COUNTRY REVIEWS

CENTRAL ASIA & RUSSIA

Russia

DECEMBER 30-JANNUARY 5

• Russia delivers the second batch of Mi-28 helicopters to Iraq; Belarus to receive US$ 450 million in loan from Russia; President Putin calls on G8 leaders to share responsibility for future development; Japan calls for Russia taking a lead in G8; Gazprom ready to participate in developing Japan's internal energy system; Georgia to continue with its policy of normalising ties with Russia; Russian government to submit draft law to Duma to ease visa formalities with China; Russia and South Korea to implement a new visa regime; Russia and France to strengthen cooperation in fighting terrorism; President Putin calls for ‘constructive cooperation’ with the US; Russia to deploy two new radar stations in 2014; Russian navy to get 40 ships in 2014.

JANUARY 6- 12

• Russia to triple uranium production in next two years; Russia and Iranian Presidents holds talks over the upcoming Syrian dialogue; Russia to be Ukraine’s sole gas provider; Ukrainian Prime Minister calls for a strong industrial cooperation with Russia; Russia blocks a proposal in the UN aimed at condemning Syria bombing; Russia’s Foreign minister meets with the Syrian national coalition leader; Russian language to be offered in Syrian secondary schools as second foreign language; Cyprus allows Russia to use its Paphos air base; Russia supports Iraqi government’s anti-extremist measures; Estonian PM’s Advisor: US military deployment near Russia is unwelcome; Russian government to draft laws on taxation of offshore zones; Ukraine’s Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom have agreed on price of gas for 2014; US Under Secretary of State has paid an official visit to Moscow; Russia’s Academy of Sciences is being re-organised; Anti-terrorism operation launched in Russia's Stavropol territory.

JANUARY 13- 19

• Russian, Iranian and Syrian Foreign ministers discusse the upcoming Geneva 2 international conference on Syria; Foreign Minister Lavrov calls for Iran to be a part of any plan aimed at settling the Syrian crisis; Russia calls for Saudi Arabia to be invited to Geneva 2 conference; Russia hopes for Iran’s full implementation of Geneva action plan; Iran to send military experts to Russia to choose an alternative to S-300 systems; China’s direct investments into Russian economy exceed US$ 4 billion in 2013; Rosneft receives advanced payment from China for oil delivery; An American court orders Rosneft to give up assets; President Putin calls for the implementation of a visa free travel regime with the EU; Russia criticises EU for human rights violations; Russia urges for the closure of Guantanamo prison; Russian human rights center to begin operation in Kosovo from January 19; Russia and CIS countries discuss prospects of integration projects; President Putin criticises the calls aimed at boycotting Sochi Olympics; SCO will not take over from NATO in Afghanistan; Azerbaijan stops gas exports to Russia; Russia-Iran oil deal can trigger American sanctions; Russia to lend US$ 13.7 billion to Hungary for nuclear plant; Russia and China plan to carry out military drills in the Mediterranean Sea; President Putin calls for strengthening military-technological and energy cooperation with Jordan; Russia increases gas supplies to Western Europe by 20 per cent in 2013; Gazprom to invest up to US$ 909 million in Kyrgyzstan’s gas infrastructure; Japan calls for more intensive talks with Russia; Kalashnikov rifles to be exported to US and Canada; South Korea creates a task group on economic cooperation with Russia and North Korea; European Parliament approves renewal of EU-Russia S&T Agreement; Armenia’s membership of Customs Union to raise its GDP by 4 per cent; Russia iexperiencing stagflation; Net outflow of capital in Russia in 2013 exceeded US$ 62 billion; Russia’s hydrocarbon production in 2014 to match 2013 levels; Russia’s population shows an increase in 2013; Russian navy to receive 16 new warships in 2014; Russia’s international reserves stood at US$ 511 billion in 2013; President Putin calls for getting rid of ‘ideological rubbish’ in textbooks on Russian history.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

JANUARY 6- 19

• Defence Minister of Japan, Itsunori Onodera visits India; Strategic Forces Command (SFC) successfully launches a Prithvi missile.

JANUARY 13- 19

• Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Abhinav’ commissioned at Kochi; India showcases its state-of-the-art air defence technologies at the International Airshow in Bahrain.

International

JANUARY 6- 19

• South Korea to pay about $866.6 million this year to retain US troops on its soil; Japan’s defense minister vows to defend the country’s territory as three Chinese government ships entered disputed waters off Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea.

JANUARY 13- 19

• Jordan agrees to host a US training program for Iraqi troops to check the resurgence of Al-Qaida-linked militants in Iraq; Efforts to relocate a US base on Japan’s Okinawa suffers setback.