Latest Articles about South Caucasus
Georgia Prepares to Repel Russian Aggression
The Georgian army, defeated in the five-day war with Russia, is recovering and preparing to ward off potential Russian aggression. "Our defenses should be ready to repel potential Russian aggression. All the military programs and priorities for 2009 will be developed based on the experience... MORE
Armenia and Turkey Make Progress on Delicate Task of Restoring Relations
After months of intensive negotiations, Armenia and Turkey appear to be heading toward a full normalization of their historically strained relations that could redraw the region's geopolitical map. Such a possibility has become even more likely after the latest flurry of face-to-face contacts between Turkish... MORE
Russia’s Coming War with Georgia
Six months after the French-brokered agreement ended the Russo-Georgia war on August 12, 2008 the ceasefire continues to be fragile with constant incidents that both sides describe as "provocations." Last month the Defense Ministry of the separatist South Ossetia said Georgia was moving troops towards... MORE
Deep Concern in Baku after CSTO News
The summit of the heads of states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on February 4 in Moscow brought unexpected, yet alarming news for Baku. The members of the organization have decided to create collective rapid reaction forces: the first ever joint military forces... MORE
Turkey and Armenia Move Closer to a Deal on Formal Diplomatic Relations
In light of recent events surrounding Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's harsh denunciation of Israeli policies in Gaza, one of the emerging concerns of Turkish diplomats is that there may be "a possible attempt in the U.S. Congress to recognize the events of 1915 as... MORE
How Much Longer Can Azerbaijan Wait For Nabucco to Materialize?
"It's a good question, how long we are going to wait," Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev warned with regard to the Nabucco gas transport project during the World Economic Forum just held in Davos. As a potential large-scale producer with proven reserves of 2 trillion cubic... MORE
Yerevan Again Avoids Council of Europe Sanctions
In a major boost to the administration of President Serzh Sarkisian, the Council of Europe has once again refrained from punishing Armenia for a government crackdown on the opposition sparked by the disputed presidential election of February 2008. The Strasbourg-based organization's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) has... MORE
Rush for Nabucco: Azerbaijan’s Position Strengthens
On January 22 President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov paid a one-day visit to Baku. The issue on the agenda was obvious: diversification of the gas supply to the EU and making Caspian gas available to EU households. Discussions with President Ilham Aliyev were very useful;... MORE
Azerbaijan, Trapped Between Palestinians and Israel, Takes a Pragmatic Position
Israel’s recent incursion into Gaza could not go unnoticed in Muslim Azerbaijan. The images of women and children dying in the military attacks produced a high level of anger and frustration among the ordinary people. Although the majority of the population strongly condemns the Israeli... MORE
Armenian Government Braces for Council of Europe Sanctions
The Council of Europe looks set to impose embarrassing sanctions on Armenia over its failure to release dozens of opposition activists arrested following the February 2008 presidential election. The move would deal a massive blow to the credibility of the Armenian government’s assurances that its... MORE