Latest Articles about The Caucasus
GULIYEV’S SECOND ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO AZERBAIJAN FAILS
After his first unsuccessful attempt to return to Azerbaijan on October 17, Rasul Guliyev, chairman of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party and former speaker of parliament, announced that he would return between October 31 and November 3 (see EDM, October 19). Such a vague timeline put... MORE
AZERBAIJAN’S MODERATE OPPOSITION ON THE EVE OF ELECTIONS
Azerbaijan's moderate opposition has been relegated to undeserved obscurity in terms of international media coverage and Western policy assessments of the situation in Azerbaijan. The attention has focused on the radicals because of their confrontational tactics and "revolutionary" phraseology. Meanwhile, the moderate opposition's Yeni Siyasat... MORE
AZERBAIJAN’S RADICAL OPPOSITION ON THE EVE OF ELECTIONS
The radical opposition bloc Azadliq (Freedom) is capturing international headlines through high decibel power and the decade-old political investment into a few of the bloc's leaders by some Western human-rights groups. In the perception of most Azerbaijani voters, however, Azadliq leaders are indelibly associated with... MORE
U.S. UNVEILS $6 MILLION PLAN TO FOSTER FREE ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA
The United States has unveiled a $6 million plan to facilitate the conduct of free and fair elections in Armenia. The program, outlined by the U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, John Evans, on October 27, has a logistical emphasis and does not seem to address the... MORE
GEORGIAN DEFENSE MINISTER FENDS OFF LATEST CHARACTER ATTACK
Scandal-prone Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili is back in the news thanks to the continuing investigation into the Ministry of Defense purchase of allegedly defective armored vehicles from Ukraine in 2004 (see EDM October 14). After the arrest of three senior defense officials on charges... MORE
ROSE, ORANGE REVOLUTIONS’ PROTAGONISTS AGAINST ‘COLOR REVOLUTION’ IN AZERBAIJAN
Judging by the experience of past elections in Azerbaijan -- particularly the 2003 presidential vote -- the crucial date in the upcoming parliamentary elections will not be the November 6 balloting day, but the day after. All opinion surveys and other indicators presage a clear-cut... MORE
FREEDOM OF MEDIA IN GEORGIA DECLINES EVEN FURTHER
Reporters Without Frontiers, a Paris-based watchdog organization, released the 2005 version of its Worldwide Press Freedom Index on October 20. Georgia fell from 94th place in 2004 to 99th place. Prior to the November 2003 Rose Revolution, the organization ranked Georgia 73rd. Georgia's falling scores... MORE
ALIYEV ISSUES NEW DECREES TO IMPROVE ELECTION TRANSPARENCY
A combination of international pressure and domestic tension has forced the Azerbaijani authorities to make several significant concessions regarding the November 6 parliamentary elections. Speaking at the October 25 governmental session, President Ilham Aliyev outlined new measures to ensure a transparent and democratic electoral process.... MORE
CONSPIRATORS OR SCAPEGOATS? AZERBAIJAN STILL BUZZING OVER CABINET SHAKEUP
Throughout the past week, Azerbaijan's citizens and outside observers have been discussing President Ilham Aliyev's surprising cabinet reshuffle. On October 19 President Aliyev suddenly dismissed several ministers and high-ranking officials, some of whom were quickly arrested by the country's law enforcement agencies. This risky, but... MORE
AZERBAIJAN’S ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN: FREER, FAIRER, AWAITING FAIR JUDGMENT
Images of baton-wielding police breaking up unlawful rallies by the radical opposition in a central square of Baku are partly responsible for diverting international attention from Azerbaijan's genuine advances toward holding freer and fairer elections. The other distracting factors include local authorities' uneasy learning process... MORE