The broadening cracks in the European economic framework now appear to be undermining the whole European structure, as if a ‘contagion’ is spreading from the Southern European economies outwards.

With the adoption of its new External Energy Policy, the EU has finally made a first step towards its integration as a single negotiating bloc in the world energy market. As such the External Energy Policy could become an important factor in the global energy security picture and a possible geopolitical game-changer. However, it remains to be seen whether the big EU member states will be willing to subordinate their interests to the wider EU interest. The External Energy Policy has probably come five years too late, argues Alexander Mirtchev, President of Krull Corp. and Vice-President of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.

Gold prices fell Wednesday on negative economic news from China and Europe plus concerns that the world's No. 1 economy is barely advancing.

Samruk-Kazyna, a Kazakhstan state-owned fund, is planning to acquire up to 25% of the ordinary voting shares in the four largest banks in Kazakhstan, said Alexander Mirtchev, one of the directors of Kazyna Fund and advisor to the prime minister of Kazakhstan.

Dr. Alexander Mirtchev, founder and president of Krull Corporation, discussed the U.S. government's actions in response to the crisis in the economy on Al-Jazeera's Riz Khan Show. The complexities created by the precarious economic and financial situation are exacerbated by what is perceived as a "failure of the reigning 'social contract'" between Main Street, Wall Street and the U.S. government. "To put it simply, Main Street was relying on Wall Street to go about its business, with the government perceived as the arbiter and even guarantor of sure returns. Presently, the collapse of this 'contract' is giving rise to calls from different quarters for overhauling the whole system," according to Dr. Mirtchev.

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will use the G-20 summit, beginning Thursday in London, to forward his plan to unblock the current economic impasse of developed economies by aggressively stimulating growth in emerging markets, Treasury and other sources said.

WASHINGTON – September 20, 2008 -- Today's market increases and the announcement by the U.S. government to undertake a major bailout plan to restore confidence in the world financial system, prompted a rare comment from Alexander Mirtchev.

Inflation is a significant factor of global economic security and has the innate capacity to upend carefully laid plans

Dr. Alexander Mirtchev, founder and president of Krull Corporation, discussed the U.S. government's actions in response to the crisis in the economy on Al-Jazeera's Riz Khan Show. The complexities created by the precarious economic and financial situation are exacerbated by what is perceived as a "failure of the reigning 'social contract'" between Main Street, Wall Street and the U.S. government. "To put it simply, Main Street was relying on Wall Street to go about its business, with the government perceived as the arbiter and even guarantor of sure returns. Presently, the collapse of this 'contract' is giving rise to calls from different quarters for overhauling the whole system," according to Dr. Mirtchev.

As America's top financial officials updated Congress on their proposed $700 billion plan to rescue the stressed financial markets, oil prices stabilized, for now, towards the $100 a barrel mark today after rising rapidly on Monday. Emerging market experts, tracking the fluctuating prices, were generally optimistic on the long-term stability of energy-heavy economies such as Russia, Bolivia, Mexico, Kazakhstan. The overall feeling is that the prospect of further massive debt by the U.S. government and the diminishing value of the dollar will further encourage investments in productive assets, including oil.