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MENASource

Nov 4, 2015

EconSource: Qatar to Spend Cautiously, Avoid Big Budget Deficit

By EconSource

Qatar will put together a state budget for 2016 that avoids a large deficit despite lower revenues resulting from low oil and gas prices, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Tuesday in a speech to the government’s Advisory Council.

UkraineAlert

Nov 4, 2015

Poroshenko Not Serious About Fighting Corruption, Says Anticorruption Reformer

By Melinda Haring

Bogdan Yakymiuk radiates optimism. But despite his quick smile, the thirty-seven-year old reformer is deadly serious when it comes to corruption. “Over 30 percent of our yearly budget is being stolen one way or another through corruption,” Yakymiuk said in an October 27 interview in Washington.

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 4, 2015

“We Must Keep the Focus on Ukraine and Spread the Truth,” Says New Ukrainian Ambassador

By Larry Luxner

Valeriy Chaly, Ukraine’s new ambassador in Washington, sees the United States as his country’s “main strategic partner” and says he wants to use that bilateral relationship “to resolve the crisis created by Russia in Eastern Europe and find the best model of security in this part of the world.” Chaly, 45, presented his White House […]

Russia Ukraine

SyriaSource

Nov 3, 2015

Flash Point: Syrian Regime Says ‘Transitional Period’ Is Only in the Minds of Those Who Do Not Live in Reality

By SyriaSource

According to a Reuters report, Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has rejected the concept of a Syrian political transition underlying the June 2012 Geneva Final Communique and the more recent Vienna Joint Communique issued only days ago. Mekdad told Syrian state television during a visit to Tehran, “We are talking about a national dialogue […]

Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin, August 17, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 3, 2015

Putin’s Tragic Miscalculation

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Project Syndicate

The truth is that the young democracies of Central and Eastern Europe sought to join the EU and NATO – and worked hard to gain membership – because they longed for peace, progress, and prosperity.

European Union International Organizations

SyriaSource

Nov 3, 2015

Top News: November 3, 2015

By SyriaSource

– UN panel head prepares for Syria gas attacks probe– UN envoy urges Syria ceasefires– Iran says may quit Syria talks over spat with Saudi; Russia trying for talks in Moscow– Turkey detains fifty-seven linked to Gulen– Turkish jets strike Kurdish targets in northern Iraq– Iraq parliament bars Abadi government from passing reforms unilaterally

Syria

MENASource

Nov 3, 2015

Top News: Iran Says May Quit Syria Talks over Spat with Saudi; Russia Trying for Talks in Moscow

By MENASource

Iran said on Monday it would quit Syria peace talks if it found them unconstructive, citing the “negative role” of Saudi Arabia, in the latest spat between the regional rivals that jeopardizes efforts to ease turmoil across the Middle East. Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that Iran would not participate if the talks were “not […]

UkraineAlert

Nov 3, 2015

The Motivations Behind Poroshenko’s New Anticorruption Drive

By John E. Herbst

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s government appears to have launched a new anticorruption drive with the October 31 detention of Gennadiy Korban, a close associate of oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky and the leader of Ukrop, a political party funded by Kolomoisky. The authorities arrested Korban following an investigation that began last year into the assault on government […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Nov 3, 2015

Why didn’t the GCC publicly oppose the Iran deal?

By Matthew Kroenig

If the Arab Gulf states are opposed to the Iran nuclear deal, why didn’t they publicly speak out against it? This was perhaps the most interesting and contentious point of discussion on the first day of the second annual Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate on November 1. Make no mistake; the lack of public opposition is […]

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

MENASource

Nov 3, 2015

EconSource: EBRD Earmarks $250 Million for Renewable Energy in MENA

By EconSource

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a $250 million financing program to promote private sector investment in renewable energy in Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan.

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