On March 2, 2011, at the meeting of the IOM’s Academic Council a paper by N.O. Chekhovich, New Data on the Babylonians from the Period of Western Campaigns of Nebuchadnezzar II [Новые данные о вавилонянах во время западных походов Навуходоносора II], was presented.

Here is the abstract of the paper:

•  Some details of the militarist organization in Babylonia during the 6th century BCE were explained such as census of men in the territory of temples (amirtu ‘inspections’), equipment of soldiers, the soldier’s ransom - takpuštu <takpurtu (reading of the term was ascertained by the author of the paper, it is found in the document on archers recruiting, TEBR 44, 567 BCE).
• The author touched the issue of presence of the Babylonians, both military people and civilians, in Western regions of the Empire at the end of the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II, particularly in the Phoenician city of Tyre.
• New data prove the author’s position in the discussion on twin settlements (cp K. Kleber, Tempel und Palast, Münster, 2008, S.141-154). There are some new papers on extensive wool export from Babylonia which was colored purple in Phoenicia. 
• N.O. Chekhovich paid a special attention to the conspiracy against Gedaliah, the Babylonian ruler of Judea, in the city of Mizpah, 12 km from Jerusalem (Jerem.41:10-12; 2 Reg. 25:25). 
• In the conclusion, the author of the paper stated that cuneiform writings had used to be brought from the places of their origin and gathered in Babylonian archives and their paucity should be explained with spread of alphabetic writings made on short-life materials.

The Academic Council also affirmed

• the theme of the PhD dissertation of F.V. Kubasov, The Treatise ‘Baisyoron’ as a Source on the History of Japan during the 14th Century [Трактат «Байсёрон» как источник по истории Японии XIV в.], supervised by Dr МюНгю Klimov; 
• the collected essays, Works Kept at the Archives of the Orientalists, Issue 1 [Труды Архива востоковедов. Выпуск первый], ed. by Dr I.F.Popova, for the publication; 
• the ninth issue of Mongolica journal. for the publication.