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Mar
21
2008
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21.03.2008 |
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Intended as a defense against Russian dominance of EU natural gas supplies, the $7.4 billion Nabucco pipeline is beginning to look like a modern-day Maginot Line. It's not just that Russia is outflanking the 3,300-kilometer pipeline to the north and the south with rival projects. After all, Nabucco is intended to carry only up to 31 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year from Central Asia through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to a hub in Austria. Growth of demand for gas in the EU, though, is projected to be several times that figure by 2020. So neither Nabucco, slated to begin deliveries in 2013, nor any other project could fulfill it alone.  Be first to comment this article
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Mar
19
2008
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19.03.2008 |
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Клиффорд Гэдди (Clifford G. Gaddy) и Эндрю Качинс (Andrew C. Kuchins), The Washington Quarterly
Итак, неопределенность в связи с политическим будущим России отчасти снята. Парламентские выборы в декабре 2007 г. состоялись, вопрос с преемником нынешнего президента, похоже, прояснился, а спектр вариантов, связанных с дальнейшей ролью самого Путина, существенно сузился. Тем не менее, ряд неясных моментов сохраняется, и к тому же на каждом повороте возникают новые.
По мнению большинства стран мира, по крайней мере Европы и США, избирательный процесс в России пока не дотягивает до стандартов демократии и свободного выбора электоратом как политических платформ, так и персоналий. Скорее этот процесс связан с легитимацией идеи о том, что будущее России должен определять так называемый 'план Путина', обеспечивающий 'преемственность власти' после окончания срока пребывания нынешнего главы государства на своем посту в мае 2008 г.
Но в чем именно состоит План Путина, каково его происхождение и цели? Что он означает с точки зрения внутренней и внешней политики России?Be first to comment this article |
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Mar
16
2008
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16.03.2008 |
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by Andrew Wilson
In 2001, George W. Bush claimed that he had looked into Vladimir Putin’s eyes and found a soulmate for the West. Putin then proceeded to restore authoritarian rule in Russia. Today, Western leaders may well be about to repeat the same mistake with Dmitry Medvedev. Sunday’s election was a coronation rather than a competition. Medvedev’s only opponents were has-beens from the 1990’s like Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who long ago converted himself from proto-fascist into a Kremlin loyalist, and Andrey Bogdanov, an ersatz “democrat” permitted to run by the Kremlin in order to dupe the West into thinking that a real contest was taking place. Be first to comment this article |
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Mar
15
2008
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15.03.2008 |
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By Roman Olearchyk in Kiev and Catherine Belton in Moscow, Financial Times
Gazprom and Ukraine yesterday reached agreement on natural gas supplies, putting an end to last week's tense standoff in which the Russian energy company halved supplies to Ukraine, a key transit artery to Europe. The accord removes controversial middleman companies from the multi-billion dollar gas trade between Russia, Ukraine and central Asian gas suppliers - an apparent victory for Yulia Tymoshenko, prime minister of Ukraine, who has been highly critical of intermediaries. It also preserves a purchase price for central Asian gas this year of $179.5 per 1,000 cubic metres. But Naftogaz Ukrainy, Ukraine's state energy monopoly, agreed to pay Rosukrenergo - the Swiss-registered intermediary that supplied Ukraine with gas in previous years - a rate of $315 for Russian gas it consumed without a contract in January and February. Be first to comment this article |
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Mar
15
2008
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15.03.2008 |
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By Wesley Morris, The Boston Globe
When Dmitry Medvedev strolled though Red Square March 2 to introduce himself to the Russian people as their next president, he wore a black leather jacket, jeans, and a cable-knit sweater. For most world leaders, that outfit would be an unusual choice. Not for Medvedev. While his presidency has many political observers worried (Isn't he just current president Vladimir Putin's puppet, they whisper), the 42-year-old Medvedev should delight one constituency: those who like to see politicians looking casual on the job. Medvedev has attended public functions in jeans, a blazer, and a simple blue shirt. If dressing down meant voters wouldn't take him seriously, it didn't matter: His victory was all but assured. And yet, some Russians actually seem to dig him. At events (a few of which the state has reportedly stage-managed), thousands of onlookers shriek and climb on each other to get a better view, as if he were a Spice Girl or Barack Obama. At one such event, Medvedev vowed to march the country into the future. He delivered the speech wearing a thick wool turtleneck and a casual light brown jacket. Perhaps in his Russia of the future, every day is casual Friday. Be first to comment this article |
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