Oval Useful news from Azerbaijan and Caucasus

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the former Soviet republics tried to search for their place in the new global structure. It was necessary to discover “new neighbors” who had been separated for many decades by the “Iron Curtain.” It took time for the southern neighbors — Turkey, Iran, …

Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the West, launched two decades ago, has helped it become a relatively strong and ambitious actor on the international stage. It has become a key country in the region from the Western (USA and the EU) and Turkish points of view, as well as an important partner …

Obtaining independence on November 18, 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan entered a long lasting1 transition period with different stages, which lasted till 2010. During this period, the economic development of the country experienced several cycles: firstly, the recession (19921995) recovery (1996- 1997), boom (1998-2008) and final slump (starting 2009).

Theses 1. Turkey and Azerbaijan have very close relations for cultural and economic reasons. The only thing that could worsen Turkish-Azerbaijani relations in the future is an improvement of relations between Turkey and Armenia, which is very unlikely. 2. Turkish-Azerbaijani relations have become increasingly pragmatic since the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline was built. Turkey’s energy security and its …

The study of national identity as a phenomenon of collective consciousness is crucial in understanding the development of any society.  National identity is a compound term which, depending on the country, may involve one or more distinctive factors of collective mentality, such as ethnicity, language, culture, or religion (Smith 1993). …

Almost from the start of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, outside or third parties have sought to mediate the conflict, but the conflict remains unresolved.  And that, in turn, has sparked a debate, sometimes intense and sometimes less so, as to whether such media contributes to conflict resolution or in fact keeps …

On 24 July 1949, 60 years ago to the day that this is written, an intrepid group of oil workers began to drill into the bed of the Caspian Sea. They were some 42 kilometres south-east of the Absheron Peninsula – that “beak” of Azerbaijan which juts into the world´s …