Russia writes off Ethiopian debt

March 31, 2005 By

Russia has written off Ethiopia’s $1.1 billion debt, ostensibly to help Ethiopia in its fight against poverty, although I suspect arms sales may, as is so often the case, be at the root of Russia’s decision:

Russia has cancelled $1.1 billion owed to it by Ethiopia and agreed to let the Horn

… Read the rest

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Weekly News #15

March 30, 2005 By

Protests, protests, protests, is the story of the week in Russia and its near abroad, with Kyrgyzstan’s Tulip revolution overshadowing the demonstrations in Belarus, Ingushetia and Bashkortostan.  Details of these, plus the latest about Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s trial, which is now drawing to a close.

CIS

… Read the rest

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Protest violently broken up in Minsk

March 26, 2005 By

An opposition protest in Minsk yesterday was broken up by truncheon wielding police.

Showing he will not tolerate demonstrations like those that drove the presidents of Georgia, Ukraine and now Kyrgyzstan from power, [President] Lukashenko sent police into the streets Friday to disperse an estimated 1,000 protesters who chanted �Down with

… Read the rest

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Khodorkovsky back taxes paid

March 25, 2005 By

This is interesting – three Menatep shareholders have paid Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s $54 million tax debt in full. 

"My lawyers have informed me today that my
friends decided to pay the claim laid against me and Platon Lebedev
(head of Menatep), " Khodorkovsky said at trial.

"I would like to

… Read the rest

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Moldovan endgame?

March 25, 2005 By

Remember the Moldovan election back in early March? The Communist Party won re-election in the parliamentary election, following which the newly elected members of Parliament vote for their President in early April.Brussels Gonzo has the latest news on the political maneuvering in one of the former Soviet Union’s quietest corners.

Those few of you

… Read the rest

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Russia's muted reaction

March 24, 2005 By

I’ve only been able to find one official comment from Russia about the events in Kyrgyzstan today. From the looks of it, Russia is keeping its mouth more or less shut while it reconciles itself to the changing face of Kyrgyz politics. This is from RIA Novosti:

"In the current situation the appeal

… Read the rest

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Weekly News #14

March 23, 2005 By

This week in Russia brought an assassination attempt, plus claims that Russia is on the brink of revolution. In the CIS, Putin met with Ukrainian President Yushchenko, while protests rocked Kyrgyzstan.  Further afield, Putin announced plans to visit Israel, and Russia got into a spat with China over wargames that China wants to use to… Read the rest

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Kyrgyzstan: what chance peacekeepers?

March 22, 2005 By

Continuing protests in southern Kyrgyzstan are giving rise to speculation that Russia might intervene militarily.  Democracy Guy and Registan.net both correctly say, however, that the Russian military isn’t capable of an unwanted intervention (read: invasion), and the geo-political ramifications would be immense – certainly far more than the Kremlin wants to deal with… Read the rest

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Kyrgyzstan protests escalate

March 21, 2005 By

Anti-government protests in the southern Kyrgyz cities of Osh and Jalalabad seem to be spiralling beyond the control of President Askar Akayev and his government today. 

Nathan at registan.net is continuing to do a great job of covering the news and rumours as they come flying out:

As noted

… Read the rest

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Invest in Russia!

March 18, 2005 By

I occasionally moan about how President Putin’s mismanagement is putting companies off investing in Russia.  Providing a counterweight to pessimists like me is Bill Cara, securities trader, global market strategist and blogger.  He’s writing a series of posts on investing in Russia, with case studies on the energy and mineral industries.  Helpfully,… Read the rest

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Weekly News #13a

March 16, 2005 By

Top headlines this week include: Russia harboring Bosnian war criminals, opposition lose heavily in Kyrgyz elections and details of a new Chamber, appointed by Putin of course, to oversee the Duma. 

(This week’s roundup, by the way, is numbered 13a as I accidentally posted number 13 a couple of hours early, before I had… Read the rest

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Russia harbouring Bosnian war criminals?

March 15, 2005 By

The Guardian today claims that Russia is sheltering Bosnian war ciminals, including a number suspected of involvement in the Srebrenica massacre, from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

The revelation has come to light after Gojko Jankovic, a Bosnian Serb, surrended himself after four years living in Moscow and the Guardian recovered… Read the rest

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Russia backs China over Taiwan

March 14, 2005 By

Following the passing of  an anti-secession law by China directed at Taiwan, Russia has come out firmly on the side of China.

"The law outlines the key priority of the
Chinese government – peaceful methods of the country’s unification
within the framework of the ‘one state – two systems’ policy and

… Read the rest

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Communist Party joins 21st Century

March 13, 2005 By

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is to use text messaging (SMS) to reach out to young people in Russia.

At a party plenary meeting outside Moscow that focused on propaganda – a word that in Russia evokes images of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution – the party’s first deputy chairman,

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Chechnya: Just who is in charge?

March 13, 2005 By

Abu Havs, or Abu Hafs, according to the Sunday Times is, with Shamil Basayev, in effective joint control of the Chechen rebel movement.  Newly appointed leader Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev is merely a figurehead.

Abu Hafs was thought to have been heavily involved in the planning of both the Beslan school hostage taking, and last year’s… Read the rest

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Chechnya: The economic cost

March 12, 2005 By

This Sam Vaknin article analyzes the economic costs to Russia of the war in Chechnya, which cannot be measured just in terms of money.  However, even leaving aside the tens of thousands who have died over the last decade, the bottom line is that it has cost Russia far too much already:

… Read the rest

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Kasparov swaps chess for politics

March 12, 2005 By

Garry Kasparov, probably the greatest chess player in the history of the game, has announced his retirement from professional competition.  He now plans to focus his considerable energies on Russian politics through his involvement in Committee 2008.

Kasparov has dominated global chess for 20 years, first winning the world championship in an epic match with… Read the rest

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Weekly News #12

March 10, 2005 By

A ‘President’ is killed in Chechnya, Communists win elections in Moldova, anti-government protests are held in both Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, and two Baltic Presidents thumb their noses at Russia.  Plus all the latest about pornographic opera at the Bolshoi.

Domestic

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Chechens name Maskhadov successor

March 10, 2005 By

Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev has been named as the successor to Aslan Maskhadov.  Shamil Basayev has openly declared his support, as have both London-based Akhmed Zakayev, and Maskhadov’s son, also in exile. 

Basayev confirmed that under a 2002 agreement between Maskhadov and other Chechen leaders, the former court chairman, whom he called Sheikh

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Decision time in Chechnya

March 9, 2005 By

The death of Aslan Maskhadov, Chechnya’s rebel President, has handed Russia’s President Putin has a great opportunity to make moves towards a peace deal in Chechnya.  Unfortunately for him, though, the next step is not in his hands but in those of the Chechen military council, which is due to appoint a new leader within… Read the rest

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