Igor Kapyrin: “I’m really sorry if Georgians think of Russia as an enemy”

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abkhazia, August war, caucasus, Conflict, council of europe, delegation, diplomacy, France, Georgia, negotiations, relations, russia, South Ossetia, Strasbourg, war

Igor Kapyrin is a Deputy to the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Council of Europe. 

By Nana Tabatadze

How would you evaluate situation in Caucasus region?

Right now not only Caucasian but all the post-soviet countries are undergoing hard political time, especially, Caucasian region with questions about territorial integrity issues. The democratic development of all our countries is a complex process. I’m very sorry that the relationships between Russia and one of the Caucasian states are complicated. I think that the President of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili complicated the relationship between Georgia and Russia that were already difficult after the collapse of Soviet Union.

Catherine Trautmann: “No country in Europe is out of the consequences of the crisis.”

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catherine trautmann, crisis, enlargment, greece, integration, South Caucasus

“We are in a systemic crisis. No country in Europe is out of the consequence of the financial crisis, even France and Germany“, – says Catherine Trautmann, former mayor of Strasbourg and French euro-deputy. She speaks about Greece, Europe’s crisis and how it might affect South Caucasus countries in their way towards European integration.

By Hrant Mikaelian and Arshaluis Mghdesyan

“Europe is facing worst crisis since the Second world war”, – said Germany’s prime minister Angela Merkel a couple of days ago. The eurozone has appeared on the verge of a collapse when Greece, Ireland and Portugal became unable to borrow money on free debt market and were forced to ask money from the international creditors.

Being one of the fastest growing economies of Europe in 2000s, Greece now became the most affected by crisis economy in the eurozone. Greece’s average budget deficit in 2001-2008 consisted 6.2% while the maximum level, which is accepted for Eurozone countries is 3%. Now Greece’s debt is more than 300 bln euros, which makes a risk for the Euro stability. But the crisis signs are also seen in other countries: Italy, the third economy of an euro area also faces threat of debt crisis.

Catherine Trautmann, 59, is a former Minister of Culture of France and now Member of the European Parliament for the East of France. Member of the Socialist Partyn part of the Party of European Socialists, she was elected as mayor of Strasbourg in 1989, re-elected in 1995, then defeated in 2001.

Eurovision 2012: Free Music In Non-Free Country?

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2012, council of europe, democracy, eurovision, free music, money, strategy

The Eurovision Song Contest 2012, for its 57th edition, will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in May 2012. A golden opportunity to promote the country and maybe work on democracy.

By Guler Mehdizade & Aytan Alakbarova

The most expected event for 2012. After Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2011 contest with Ell & Nikki’s song “Running Scared”, Eurovision’s organization became like a family business. Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan himself, signed the order on implementing the “Eurovision-2012” song contest in Baku. The first lady, Mehriban Aliyeva, even became the Head of selection in the Organizing Committee.

Margara : The Last Border

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border turkey, margara, poverty, russian patrol

Margara is the last village at the border between Armenia and Turkey, the last closed border of Europe. While talks about an eventual reopening is in the air, Russians are still patrolling around the area, where poverty exploded since the collapse of Soviet Union.

By Hrant Mikaelian & Ovsanna Baghumyan

Margara village is located in Armavir province of Armenia, close to Armenian-Turkish border.

During Soviet times, Margara’s village had a connection to Turkey thanks to a bridge: local people could do trade and pass to the other side. Since 1993, date where the Turks completely closed the border because of Karabah’s conflict, there is no possible access to the bridge.

Nabucco? No, thanks!

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armenia, azerbaijan, Energy, EU, Politics

From Caspian Sea to Europe and without Russia please. Nabucco pipeline project was supposed to become Russian gas alternative for Europeans. Started in 2002, the construction was due to begin in 2011. It is now postponed to 2014.

By Hrant Mikaelian

Within the project framework, a 4000-kilometer gas main should be built, starting in Turkmenistan and passing through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to Central European countries, first of all, Germany and Austria, the biggest consumers of Russian gas.

Nabucco is supported by the United States and Europe, however, not by Russia, whereas concurrent project South Stream (trans-Black Sea gas pipeline that carries natural gas from Russia and Central Asia to Europe) is also supported by Italy.

Yerevan: The Reverse Side of Sarkozy’s visit

Sarko in Caucase (PanArmenian)

The visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Armenia on October 7^th was number one topic in Armenian press. But not only because of its words about recognition of genocide…

By Arsaluis Mghdesyan

Sarkozy In Georgia: La Vie En Rose?

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caucaus, kistch, mascarade, obama, official visit, saakachvili, sarkozy

« Happy Sarkozoba » (Day of Sarkozy) – that was the greeting that could be heard today in the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia. As Nicolas Sarkozy, was in the city,  Georgians were requisitioned from all over the country, to offer a devoted audience to the French President.

By Nana Naskidashvili

Sarkozy is currently paying an official visit of three days in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. And the show must go on. According ‘The Liberali Magazine’, Tbilisi Mayor’s wrote a request letter asking Micha Saakachvili, President of Georgia, to make the 7^th of October a national holiday. Saakashvili fulfilled the request and this Friday, most of Tbilisi residents were not working.