BRITAIN, EUROPE, RUSSIA and CENTRAL ASIA ARCHIVE :

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New York Times, 06 Dec 10, by Judy Dempsey
Poland and Russia Vow to Open New Chapter of Cooperation in Relations
'Polish and Russian leaders vowed Monday to open a new chapter in their relations, a move that could eventually end centuries of enmity and distrust between two great Slavic powers of Europe’s East and strengthen security and stability in this part of the continent.'

Washington Post, 18 Nov 10, by Kathy Lally
Russia wonders why U.S. would stop START
'If the two great nuclear powers cannot come to terms, [Igor S. Ivanov, a former foreign minister,] said, nonproliferation efforts worldwide would be seriously damaged.'

New York Times, 22 Oct 10, by Robert Mackey
In Jail or on the Run, Karadzic and Mladic Could Still Win Bosnia’s War
'Even if Mr. Mladic does eventually join his wartime political leader, Radovan Karadzic, in The Hague ... some close observers of the Balkans have argued that the extreme nationalist ideology the two men used to justify the brutal campaign of ethnic cleaning carried out by their Bosnian Serb Army and allied paramilitary groups, did ultimately rout the forces of tolerant multiculturalism in Bosnia.'

Washington Post, 19 Oct 10, by Anthony Faiola
Britain announces major military cutbacks
'Washington's closest ally unveiled its deepest military cuts since the end of the Cold War, with a cash-strapped Britain announcing Tuesday that it will withdraw thousands of troops from continental Europe, decommission warships, mothball an entire class of fighter jets and delay upgrading its nuclear arsenal.'

New York Times, 11 Oct 10, by Matthew Saltmarsh
France Faces Terror Threats at Home and Abroad
'As France remains under heightened alert against terrorist attacks at home, attention is also turning to the potential danger to the country’s expatriates and interests abroad, notably from Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the group that recently kidnapped French workers in Niger.'

Washington Post, 12 Oct 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
In Bosnia, Hillary Clinton calls for 'second wind' of co-existence
'... the governing system established under the Dayton accords has led to political deadlock among ethnic groups, resulting in dysfunctional government and disputes over ownership of military bases.'

PBS NewsHour, 29 Sep 10, with Ray Saurez et al
European Governments Keep Mum on Details of Suspected Terror Plot
'New terror threats and reports of a possible plot to attack Europe have governments around the world responding. Ray Suarez talks to Siobhan Gorman of the Wall Street Journal about the latest on a suspected Mumbai-style terror plot in Europe.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep 10, by Fred Weir
Why Russia is cutting off major arms sales to Iran
'Russia, a major global arms dealer, decided Wednesday to nix a controversial arms sale that would have given Iran missiles.'

New York Times, 23 Sep 10, by Michael R. Gordon and John F. Burns
British Cuts to Military Concern U.S. Officials
'With significant cuts planned by the British government, military experts worry about the nation’s ability to carry out its role as the United States’ most dependable ally.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep 10, by Fred Weir
Russia's Putin says he wants peaceful division of Arctic
'At a conference that included the US, Canada, Denmark, and Norway, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the area should be a 'zone of peace.' But Russia is bolstering its claim to a large tract of the Arctic seabed.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Sep 10, by Isabelle De Pommereau
Germany considers scrapping the draft
'Deployments in Afghanistan have tested the Army's limits and bolstered arguments to scrap the draft and build a smaller, more professional volunteer force.'

The Guardian, 08 Sep 10, by Ian Traynor
Serbia drops UN challenge to Kosovo independence
'Volte-face comes hours before general assembly due to debate Belgrade's demand seeking to invalidate Kosovo's secession.'

Washington Post, 31 Aug 10, by Andrew Higgins
In Central Asia, a new headache for U.S. policy
'Beset by mounting casualties on the battlefield and deepening disquiet at home over the United States' longest war, President Obama's Afghan policy now faces another big headache: the unraveling of central authority in Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian nation that hosts a U.S. air base critical to the battle against the Taliban.'

