Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from September, 2008
Kosovo, South Ossetia: Recognition Score
A Fistful of Euros writes about international recognition of Kosovo vs that of South Ossetia, and explains why it is likely that Kosovo will soon be recognized by Montenegro.
Turkey: Genocide Stories
Project Common Humanity, a new blog established by researcher and writer Ziya Meral, asks its readers to submit stories of Turks who saved their Armenian neighbors during the 1915 Genocide.
Armenia: Opposition Momentum Declining
The Armenian Observer comments on yesterday's opposition rally in Yerevan and says that it was the smallest gathering yet.
Turkey: “Armenian Istanbul”
Sundry Translations and Other Tangentialia translates Mark Grigorian's LJ entries (RUS – here, here, here) on Istanbul's Armenian dimension.
Russia: Lavrov Needs a Vacation
Eternal Remont thinks that Sergei Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, deserves certain pity and needs a vacation.
Georgia: Tbilisi Photos
Photos from a weekend walk around Tbilisi's old neighborhoods – by LJ user shupaka (RUS).
Georgia: Travelogue
Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal recounts a recent trip from Azerbaijan to post-conflict Georgia. Traveling with veteran Caucasus journalist Thomas Goltz, Totten details an attempt to visit Russian-occupied Gori and an unfortunate encounter with Azerbaijani customs officials on his return to Baku. The problem? The Lonely Planet Guide to...
South Ossetia: A Photojournalist's Musings On the War
Firsthand reports from the conflict zone in the Caucasus continue to appear here and there in the Russophone blogosphere. On Sept. 8, one month since the beginning of the war in South Ossetia and Georgia, Russian photojournalist Oleg Klimov posted his musings on what the war looks like and what it smells like, on the media and propaganda, and on what seems like the universal nature of wartime looting.
Estonia-Finland: Divided views on dealing with Russia
Itching for Eestima discusses how Finland deals with its Russian neighbour in the Georgia war context and reflects on Estonia's role.
Russia: Getting the Message Through
Kosmopolit comments on the difficulties for Russian leaders to get their message through internationally, when their political language does not come across to their audience.
Georgia: War With Russia Poll
Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a telephone opinion poll conducted in the aftermath of the recent Russia-Georgia conflict over South Ossetia. Although the specialist blog says that this is the first time it has heard of the pollsters, it provides its readers with the results in which 42.4...
Russia: Washington Post's Coverage
The Ivanov Report dissects the Washington Post's recent coverage of Russia: “What was somewhat surprising, though, was the level of the Post's attention to the topic: between August 9 and September 2, the Post has published a whopping 37 editorials and op-eds (and I might have missed some) — not...
Russia: Pipeline “Victory”
Window on Eurasia writes about Russia's “major victory on pipelines”: “[…] the Russian government will now have full and uncontested control over pipelines between the Caspian basin and the West which pass through Russian territory and will be able either directly or through its clients like the PKK to disrupt...
Kazakhstan: Almaty Today weblog
Adam links to the newborn weblog, dedicated specifically to Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, its news, problems and architecture projects.
Kazakhstan: A set of good news
Michael Hancock reviews the newswires’ reportings on Kazakhstan, picking the agribusiness development, the banking sector news and energy issues.
Russia-Georgia: Unimportance of Political Events
Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog questions the importance of events and how they are spun by the media, and posts a few examples to prove the point in relation to the Russia-Georgia war.
Russia: American and European expectations of Russia
The 8th Circle draws attention to the Transatlantic Trends 2008 report, dealing with e.g. views toward a Reassertive Russia, NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, and Turkey’s relations with the West.
Armenia: Relations with Turkey — What Next?
After the historic visit by Turkish president Abdullah Gul to Yerevan at the weekend to watch an Armenia-Turkey World Cup qualifying match with his local counterpart, Serge Sargsyan, Security in the Caucasus examines the question of what next for the two estranged neighboring countries.
Turkey: Armenian Sport in the Ottoman Empire
“For the first time in the history of Turkish Olympic Games, two Armenian sportsmen Vahram Papazian and Mkrtich Mkryan represented Ottoman Turkey in the Fifth International Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912,” writes Turkish blogger, Mavi Boncuk, as he announces an exhibit at the Armenian Genocide Museum on “Armenian Sport...
Armenia: Local Elections Marred by Violence
Unzipped comments on the possible appointment of a notorious government official to the position of Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly. The blog also reports that local elections held in Yerevan yesterday were marred by reports of violence, vote buying and other irregularities.
Uzbekistan: Tashkent 2200
Manshuron continues a series of photo-response by the bloggers to the call for pictures of Tashkent to celebrate the 2200th anniversary of the Uzbekistan's capital city.