Latest Articles about The Caucasus

INTERNATIONAL MONITORS SPLIT OVER AZERBAIJAN ELECTIONS

The November 6 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan drew significant international attention, partly driven by the desire to see if another democratic "color revolution" would take place in the post-Soviet region. Foreign journalists and international observers flooded the streets of Baku. Historically a geopolitical battleground, Azerbaijan... MORE

NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS?

During his November 9 visit to Armenia, NATO South Caucasus Liaison Officer Romualds Razuks declared that NATO is ready to deploy peacekeeping forces to the South Caucasus, if necessary. Razuks stressed that any potential deployment would be within the context of the OSCE Minsk group... MORE

WILL AZERBAIJAN’S OPPOSITION CHOOSE TURMOIL AS A STRATEGY?

Emboldened by certain international monitors' biased assessments, and ignoring the more objective evaluations of Azerbaijan's parliamentary elections, opposition leaders have launched street actions to press for the annulment of the results of the November 6 parliamentary vote and for holding new elections country-wide. The radical... MORE

TWO YEARS INTO THE ROSE REVOLUTION, ECONOMY SHOWS LITTLE CHANGE

This November the Georgian government, including President Mikheil Saakashvili, has repeatedly emphasized the urgent need to improve the country's business environment. The rekindling of this issue hints at the government's increasing concern about the worsening socio-economic situation in the country. Already independent analysts are warning... MORE

ARMENIA ADOPTS LANDMARK BUDGET FOR 2006

On November 11 Armenia's parliament approved the national budget for next year. The budget volume is due to exceed $1 billion for the first time in the country's post-Soviet history. The administration of President Robert Kocharian presented the planned 22% increase in government spending as... MORE

AZERBAIJAN MOVES SWIFTLY TO ADDRESS ELECTORAL FRAUD COMPLAINTS

Azerbaijan's Central Electoral Commission convened on November 8 to begin considering complaints of electoral fraud in the November 6 parliamentary elections. The CEC ordered recounts of the vote in certain electoral districts where pro-government candidates had purportedly won, and requested the Prosecutor-General's Office to check... MORE

OPENING OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM DEFINES AZERBAIJAN’S IMPERFECT ELECTIONS

Other than the irregularities that marred the New Azerbaijan Party's (YAP) clear-cut overall victory, ultimately the salient fact in these parliamentary elections is the opening up of the political system. Unsurprisingly, Azerbaijan's political system and most players are insufficiently prepared technically, professionally, and (not least)... MORE