Azerbaijan

Assessing Armenia’s post-war election

Against a backdrop of profound political polarization and deep division, Armenian voters went to the polls on June 20 to elect a new parliament. ...

CIS Heads of Diplomatic Missions issue statement on 80th anniversary of ‘Great Patriotic War’ outbreak

The Brussels-based heads of Diplomatic Missions from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan issued a statement on June 22 to...

Turkey: A state sponsor of terrorism?

Turkey functions like a state-sponsor of terrorism (SST), fueling Islamist extremism domestically and deploying jihadist mercenaries to Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh. Listing Turkey as...

The significance of U.S. recognition of the Armenian genocide

Like every U.S. leader before him, President Joseph Biden issued a commemorative statement on April 24 to mark the annual commemoration of the Armenian...

Keep Calm and Carry On: Ukraine needs a good relationship with the Western media more than ever

'You can't do right for doing wrong', as the old saying goes. Then there's also 'no good deed goes unpunished'. I had the first-hand experience...

How real is the Russian threat to the Baltic States?

During the events that unfolded in Georgia in 2008 and later in Ukraine in 2014, Russia has demonstrated great resolve in attaining geopolitical leverage...

More of the West is needed in Georgia

Before I start describing Georgia as a regional reforms leader and a country, which is well-known for its success while on its way towards...

Is Turkey Biden’s “ally from hell”?

Ten years ago, The Atlantic ran as its cover story a piece titled “The Ally From Hell”. The article followed the raid that killed al-Qaeda...

Good cop, bad cop? How the US and Europe want to deal with Erdogan’s Turkey

These are not good times for Turkey’s relations with the West. European diplomats in Ankara refer to a downward spiral to describe the relationship....

Amnesty calls for probe into civilian casualties on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately investigate the use of "inaccurate and indiscriminate weapons" in civilian areas during...

The global political game in the South Caucasus is finally settled

The regions of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia, have now been finally liberated as a result of counterattacks by the Azeri Army against the Armenians...

Europe turns the tables on Russian gas

As we move into 2021, Southeast Europe’s concern about security and diversity of energy supply and over-reliance on Russia gas is now history, a...

Secretary Pompeo lets Turkey know what Washington really thinks

In an exchange that warmed the hearts of all Greeks and Greek Cypriots everywhere and was reported as front-page news, US Secretary of State...

The Bulgarian hammer comes down

Firmly refusing to approve the negotiating framework for the “Intergovernmental Conference” required to launch North Macedonia’s EU accession process, Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva...

Elections in Nagorno-Karabakh don't dismiss democracy

Normally, a free and fair election is a welcome exercise of democracy and freedom.  But in the case of the unrecognised Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,...

Coronavirus to adversely affect the Caspian region oil market

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – Coronavirus pandemic and drop in oil prices adversely affected the oil industry in the Caspian region, a Russian expert on oil...

Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan arrest women's rights activists on International Women's Day

Police officers detained an activist during a rally held to support women's rights and to protest against violence towards women in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. Activists...

Kazakh seaports temporarily suspend servicing ships from Azerbaijan and Iran

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – As of 5 March, Kazakhstan is temporarily suspending services at the ports of Aktau and Kuryk in the Caspian Sea for...

Azerbaijani police violently disperse post-election protest

Azerbaijani police have violently dispersed protests following contested parliamentary elections in the country. Last week, the country started a snap election in an effort to...

Azerbaijan ruling party wins snap parliamentary elections

According to exit polls, long-term president Ilham Aliyev and his ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) won a majority of seats in Azerbaijan’s snap parliamentary...

France rejects suggestions that Eastern Partnership could lead to EU membership

France has rejected suggestions that the Eastern Partnership could lead to EU membership for countries included in the program. The partnership consists of the EU...

Nursultan Nazarbayev airport code will be changed in April 2020

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan - The change of airport code Nursultan Nazarbayev will occur in April, Kazakhstan’s Industry and Infrastructure Development Ministry said on 23 January. “The...

