The Week Ahead is a detailed listing of key events of the coming week affecting RFE/RL's broadcast region.
MONDAY, January 25:
Afghanistan: A three-day conference on the reconstruction of Afghanistan opens in Prague.
Armenia/Azerbaijan: The presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia meet in Sochi to discuss the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Background: "Armenian Foreign Minister Warns Turkey, Cools Karabakh Peace Talk" (RFE/RL)
Broadcast Region: The presidents of Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan hold meeting to discuss trilateral relations (Reuters).
Iran: The 28th Fajr International Film Festival opens in Tehran (to February 4).
Background: "British Directors Lead Boycott Of Iran's Cultural Showpiece" (The Independent).
Ukraine: Russian Ambassador Mikhail Zurabov, appointed in August, arrives in Kyiv.
Background: "Yushchenko Balks At Envoy" ("The Moscow Times")
Background: "Russia To Send Envoy To Ukraine, Ending Freeze" (RFE/RL)
TUESDAY, January 26:
Afghanistan: Afghan President Hamid Karzai visits Germany, due to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel (Reuters).
Armenia/Iran: Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki visits Armenia to meet with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian.
Iran/Russia: Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili visits Moscow for talks on nuclear cooperation (NOTE: This visit was reported postponed on January 26).
Kazakhstan: Kazakh Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Kanat Saudabayev attends an EU-OSCE joint ministerial meeting in Brussels.
Background: "Kazakhstan Lays Out Vision For Controversial OSCE Chairmanship" (RFE/RL)
Russia: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Sochi (Reuters).
Russia/NATO: Top Russian and NATO generals meet in Brussels (RIA Novosti).
WEDNESDAY, January 27:
Moldova/Romania: Romanian President Traian Basescu makes an official visit to Moldova.
South Caucasus: The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee discusses the EU Strategy for the South Caucasus.
World: World Economic Forum opens its annual meeting in Davos (to January 31).
World: International Holocaust Remembrance Day; 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenhau concentration camp by Soviet troops.
THURSDAY, January 28:
Afghanistan: Britain hosts an international conference on Afghanistan.
Background: "Afghan Talks Could Set Timetable For Security Transfers" (Reuters)
Georgia/Russia: Ninth round of Geneva talks between Russia and Georgia (to January 29).
Iran: Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki visits Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum (Trend).