Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze is making a state visit to Britain, seeking economic and political backing for his domestic reform efforts.
Shevardnadze departed for Britain on July 17. During his London visit he was scheduled to meet with top British leaders, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as leading members of the business community.
President Robert Kocharian's appointment of a new Prime Minister in mid-May has generally been received as a squandered opportunity to revive Armenia's economy.
Uzbekistan's Minister for Foreign Economic Relations Elyor Ganiev, speaking at a May 24 conference in Washington, said the Central Asian nation would provide "immediate support" for investors in export-oriented investment projects.
Continuing economic hardship in Kyrgyzstan is forcing citizens to make difficult decisions as they try to outpace poverty. The dilemmas are such that even those who attain a measure of prosperity are often dissatisfied.
According to some estimates, the Caspian Sea region could produce up to 150 billion barrels of oil, as well as trillions of cubic meters of gas. Such numbers make the area the "most promising petroleum region for the next 20-30 years," according to Terry Koonce, the president and CEO of ExxonMobil Production Co.
Kazakhstani authorities seem intent on imposing their control over the internet and telecommunications. On April 20, President Nursultan Nazarbayev called for a media crackdown, accusing the press of inciting interethnic tension. Correspondingly, the government intensified efforts to limit internet freedom.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian sacked Prime Minister Aram Sarkisian on May 2. The president suggested the move was designed to reestablish a balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government that has been lacking since the October parliament shootings.
The latest James Bond film, "The World Is Not Enough," depicted a fierce battle among oil executives, spies, and villains for control of a lucrative new pipeline linking Caspian oil to world markets. The Hollywood production is clearly a work of fiction.
Tensions in Dagestan have receded somewhat since last week, when overwhelming Russian force compelled a group of rebels led by Chechen field commander Shamil Basayev to withdraw from villages they had occupied in southwestern Dagestan. The new government of Vladimir Putin has portrayed the episode as a decisive victory for Moscow over Islamic separatism, and this is true to a certain extent.
