American-Russian alliance. Crimea residents distrustful of NATO

Crimea residents distrustful of NATO - informal vote

02:51 PM (MSK) December 18, 2006

Residents in Ukraine's Black Sea autonomy of Crimea overwhelming voted at a people's referendum against the country's accession to NATO, the referendum's election commission said Sunday. The People's Assembly of Ukraine's largely Russian-speaking Crimea organized December 16 an unofficial voting on the country's possible membership in the alliance, with 1,200 street polling stations set up throughout the region. The organizers said the vote had no legal consequences.

According to the commission, 897,000 people, or 58.2% of Crimea's registered voters, participated in the referendum, with 885,400 persons, or 98.7%, voting against NATO.

10:37 AM (MSK) February 3, 2012

UN diplomats fail to agree on Syria, leaving talks in limbo

Diplomats failed Thursday to reach agreement on a U.N. resolution aimed at ending the bloodshed in Syria, leaving discussions in limbo pending consultations with their home governments.

10:32 AM (MSK) February 3, 2012

At Moscow Rally, Fighting the Cold and the Kremlin

Like most of those bold enough to have tried a winter assault on the Kremlin, the leaders of Russia 's budding protest movement will face a challenge at its next rally that is perhaps far greater than any government force: the weather.

10:19 AM (MSK) February 3, 2012

U.S. Ends Ban on Aid to Uzbekistan

The Obama administration waived a ban on military assistance to Uzbekistan in a move to bolster ties with a nation that is part of a vital supply line to Afghanistan, but was cut off from aid because of alleged human-rights violations.

02:49 PM (MSK) February 2, 2012

Putin Concedes He May Not Win in 1st Round

Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin on Wednesday acknowledged that he may not win the presidency in the first round of voting, though he also said that a second round of voting would lead to political turbulence.

02:38 PM (MSK) February 2, 2012

Russia Joins OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, Bans Bribes Abroad

Russia's president signed into law a ban on bribing foreign officials, marking a major step in the country's efforts to stamp out corruption.

02:16 PM (MSK) February 2, 2012

Putin says he may face runoff in Russia's election

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he could face a runoff in the March presidential vote, his first acknowledgement that he may fail to muster enough support for an outright victory.

02:13 PM (MSK) February 1, 2012

Clinton Snubbed by Russian Counterpart

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is a hard man to reach these days-especially if you're Hillary Clinton.

01:44 PM (MSK) February 1, 2012

Russia Faces Heat Over Syria

Top Arab and Western diplomats on Tuesday delivered stinging appeals for a swift end to Syria's deepening bloodshed, a procession of entreaties aimed at an audience that was unnamed but broadly understood-Russia.

01:53 PM (MSK) January 31, 2012

Russia Says Syria Has Agreed to Talks

Russia announced on Monday that it had convinced Bashar al-Assad 's government in Syria to start informal negotiations in Moscow with representatives of the opposition in an effort to end a bloody uprising that has left thousands dead.

12:08 PM (MSK) January 31, 2012

Russia's Syrian Power Play

Russia has been steadfast in its diplomatic support for the embattled regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even as Assad becomes ever more isolated within the Arab League and the international community.

Geopolitics

Vladimir Putin's new campaign strategy: Vilify the United States

Joel Brinkley

Listening to Vladimir Putin trying to salvage his career as his base of support seems to be crumbling around him, the Russian prime minister sounds more and more like all of those Arab dictators just before their own people turned on them in angry revolt.

'Stability is something that can only be achieved through hard work, by being open to change and ready for long-overdue, well-planned and well-calculated reforms,' Putin declared in an online campaign essay this month.

So said Syrian President Bashar Assad almost exactly a year ago, just before his own country dissolved into protest, chaos and slaughter.

Security

Vladimir Putin's new campaign strategy: Vilify the United States

Joel Brinkley

So said Syrian President Bashar Assad almost exactly a year ago, just before his own country dissolved into protest, chaos and slaughter.

Business

Russian GDP: celebrate cautiously

Keyur Patel

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Russia released a preliminary estimate for 2011 GDP growth on Tuesday - and at 4.3 per cent, it looks pretty healthy. The figure crept ahead of analyst expectations, buoyed by a strong recovery in consumer demand over the year, while 2010 growth was revised upwards, also to 4.3 per cent. Renaissance Capital was cautiously bullish, calling the forecast 'reason for a (modest) celebration'.

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Crimea residents distrustful of NATO - informal vote