RFE/RL Caucasus Report
06.09.2013
A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about the countries of the South Caucasus and Russia's North Caucasus region.
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EU Sees Problem With Armenia On Customs Union
A top European Union official says the bloc is unlikely to initial an Association Agreement it has negotiated with Armenia as expected because of Yerevan’s declared choice to join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. More 
Prominent Armenian Activists Beaten
Two prominent Armenian activists have been hospitalized after they were attacked by unknown assailants. More 
Georgia PM Clarifies Stance On Union
Georgia's prime minister says he is surprised by some politicians' harsh criticism of remarks he made regarding Tbilisi possibly joining the Russia-led Eurasian integration process. More 
Explainer: Can Armenia Square Its EU Goals With Joining Russia's Customs Union?
Armenia's surprise decision to join Russia's customs union came as it was poised to sign a key political and free-trade deal with the EU at a summit in November -- and both Brussels and Moscow have said countries can't have both. Can Armenia have its cake and eat it too? More 
Georgia To Destroy Illegal Recordings
More than 100 legally dubious audio and video recordings secretly made of Georgian citizens have been destroyed in Tbilisi. More A group of Islamist militants from Russia's volatile North Caucasus region fighting in Syria say they have split with a major Al-Qaeda-linked rebel unit. More 
News Analysis: Armenia's Choice Stirs Competition Between Moscow, EU
The Armenian president's decision to favor joining the Russian-led Customs Union at the expense of closer EU ties has raised questions about Moscow's regional ambitions. More Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's administration says it still hopes to initiate a key agreement with the European Union this year. More 
Mastermind Behind Georgian-Chechen Shoot-Out Still Not Identified
Last week marked the first anniversary of what has since been revealed as an abortive covert operation, apparently masterminded by the Georgian Interior Ministry, which resulted in a gunfight that cost the lives of 11 young Chechen fighters, two Georgian Army servicemen, and a military doctor. More 
Interview: U.S. Economist Judy Shelton Skeptical Of Customs Union
RFE/RL speaks with Judy Shelton, an economist and the vice chairwoman of the board of directors of the U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy, about why Russia is creating its own economic zone as a rival to the EU and how it is pressing states to join. More EU officials are warning Armenia that its decision to join a Russia-led trade union may thwart its chances to sign a key political and economic agreement with the bloc. More 
German MEP Regrets Armenia's Customs Union Move
After Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian announced that his country was going to join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, RFE/RL spoke to Elmar Brok, a German member of the European Parliament and chairman of its Foreign Affairs Committee, about how he thinks the move will affect Yerevan's relations with the EU. More 
Armenia To Join Russian-Led Customs Union
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian says his country has decided to join the Russia-led Customs Union. More 
Coming Or Going, Georgian Minaret Draws Ire
The fate of a minaret from a mosque in southern Georgia has sparked controversy between local Muslims and Orthodox Christians. More 
HRW: Azeri Freedoms Attacked
Human Rights Watch says the Azerbaijani government has been carrying out a "deliberate" strategy to "limit dissent" ahead of the Caspian Sea country's October 9 presidential election. More 
Ethnic Armenians In Syria Brace For Missile Strikes
As the United States and its allies lay plans for what many believe will be a sustained missile strike inside Syria, the sizable ethnic Armenian community in that country is bracing for the worst but carrying on with daily life. Some say the Armenian government should be doing more to help. More |