New York Times, 11 Aug 10, by Michael Schwirtz
Russia Moves Missiles Into Breakaway Region
'Russia announced Wednesday that it had deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system in the breakaway Georgian enclave of Abkhazia, a sign that Russian forces were becoming further entrenched in a disputed region at the focal point of Russia’s brief war with Georgia two years ago.'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 10, by Edward Cody
European Union imposes new economic sanctions against Iran
'Falling into step with the United States, European nations significantly broadened economic sanctions against Iran on Monday in what was described as an effort to force Tehran to resume serious negotiations on its disputed nuclear program.'

New York Times, 14 Jul 10, by Andrew E. Kramer
Russia Plan to Help Iran Challenges Sanctions
'Russia’s energy minister announced a broad program of cooperation with Iran in the oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries on Wednesday that appeared to invite Russian companies to contravene sanctions the Obama administration adopted just two weeks ago.'

BBC News, 25 Jun 10, by Gordon Corera
Details of secret US-UK 'spying pact' released
'A previously top secret intelligence-sharing agreement between Britain and America is being released to the public for the first time.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jun 10, by Fred Weir
Russia considers stronger powers for KGB's successor
'Russian lawmakers are considering two bills that would give the FSB – the former KGB – sweeping powers against extremists. Critics cast it as a Soviet throwback that would enable the Kremlin to crack down on its opponents.'

Washington Post, 21 Jun 10, by Philip P. Pan
Troops, Uzbeks clash in new violence in Kyrgyzstan
'The fresh violence in Nariman ... underscored the continuing volatility of the region and the intensity of animosity between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks there.'

Wall Street Journal, 15 Jun 10, by Alan Cullison and Kadyr Toktogulov
U.S. Ties to Ex-Kyrgyz Regime Are Questioned
'... recent developments shine an uncomfortable spotlight on the close relations that the U.S. cultivated with the Bakiyevs before they were ousted in April.'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by David J. Kramer
Russia's 'new' stance remains anti-West
'Ahead of Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Washington this week, a "leaked" Russian foreign policy document is causing some Russia watchers to wonder whether the Russian president is shifting his country toward a more positive, pro-Western stance. A careful read of the 18,000-word document does not support such wishful thinking.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 10, by Fred Weir
Why Russia is cutting off gas supplies to Belarus
'Russia is again using gas as a foreign policy tool to alter behavior of its neighbors. It wants Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to join a new customs union championed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jun 10, Max Delany
EU trains army to fight in Somalia
'The EU program to train an army to fight for Somalia's beleaguered transitional government involves 150 instructors from 14 EU countries at a cost of $6 million. It's the latest in a series of internationally funded efforts around East Africa.'

Washington Post, 14 Jun 10, by Philip P. Pan
Thousands flee ethnic rioting in Ethnic violence spreads in Kyrgyzstan, raising fears of humanitarian crisis
'A senior Obama administration official ... said it was too early to speculate about military intervention.'

New York Times, 12 Jun 10, by Michael Schwirtz
Kyrgyzstan Seeks Russian Help to Quell Unrest
'With the death toll rising in clashes in Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, the provisional government asked neighboring Russia to send troops to help.'

Wall Street Journal, 25 May 10, by Gordon Fairclough
U.S. Joins Poland for Exercises
'The U.S. embassy said Monday that U.S. troops would conduct 30 days of training in Poland every three months for the next two years.'

Washington Post, 23 May 10, by Walter Pincus
U.S. to extend Kyrgyz air base fuel contract despite questions about operations
'The Obama administration is planning to temporarily extend a multimillion-dollar jet fuel contract with a company that supplies a U.S. facility key to the war effort in Afghanistan, despite ongoing investigations into its operations, senior officials said Friday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 10, by Fred Weir
Leaked Russian document: Could Medvedev era tilt more pro-West?
'A leaked Russian document lays out a major reappraisal of the country's foreign policy priorities under President Medvedev. The confidential Foreign Ministry report calls on the Kremlin to abandon the prickly, go-it-alone approaches of the Vladimir Putin era.'

