To Be or Not to Be...? Someone’s grief, and someone’s drinking party

Traditions of the Kyrgyz people were being formed with the help of economic, trade, domestic and other relations with kindred and other tribes that were closely related to the geography of their ha...

Iran of the 60s: unsuccessful attempt to reform

After the coup of 19 March 1953 in the socio-political history of Iran there were fundamental changes: the powers of parliament were limited and the absolute power of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was...

Topic: Regional rivalry in the Middle East.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are two countries that claim to leadership in the region. With a powerful resources and political potential these countries are the...

Business & Economics, Israel

Israeli cabinet considering 3-billion-shekel cut to defence budget
13.05.2013
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday proposed 3 billion shekels (0.8 billion dollars) of cuts to Israel's defence budget as the cabinet prepared to vote on a controversial austerity budget for 2013-14, dpa reported.

"I believe that the path that I propose is the right balance between the needs of our economy and our defence needs," he said, noting the need to streamline operations while still providing enough funding for key projects, like the Iron Dome missile defence system.

Israeli delegation starts negotiations in Turkey on compensation to bereaved families of Freedom Flotilla
22.04.2013
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

An Israeli delegation began talks in Turkey on the issue of granting compensation to the families of deceased crew members of the Freedom Flotilla, TRT Haber reported on Monday.

Minister: Cooperation between Israel and Turkey in energy field not possible
15.02.2013
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

Cooperation between Israel and Turkey on gas pipeline construction and the supply of Israeli gas to Turkey is not possible due to political disputes, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said on Friday, Anadolu agency reported.

"As long as Israel does not fulfill Turkey's conditions put forward after the "Flotilla of Freedom " incident, cooperation in the energy sector between Turkey and Israel is out of the question," Yildiz said.

Israel 'yet to decide' over tax revenue transfer to PA
03.01.2013
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

The Israeli government has not yet decided whether to transfer tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority this month, the spokesman of the Israeli Prime Minister said Thursday Maan reported.

Ofir Gendelman told Ma'an the government will announce its position in the coming days.

In December, the Israeli government seized Palestinian tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA under international agreements. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned at the time that the monthly payments would not resume until at least April.

Israeli company presents new smartphone of medical direction in Azerbaijan
31.10.2012
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

A leading Israeli company "Life Watch Technologies", specializing in mobile medical technology for about 20 years is going to present new smartphone of medical direction in Azerbaijan, the president of the company Yair Tal said during the meeting with Azerbaijani journalists.

The company intends to introduce a new model in Azerbaijan, and believes that the Azerbaijani consumers will be interested in it.

The new model, called the "Life Watch" is both a normal smartphone, and a kind of medical device, that is, medical direction software is added to the smartphone.

Israel and PA discuss Gaza offshore gas plans
24.09.2012
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

Israel has held discussions with the Palestinian Authority (PA) over plans to develop a gas field off the coast of the blockaded Gaza Strip, Israel's foreign ministry said in a report Al Jazeera reported

Prepared for a gathering of donors to the PA in New York, the report released on Sunday said initial negotiations have begun on the controversial issue.

"Following an approach by the Palestinian Authority, Israel confirmed its intention to engage in a meaningful discussion with the aim of developing the Gaza Marine gas field," the report said, according to the AFP news agency.

Israel says Egypt gas cutoff a business dispute
23.04.2012
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

Israel, aiming to avoid further damage to its troubled ties with Cairo, said on Monday it saw the Egyptian termination of a deal to supply Israel with natural gas as part of a business rather than a diplomatic dispute Maan Reported

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israeli radio stations the cancellation of the deal was "not a good sign," but added "We want to understand this as a trade dispute. I think that to turn a business dispute into a diplomatic dispute would be a mistake."

Greece, Israel, Cyprus to step up natural gas production, but exports could take a decade
28.03.2012
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

Energy Ministers from Greece, Israel and Cyprus promised Wednesday to increase cooperation to exploit natural gas deposits in the Mediterranean, but warned that large-scale exports could take a decade, AP reported.

Greece, whose economy has been ravaged by a financial crisis, hopes to eventually start its own gas production and act as a transit point for supplies from Israel and Cyprus. It has no plans, however, to abandon more advanced gas projects it is involved with in Azerbaijan and Russia.

Israeli companies interested in ensuring Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway safety
27.03.2012
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

A number of leading Israeli companies will be ensuring the safety of Georgia's infrastructure projects. In this regard, Georgian Regional Development and Infrastructure Minister Ramaz Nikolaishvili met with heads of companies manufacturing high-tech appliances for the protection and safety of Nais and Disentek.

As Nikolaishvili said, mostly the Georgian infrastructure projects which require the use of these safety mechanisms, were discussed.

Israel transfers fuel to Gaza to alleviate severe power shortage
23.03.2012
Business & Economics|Middle East|Israel

Israel transferred industrial diesel to the Gaza Strip Friday, to operate the salient's sole power station which has been immobile for seven weeks, causing a sever energy crisis in the enclave, dpa reported.

The transfer of the hundreds of thousands of litres of fuel got underway in the morning, Nazmi Muhana, the director of crossings authority in the West Bank, told reporters.