By empty (2/21/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Acting Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov has accused controversial businessman Boris Berezovsky of financing Chechen separatists in the 1990s. \"Berezovsky repeatedly met with warlords and offered a financing scheme to them. Berezovsky said to the militant leaders, \'I can\'t give you money directly, and therefore I suggest that you kidnap Russian civilians and servicemen in Chechnya, then I will pay you millions of dollars under in ransoms for them\',\" Kadyrov said meeting with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour on Tuesday.

By empty (2/21/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Russian embassy in Tbilisi has stopped issuing visas to Georgians on February 21 in response to Georgia\'s denial to issue visas to Russian soldiers. \"The consular department of the Russian embassy in Georgia ceases issuing visas to Georgians, except for humanitarian cases, on February 21,\" a statement by the Russian embassy says. \"This measure was prompted by the fact that, despite agreements reached in the withdrawal of Russian military bases and facilities from Georgia that also provide for the rotation of soldiers, in the last year, Georgia has been dragging its feet in issuing visas to servicemen of the Group of Russian Troops in Transcaucasia and it has also not been prolonging visas to soldiers and officers that are in the country,\" the statement says.

By empty (2/21/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Azerbaijan will export around 3 million tonnes of crude oil (60,000 barrels per day) via Russia\'s Black Sea port of Novorossiisk in 2006, Russian and Azeri oil ministers said in an agreement signed on Tuesday. That is less than last year\'s 4.3 million tonnes but more than the 2.