Wall Street Journal, 12 May 10, by Gregory L. White
In Secret Report, Russia Shifts Westward
'In a confidential report, Russia outlined a shift toward a more pragmatic foreign policy aimed at building closer ties with the U.S. and Europe to help modernize its outdated industries.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 May 10, by Fred Weir
Ukraine-Russia relations: Why Kiev made a dramatic U-turn back toward Moscow
'President Viktor Yanukovich was elected in February on pledges to restore Ukraine-Russia relations. But he has acted more swiftly than anyone imagined, reversing the pro-West moves of the Orange Revolution.'

Washington Post, 28 Apr 10, by Philip P. Pan
Ukraine's extension of Russian base's lease may challenge U.S. goals in region
'Ukraine's decision to host a Russian naval base for 25 more years in exchange for cheaper gas ... does little to alter the immediate military balance in the Black Sea but presents other challenges for U.S. goals in the region.'

Washington Post, 09 Apr 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
U.S., Russia reach deal on disposing of plutonium from nuclear weapons
'The U.S. and Russian governments have reached a breakthrough in a long-stalled agreement to dispose of huge amounts of their plutonium from nuclear weapons, officials said Thursday.'

New York Times, 06 Apr 10, by Dan Bilefsky
In Eastern Europe, Pact With Russians Raises Old Specters
'... while the American-Russian deal to reduce the binding cap on deployed warheads by 30 percent has been hailed as a diplomatic triumph in Washington and Moscow, [there are] growing concerns [among] many Czechs about Russia’s motives and America’s resolve in a region where history is never far from the surface.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Apr 10, by Fred Weir
Russia Islamist network takes shape as Caucasus hit by another terrorist attack
'An attack in Ingushetia today, the fifth to shake Russia in a week, underscores the threat posed by an Islamist insurgent network that has emerged from the ashes of Chechnya's nationalist rebellion.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Apr 10, by Dan Murphy
Kyrgyzstan opposition takes over in Bishkek. What happens to Manas?
'With opposition leaders claiming they've formed their own government in Bishkek and reports that Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has left the country, what will happen to the US use of the Manas air base?'

Washington Post, 31 Mar 10, by Philip P. Pan
Chechen rebel leader asserts role in Moscow subway bombings
'An Islamist rebel leader asserted responsibility Wednesday for the suicide bombings in the Moscow subway stations that killed 39 people two days earlier and threatened more attacks to avenge what he called atrocities ordered by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Russia's volatile southwest.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 10, by Fred Weir
Moscow Metro bombings: Insecurity in Chechnya, N. Caucasus, comes to Moscow
'Officials blamed today's twin Moscow Metro bombings, which struck near the FSB security service and a major state-run media outlet, on two female suicide bombers from the N. Caucasus.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 10, by Fred Weir
Does Moscow subway bombing mark the return of the black widow?
'Russia alleges two Chechen women carried out Moscow subway bombing that killed at least 38 people. If that allegation proves true, it will mark the return of the black widow suicide bombers.'

Washington Post, 19 Mar 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
U.S., Russian negotiators 'at the finish line' on new START nuclear pact
'U.S. and Russian negotiators are "at the finish line" in negotiating a major agreement to cut the number of nuclear warheads each side has deployed against the other, with just one or two issues left to resolve, officials said Thursday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar 10, by Fred Weir
Quartet host Russia: A new broker for Israel peace?
'Amid a US-Israel flap, some see an opportunity for Middle East Quartet host Russia to become a bigger player in Israel peace talks. Moscow has strong ties with both Israelis and Palestinians.'

Washington Post, 17 Mar 10, by Edward Cody
European nations allege U.S. protectionism in tanker deal
'A wave of indignation has swept the major industrial nations of Europe over the Pentagon's handling of a $40 billion contract to buy new aerial refueling tankers, with political and economic leaders accusing the Obama administration of protectionism.'

