Geopolitical Monitor - Region: Europe & Russia

Mar. 11th (BBC News) - Public services and transport in Greece have ground to a halt as workers stage a third general strike in protest at the government's austerity measures.

Although the dust hasn’t even settled from last month’s Euro financial crisis in the PIGS countries, another sovereign wealth shock may be just around the corner.

Along with plans to base anti-ballistic missile facilities in Poland near Russia’s border (a 35 mile distance) and in Bulgaria and Romania across the Black Sea from Russia, Washington and the self-styled global military bloc it leads, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have arranged a series of military exercises on and near Russia’s borders this year.

MILAN, Mar. 4th  (Reuters) - Greece will need to take further action in 2011 and 2012 to repair its public finances, EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said in an interview on Thursday.

Mar 3rd. (BBC News) - The Greek government has approved a new package of tax increases and spending cuts to save 4.8bn euros ($6.5bn; £4.4bn) and ease its budget crisis.

Last month news reports confirmed that the United States is to station interceptor missiles in Bulgaria and Romania as an extension of the Pentagon’s European (and international) missile shield project. Details are still forthcoming, but what is all but certain is that the missiles are to be land-based versions of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System with Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) medium-range anti-ballistic missiles, though there is already speculation that even more advanced deployments are planned.

Mar. 1st (BBC News) - A former member of Bosnia's wartime presidency has been held at Heathrow Airport over alleged war crimes.

With the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms expiring last December 5 and its successor held up almost three months in large part because of U.S. missile shield provocations in recent weeks, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is forging ahead with the formulation and implementation of a new Strategic Concept.

Feb. 25 (BBC News) - The role of Wall Street firms in deals that may have helped Greece mask its debt woes are under scrutiny in the US, the Federal Reserve chief has said.

Feb. 25 (BBC News) - Turkey's president has said tensions over an alleged military coup plot will be resolved within the law, after meeting the head of the armed forces.