"The prospect of dramatic developments in this very fragile region are there, " he said.

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What is more, Colombia stands at the strategic heart of a very fragile Andean region.

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There are still desperately fragile countries in the region, such as Ukraine and Moldova, but, on the whole, those countries which do not already have an autocrat in charge have become much less likely to elect or accept one.

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Should this happen, a devalued euro would not only fuel European exports to a broader range of nations and to a number of customers, it would also create jobs and prop up some of the most economically fragile nations in the region.

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"We welcome this withdrawal, but emphasize that this is an early step and that stability in the region remains very fragile, " said Kieran Dwyer, spokesperson for U.N. peacekeepers.

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While the United States, Russia and Iran struggle for economic or ideological influence in the region, the Caspian's fragile ecosystem is buckling under the hasty and disorderly expoitation of its resources.

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We did, in fact, point out in advance that things were going wrong in the region, particularly with property booms and fragile banks.

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The Himalayas are fragile mountains formed from the tussle of tectonic plates that make the region seismically active.

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