Yuri Gagarin was the first man to go to space on 12 April 1961.  This day is losing its significance for the Russian people today; we no longer follow developments in space, nor do we know what has happened to former cosmonauts.
 
The RIAC editorial staff thought it appropriate to draw the attention of our readership to this situation, so…

On 24 March, in the aftermath of a conflict beginning in December 2012, the Central African Republic (CAR) suffered a coup. Its president, François Bozizé, was overthrown, and power was seized by a group of rebels headed by Michel Djotodia. We discussed the prospects for the new government and the potential escalation of the Central…

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand or more perilous to conduct… than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." 
 – Niccolò Machiavelli 
 
Machiavelli's quote stresses three things. Firstly, it underlines that any new route will likely be perilous. Secondly, it…

 
There are three legislative mechanisms of water resources regulation in Central Asia. First, there is an international law - documents made by Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia[1], declarations made by all Central Asian states and bilateral agreements on use of particular rivers[2]. Second, there are national water…

 
I, personally, admire convictions of the Iron Lady, the convictions that she stayed true to throughout her life. It is inhumane to gloat at anyone’s death, and it is a shame to see celebrating demonstrators who fail to step over political differences and see something much greater – Margaret Thatcher’s love for Britain, her…

During my analysis of UK media perspectives on the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, I have noticed several patterns: articles about Medvedev’s presidency invariably include a paragraph or two naming Putin as the ‘real power’ in Russia; almost every article which mentions Putin makes reference to his time in the KGB; when…

Authors:   Vassilios Damiras, Ph.D. (ABD), CEO Geostrategic Forecasting Cooperation - (GSFC)       Chryssoula Katsikoudi, Director of Middle Eastern Affairs and Women’s Issues in the Middle East at Geostrategic Forecasting Cooperation - GSFC     Events since the terrorists’ attacks of September 11, 2001, have…

Karmo Tüür is head of the Centre for Baltic and Russian Studies at the University of Tartu in Estonia. He is an acknowledged political scientist with an expertise in Russia and its relations to the Baltic region and the EU. In this short interview, conducted on the sidelines of the international conference ‘Russia and the EU: potential…

In recent days North Korea has gone much further in its rhetoric and provocations than ever before.  Early March Pyongyang threatened to exercise its "right to a pre-emptive nuclear attack", then it promised to strike the United States with “smaller and lighter nukes” and nullified the 1953 armistice, having…

 
Internet like Steam Engine, is a Technological Breakthrough that Changed the World
Peter Singer
Up to recently, I was sceptical about Singer's quote. As my economic background reminded me that the light bulb was more revolutionary for growth, and as I am quite a social person, I avoided too much online interaction; but my…

Continued from here
 
For those who stretched out in the quaint idealism of the first session, Anatoly Chubais’ speech must have come as a cold shower. Opening the second panel that addressed the economic parameters of the partnership and featuring representatives of big business, Mr Chubais said that the Customs Union has to be reflected…

Mr Barroso talks about a partnership of choice, while Mr Medvedev calls for more pragmatism. Discussing their relations, European and Russian representatives were somewhat out of touch with each other at the international conference 'Russia and the EU: potential for partnership?', organised by RIAC and held in Moscow on March 21st
 
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