The process of joining customs union may take an accelerated pace, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said during the visit of the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev in Astana, Novosti-Kazakhstan agency says.

• May 10, 2012

A small Chinese company has struck oil in Kyrgyzstan, and leaders of the impoverished former Soviet republic said they hoped the first find by a foreign oil firm would encourage investors to explore its undeveloped energy and metals resources

• May 9, 2012

Lithuania's government gave its final approval to several plans aimed at reducing its dependency on Russian energy sources on Wednesday, including a new nuclear power plant which it said could cost up to 7 billion euros ($9.10 billion).

• May 9, 2012

Resisting US pressure to further scale down oil imports from sanction-hit Iran, India today made it clear that it has to look at the issue involved beyond the energy trade as it has "vital" security stakes in the Gulf region.

• May 8, 2012

World powers should focus on scrapping nuclear weapons and abiding by their own non-proliferation commitments rather than speculating about Iran's peaceful atomic work, the Iranian foreign ministry said

• May 8, 2012

Political Outlook for Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt

Key points:

• Morocco’s monarchy seems to have survived the wind of change blowing on Arab countries last year and is currently trying to hold on to its power by allowing reforms that partly reduce its absolute authority.
• The adoption of a new constitution and the victory of moderate and nationalist Islamic parties are signs that mark Morocco’s gradual progress towards the demands of protesters who have taken the streets last year.
• However, civil society is not yet a primary actor in Moroccan politics and a widespread sense of communalism is still missing.
• Tensions are still present in Morocco, due to the unresponsiveness of the central government regarding the high levels of unemployment, structural corruption and deficiencies in welfare and health systems.
• Morocco has been praised by the international community for its counter-terrorism efforts, although major security risks stem from the unresolved situation of West Sahara. High unemployment and persisting poverty, however, continue to ensure fertile grounds for terrorist recruiters.
• New economic deals with the EU are expected to have a positive impact on the Moroccan economy, which is of great interest for foreign direct investors.
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• May 8, 2012

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party won a parliamentary election, early results showed on Monday, in a poll that was seen as a test of democracy in Russia's main ally in the South Caucasus region.

• May 7, 2012

Kazakhstan and Germany have vast potential to further enhance their economic and trade relations and raise bilateral cooperation to a new level. First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Serik Akhmetov, delivered this message at the Third Raw Materials Conference in Berlin held on April 25.

• April 28, 2012