Stories about Azerbaijan from August, 2008
Georgia: Security in the Caucasus
Security in the Caucasus, a new blog established by a PhD candidate at the London School of Economics currently undertaking field work in the region, says that the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia was largely the result of a major miscalculation by Tbilisi. The blog also says that the...
Georgia: Russian Parliament Recognizes Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Unzipped comments on news that the Russian parliament has voted to recognize the independence of the breakway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia. The Armenian blog says that the move sets an important precedent for resolving another frozen conflict in the region — Nagorno Karabakh.
South Ossetia: What's next, Nagorno-Karabach or Nakhchivan?
Michael J. Totten draws a parallel between the Russian-Georgian conflict in South Ossetia and Abchazia with the potential for resumed Azeri-Armenian conflicts over Nagorno-Karabach or Nakchivan.
Georgia: Saakashvili's Miscalculation
The Armenian Observer says that the latest military confrontation between Russia and Georgia was a miscalculation by the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili. The blog also says that with a defacto state of war waging in Armenia's northern neighbor, there are concerns at home about the conflict with Azerbaijan over another...
Armenia: Oil, Genocide and Obama
Voices Without Votes takes a look at why many Armenians at home and abroad support U.S. Presidential Election Democratic Party Candidate Barack Obama and how Azerbaijanis and Turks are responding to his campaign promise to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
Azerbaijan: Corruption
Thoughts on the Road says that it raised the issue of corruption with a group of Azerbaijani students who determined that both the government and citizens were responsible for fighting against the phenomenon. However, the blog notes, such a reality is first of all dependent on their being the political...
Azerbaijan: A Political Lunch & Blogs
Thoughts on the Road, the blog of an American journalist in Azerbaijan, recounts lunch with an economic and political figure in Sheki, but also reports that the blogging component of a local media training course went very well indeed.
Armenia: Blogger Bank Boycott
The Armenian Observer reports that following the closure of a branch in the self-declared Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, some Armenian bloggers are urging a boycott of the Russian-owned VTB Bank. Central to the problem is that Nagorno Karabakh is recognized internationally as a part of Azerbaijan, and the bank is...
Azerbaijan: Litter
Thoughts On The Road reports on what it calls collective action problems where individuals choose to behave in a manner which adversely affects others. The blog says that the tendency for Azerbaijanis to litter is one example of such behavior. However, the blog notes that as education is key to...
