CAUCASUS….

The presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine celebrated the opening of a pipeline from Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital on the Caspian Sea, to Supsa, a Black Sea port in Georgia. The line cost $600 million and took two-and-a-half years to build. The president of Georgia’s parliament explained its significance: “It gives us,” he said, “a chance to connect to each other and to the world in a way that keeps us free from political pressure or influence. I am talking about Russia, but also about Iran. They are not happy and I understand why. Our enemies understand the importance of this project better than our friends.”