News Digest
FORMER AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT\'S PARTY DENIES COOPERATING WITH AUTHORITIES
By empty (10/29/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
In a statement released on 29 October, the Social-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, one of the co-chairmen of which is exiled former President Ayaz Mutalibov, denied that the party has either established contact or embarked on cooperation with the ruling authorities. Mutalibov was quoted on 24 October by Interfax as criticizing both the opposition activists who participated in the violent clashes with police on 16 October and the authorities\' harsh reaction to that unrest. Mutalibov expressed the hope that \"a balance can be restored between the authorities and the opposition,\" and that President-elect Aliyev will espouse a more flexible policy and demonstrate \"political vision.U.S. AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION LEADER
By empty (10/29/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Reno Harnish visited Musavat Party Chairman Isa Qambar, who is under house arrest, for 1 1/2 hours on 29 October to discuss the aftermath of the 15 October presidential election, Turan reported. Qambar refuses to recognize the validity of the official results of the ballot, according to which he polled just 13.97 percent of the vote, compared with 76.ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT AGREES THAT GUNMEN SHOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR PAROLE
By empty (10/29/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The pro-presidential parliamentary majority has acceded to a request by opposition deputies to debate an amendment to the new Criminal Code that would preclude the eventual granting of parole to the five parliament gunmen, for whom a prosecutor on 24 October demanded life imprisonment, if they are convicted, RFE/RL\'s Yerevan bureau reported on 28 October. Despite opposition objections, parliament voted last month to abolish the death penalty unconditionally, replacing it with life imprisonment. The new Criminal Code provides for parole for people who have served more than 20 years of a life sentence.WORLD BANK OFFICIAL OPPOSES CEDING MORE ARMENIAN ENERGY FACILITIES TO RUSSIA
By empty (10/29/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The transfer to Russia\'s state-run Unified Energy Systems (EES) of more Armenian energy facilities would be \"undesirable,\" World Bank official Gevorg Sargsian told RFE/RL\'s Yerevan bureau on 28 October. EES has acquired control of 80 percent of Armenia\'s power-generating capacity through a series of equity-for-debt agreements that cleared Yerevan\'s $100 million debt to Moscow. Sargsian stressed that \"we have nothing against EES or any other foreign company,\" but that the bank would prefer that other owners acquire the power facilities remaining to be privatized.Visit also
Staff Publications
Silk Road Paper S. Frederick Starr, Greater Central Asia as A Component of U.S. Global Strategy, October 2024.
Analysis Laura Linderman, "Rising Stakes in Tbilisi as Elections Approach," Civil Georgia, September 7, 2024.
Analysis Mamuka Tsereteli, "U.S. Black Sea Strategy: The Georgian Connection", CEPA, February 9, 2024.
Silk Road Paper Svante E. Cornell, ed., Türkiye's Return to Central Asia and the Caucasus, July 2024.
Book Svante E. Cornell, ed., "The Changing Geopolitics of Central Asia and the Caucasus" AFPC Press/Armin LEar, 2023.
Silk Road Paper Svante E. Cornell and S. Frederick Starr, Stepping up to the “Agency Challenge”: Central Asian Diplomacy in a Time of Troubles, July 2023.
Silk Road Paper S. Frederick Starr, U.S. Policy in Central Asia through Central Asian Eyes, May 2023.