaks’ release of American diplomatic cables have detailed the gossip and personalities of leading AKP politicians, but offered little else that could be described as damaging.

• In regional energy developments, Russia and its energy subsidiary, Gazprom, have been opting for pragmatism over threats in recent months by signing deals throughout the region with Bulgaria, Serbia, and Ukraine in order to strengthen prospects of realising the South Stream gas pipeline. Brussels and Sofia, for their part, have reached an agreement on bank guarantees for Nabucco (the EU’s rival to South Stream). READ MORE

• December 20, 2010

Issue 1: November/December 2010

A Snapshot Of Key Developments In The External Relations Of The Russian Gas Sector

Half a year after the gas dispute with Belarus, Gazprom has created a new ‘daughter’ company in Minsk, Gazprom Transgas West, as a potential operator of the Belarusian stretch of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline. The current operator of the section in question is Beltransgaz, in which Gazprom holds a 50% stake. However, the new ‘daughter’ company, which will exercise complete control over the Belarusian section of the pipeline, will be completely controlled by Gazprom. Although few experts predicted that another gas dispute in 2010 was likely, since the current contract between Gazprom and Beltransgaz does not expire until the end of 2011, establishment of Transgas West implies that Moscow has been taking steps to prepare for the likelihood of future dispute scenarios. READ MORE

• December 20, 2010

Turkmen delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Baymurad Hojamuhammedov will discuss issues of cooperation in oil and gas industry in Tehran (Iran) on Saturday, the official Turkmen source said.

• December 18, 2010

Russia has been putting the squeeze on Belarus, trying to get a foothold in the Belarusan economy, and presidential elections there this Sunday could prove to be a significant moment in that quest.

• December 18, 2010

The world's first nuclear fuel bank of low enriched uranium (LEU) was officially launched in Russia on Friday, which aspiring nations could use for nuclear reactors instead of making it themselves.

• December 18, 2010

Russia has asked South Korea to stop a scheduled joint military exercise with the United States, hours after North Korea warned it will strike back if the South proceeds with the drill.

• December 18, 2010

China and Pakistan are set to conclude another 10 billion dollars' worth of deals, the latest signings on a trade-focused trip to South Asia by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

• December 18, 2010

"Ukraine is carrying out major reforms, which will provide important support for business activities in our country," emphasized visiting Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych at yesterday's Latvian-Ukrainian Business Forum.

• December 17, 2010