 RFE/RL Headlines 8/3/2009 6:17:58 PM A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| News  Russia Moves South Ossetia Border Markers Russian troops have attempted to shift part of the border between the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia and the rest of the country. Residents of the village of Kveshi say the soldiers erected new border markers some 500 meters into Georgian territory on August 2, but then removed the posts early the next day. More  New NATO Chief Outlines Priorities In Afghanistan, Russia As he prepares to chair his first meeting of NATO ambassadors at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, new Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has promised "success" in Afghanistan, attempts to forge a strategic partnership with Russia, and more dialogue with the Muslim world. More  Israel Criticized For Evicting Palestinians In Jerusalem Israeli police have evicted more than 50 Palestinians from their homes in occupied East Jerusalem, allowing Jewish settlers to move into the buildings. The move has raised tensions in the Middle East and drawn criticism from the United States, the United Nations, and Britain. More  Saakashvili: Survival Against Russia 'Miracle' Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili says he fears that Russia remains intent upon crushing Georgian statehood. While he does not see a new war as imminent, Saakashvili said in an interview with Reuters that he expects Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to stick to his goal of ousting him as Georgian leader. More  Armenian President Steps Up Criticism Of Turkey Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has increased his criticism of Turkey's preconditions for normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations, saying they run counter to bilateral agreements made during year-long negotiations, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reports. More  Tajik Villagers Protest Over Demolished Home A Tajik family whose home was bulldozed held a protest with other supporters in front of the government building in Dushanbe, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports. More An Azerbaijani youth activist has been detained in Baku and charged with desertion from the military, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports. More Uzbekistan's chief imam, Anvar qori Tursunov, has been hospitalized in serious but stable condition after being stabbed at least three times late on August 1, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reports. More  What A Difference Four Years Can Make Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, today formally endorsed Mahmud Ahmadinejad for a second term as president in a ceremony that was snubbed by prominent critics of the disputed election, including former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. More  Russia’s Iron Man Plumbs The Depths Prime Minister Vladimir Putin starred in yet another publicity stunt on August 1 as he dived to the bottom of Lake Baikal in a mini-submersible. More  Former Armenian Foreign Minister Defends Madrid Principles Vartan Oskanian, who served as Armenian foreign minister from 1998-2008, has emphatically defended the most recent international plan to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and warned that its blanket rejection could force the mediators to reconsider their effective acceptance of continued Armenian control over the disputed territory. More  Is The Armenian-Turkish Rapprochement In Jeopardy? Over the past month, Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has expressed frustration on three separate occasions that the Turkish government is apparently backpedaling with regard to its April commitment to seek ways to "normalize" bilateral relations without preconditions. Turkey's response to those statements has been cautiously muted. More Two young fighters have responded to the July 20 appeal by Ingushetian President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov to turn themselves in to the authorities. Yevkurov had called specifically on young people who were "blackmailed" into joining the Islamic resistance to lay down their arms. He assured them that they would not be punished if they did so, but warned at the same time that those who did not "come to their senses" would be hunted down and killed. More  States Profess Unity, But Grow Farther Apart Long the object of great-power ambitions, Central Asia now resists the dominance of any single player. The shifting fortunes of those players -- whether Russia, China, or the West -- are now far more subject to the unpredictable developments within any of the five regional states. But the failure to form collective partnerships has also left Central Asia vulnerable to the strategies of outside players. More  Under Pressure The main leader of Iran's opposition, defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Musavi, so far remains a free man. But that could change if some allies of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad have their way. As some 100 reformers face charges of inciting the postelection unrest, hard-liners are now calling for the prosecution of Musavi as well as former President Mohammad Khatami. More  Can Georgia's Democratic Dream Be Revived? When Russia and Georgia went to war a year ago, it seemed to some that the hope and promise of the Rose Revolution had died. Georgians have since expressed cautious optimism, but few appear to trust President Mikheil Saakashvili and his entourage to deliver it. More  Bukhara Deer Reintroduced To Syr Darya River Valley For almost half a century, the Bukhara deer had not been seen in the wild in the forests along the Syr Darya river. But the species has now returned to Kazakhstan's southern Turkestan district with the recent release of ten deer into their native habitat. More  China And The EU In The Wings Russia and the United States were the first to step into the post-Soviet "new Great Game" for resources and influence in Central Asia, but other players have now entered the arena. In the second of a three-part series, RFE/RL looks at the inroads China and the European Union have made in the region. More  Iranian Ex-President Khatami Denounces Trial Of Reformists Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has joined the voices denouncing the trial of around 100 people for their alleged involvement in the post-election violence in Iran. Khatami described the trial of prominent reformists as a "show" that will further damage the Iranian establishment, and said he hopes it will not "lead to ignorance of the real crimes," including the alleged torture and murder of detainees. More  Shifting Influence In Central Asia Russia, the United States, China, and Europe still seek to hold sway in Central Asia, their sights set on energy reserves and security agreements, but the region now resists the dominance of any single player. In the first of a three-part series, RFE/RL looks at the recent ebb and flow of Russian and U.S. influence in the region. More  Adventurers Headed Through Central Asia On Charity Rally Four hundred adventure-seeking teams from around the world are in the midst of a four-week drive to Mongolia by way of Central Asia and parts of the Middle East. It’s a trip that involves no small challenges, from rough terrain to border guards looking for a bribe. More  Rasmussen Takes Over As NATO Chief At Difficult Moment Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen takes over as secretary-general of NATO on August 1. He will be confronted with immediate challenges, from reviving NATO's stagnating efforts in Afghanistan and repairing ties with Russia to helping redefine the alliance's relevance and role in the world. More  A Chance For Reconciliation And Progress In Moldova The most important goal of Moldova's parliamentary parties should be agreement on a legislative program that would promote fairness in future elections, develop a Moldovan national identity, integrate rural Moldovans into national and international life, insulate the legal system from political interference, and end the pernicious corruption that has frustrated economic development. More  Putting Paid To Voronin? A post at Fistful of Euros places the outgoing Moldovan president well outside the pantheon of postcommunist strongmen. More |