New York Times, 13 Mar 10, by Simon Romero and Andrés Cala
Arrests in Europe Expose ETA’s Ties to Venezuela
'A shadowy underworld of Basque exiles in Caracas is under scrutiny after an indictment from a Spanish judge.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Feb 10, by Jonathan Adams
France agrees to arm Russia with assault ships
'France's agreement to sell amphibious assault ships to Russia raises concerns from the US and former Soviet satellites, including Georgia.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Feb 10, by Fred Weir
Ukraine heads back into the arms of Mother Russia
'Yanukovich might permanently shelve Ukraine's application to join NATO, slow down Mr. Yushchenko's plans to deepen economic cooperation with the European Union, and forget about the demands of Ukrainian nationalists to evict the Russian Navy from its historic Black Sea headquarters in Crimea.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Feb 10, by Robert Marquand
NATO officials mull Taliban talks but rule out direct contact
'At a security conference in Munich, US and NATO officials says that an Afghanistan plan to negotiate with the Taliban won't include 'direct contact' between the US and the insurgents.'

New York Times, 04 Feb 10, by Nicholas Kulish and Ellen Barry
Romanians Accept Plan for Basing of Missiles
'While the participation of Poland and the Czech Republic in the missile shield had been well known, the possibility that Romania would join them was not.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jan 10, by Fred Weir
Russia flexes military power with 'futuristic' fighter jet
'Russia returned to the global stage Friday as a first-rank military and technological power by launching a 'fifth generation' fighter plane, with futuristic characteristics of stealth, sustained supersonic cruise, and integrated weapons.'

New York Times/Reuters, 27 Jan 10
Russia Says U.S. Arms Treaty Could Be Ready In Weeks
'Productive meetings between top U.S. officials and their Russian counterparts in Moscow last week have brought the sides close to agreement on a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) ...'

Washington Post, 27 Jan 10, by Craig Whitlock
NATO struggling to fulfill commitments for more troops in Afghanistan
'NATO is struggling to make good on commitments to deploy extra forces to Afghanistan, one month after the Obama administration said it was counting on the alliance to send as many as 10,000 more troops to serve alongside U.S. soldiers.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan 10, by David Montero
Afghanistan war: Why US disappointed by Germany troop levels
'Germany announced it would to send up to 850 troops, to Afghanistan, one day after French President Sarkozy said he would send no more troops. The US had hoped for a much larger commitment.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan 10, by Caryle Murphy
Can the US exploit divide between Taliban and Al Qaeda?
'New details have emerged about the tense relationship between Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, and Mullah Omar, the head of the Taliban, in the days before 9/11. In Afghanistan, the US aims to exploit that divide.'

Washington Post, 27 Jan 10, by Colum Lynch
Russia won't block removal of former Taliban members from U.N. terrorism list
'A U.N. Security Council committee announced Tuesday that it has lifted sanctions against five former Taliban officials, bolstering Afghan and U.N. efforts to pursue peace talks with the group, Security Council diplomats said. The decision came after Russia agreed to stop blocking a U.S.-backed proposal to delist the men.'

The Guardian, 28 Jan 10, by Andy Beckett
The Iraq war inquiry: will it call Blair to account?
'The Chilcot inquiry will question Tony Blair about the Iraq war. So might we see the real truth emerge at last?'

New York Times, 20 Jan 10, by John F. Burns
Britain Tightens Antiterror Measures on Air Travel
'Acting on intelligence failures exposed by the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound airliner on Dec. 25, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a major tightening of British aviation security measures on Wednesday, including the creation of a new no-flight list of terrorist suspects similar to one maintained by the United States.'

BBC, 13 Jan 10
Defence cuts 'will shrink UK armed forces'
'The British armed forces could be forced to shrink by up to a fifth because of a lack of money, a military think tank has predicted.'

2009 Britain, Europe, Russia and Central Asia archive