United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he was confident Syria would meet a June 30 deadline to eliminate its entire chemical weapons program under a US-Russian plan.

• February 6, 2014

An initial agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program was "not perfect" but bought time to try to secure a comprehensive deal, U.S. officials said on Tuesday in response to sharp criticism from Congress.

• February 5, 2014

Russia said its ally Syria would soon ship more chemical weapons abroad for destruction after being accused of dragging its feet, while activists said civilians in Aleppo were fleeing deadly barrel bomb raids by President Bashar al-Assad's air force.

• February 4, 2014

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during January 1-31st 2014
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• The AKP government effectively halts the corruption investigations by conducting the largest judicial reshuffle in the Republic’s history.
• Fethullah Gulen defends prosecutors’ actions but denies any complicity on part of his Gulen Movement as part of a conspiracy against the government.
• Prime Minister Erdogan takes a softer tone in a hostile Brussels as he visits the seat of the EU for the first time in five years.
• Capital flight continues to harm Turkey’s economic prospects as the lira faces longest consecutive days of losses against the dollar since 2001.
• Defying the prime minister’s warnings that an interest rate hike is part of a conspiracy, the Central Bank acts in an emergency meeting, raising interest rates more than 4 percent.

• February 4, 2014

Western governments pressed Ukraine's president to compromise with protesters camped on the streets, prompting a war of words with Russia on Saturday and offering treatment to an opposition activist who says he was tortured.

• February 3, 2014

China has unveiled new rules telling officials not to cover up what should be publicly available information using the excuse it is a state secret, in what state media said was a move towards greater government transparency.

• February 3, 2014

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas and Lecturer in Energy Politics at the European University of St Petersburg

Key points:

• EU continues to prepare Statement of Objections despite Gazprom’s December proposals for an early settlement
• Gazprom breaks record in gas exports to Europe in 2013 with 16 percent y-o-y increase in gas export volumes
• Gazprom-OMV contractual adjustments ‘unaffected’ by EU antimonopoly investigation
• Dutch gas production set to decline in 2014-15 – Could Gazprom fill the gap?
• Putin outlines Russia’s position regarding Ukraine: the gas debt still needs to be paid and the Russian government is prepared to work with whoever is in power in Ukraine
• Nord Stream: EU and Gazprom agree on full use of OPAL pipeline
• EU and Russia continue to negotiate over the application of Third Party Access legislation to the South Stream project
• Gazprom plans to sign deal with CNPC (China) in May, during Putin visit to China
• Gazprom completes 100 percent takeover of ArmRosGazprom (Armenia)
• Gazprom adds fifth tanker to its LNG carrier fleet

• February 3, 2014

Top officials from the United Nations, United States, Russia and European Union will meet on Saturday to discuss how they can help U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's drive for a Middle East peace deal, the EU said on Friday.

• January 31, 2014