Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia signed a $422 million deal on Wednesday to build a railway corridor between Europe and Asia.
The Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, due for completion in 2009, follows the construction of major oil and gas pipelines that have turned the three countries into a strategic energy artery.
Until now there has been no direct rail link between neighbors Georgia and Turkey.
President Ilham Aliyev called the signing of the agreement of the railroad another triumph of independence of Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Building of the railway is expected to start in June and is scheduled for completion in two years.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Europe's new link to the Caspian
The South Caucasus is often an excluded or forgotten issue in the EU foreign policy debate. A simplified description of EU's FP priorities would yield the following distribution: the Middle East, Lebanon, environment, relations with China (less so with Russia) are in while the Western Balkans, Turkey, and the Transatlantic relationship are out.
Omitting the South Caucasus from the list of priority issues is unfortunate and the EU should revers this. The Commission's answer to Europe's new East is insufficient. The ENP falls short of providing the heavily political support which the South Caucasus countries need in order to develop into full fledged democracies with functional market economies. Considering the neighborhood -- a patronizing Russia, about to be nuclear Iran, politically unstable Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and radical Islam perpetrating through Iran -- the South Caucasus need an anchor in order to find room for reforms. Europe on its part needs a stable, developed and integrated South Caucasus in order to make the most of the energy potential in the Caspian region. Second, a secure and democratic South Caucasus is a stable bridge for Europe's entry into Central Asia.
If the region bulks under instability, Europe's chances to secure new and non-Russian energy supplies will significantly diminish. Further, the region could slip back into the Russian orbit of influence, which means the gateway to Central Asia will be closed at the Georgian-Black Sea coast.
Europe should urgently do three things in order to better its position in the strategic game being played over the South Caucasus. First, up its political dialogue and engagement through offering broader commitments and a long-term association perspective for the South Caucasus countries. Second, European policy towards Moscow needs better coordination. A united Europe vis-a-vis Russia will ensure a more assertive Europe in the South Caucasus and a more sturdy European energy position. With the enlargement of the EU to Bulgaria and Romania, the broader Black Sea region has become Europe's own back yard.
In the end, European endeavors to resolve the series of frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus region need to be more assertive and explicit.
For now, Europe is choosing to remain a political light-weight in the region, cautious of over committing itself. Ensuring that Europe plays a major role in this region is perhaps the single most important strategic decision the EU will have to make in the upcoming year. The stakes -- energy and security -- are enormous if the opportunity to affect change in the South Caucasus countries and their assimilation towards the EU is lost.
-bg
The South Caucasus is often an excluded or forgotten issue in the EU foreign policy debate. A simplified description of EU's FP priorities would yield the following distribution: the Middle East, Lebanon, environment, relations with China (less so with Russia) are in while the Western Balkans, Turkey, and the Transatlantic relationship are out.
Omitting the South Caucasus from the list of priority issues is unfortunate and the EU should revers this. The Commission's answer to Europe's new East is insufficient. The ENP falls short of providing the heavily political support which the South Caucasus countries need in order to develop into full fledged democracies with functional market economies. Considering the neighborhood -- a patronizing Russia, about to be nuclear Iran, politically unstable Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and radical Islam perpetrating through Iran -- the South Caucasus need an anchor in order to find room for reforms. Europe on its part needs a stable, developed and integrated South Caucasus in order to make the most of the energy potential in the Caspian region. Second, a secure and democratic South Caucasus is a stable bridge for Europe's entry into Central Asia.
If the region bulks under instability, Europe's chances to secure new and non-Russian energy supplies will significantly diminish. Further, the region could slip back into the Russian orbit of influence, which means the gateway to Central Asia will be closed at the Georgian-Black Sea coast.
Europe should urgently do three things in order to better its position in the strategic game being played over the South Caucasus. First, up its political dialogue and engagement through offering broader commitments and a long-term association perspective for the South Caucasus countries. Second, European policy towards Moscow needs better coordination. A united Europe vis-a-vis Russia will ensure a more assertive Europe in the South Caucasus and a more sturdy European energy position. With the enlargement of the EU to Bulgaria and Romania, the broader Black Sea region has become Europe's own back yard.
In the end, European endeavors to resolve the series of frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus region need to be more assertive and explicit.
