No more barriers in the way of Russia’s joining WTO Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel. Photo: RIA Novosti Russia may join the World Trade Organization as early as in 2011, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at a news conference in Berlin following his talks with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Almost all issues have been generally agreed, he said. Before that, Putin told German businessmen during a meeting that Russia had covered its part of the path and had agreed all basic problems with the European Union in practical terms. Russia has been pressing for WTO membership for 17 years now,

Modeling the Size of Wars

Modeling the Size of Wars
From Billiard Balls to Sandpiles*
Lars-Erik Cederman
Department of Government, Harvard University
1033 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Mass. 02138

Richardson’s finding that the severity of interstate wars is power-law distributed belongs to the

most striking empirical regularities in world politics. Yet, this is a regularity in search for a

theory. Drawing on the principles of self-organized criticality, I propose an agent-based model

of war and state-formation that exhibits power-law regularities. The computational findings

suggest that the scale-free behavior depends on a process of technological change that leads to contextually-dependent, stochastic decisions to wage war.

Euro may become new reserve currency - Putin

Speaking at an economic forum in Berlin Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Euro may become a good reserve currency.“Due to the financial problems of Portugal, Greece and Ireland euro is a bit shaky but in general it is a reliable currency” he said. He urged the European countries to move away from the monopoly of the American dollar as the reserve currency. According to him this makes the global economy unbalanced.At the same time he said that the US is not losing its leading position.“Nobody is interested in it and nobody needs new disasters.

All countries should work together to make the global economy more efficient” Putin said.

Oxygen found on Saturn’s satellite Rhea

Oxygen has been found in a sample taken by NASA’s spacecraft Cassini, which is exploring the satellites of Saturn, the Guardian newspaper reports. This is the first time that oxygen has been found in the atmosphere of another planet. According to the newspaper the oxygen was found in the sample taken in March on Rhea, the second largest satellite of Saturn. Besides the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere, scientists haven’t seen other conditions that make Rhea habitable

Railway express to join Vladivostok and Suifenhe

A comfortable railway express is due to start shuttling between Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East, and the Chinese city of Suifenhe, as of early next month. It will run in test mode until the end of the year, with passenger transportation due to begin on a regular basis as of January. The train will have 10 carriages, specifically 8 carriages for passengers and 2 for mail and luggage transportation. The express will carry over 900 people every day. Suifenhe, on the Russian-Chinese border, is a Chinese city that’s most frequented by Russian tourists. 

Russia’s Bulava ICBM to be test-launched on December 17

Tags: Bulava, News, Military news, Russia

Nov 25, 2010 16:04 Moscow Time

Bulava. © Photo: «Vesti.Ru»

Russia is to hold a regular test launch of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on December 17, an Air Force spokesman said on Thursday. For the first time the launch will be fulfilled from the sophisticated Yury Dolgoruky submarine in the White Sea, the spokesman added, citing the Dmitry Donskoi strategic nuclear-powered submarine, from where the Bulava ICBM was test-launched in previous years.

