By empty (11/22/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

In line with the Tajik constitution, Tajikistan\'s government has officially stepped down following the reelection of President Emomali Rakhmonov. The country\'s ministers will continue to hold their positions until a new government is formed. (Interfax).

By empty (11/21/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Georgia Threatens to Block Russia\'s WTO Entry if Trade Agreement Not Reached Georgia has threatened to block Russia\'s accession to the World Trade Organization if the two countries fail to agree on customs regulations and resume talks on the ban of key exports to Russia. In a joint statement released late Monday the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry for Economic Development said the Georgian government was \"interested in Russia\'s entry to WTO,\" but added that if the agreement is not reached, \"the process of Russia\'s accession to WTO will be suspended.\" Georgia demands that Russia stop trading with its two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and that all goods pass through checkpoints run by the central government.

By empty (11/21/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Russia has threatened the Azerbaijani leadership that it will raise to $230 per 1,000 cubic meters the price it charges Azerbaijan for gas if Baku goes ahead with exports to Turkey at the lower price of $120 per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas from the Shah-Deniz field, the websites echo-az.com and thenewanatolian.com reported on November 21.