No Gas Deal Reached With Turkmens
Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov failed Sunday to set a time frame for the return of Turkmen gas flows to Russia, halted since April after a pipeline blast that...
Medvedev Puts Limits on Alcohol
Maria Antonova and Anna Malpas President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday gave teeth to his calls for a crackdown on alcoholism, ordering the government to limit the can sizes of...
Afghanistan: Northern Distribution Network Grapples With Growing Security Threat
Deirdre Tynan The escalating insurgency in northern Afghanistan is threatening American and NATO efforts to develop the Northern Distribution Network (NDN). As the NDN gains greater strategic importance, observers warn...
Abkhazia Maintains “We Do It Our Way,” Despite Russian Aid
Paul Rimple Abkhazia celebrated the first anniversary of Russia’s 2008 recognition of its independence with its borders guarded by Russian soldiers and its seaside resorts packed with Russian tourists. Abkhaz...
Russia’s Nightmare Century
Alexei Bayer This year’s accidents and terrorist attacks confirm what has by now become a cliche: August is indeed Russia’s cruelest month. But its original August disaster dates back almost...
Lessons Learned from the 2008 War in Georgia
One year after Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war over the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia, much of the debate has focused on who was to blame. But...
Tajikistan: Language Row Riles Russians
Konstantin Parshin Over a month after President Imomali Rahmon introduced legislation that would abolish Russian as a language of "interethnic communication," Tajikistan remains abuzz with hype and fear about the...
Uzbekistan: Washington Denies Interest in Returning To Khanabad Airbase
US diplomats are steadfastly denying that the American military seeks to return to the Uzbek air base at Karshi-Khanabad. The head of the US Central Command, Gen. David Petraeus,...
Afghanistan: “Corruption Is Eating Our System”
A EurasiaNet Q&A with Presidential Contender Abdullah Abdullah Interview conducted by Camelia Entekhabi-Fard Afghans braved Taliban threats and other problems to cast ballots August 20 in the country’s presidential election....
Kyrgyzstan: Us Air Hub at Manas Busier Now Than Before
Deirdre Tynan The American air hub outside Bishkek may have a new name -- the Manas Transit Center -- but its operational capabilities remain largely unchanged. The new lease agreement...
Fergana Valley: Stringent Border Measures Fuelling Tension in Enclaves
Alisher Khamidov A recent clash on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border is highlighting a simmering social problem found in and around the Fergana Valley’s many isolated enclaves. Public frustration is mounting over...
(Un)civil Society in the North Caucasus
Sarah Mendelson A dark storm is brewing yet again in Russia's North Caucasus. For the most part, the world pays little attention to this violent little backwater. That is,...
Georgia: Saakashvili Shows Staying Power on Anniversary of War with Russia
Molly Corso and Temo Bardzimashvili War, political instability and economic crisis. Despite it all, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has endured in office. And a year after Georgia’s devastating war with...
Uzbekistan: Tashkent Throws Temper Tantrum over New Russian Base in Kyrgyzstan
Eurasia Insight Uzbekistan is fuming about Russian plans to establish a second military base in Kyrgyzstan. Tashkent has issued a cantankerous public statement warning that a new base would become...
Armenia: Yerevan’s “Football Diplomacy” Fails To Score
Marianna Grigoryan After almost a year of discussions and declarations about improving Armenian-Turkish relations, some Armenian analysts say that the two countries’ "football diplomacy" initiative appears to have stalled. They add...