For now, Europe is choosing to remain a political light-weight in the region, cautious of over committing itself. Ensuring that Europe plays a major role in this region is perhaps the single most important strategic decision the EU will have to make in the upcoming year. The stakes -- energy and security -- are enormous if the opportunity to affect change in the South Caucasus countries and their assimilation towards the EU is lost.
-bg
Various religious traditions have different repercussions in different countries. Let’s have a look at the day of Ashura, when Shi’a Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. This day, people provide free meal, but also chest-beat, self-flagellate and do several other things in remembrance.
The countries with Shia Muslim population witness these customs and traditions of Ashura, but things look different in each of them. Azerbaijan is unique in this sense, with the difference being of humanistic and social nature.
Even during the soviet period of its history, Azerbaijan was the place where all these traditions were observed despite the pressures from the atheistic communist authorities. Since gaining independence in 1991, people of Azerbaijan continued in even larger scale mourning at Ashura, but the core rituals turned from self-imposed pain and suffering to other, socially more important actions.
In contemporary Azerbaijan, the majority donates blood and provides food to the needy. This is the case both for the capital city of Baku and the regions of Azerbaijan. Interestingly, last years the foreigners, including non-Muslims, also joined the people in these efforts. Among those, who donated blood this year were many representatives of the diplomatic missions, including the U.S. Ambassador Anne Derse, other representatives of the diplomatic corps.
It is, indeed, crucial to put social and humanistic substance into the customs and traditions we observe for centuries, to adapt religious dogma to the realities of a secular society. And if you want to know how, come to Azerbaijan.
Tahir&Khazar
The countries with Shia Muslim population witness these customs and traditions of Ashura, but things look different in each of them. Azerbaijan is unique in this sense, with the difference being of humanistic and social nature.
Even during the soviet period of its history, Azerbaijan was the place where all these traditions were observed despite the pressures from the atheistic communist authorities. Since gaining independence in 1991, people of Azerbaijan continued in even larger scale mourning at Ashura, but the core rituals turned from self-imposed pain and suffering to other, socially more important actions.
In contemporary Azerbaijan, the majority donates blood and provides food to the needy. This is the case both for the capital city of Baku and the regions of Azerbaijan. Interestingly, last years the foreigners, including non-Muslims, also joined the people in these efforts. Among those, who donated blood this year were many representatives of the diplomatic missions, including the U.S. Ambassador Anne Derse, other representatives of the diplomatic corps.
It is, indeed, crucial to put social and humanistic substance into the customs and traditions we observe for centuries, to adapt religious dogma to the realities of a secular society. And if you want to know how, come to Azerbaijan.
Tahir&Khazar
What do these statements by Armenian Foreign Minister aim at?
"The document on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict put on the bargaining table contents Armenia,' Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian declared in Hague. `The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have proposed a document which we consider logical. If we resolve the issue in compliance with the document, we shall get a solution that will not counter our national interests. That means we shall have safeguarded the self-determination of Artsakhi people, their security, as well as the unimpeded link between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. These three points are provided for in the document,' said the ForeignMinister. Vartan Oskanian added that Azerbaijan continues its militaryrhetoric, which exerts negative influence on the atmosphere. `In any case it does not frighten us at all, does not divert from the path we have chosen. Our Army, the 15th anniversary of which we celebrated with luxury, is rather strong, self-confident and well prepared. Ourofficial stances are firm, and we do not thing at least during the coming ten years Azerbaijan will dare to undertake any infringement against Armenia or NKR,' the Foreign Minister underlined."
ArmRadio.am31.01.2007 11:23
Tahir&Khazar
"The document on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict put on the bargaining table contents Armenia,' Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian declared in Hague. `The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have proposed a document which we consider logical. If we resolve the issue in compliance with the document, we shall get a solution that will not counter our national interests. That means we shall have safeguarded the self-determination of Artsakhi people, their security, as well as the unimpeded link between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. These three points are provided for in the document,' said the ForeignMinister. Vartan Oskanian added that Azerbaijan continues its militaryrhetoric, which exerts negative influence on the atmosphere. `In any case it does not frighten us at all, does not divert from the path we have chosen. Our Army, the 15th anniversary of which we celebrated with luxury, is rather strong, self-confident and well prepared. Ourofficial stances are firm, and we do not thing at least during the coming ten years Azerbaijan will dare to undertake any infringement against Armenia or NKR,' the Foreign Minister underlined."
ArmRadio.am31.01.2007 11:23
Tahir&Khazar
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