Stories about Azerbaijan from November, 2008
Armenia: Chess, Karabakh and Turkish Relations
West of Igdir comments on the latest developments in Armenia including a second victory for the country in the International Chess Olympiad, speculation over negotiations to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh and last week's visit to Istanbul by the Foreign Minister.
Azerbaijan: Eurovision Concerns
IN MUTATIONE FORTITUDO expresses it concern with recent local media reports speculating who might represent Azerbaijan in next year's Eurovision international song contest. The blog says that public money should not be wasted on such a competition, especially if the name of a late famous singer is being used to...
Nagorno Karabakh: Compromise Necessary For Peace
Blogian provides background information and analysis on the latest developments in efforts to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. The blog says that peace would be beneficial for both sides, but notes that compromise will be necessary.
Armenia/Azerbaijan: Journalists Under Attack
Beaten in Armenia and imprisoned in Azerbaijan, journalists in the ex-Soviet South Caucasus know the price of freedom. Some of them are even fighting from prison cells, wrestling state persecution and challenging societal intolerance for dissent. Bloggers tell the story of free speech in the South Caucasus.
Caucasus: Public Media Potential
The American University’s School of Communication Center for Social Media posts an entry on the potential to counter a constrained and often politicized or controlled media in the South Caucasus and especially to promote peace-building in the war torn region. Blogs are included as one of five key areas that...
Nagorno Karabakh: Insular View
Security in the Caucasus comments on the recent declaration signed by the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Moscow regarding the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh. The blog finds it ironic that opposition and nationalist groups have reacted to it in the way they have and wonders what they propose instead.
Nagorno Karabakh: Peacebuilding Goes Online
With stereotypes and alternate and usually contradictory as well as inaccurate perceptions of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh still prevalent in both societies, a new online youth media project has been set up by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State to be implemented by Project Harmony.
Nagorno Karabakh: Selective Memory Loss
Artashes98 comments on the response to a question he asked a former military commander who considers the regions seized outside the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh as “liberated territories.” The blog reminds its readers that the territories now occupied by Armenian forces were always meant to be a temporary buffer...
Nagorno Karabakh: No Return of Territory
With the Azerbaijani Constitution prohibiting referendums unless held nationally, Kornelij Glas [RU] argues that the regions surrounding the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh should not be negotiated away by the Armenian side in peace talks. The blog looks at the issue from a military point of view.
Caucasus: Gender Gap Index
Social Science in the Caucasus takes exception to the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index and, comparing data on economic participation, explains why.
Nagorno Karabakh: Obstacles & Contradictions
Despite initial skepticism from some bloggers, reported momentum towards a possible breakthrough in negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, my The Caucasian Knot details some of the obstacles and political contradictions with regards to a compromise peace deal.
Caucasus: Geocaching
West of Igdir introduces its readers to geocaching — an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to find hidden containers — in the South Caucasus. The blog comments on geocaching in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, but says that the former is the...
Azerbaijan: Good Morning, Mr. President
The View From Baku posts an account and video from the Hyatt Regency where the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan invited American citizens to watch the election returns from yesterday's presidential vote. The bloggers says the emotion was surprising and that many Azerbaijanis congratulated him on Barrack Obama's victory.
Azerbaijan: New, Traditional Media Concerns
Caucasus New Media says that while the world is focused on today's U.S. elections, Azerbaijani bloggers are more concerned with moves to prohibit foreign media outlets from broadcasting on local frequencies. However, the blog says that the decision might be delayed by a year and isn't yet concerned that the...
Nagorno Karabakh: Armenian Bloggers on Moscow Declaration
Following Sunday's meeting between Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, the upbeat tone of the mainstream international media in reporting a declaration on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict signed by the three has not been echoed by Armenian bloggers. Indeed, if anything, most appear to consider the declaration, which reiterates existing verbal agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan since the 1994 ceasefire, to be simply for show.
Armenia: Defense Spending
The Armenian Economist comments on the size of the Armenian military budget and notes that it pales into insignificance compared to that of Azerbaijan and Turkey, the country's traditional foes in the region. The blog wonders if it wouldn't be better to spend more on education and health care instead.
Nagorno Karabakh: Peace in Sight?
My The Caucasian Knot examines the prospects for a framework peace agreement ahead of tomorrow's meeting between the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Moscow. Although there is some optimism that the talks might yield such an agreement over the status of the disputed mainly Armenian populated territory of Nagorno...
Russia: “RIP Muslim Magomayev, Soviet Superstar”
Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog pays tribute to Muslim Magomayev, “the original Soviet mega-star” who “was many things: a quintessential dandy who also happened to be a People’s Artist of the USSR; a trained opera singer with a Sinatra’s showman touch; a brilliant scion of an family of artists and...
