 RFE/RL Caucasus Report 7/9/2010 6:00:32 PM A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about the countries of the South Caucasus and Russia's North Caucasus region. For more stories on the Caucasus, please visit and bookmark our Caucasus page . |
 Georgia's Main Gas Pipeline Up For Grabs Georgia's parliament has now passed in the first reading a draft law on the privatization of state assets that abolishes existing restrictions on the sale of the main North-South gas pipeline. The Georgian opposition has already expressed concern that Russia might acquire a controlling stake in the pipeline, giving it huge economic leverage. Meanwhile, there is concern in Armenia, which receives a large share of its gas via that pipeline, that Azerbaijan, which already manages much of Georgia's gas distribution network, might seek to acquire it. More  Bank Of Georgia Sells Stake In Belarusian Bank The Bank of Georgia, the country's leading universal bank, says the International Finance Corporation has purchased a stake in the Belarusky Narodny Bank More  Armenia Tries 6 For Plot To Kill Tax Chief A Yerevan court has begun a trial for six men accused of plotting to assassinate Gagik Khachatrian, the head of Armenia's State Revenue Committee. More  Chechnya's Kadyrov Urges Militants To Surrender Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov has announced that effective immediately, any militants who wish to lay down their arms and return to civilian life may inform law enforcement agencies via their families of their desire to do so. More  Azerbaijan's Donkey Bloggers Are Just The Beginning The Azerbaijani government sent a message to a new generation of opposition-minded youth who have courageously used Internet technologies to circumvent their government's stranglehold on the media: You can have your Turkish soap operas on YouTube, your 24-hour soccer channels and dating sites, but stay out of politics. More  Armenia Watchdog Chides Media YEREVAN -- Armenia's human rights ombudsman has described the situation regarding media freedom in the country as "worrisome" in a special report released today, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. More  Diaspora Tycoon To Build Armenian Schools An Armenian-American billionaire will provide $12 million to build and refurbish schools in Armenia, representatives of his foundation has said. More  Armenian Police Tried In Custody Death Four police officers have gone on trial in Armenia over the suspicious death of a man at a police station. More  Armenian Parties Disagree On Results Of Clinton Visit Armenia's leading political forces have offered differing assessments of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Yerevan. More  Azerbaijani Journalist Jailed Again Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev has been sentenced to prison for the third time. More  Clinton Concludes 'Reassurance' Tour of Russia's Neighbors U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has concluded a five-day tour through Ukraine, Poland, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, on a trip meant to assure Russia's neighbors the U.S. is not abandoning them in favor of closer ties with Moscow. Did she succeed? More  U.S. 'Committed' To Georgia's Territorial Integrity U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has declared her "steadfast" support for Georgia and warned Russia against building military bases inside the country. Visiting the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Clinton said the United States did not accept Georgia as part of a Russian "sphere of influence." More  Azerbaijan Presses Clinton On Nagorno-Karabakh U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Azerbaijan to seek a restart of peace talks over Nagorno-Karabakh, repair frayed bilateral ties, and press the oil-rich Caucasus nation on human rights. More |
