Emerging stocks rose on Thursday towards new year highs set earlier in the week fuelled mainly by Asian optimism, but Central and Eastern European currencies once again underperformed. Political unrest in Moldova had little effect on markets, but investors watched for wider impact. Moldova’s Communist president, Vladimir Voronin, today accused neighboring Romania yesterday of trying to overthrow his government and in turn ordered the mass arrests of protesters in what is Europe’s poorest state. Russia backed Voronin’s allegation of foreign interference, however NATO and EU member Romania rejected the President’s words as a “provocation.” Western powers have urged all sides in Moldova to avoid a repeat of the riots which occurred earlier this week– in which one person died, more than 270 people were injured and 193 were arrested.

The Freenet Africa News Network published an article calling for a Zimbabwean signal to the international community its commitment to economic recovery. ”We expect them to send stronger messages of commitment to the international community,” South African Foreign Affairs Director General Ayanda Ntsaluba stated, addressing the media today. He added that this would increase their confidence in that country’s inclusive government in which Morgan Tsvangirai holds the position of Prime Minister and Robert Mugabe as President. Although South Africa is happy by the progress made by the inclusive government and confident it will be able to deal with the challenges ahead, the international community still needs to be reassured. Mr Ntsaluba said South Africa was willing to help Zimbabwe with their reconstruction.”We will do everything possible to speed up the process for Zimbabwe to regain its place as an important trading partner,” he said, adding that in the long term it will benefit South Africa. Speaking at the Zimbabwe/Africa Business Seminar held in Harare this week, Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara stated that the Government has launched a 100-day plan, one in which they expect the private sector to participate in order for the plans to be a success.”Let us move from the traditional school of thought where all significant roles are assigned to the Government and merge so that we provide adequately for the people of Zimbabwe, how this is done is now between the Government and the private sector,” stated Professor Mutambara. Different ministries have been tasked with three major targets in which they are expected to come up with cutting edge solutions for economic revival. Tens of thousands of Georgian opposition supporters have taken to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, calling for the resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili. Former close allies of the president addressed a large rally near Georgia’s parliament Thursday as protesters rallied in the capital and in other cities. The protesters said they are giving Mr. Saakashvili twenty-four hours to respond to their demands before announcing further action. Georgia’s former U.N. ambassador, Irakli Alasania, called the rally a demonstration of unity in demanding change through peaceful means. Former parliament speaker Nino Burdjanadze also apologized to the crowd for supporting the president after police used rubber bullets to break up a 2007 opposition rally.