Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from February, 2008
Armenia: Exit Polls
The Armenian Economist comments on two exit polls conducted during voting for last week's presidential election in Armenia . The blog appears to consider the British Populus poll the more reliable of the two, but says the discrepancy between the findings of both is striking.
Armenia: Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Resigns
The Armenian Observer comments on reports that ARF-D presidential candidate Vahan Hovannisian has resigned as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. The move follows last week's presidential election in Armenia.
Armenia: Diplomats Resign
Unzipped comments on reports that four senior Armenian diplomats have resigned following Tuesday's disputed presidential election in Armenia. One of them, Armenian Ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal, Ruben Shugaryan, was presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian's aide and press secretary from 1991-3.
Armenia: Post-Election Protests
The Armenian Patchwork posts photos from one of the post-election protest demonstrations staged by presidential candidate and former head of state, Levon Ter-Petrossian. The blog says that to date there has been no coverage of the rallies held to protest the 19 February presidential election in Armenia on national television.
Armenia: Overnight Demonstration
The Armenian Observer details his thoughts after spending a night with a few thousand Ter-Petrossian supporters camped out on Yerevan's Liberty Square following Tuesday's disputed presidential election in Armenia.
Kazakhstan: Political Parallels
Marat posts an interesting view on the Kazakhstani politicians and their clones in the Russian Federation, drawing the parallels by the political nature and status of the personalities.
Kazakhstan: Govt Threatens to Delicense Arcelor Mittal
Zhanna Zhukova reports that after series of tragedies, when dozens of miners were killed in blasts on the coal mines of Arcelor Mittal’s Kazakh subsidiary, the government took a firm stance and warned of the possible cancellation of the license.
Kyrgyzstan: President Ponders to Oust US Troops
Ayan Dane informs readers that Kyrgyzstan's President Bakiev has made a statement that Kyrgyzstan will eventually insist that the United States removes its military airbase from the country.
Uzbekistan: Tycoon Buys English Football Club
Libertad writes that Alisher Usmanov, a businessmen born (and held in custody) in Uzbekistan, currently a mining tycoon and Russia’s 18th richest man, decided to increase his share in the Arsenal FC.
Uzbekistan: Reshuffling Again?
Mansurhon writes about the recent arrest of Uzbekistan's Deputy General Prosecutor, saying that shuffling of higher officials is a usual procedure for Uzbekistan, as president Islam Karimov often changes key people in both in central and local governments.
Kazakhstan: Park in Almaty
Kamneed is posting picturesque photos of the central park in Almaty, a city called Southern capital of Kazakhstan. The shots shows us how this small piece of calmness in the heart of noisy city is looking this winter.
Afganistan: Story Behind Pictures
Mohammad posts a number of pictures of Afghanistan's children in “schools” in remote areas, and says that the current authorities spend billions of western aids on luxurious houses, top model cars and jewelry instead of improving humanitarian situation.
Armenia: Realpolitik and Blat
The BBC's Matthew Collin provides readers of his blog, This is Tbilisi Calling, with a very depressing and sobering look at how some feel about this week's presidential election in Armenia.
Armenia: Endless Protest Action
The Armenian Observer posts photographs from the start of today's “endless protest action” staged by supporters of former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, following Tuesday's disputed presidential election.
Uzbekistan blocks Newsuz.com website
It has been reported that the Uzbek-language website Newsuz.com has been blocked in Uzbekistan. “After a series of critical publications on human rights issues, gas supply issues, and price growth, and also analytical publications on the recent elections, we began receiving letters with threats and demands to follow information posted...
Georgia: Patarkatsishvili Dies
TOL Georgia comments on the death of Badri Patarkatsishvili in London at the age of 52. The blog remembers Georgia's richest man who in recent years has been synonymous with support for opposition groups in the country and who was harshly critical of the Georgian authorities. However, the blog reminds...
Armenia: Karabakh Control
Nazarian reports that a day after the 19 February presidential election marked the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement. Demanding the unification of the territory of Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia proper and causing a war with neighboring Azerbaijan, Nazarian wonders if it the Karabakh movement wasn't a mistake now that...
Armenia: Disputed Election
Nazarian says that the 20 February presidential election in Armenia might well have been the worst in the country's short history as an independent post-Soviet republic. However, international observers said it largely complied with international standards.
Armenia: Opposition Protest
Following a disputed presidential election on Tuesday, The Armenian Observer says that 50,000 people have rallied in support of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian in downtown Yerevan. However, other sources such as the international media and local bloggers such The Armenian Patchwork put numbers far lower. The latter blog also posts...
Kazakhstan: Clinton's Kazakh Affair Is Spinning
Zhanna Zhukova provides an update on the scandal around ex-president of the United States Bill Clinton, his friend Frank Guistra (a Canadian financier & businessman) and Kazakhstan, where Guistra got a lucrative contract in uranium production after a visit to Almaty together with Clinton.
Turkmenistan: Flag Day
Maciula describes the celebration of the Turkmen Flag Day and quotes Shokhrat Kadyrov who claims that the flag of Turkmenistan reflects the symbols of the Teke tribe rather than the whole Turkmen nation.
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