By Diana Janse (3/7/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: The number of violent incidents related to \'anti-government activities\' in the last six months of 2006 was almost double that in the first six months. The Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) were among the prime targets, along with foreign troops and representatives of the new Afghan administration. Since early 2005, in fact, the security situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating steadily, a trend which accelerated in 2006.

By Rafis Abazov (2/21/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: The election of a new president is an important event for every country, but elections in secretive and closed societies, such as that of Turkmenistan, stir an especially big wave of speculation. Turkmenistan definitely is one of the most reclusive and isolated countries in the world, as almost all human rights and freedom of the press organizations put Turkmenistan on a par with North Korea. Saparmurat Niyazov Turkmenbashi was the only president in the former Soviet space who fiercely resisted any kind of reforms in the social, economic and political arenas.

By Jaba Devdariani and Blanka Hancilova (2/21/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: The main reason for the agreement was the decision on the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku (KATB) railroad, linking Azerbaijan to Turkey and, potentially, to Europe. The sides also agreed to extend the linkage between their respective electricity transmission networks, and to expand the cooperation to encompass free the movement of people, goods, capital and services. The agreement builds on business partnership between the three states that started with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project (BTC) that began to be constructed in September 2002 and was officially inaugurated on July 13, 2006.