bne_newspaper_May 5 2017

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2 Top Stories
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10 Central Europe 13 Southeast Europe 16 Eastern Europe 18 Eurasia
21 Opinion
23 Lists24 Lists
May 5, 2017 www.intellinews.com
Putin hails return to “normal partner” relations with Turkey
bne IntelliNews
Vladimir Putin hailed the restoration of what he called relations in “full format” between Russia and Turkey after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Russian Black Sea resort
of Sochi on May 3. The flurry of diplomatic activity was sealed on May 4 when Turkey, Russia and Iran on May 4 signed a memorandum of understand- ing on creating four “de-escalation zones” in Syria
Mud flies as Czech election campaign kicks off
bne IntelliNews
Political intrigue ran rife in Prague on May 4 as scandals, accusations and counter claims were rushed out following the surprise resignation by the prime minister two days previously.
The way mud was flying around the Czech c apital, it looked as if the various political factions had spent the previous 24 hours gathering their
Russian President Vladimir Putin receives Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on May 3.
during a new round of peace talks held in Kazakh capital Astana.
“Some time ago our bilateral ties, as is well known, were tested. Now we can say with cer- tainty that the recovery process in Russo-Turkish
See page 2
President Milos Zeman bounced Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (pictured) into an unscheduled press conference and then walked out while the premier was still talking.
ammunition following Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka’s shock announcement on May 2.
Several journalists from Czech daily Mlada Fronta Dnes resigned following the release of audio re- cordings showing billionaire Finance Minister
See page 3