Neighbours & Partners

Byalyatski faces four-and-a-half years in prison

Article | January 24, 2012 - 5:55pm

The Minsk City Court court has upheld the conviction and four-and-a-half-year jail sentence for Belarusian human-rights activist Ales Byalyatski.

Comment | Belarus

Belarus

MEPs adopt report on Kosovo

Article | January 24, 2012 - 4:06pm

On 24 January, the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee adopted a report on Kosovo's progress towards the EU. Greens MEP Rapporteur Ulrike Lunacek said that the report should send a strong signal that the future of an independent Kosovo lies in the EU.

Comment | Serbia

Serbia

Serbia must deliver progress on Kosovo to achieve candidate status

Article | January 24, 2012 - 2:09pm

After rejection of its EU candidacy on 9 December 2011, Serbia might be catching a break in its integration efforts. On 23 January, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, following a meeting with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle, said that “a better understanding between Serbia and Germany” was reached.

Comment | Serbia

Serbia

Human rights in Europe: A thing of the past?

Article | January 24, 2012 - 10:27am

Respect for human rights in Europe could be in jeopardy unless countries in the Council of Europe start applying the Convention, according to Nicolas Beger, the director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office.

Comment | Switzerland

Switzerland

Ukraine-EU Association Agreement 'to be signed in 2012'

Article | January 23, 2012 - 12:19pm

On 30 December 2011 Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych signed a decree on the marking of some memorable dates and professional holidays in Ukraine, according to which Day of Unity and Freedom of Ukraine is marked on January 22.

Comment | Ukraine

Ukraine

Swiss Armed Forces to protect embassy in Tripoli

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:59pm

On 18 January 2012, the Swiss Federal Council approved the Dispatch to Parliament on the deployment of the Swiss Armed Forces to protect the Swiss Embassy in Tripoli. A detachment has been deployed for a period of six months, taking over this task from a private security company.

Comment | Switzerland

Switzerland

105 million Norwegian kroner allocated for new research on Russia

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:57pm

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allocated 105 million Norwegian kroner to strengthen research on Russia and international relations in the northern areas for the period from 2012 to 2016.

Comment | Norway

Norway

Statoil to participate offshore Canada

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:55pm

Norway's Statoil, Chevron Canada Limited and Repsol E&P Canada Ltd. have concluded agreements to conduct exploration activities offshore Canada's Atlantic coast, Norway Post reported on 15 January.

Comment | Norway

Norway

Serbia deserves EU candidate status: EP

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:53pm

The European Parliament believes Serbia should be granted the candidate status in March, as it would enable Serbian authorities to fulfill the conditions determined at the EU leaders' meeting in December 2011, Beta news agency reported.

Comments (2) | Serbia

Serbia

World Bank will provide $40m to Albania

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:49pm

The government of Albania is expected to receive a fund of $40 million from World Bank to alleviate the negative repercussions of the crisis and maintain the rates of economic growth, AENews reported.

Comment | Newsroom

Newsroom

Uzbek Cabinet reviews socio-economic progress

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:41pm

The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan convened for a session on 19 January to review the socio-economic progress of the nation in 2011 and discuss the critical priorities of sustainable economic development in 2012.

Comment | Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan

Rahmon congratulates Ahmadinejad

Article | January 21, 2012 - 10:38pm

Tajik President recently congratulated his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Asia-Plus learned from the Tajik presidential press service.

Comment | Tajikistan

Tajikistan