Latest Articles about South Caucasus
Armenia: Key Beneficiary of Russian-Georgian Border Opening
Russia and Georgia have reopened their main land border crossing less than 18 months after fighting their brief, but bitter war and severing diplomatic relations. Armenia appears to have been the main driving force behind the development, and will likely become the key beneficiary of... MORE
Moscow Exploits TV Invasion Hoax to Isolate Georgia
On March 13, the pro-government, Imedi TV broadcasted what appeared to be a documentary report about a new Russian invasion that led to President Mikheil Saakashvili’s assassination. The program caused widespread public panic despite the Imedi anchor’s announcement (immediately after reporting Saakashvili’s death) that the... MORE
US House Vote Adds New Twist to Turkey-Armenia Diplomacy
A key committee in the United States House of Representatives has once again approved a draft resolution recognizing the 1915 mass killings and deportations of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. The dramatic development, condemned by Ankara and welcomed in Yerevan is widely seen... MORE
Turkish-American relations Face Another Test Over the Armenian Issue
The United States House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee narrowly passed a resolution, which calls on the president to refer to the killing of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I as “genocide.” Though it remains uncertain whether the resolution will be... MORE
Delays in Turkish-Azeri Gas Deal Raises Uncertainty Over Nabucco
Turkey and Azerbaijan have proven unable to conclude their negotiations on natural gas cooperation, which have been in progress for over one year. Turkish-Azeri gas talks include several issues involving the revision of the price Turkey pays for its imports from Shah Deniz-I, the determination... MORE
Armenian Economy Emerging From Recession
Armenia appears to be emerging from its first economic downturn in over 15 years, which was triggered by the global financial crisis. The latest macroeconomic data released by authorities in Yerevan suggests that its unfolding economic recovery may well surpass government expectations for this year.After... MORE
Baku Promotes Stability in the South Caucasus
It appears that both processes surrounding the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Karabakh and the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement intensified almost immediately after the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008, which established a new geopolitical environment, with implications not only for Georgia, but also for the South Caucasus and beyond.... MORE
Russia Struggles to Establish a Viable Military Base in Abkhazia
This week, the Abkhaz separatist leader, Sergei Bagapsh, arrived in Moscow to sign a number of deals with President Dmitry Medvedev on military, logistical, financial and economic cooperation. The Russian military have been officially allowed to establish a permanent “unified military base” in Abkhazia for... MORE
Armenia Showcases Iran Ties, as Talks With Azerbaijan and Turkey Falter
Armenia is showcasing its close relationship with Iran at a delicate time in its negotiations with two other, less friendly neighbors: Azerbaijan and Turkey. With the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations and the resolution of the Karabakh conflict looking increasingly problematic, authorities in Yerevan seem to... MORE
Georgia’s Arduous Attempt to Challenge Moscow’s Broadcasting Monopoly
On January 4, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) inaugurated its first Russian language television channel: Pervyi Kavkazsky (First Caucasus) or 1-K. It initially operated as a cable television channel available within Georgia with simultaneous live broadcasting on the internet to reach a wider online audience.... MORE