Russia
 
Russia–Ukraine gas talks
Gas talks between the Prime Ministers of Ukraine and Russia – Nikolai Azarov and Vladimir Putin – took place in Moscow on 25 March. Despite declarations of good will and the desire to turn a new page in bilateral relations between the countries, the parties did not manage to reach an agreement on the key issue of securing lower gas prices for Ukraine. Putin said that the price based on the existing long-term agreement, signed with Ukraine’s previous government, was fair, stressing that future renegotiations of the tariffs were not out of the question. He did, however, make it clear that in exchange Russia would expect certain concessions. Putin also pointed out that the significantly lower gas price offered to Minsk was the result of the fact that Belarus is involved in the formation of the Union State and the Customs Union with Russia.
Both Prime Ministers said that possible future gas price decrease will not be tied to the plans for the creation of a gas consortium between Ukraine, Russia and the EU. Putin stressed that due to Russia’s engagement in the Nord Stream and South Stream projects, its interest in taking part in the formation of the consortium has waned.
Azarov held separate talks with Gazprom’s directors. According to the Kommiersant newspaper, the Russian energy giant would consider lower prices for Ukraine on the condition of increased gas imports by the country. At the moment Kiev is under taking the gas allocated to it based on the current agreement quotas. Putin has promised, however, that Moscow will not impose contractual penalties on Ukraine.     
2010.03.25, TV Rossija 24, Interfax, PAP, www.unian.net, www.kommersant.ua
 
Russian Foreign Ministry confirms receipt of Kaczynski’s Katyn trip details
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that on 16 March it received the details of the Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s trip to Katyn planned for 10 April. The announcement was made by the Russian MFA spokesman, Andrei Nesterenko, who assured the Polish delegation that Russia will provide all necessary assistance in the preparation of the event. With regard to the Polish media reports on the search of the so called ‘Belarusian Katyn list’ in the Russian archives, Nesterenko said that so far none such list had been found.     
2010.03.25, PAP, www.mid.ru
 
Moscow accuses US of tolerating narcotics production in Afghanistan
The Russian Foreign Ministry has criticized the leaders of the American military contingent in Afghanistan for rejecting the Russian proposal to destroy poppy fields. In a statement released on 25 March the Ministry said the decision was at odds with the resolutions passed by the UN and other international organizations. According to the MFA, the refusal to destroy the crops quoting concerns for the farmers’ livelihood, in effect supports the narcotics producers. (The proposal was made by the head of the Federal Drug Control Service Viktor Ivanov at a meeting between Russia and the NATO in Brussels discussing the issue of drugs trafficking from Afghanistan. NATO spokesman James Apparthurai said that the alliance wants to deal with this threat by other means, as leaving the local population without means of livelihood would only worsen the situation in the country).
2010.03.24-26, TV Rossija 24, www.ruvr.ru, www.rian.ru, www.mid.ru
 

Eastern Europe
 
Ukraine’s President on security policy
President Viktor Yanukovych spoke against Ukraine’s accession to any of the existing military blocs. Speaking at the celebrations of the 18th anniversary of the Security Service of Ukraine on 25 March, the President stressed that the principle to be applied in Ukraine regarding all existing systems of collective security will be “the closest cooperation without integration”. Ukraine's neutral status doesn’t mean dissociation from the process of stabilization in Europe and the formation of a European security system. Yanukovych also spoke in favour of developing a new military doctrine with sufficient defence capacity at its core, and one able to respond to political, economic, social challenges.
2010.03.25, Interfax, PAP, www.pravda.com.ua, www.unian.net
 
Victor Yushchenko defends his decision
On 25 March, Ukraine’s former President Viktor Yushchenko sent a letter to the European Parliament President, Jerzy Buzek, in which he defended his decision to award the Hero of Ukraine title to Stepan Bandera. He said that the decision to honour Bandera was a step on the way to preserving 'national memory'. The President stressed that Bandera fought for independence and the Ukrainian sovereignty. Yushchenko expressed regret that the part of the resolution referring to Bandera was penned by Polish MEPs.   
2010.03.25, PAP, www.pravda.com.ua
 
Opposition rally in Minsk
Belarusian opposition organised a rally in Minsk on 25 March to celebrate the Independence Day on the day of the 92nd anniversary of the proclamation of the independence of Belarusian People’s Republic in 1918. According to different sources, between a few hundred and 2,000 people took part in the demonstration. The rally was organised with the permission of the authorities, nobody was arrested, but a number of clashes with the police took place.
2010.03.25, Interfax, www.belapan.com, www.naviny.by
 
