Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said he sees no obstacles standing in the way of other countries' entry into the Common Economic Space (CES) if these states agree to meet a number of conditions.

• October 9, 2012

To check the insights into Turkish domestic and international politics during September 16-30th 2012 please see our Turkey File, updated by John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Prime Minister Erdogan leads the AKP party Congress, appearing to position himself for a presidential run in 2014.
• Syria’s civil war is causing violence to flare between the PKK and Turkish security forces (TSK). The porous nature of the Syrian-Turkish border is causing further domestic tensions, as the country’s population remains ambivalent about intervention.
• The Sledgehammer coup case concludes with a conviction and the TSK in its barracks.
• Turkey’s domestic energy needs hit citizens’ wallets as the government cuts subsidies and attempts to increase imports from Iraqi Kurdistan.
• Turkey’s economic success is built on risky factors according to some investors, despite its 8 percent growth.

• October 9, 2012

The new Georgian government will implement a plan to improve relations with Moscow, while maintaining its policy of pro-Western orientation, Foreign Minister designate Maya Panjikidze said on Monday.

• October 8, 2012

As a part of his visit to Austin, Texas, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the US Elin Suleymanov met with analysts at Stratfor global intelligence company, one of the leading geopolitical research centers of the US.

• October 8, 2012

Strong explosion on a gas pipeline in eastern Turkey has led to suspension of supplies to the country from Iran, Turkish Hurriyet newspaper reported on Monday.

• October 8, 2012

ISSUE #38
10/01/2012
President Viktor Yanukovych has refused to comment on the US Senate recent resolution on Ukraine. "I would say any assessment should be treated in earnest: whether it is biased or not, adopted according to procedures or not. It is not up to us to judge the US Senate," he said in the USA on 26 September 2012. However, Yanukovych noted that the Senate stance was slightly different from that of the Department of State and the White House. READ MORE

• October 8, 2012

The Iranian Oil Ministry downplayed the importance of the recent threat by the European Union to ban imports of Iran's natural gas supplies, reminding that Iran has no gas export to the EU members at all, FNA reported.

• October 6, 2012

Latvian President Andris Bērziņš cut the ribbon at the festive opening of the Valka heating and electricity station which is the fist investment of Estonia's state-owned energy company Eesti Energia in Latvia, LETA/Postimees Online reports.

• October 6, 2012