Stories about Azerbaijan from October, 2007
Azerbaijan: Economic Growth
Steady State examines Azerbaijan's record growth and says that it looks as though the country will register the strongest economic growth worldwide for the fourth year in succession. However, a note of caution is also sounded. Economic growth recorded in just a few sectors also has its problems.
Azerbaijan: Presidential Preferences
TOL's Steady State reports that a possible candidate for the 2008 presidential election in Azerbaijan is accusing the current authorities of “selling out” territory currently under the control of ethnic Armenians. The blog also notes that Eldar Namazov has attacked the Azerbaijani government for apparently not favoring the nomination of...
Azerbaijan: Terrorist Attack Foiled
As the international media reports that the Azerbaijani authorities foiled a planned terrorist plot to attack government offices and diplomatic missions in Baku, Carpetblogger says that the U.S. and U.K Embassies were yesterday closed as a precaution. However, the blogger doesn't sound too impressed or convinced by official reports that...
Turkey: An Armenian in Istanbul
Despite warnings from fellow Armenians, Lara Aha at Life in Armenia visited Istanbul in Turkey last week to attend a seminar on women in conflict zones. The Diasporan blogger now resident in Armenia says not only did she feel more at home in Istanbul than Yerevan, but that she also...
Azerbaijan: Mr Gay Europe 2007
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on the surprise entry by 19-year-old Sadikj Ragimov into the Mr Gay Europe 2007 contest. This is the first time that any contestant from the South Caucasus has entered the competition, the blogger notes, and was an amazing show of courage from someone living in a...
Caucasus: LGBT Report
After mentioning it in a previous post, Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts the text of a new report on the situation of LGBT people in Georgia and Azerbaijan. The blogger says that the comprehensive study is a “historic event” as it was conducted locally by a fact-finding mission to the South...
Azerbaijan: Prepared for War?
Azad Soz posts the full text of an analysis by the Harvard International Review on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over the breakaway and self-declared Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Drawing on the results of a Gallup survey, the report concludes that with a peace settlement still elusive, Azerbaijan is better prepared and...
Azerbaijan: Whirling Dervishes in Baku
Leigh’s new adventure in Azerbaijan says that when trying to purchase tickets to see the Whirling Dervishes perform in Baku, the government had gotten there first to purchase all the tickets. The blogger asks if such a move is ethical.
Caucasus: Corruption Perceptions Index
Social Science in the Caucasus, the blog of the Caucasus Resource Research Center in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, looks at Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index for 2007. The blog notes significant improvements in Georgia in the struggle against corruption, but no real progress in Armenia and Azerbaijan.