RFE/RL Interviews: The Best Of 2006

Iranian military observers watching manuevers in November (Fars) - In January, former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix told RFE/RL that the West should offer Iran security guarantees as a way of extracting concessions from Tehran concerning its nuclear program.

1 Iranian military observers watching manuevers in November (Fars) - In January, former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix told RFE/RL that the West should offer Iran security guarantees as a way of extracting concessions from Tehran concerning its nuclear program.

A Ukrainian border guard at one of 150 posts set up by Ukraine along its border with Transdniester this spring (TASS) - In a long and wide-ranging interview with RFE/RL in February, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin discussed his country's breakaway Transdniester region and relations with Ukraine, Russia, and the West.

2 A Ukrainian border guard at one of 150 posts set up by Ukraine along its border with Transdniester this spring (TASS) - In a long and wide-ranging interview with RFE/RL in February, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin discussed his country's breakaway Transdniester region and relations with Ukraine, Russia, and the West.

A man in Pakistan treads on an EU flag during a February demonstration in Karachi (epa) - In March, moderate Bosnian Muslim leader Reisu-UI-ulema Mustafa Ceric told RFE/RL that European Muslims can play a unique role in bridging the gap between the Islamic world and the West.

3 A man in Pakistan treads on an EU flag during a February demonstration in Karachi (epa) - In March, moderate Bosnian Muslim leader Reisu-UI-ulema Mustafa Ceric told RFE/RL that European Muslims can play a unique role in bridging the gap between the Islamic world and the West.

An Iraqi man displays a Koran destroyed during fighting with insurgent militias in Baghdad in July (epa) - During an interview with RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq in April, former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi warned of the beginning of a "social split" in Iraq that, if unchecked, could lead to "catastrophe."

4 An Iraqi man displays a Koran destroyed during fighting with insurgent militias in Baghdad in July (epa) - During an interview with RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq in April, former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi warned of the beginning of a "social split" in Iraq that, if unchecked, could lead to "catastrophe."

Russian peacekeepers in the Georgian region of South Ossetia in November (epa) - In May, RFE/RL spoke with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe chairman in office Karel De Gucht about models for resolving the so-called frozen conflicts in the former Soviet Union.

5 Russian peacekeepers in the Georgian region of South Ossetia in November (epa) - In May, RFE/RL spoke with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe chairman in office Karel De Gucht about models for resolving the so-called frozen conflicts in the former Soviet Union.

U.S. Minsk Group co-Chairman Matthew Bryza (left) and his fellow co-chairs arrive in Baku in October (Turan) - U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, the U.S. co-chair of the Minsk Group tasked with negotiating a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, made headlines by telling RFE/RL in June that a solution requires more "political will" from the leaders of the two countries.

6 U.S. Minsk Group co-Chairman Matthew Bryza (left) and his fellow co-chairs arrive in Baku in October (Turan) - U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, the U.S. co-chair of the Minsk Group tasked with negotiating a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, made headlines by telling RFE/RL in June that a solution requires more "political will" from the leaders of the two countries.

Mikhail Kasyanov (center) with other opposition figures at the Another Russia conference in Moscow in July (TASS) - During an exclusive interview with RFE/RL in July, former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who has said he will run for president in 2008, warned that the "anticonstitutional policies" of President Vladimir Putin will likely produce "a political crisis" during the 2007-08 election season.

7 Mikhail Kasyanov (center) with other opposition figures at the Another Russia conference in Moscow in July (TASS) - During an exclusive interview with RFE/RL in July, former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who has said he will run for president in 2008, warned that the "anticonstitutional policies" of President Vladimir Putin will likely produce "a political crisis" during the 2007-08 election season.

Demonstrators in Moscow face off with Soviet tanks on August 20, 1991 (TASS) - In August, the world marked the 15th anniversary of the 1991 coup attempt that brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union. In an exclusive RFE/RL interview, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev recalled the three tumultuous days that changed the world.

8 Demonstrators in Moscow face off with Soviet tanks on August 20, 1991 (TASS) - In August, the world marked the 15th anniversary of the 1991 coup attempt that brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union. In an exclusive RFE/RL interview, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev recalled the three tumultuous days that changed the world.

An oil tanker truck burns in Jalalabad following a Taliban bomb explosion in July (epa) - To mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, RFE/RL spoke with former Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdul Salem Zaeef. Zaeef expressed no regrets for "defending Islam and the rights of Afghanistan."

9 An oil tanker truck burns in Jalalabad following a Taliban bomb explosion in July (epa) - To mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, RFE/RL spoke with former Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdul Salem Zaeef. Zaeef expressed no regrets for "defending Islam and the rights of Afghanistan."

Russian teens in St. Petersburg participating in a rally in honor of slain journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October (epa) - Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, known for her reporting on the conflict in Chechnya, was gunned down in Moscow on October 7. In her last interview two days earlier, Politkovskaya told RFE/RL that she was investigating allegations of torture by forces loyal to pro-Kremlin Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov.

10 Russian teens in St. Petersburg participating in a rally in honor of slain journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October (epa) - Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, known for her reporting on the conflict in Chechnya, was gunned down in Moscow on October 7. In her last interview two days earlier, Politkovskaya told RFE/RL that she was investigating allegations of torture by forces loyal to pro-Kremlin Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf (left), U.S. President George W. Bush (center), and Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House on September 27 (epa) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai sat down with RFE/RL in November to discuss relations between his country and Pakistan, among other things. Karzai announced that he had proposed a joint council that would bring together people from both sides of the border to discuss ways of eliminating the violence.

11 Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf (left), U.S. President George W. Bush (center), and Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House on September 27 (epa) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai sat down with RFE/RL in November to discuss relations between his country and Pakistan, among other things. Karzai announced that he had proposed a joint council that would bring together people from both sides of the border to discuss ways of eliminating the violence.

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RFE/RL Interviews: The Best Of 2006