The Week Ahead: January 18-24

Istanbul will host an Afghanistan Reconstruction Summit on January 20-21.

The Week Ahead is a detailed listing of key events of the coming week affecting RFE/RL's broadcast region.


MONDAY, January 18:

Armenia/Russia: Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian pays a short working visit to Moscow.

Turkey: Turkey releases, Mehmet Ali Agca, convicted of shooting Pope John Paul II in 1981, from prison.

Background: "Pope John Paul II Gunman Calls For 'New American Empire'" (Reuters)


World: World Future Energy Summit opens in Abu Dhabi (to January 21).


TUESDAY, January 19:

Russia: 1st anniversary of the murder of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova.

Background: "Russian Rights Activists Push For Memorial To Slain Lawyer, Journalist" (RFE/RL)

World: The 2010 edition of UNESCO’s "Education For All Global Monitoring Report" presented in New York.

WEDNESDAY, January 20:

Afghanistan: Afghanistan Reconstruction Summit opens in Istanbul (to January 21).

Armenia: OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs visit Yerevan (PanARMENIAN.Net).

Azerbaijan: 20th anniversary of Black January events, in which Soviet troops opened fire on demonstrators in Baku.

Background: "Azerbaijan Still Struggles For Freedom" (RFE/RL)


World: Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal publish "Index of Economic Freedom 2010" report.

World: Human Rights Watch releases its "World Report 2010".

THURSDAY, January 21:

Azerbaijan: OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs visit Baku (APA).

Georgia/Estonia: Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili visits Estonia (Reuters).

Poland/Czech Republic: Polish President Lech Kaczynski visits the Czech Republic (CTK).


World: World Bank presents its "Global Economic Prospects 2010" report.


FRIDAY, January 22:

Serbia: The Serbian Orthodox Church expected to elect new patriarch (B92).

Background: "Faithful Mourn Serbian Patriarch Pavle In Belgrade" (RFE/RL)