Full trust between Russia and China

Alexander Vatutin

Nov 24, 2010 20:51 Moscow Time

Dmitry Medvedev and Wen Jiabao. Photo: RIA Novosti

Chinese enterprises show great interest in being involved in large-scale investment projects in Russia. 19 agreements that were signed during the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Russia attest to that.Chinese enterprises are ready to take part in the creation of the infrastructure in Russia’s special economic zones. To stimulate this process, the Chinese Eximbank has opened a line of credit for the Russian Sberbank. Exchanges in the two countries are starting two-way ruble-yuan trade, sidestepping the dollar.The agreements that were signed in Moscow embrace practically all areas of cooperation – from energy to humanitarian projects. At his meeting with the Chinese premier on Wednesday, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev said that these agreements “reflect the intensive dynamics of Russo-Chinese relations.”The most significant cooperation is in energy. One of the most actively discussed projects today is the supply of Russian gas to China. The Chinese State Oil and Gas Corporation is seeking closer cooperation with the Russian Rosneft company, as well as with the Sovcomflot company with respect to long-term supplies of hydrocarbons.Cooperation between China and Russia in energy strengthens the whole world’s energy security, Alexander Salitskiy from the Institute of Global Economy and International Relations believes.“For our two countries, this is a matter of security. Russia’s energy sector has a certain excess of raw materials, which makes it possible to solve some other problems in the national economy. The demand for raw materials in Europe is not very stable. For Russia, the Chinese market is a way to diversify our deliveries. This will make Russia less dependant on the European market. So, in the field of energy, our two countries’ interests coincide as well.” To name but a few joint projects, one may mention the construction of the oil pipeline from eastern Siberia to the Pacific Ocean and the construction of a nuclear power plant in Tianwan. In the first 8 months of 2010, bilateral trade volume between Russia and China reached $ 42 mln, which is twice up on last year. Russia’s and China’s interests in international politics coincide on many points as well. The two countries are closely cooperating to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear program and to prevent an armed conflict between the two Koreas. To put it briefly – there is a lot of trust between Russia and China – both in politics and in economics. 

Russia wants Georgia to sign non-use of force treaty with Abkhazia, South Ossetia

Nov 23, 2010 21:06 Moscow Time

Konstantin Kosachev. Photo: EPA

Georgia must sign an agreement on using no force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the head of the Russian Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev told journalists.

He said he did not believe that Mikhail Saakashvili was telling the truth when he said that Tbilisi would never use force against its breakaway republics.

“This is exactly what he was saying a few hours before his army invaded South Ossetia in 2008”, Kosachev said.

Transnistria Associates Its Security with the Russian Federation Military Contingent

A. Arshinova: Transnistria Associates Its Security with the Russian Federation Military Contingent and Peacekeepers

The acting President of Moldova Mihai Ghimpu’s appeal letter to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen with a request to assist in the withdrawal of Russian troops from Moldova is predictable. This opinion was expressed to the portal Peacekeeper.Ru by Alena Arshinova, regional policy coordinator of the Young Guard of United Russia. “Firstly, this action was taken by Ghimpu on the eve of the NATO summit in Lisbon, in which Russia's president Dmitry Medvedev is planning to take part. Secondly, this is not the first statement to be announced within a campaign of Mihai Ghimpu and his party in parliamentary elections. The rule in Moldova is to earn political bonuses using the Transnistrian topic. In the Republic of Moldova there are forces which associate themselves with Romania and NATO and resolve all problems by requesting assistance and support in similar structures – this is an opposition to Russia and russian influence in the region,” said Alena Arshinova.  “The official Kishinev's attempts to unilaterally resolve the Moldo-Transnistrian problem, including the issue of the Russian military contingent presence on the territory of Transdniestria – have not led yet to any good results: this is an information, railway and economic blockade around the unrecognized republic, A. Arshinova reminded, but such behavior on the part of Moldova only mobilizes and consolidates Transdniestrians.” According to her, such appeals concerning the presence of the Russian Federation peacekeeping forces on the territory of Transnistria on the part of high-ranking leaders of Moldova are puzzling. “Russia’s peacemaking operation in Transnistria is the world's most successful operation, there was not a single shot for 18 years during which time there was not a single shot,” said the MGER coordinator. “I would emphasize that the population of Transnistria does not believe the Moldovan leadership and associates its security with the Russian Federation military contingent and peacekeepers, who are lawfully staying in the territory of Transnistria and carry out their mission,” said A.Arshinova. “Politicians of the Republic of Moldova are seeking to change the format of the peacemaking operation on the Dniester, alleging as their reason that de jure Transnistria is Moldova’s territory. But let's not forget, and all the more deceive others and ourselves: De facto Transnistria is the republic independent of Moldova, and the process of peaceful settlement of the Moldo-Transnistrian conflict has been going on up till now. Such statements just irritate the parties to the 5 +2 format negotiations, especially the Transnistrian side. Such actions discourage from reaching a rapid peaceful settlement . As for Moldova, this country is not marked by consistency and coherence-based approaches: Unfortunately the RM does not comply with previous agreements, and from time to time breaks the negotiation process in order to please momentary political vortex,” said Alena Arshinova. 

