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Author name: ENM

EU looks at Israel and Egypt to reduce dependence on Russian energy

In order to deal with the energy crisis, the European Commission is looking at Egypt and Israel to increase import of natural gas. It is proposing this to EU member states in a memorandum of understanding. According to a draft obtained by Reuters, the Commission states: “The natural gas to be shipped to the European Union […]

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A closer look at political developments in Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, a clear majority of voters approved constitutional amendments proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a referendum earlier this month. The reforms for more decentralisation of decision-making in the oil-rich country, as well as stripping former strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev of his “national leader” status. Turnout was 68.06% and 77.18% of Sunday’s votes were

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied right to fly over Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s has been forced to cancel his trip to Serbia after countries around Serbia, notably Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro, closed their airspace to his aircraft. A senior Russian Foreign Ministry official stated that this caused the trip to be cancelled, commenting: “Our diplomacy has yet to master teleportation.” Following the

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Iraq voices support for voluntary return of Iraqis denied asylum in the EU

At a recent meeting, Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fouad Hussein (picture) and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, discussed the issue of irregular migration between Iraq and the EU, on the the sidelines of the sixth Brussels Conference for Syria and the region. In a statement, the Iraqi government mentioned “the latest measures taken by

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Is Russia losing its grip on Central Asia as a result of the sanctions?

An analysis on Voice of America News notes that “Russia’s influence in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia is expected to decline as its overstretched military struggles in Ukraine and its economy suffers shocks from the sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, according to experts.” The author, Asim Kashgarian, explains: “Russia

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Montenegro no longer against joining the “Open Balkan” initiative

By Pieter Cleppe Montenegro’s Development and Tourism Minister Goran Đurović has stated that the country is not against joining the “Open Balkan” initiative, following a meeting with his Serbian counterpart in Belgrade. The governments of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia launched the Open Balkan initiative in October 2019. The aim of it is to establish

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Map of Somaliland in the 19th century (copyright: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons)

Somaliland: a democratizing country struggling for recognition

MEP Lars Patrick Berg conducts an exclusive interview with Ali Hamud Jibril, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Somaliland Q: Somaliland ended its voluntary union with Somalia in May 1991. Somaliland declared independence on 18 May 1991, a declaration that is not yet recognized by many countries and international organizations.

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Leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan agree to advance discussions on a peace treaty

On Sunday, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to “advance discussions” on a peace treaty follolwing the war in 2020. The war erupted once again over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, situated in Muslim-majority Azerbaijan with mostly Christian Armenian residents. It is the focus of a decades-long territorial dispute between the two ex-Soviet Caucasus neighbours, Euractiv

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