Latest Articles about South Caucasus
Azerbaijan Using Gabala Negotiations to Change Russia’s Policy
December 24, 2012 will mark the end of the contract between Azerbaijan and Russia for the lease of the Gabala radar station (Daryal-type radar station), built by the Soviet Union in 1984 to monitor missile launches at distances as far as 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles)... MORE
Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections: Four Underestimated Challenges and Risks (Part One)
The upcoming parliamentary elections pose a unique set of challenges to Georgia’s evolving democracy, the country’s stability and potentially to Georgian statehood itself. The challenges include: vote purchase leading to full or partial state capture, Russian military pressure timed to the voting, danger of post-election... MORE
Moscow Shows Renewed Interest in the Fate of Ethnic Minorities in Azerbaijan
On June 18, the Federal National-Cultural Autonomy of Lezgins held its first conference in Moscow. Issues facing ethnic Lezgins and Avars, both of whom are divided between Dagestan and Azerbaijan, were discussed at the forum. The political importance of the event was reflected in the... MORE
Why Was Khizri Aldamov “Returned” to Chechnya?
It came as a complete surprise when Chechen TV, on the evening of June 13, broadcast a meeting between Ramzan Kadyrov and Khizri Aldamov, who was the general representative in Georgia for the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria from 1994-2004 and is now a Georgian... MORE
Nabucco-West Selected for Caspian Gas Delivery to Central Europe
On June 28, the Shah Deniz gas producers’ consortium in Azerbaijan announced that it has selected the Nabucco-West pipeline project to be the route for Caspian gas into Central Europe. This decision is an immediate consequence of the Azerbaijan-Turkey inter-governmental agreement, signed on June 26,... MORE
Trans-Anatolia Gas Project: Vast Impact of Azerbaijan’s Initiative
The Azerbaijani-Turkish Trans-Anatolia gas pipeline project (TANAP), officially launched on June 26 (see EDM, June 27), is impacting a vast field ranging from Turkmenistan, across the South Caucasus and Turkey, to Central Europe and EU authorities in Brussels.This project encourages Turkmenistan to pursue a trans-Caspian... MORE
Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan Relations: Shattered Brotherhood
Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan relations, which experienced a significant thaw since the death of Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenbashi), deteriorated again last week (June 19). The most recent conflict began when Turkmenistan started undertaking seismic work on a disputed oilfield in the Caspian Sea. The oilfield, discovered by... MORE
Aliyev, Erdogan Sign Inter-Governmental Agreement on Trans-Anatolia Gas Pipeline to Europe
On June 26 in Istanbul, Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s leaders signed the inter-governmental agreement on the Trans-Anatolia Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project. This agreement marks the start of implementing the EU-planned Southern Corridor to Europe for Caspian gas. This pipeline would run from the Georgia-Turkey border to... MORE
Clinton in Armenia and Azerbaijan: An Unedifying Valedictory
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid valedictory visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan on June 4 and 6, respectively, as part of a regional tour (including a comparatively successful visit to Georgia – see EDM, June 11, 12). Clinton had undertaken her get-acquainted tour of... MORE
Military Clashes Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Threaten Stability in Region
The threat of a renewal of war between Azerbaijan and Armenia became increasingly imminent last week as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the region. The governments of both countries blamed each other for violating the cease-fire while mediators rushed to calm the sides... MORE