2010-11-18 09:27

North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire

North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire

INCHEON, South Korea — North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire Tuesday after the North shelled an island near their disputed sea border, killing at least two South Korean marines, setting dozens of buildings ablaze and sending civilians fleeing for shelter.The clash, which put South Korea's military on high alert, was one of the rivals' most dramatic confrontations since the Korean War ended, and one of the few to put civilians at risk, though no nonmilitary deaths were immediately reported. Sixteen South Korean soldiers and three civilians were injured and the extent of casualties on the northern side was unknown. (Scroll down for video.) The skirmish began when Pyongyang warned the South to halt military drills in the area, according to South Korean officials. When Seoul refused and began firing artillery into disputed waters, albeit away from the North Korean shore, the North retaliated by bombarding the small island of Yeonpyeong, which houses South Korean military installations and a small civilian population. South Korea responded by firing K-9 155mm self-propelled howitzers and dispatching fighter jets. Officials in Seoul said there could be considerable North Korean casualties. The entire skirmish lasted about an hour.

Polish court to decide on Zakayev’s extradition

Tags: Ahmed Zakayev, World, Society, Russia, News

Nov 18, 2010 20:35 Moscow Time

Ahmed Zakayev. Photo: RIA Novosti

The Polish Prosecutor General’s Office has urged the Warsaw District Court to decide on the extradition of former Chechen separatist leader Akhmed Zakayev who is currently wanted on terrorist charges by Russia, press secretary Monika Lewandowsky was quoted as saying on Thursday. Zakayev, who was in Poland in mid-September to attend a Chechen congress, was released by a Warsaw district court  hours after he was arrested at Moscow's request.

NATO is aggravating Abkhazia-Georgia dispute..

NATO is aggravating Abkhazia-Georgia dispute.. 

NATO is unable to resolve the dispute between Georgia and Abkhazia and its actions aggravate tensions in the region, the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The statement came in response to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's recent resolution on Georgia, which called Abkhazia and South Ossetia "occupied territories". NATO is seeking to distort the facts of the August 2008 war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia and shift the viewpoint on these events, the ministry said. "The Abkhazian party considers this biased interpretation of the events yet another manifestation of NATO's pro-Georgian position," the statement read. "NATO is an organization that has been contributing to the intensive militarization of Georgia for many years, stirring up the revanchist mindset of the Georgian leadership, which led to the August 2008 bloodshed in South Ossetia." Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia and another former Georgian republic, South Ossetia after the five-day war and has since been the guarantor of their security, deploying thousands of troops and border guards to the tiny republics.

Russian Armored Vehicles Factory

Russian Armored Vehicles Factory

The big factory in Russia where the armed vehicles for the army are being produced. The  photos might be of a basin where they test for swim the new made vehicles.

Four Russian Tu-95 MS strategic bombers have successfully carried out a routine patrol flight over neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. Tu-95 MS bombers started from the Russian AF bases Ukrainka (the Amur Region) and Engels (the Saratov Region). During a 15-hour flight the crews practiced for a number of training missions including a mid-air refueling. The Russian bombers were shadowed by ten Norwegian, Japanese and South Korean F-16, F-15 and F-2 fighter-interceptors.
 Russian Long-range aviation routinely fly at air patrols over neutral waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Black Sea, Pacific, as with the base, and with operational airfields. Aircraft crews raise their trainig level during flights in the area of seas and oceans water zones. Russian Air Force flights are carried out in strict accordance with International regulations on the use of airspace over neutral waters, without violating the borders of other states.