Greece launches expanded LNG terminal to deliver gas to the Balkans

REVITHOUSSA, Greece - Greece inaugurated on November 22 the upgraded liquefied natural gas terminal (LNG) in Revithoussa, operated by gas grid operator DESFA, in...

Greece, Egypt and the EU support Cyprus’ right to explore for hydrocarbons

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Egyptian President met on the island of Crete on October 10, for talks aimed at...

At Rome ‘Club Med’ summit, Greece gets a line on TAP gas to Italy

As heads of state and government of Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, or so-called “Club Med,’ convened in Rome on January...

Šefčovič, Pyatt say Greece can help boost EU energy security

PIRAEUS, Greece – Greece’s position as an energy hub that can help the European Union increase its energy security and diversification of supplies, reducing...

France’s Total leads hydrocarbon exploration offshore Greece

ATHENS – Greece has signed a lease agreement with the joint venture Total-Edison-Hellenic Petroleum for the Block 2 at the Ionian Sea, offshore Greece.At...

US company boosts East Med’s Israel-Cyprus-Greece-EU pipeline

ATHENS - Plans to build the East-Med pipeline, which could transport up to 16 billion cubic metres from the offshore gas reserves in the...

Walking the line, Greece backs dueling EU pipelines

ATHENS – Greece continues to view positively plans by DEPA, Edison and Gazprom to revive the IGI Poseidon pipeline to transport Russian gas across...

Putin brings his energy game to Athens

ATHENS - Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Greece on May 28 to boost Moscow’s energy relations with Athens and secure the...

Greece caught in EU’s pipeline spat with Russia

DELPHI, Greece – The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), which includes the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Interconnector-Greece-Bulgaria (IGB),...

Discussion over Russian-German pipe turns political

The ongoing discussion about the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project is political, European Commission Vice President for the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič...

Greece, Bulgaria Gas Link To Lessen EU Dependence on Russia

Greece and Bulgaria signed on December 10 a long-delayed final investment agreement (FID) to build a 180-kilometre natural gas pipeline to help Sofia reduce...

John Kerry Graces Greece with a Mini-visit. Check off that box.

The real news is that the Kerry Greece visit actually happened December 4th.  That’s one more box to check off for last week’s European...

With Washington’s Blessing: Greece Wants To Be Hub For East Med, Caspian Gas

ATHENS – The major gas discoveries in Israel, Cyprus and Egypt have completely changed regional geopolitics and energy supply in the Eastern Mediterranean, Energean...

EU Fast-Tracks Tesla, Eastring Gas Lines

The European Commission on November 18 included the Tesla and Eastring gas pipelines in its updated Project of Common Interests (PCIs) list, which will...

TANAP Key EU Conduit for Azeri Gas

BAKU – The Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) that will carry gas from Azerbaijan’s massive Shah Deniz 2 field is of strategic nature for Turkey...

Fearing Russian Gas Cuts, Bulgaria Goes Underground

Bulgaria is expanding an underground gas storage site to guard against any gas supply cuts from Russian gas monopoly Gazprom. The expansion is expected...

Iran’s Re-emergence Promising For EU Market, Caspian region

ATHENS – The deal Iran reached with world powers over its nuclear programme, which was approved by the Iranian parliament on October 13, is...

G20 Ministers Stream Competing EU Pipeline Projects, Fret Over Oil

G20 energy ministers met in Istanbul on October 2, striving for sustainable development amidst low oil prices and climate change negotiations. European Commissioner for...

Greece-Bulgaria pipe to break Gazprom monopoly

BRATISLAVA – Implementing an agreement to construct a gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece, which is likely to be signed in early July, is important for the energy...

And The Azeri Gas Goes To… The Envelope, Please!

ANAVYSSOS, Greece – After intense preparation, Nabucco West and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) are waiting for Azerbaijan to announce its decision about the pipeline...

Gazprom, SOCAR for Greece’s DEPA, DESFA

ATHENS - Following Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ visit to Baku on 19 May and Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller’s visit to Athens on 21...

Greece irons out ‘technical details’ of DEPA sale

The privatisation tender for Greek Public Gas Corporation DEPA and gas network operator DESFA has been postponed “for technical reasons” and will be held...

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