ISSUE #6
02/20/2012
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has again reshuffled the country's top leadership. On 14 February 2012, the president dismissed Andriy Klyuyev from the post of first deputy prime minister and economy minister and appointed him as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC). READ MORE

• February 21, 2012

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics
January 2012

Key Points:

• Russia’s Gazprom announces that the South Stream gas pipeline project will begin construction ahead of schedule in December 2012, putting NABUCCO in an increasingly precarious position.
• Turkey slips further down the rankings of the media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, press freedom rankings, now 148 out of 178 countries. This development comes following the fifth anniversary of the killing of writer Hrant Dink and a ruling in the case of his death stating that it was not the result of organized crime.
• Former Turkish Military (TSK) Chief of Staff, Ilker Basbug, was arrested on charges of supporting websites that were part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government. The military remains quiet on the matter, indicating that the ruling AKP government has triumphed in keeping the TSK under full civilian control. But the wide swath of those accused of complicity in conspiracy investigations continues to draw criticism at home and abroad.
• Both houses of the French parliament pass a law criminalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide, with Turkish politicians voicing their outrage at the decision against a backdrop where relations between Paris and Ankara are at the lowest level in recent memory.
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• February 21, 2012

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev will pay a working visit to Russia on Feb.23-25, Russian presidential press-service reported on Monday.

• February 20, 2012

Russia has offered Ukraine a 10 percent discount on gas supplies on the condition that Kiev scraps plans to drastically cut its imports, Kommersant Ukraine newspaper reported on Monday, citing a source close to the talks.

• February 20, 2012

The US is looking for signs the new leader is ready to stop the country's nuclear programme and return to international negotiations, known as the six-party talks, analysts say.

• February 20, 2012

Syrian government forces, disregarding U.N. condemnation, renewed their bombardment of the opposition stronghold of Homs on Saturday as a Chinese minister prepared for talks with embattled President Bashar al-Assad.

• February 18, 2012

“There needs to be a significant Azerbaijani gas supply to Europe, and that will enhance European energy security and position Azerbaijan as a major player in the international arena”

• February 18, 2012

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov will visit Turkey in February, state news agency of Turkmenistan (TDH) said on Saturday.

• February 18, 2012