By empty (12/13/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Russia and China will hold their first-ever joint military exercises in 2005, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told journalists in Beijing on 13 December. Ivanov did not specify the nature, scale, or date of the exercises. Ivanov said that his talks with Chinese leaders encompassed \"practically all aspects of relations in the military sphere, as well as security in the Asia-Pacific region, the fight against terrorism, and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

By empty (12/12/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

President Vladimir Putin signed on 12 December a bill canceling gubernatorial elections in favor of a system where governors are appointed with the approval of regional legislatures. The bill passed the Duma on 3 December and the Federation Council on 8 December. It amends the laws on the general principles for organizing legislative and executive organs of state power in the Russian Federation subjects and on guaranteeing basic voters\' rights.

By empty (12/11/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The US military in Afghanistan says it has begun a new operation against Taleban and al-Qaeda militants, ahead of elections planned for next year. A US army spokesman said the offensive, known as Operation Lightning Freedom, began after last Tuesday\'s inauguration of President Hamid Karzai. All 18,000 troops in the US-led force would be involved, he said.