Belorussians support death penalty
According to the opinion poll results announced on 25 March by the Information and Analytical Centre under the Administration of the President of Belarus, 79.5% of people in Belarus oppose the abolition of the death penalty for grave crimes. Further 7% of the respondents support the death penalty with the possibility of putting a moratorium on it, and only 4.5% of those questioned said they would like to see the death penalty abolished altogether.
2010.03.25, www.belapan.com, www.naviny.by
 
Fine for Belarusian oppositionist for supporting UCP
The head of the Belarusian opposition party United Civil Party, Anatoly Labedzka, was fined 1 million Belarusian rubels (around 1,000 PLN) for taking part in a rally in support of the Union of Poles in Belarus (led by Angelica Borys). The fine was imposed on 25 March by a court in Volozhin.
2010.03.25, PAP, www.naviny.by, www.belapan.com
 
Moldova changes procedures for presidential elections
On 25 March, the Moldovan Parliament set up an 11-member special commission charged with the task of preparing a draft amendment for Article 78 of the constitution regarding presidential elections. (Currently a 3/5 majority is required). The members of the commission include 6 MPs from the Liberal-Democratic coalition, 4 MPs from the opposition Communist faction, and 1 independent MP. The Communist faction did not attend the meeting; their candidates for the commission were presented by the leader of the faction, Maria Postoico. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Mevlut Cavusoglu, who was in the Parliament on the day, expressed his hope that Moldova will follow the recommendations made by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission with regard to the dissolution of the Parliament and preterm elections.   
2010.03.25, Interfax, www.azi.md, www.interlic.md, www.info-prim.md
 
Latvia’s Defence Minister visits Warsaw
Talks between the Defence Ministers of Poland and Latvia – Bogdan Klich and Imants Liegis – took place on 25 March in Warsaw. During the meeting ministers discussed a number of issues concerning Polish and Latvian military-to-military cooperation, including the plans to allow Polish soldiers to use a Latvian divers training centre, as well as to continue their cooperation within the EU and NATO structures.
2010.03.25, PAP, www.mon.gov.pl
 
Poles rally in Vilnius
Around 2,000 Lithuanian Poles protested in Vilnius on 25 March against the draft changes in the education law which would lead to the closure of part of the Polish schools in the country, as well as against the authorities’ social policy and delays in the return of land to its rightful owners or their heirs. The rally, held outside Vilnius City Council, was organized by the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (EAPL).
Representatives of the EAPL started to collect signatures in support of the ousting of the current Vilnius mayor Vilius Navickas. 19 councillors gave their support to the initiative; at least 26 votes are needed to oust the mayor.
2010.03.25, PAP, www.znadwilii.lt
 

The Caucasus and Central Asia
 
NATO won’t set date for Georgia’s membership
On 25 March NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen met in Brussels with Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili. He reiterated that the North Atlantic Alliance fully supports Georgia’s aspirations for NATO membership but stressed that the final decision will be taken based on Georgia’s ability to meet the criteria set by the alliance. Rasmussen made no declarations with regard to a possible date for the membership.
Secretary General once again clearly confirmed support for the territorial integrity of Georgia, and refused to recognise the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Rasmussen also called on Russia to abide by the 12 August 2008, cease-fire agreement, which among other things requires Moscow to give international observers access to the entire Georgian territory, including the separatist regions.
During the meeting Georgia’s contribution to the Afghan operation was also discussed.
2010.03.25, Interfax, PAP, www.civil.ge
 
Kyrgyzstan gives new powers to special services
In the first reading Kyrgyz Parliament adopted amendments to the laws on investigative activities and on electronic and mail communication which are aimed at improving the investigation quality. The new law allows unrestricted interception of phone calls and email correspondence. Previously, the national security service (NSS) could officially intercept phone calls, text messages, and emails only with a court warrant and for the investigation of a particular crime.
Also in the first reading, the Parliament approved a bill giving the State Guard Service (SGS) the powers to import or export weapons and special equipment, as well as to carry out special operations aimed at the protection of strategic public buildings. (SGS reports directly to the President and is headed by Bakiev’s brother).
2010.03.25, www.ferghana.ru, www.akipress.org, www.msn.kg
 
Germany cancels Kyrgyzstan’s debt
Germany cancelled Kyrgyzstan’s €5 million debt. The agreement was signed by the Kyrgyz Minister of Finance Marat Sultanov and the representative of the KfW Development Bank (Germany), a manager to Central Asia Anke Philips.
The agreement contains the condition that 45% of the cancelled debt will be allocated to the Community Development and Investment Agency for the development of civic infrastructure and energy efficient technologies.
2010.03.25, www.regnum.ru, www.24.kg