Tag Archives: Azerbaijan

Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan to link power grids

APRIL 21 2024 (The Bulletin) — Iran’s energy ministry said that a project to link the Iranian, Azerbaijani and Russian power grids will start towards the end of the year. The deal is seen as important by Iran because it can import much-needed electricity to its northern regions. Russia has pushed the project as part of its improved relations with Iran since it invaded Ukraine. The three countries have also been working on a south-north trade corridor.

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— This story was published in issue 565 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on April 23 2024

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2024

Armenian seperatist leader goes on hunger strike

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APRIL 19 2024 (The Bulletin) — A billionaire former leader of Armenia-backed rebels in Nagorno-Karabakh has gone on hunger strike in an Azerbaijani prison, media reported. Ruben Vardanyan was arrested in September during a lightning Azerbaijani strike on Stepanakert, the rebel capital. He was the co-founder of Troika Dialog, one of Russia’s biggest investment banks, but he renounced his Russian citizenship in 2022 and moved to Stepanakert to become a leader for several months.

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— This story was published in issue 565 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on April 23 2024

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2024

France recalls ambassador to Azerbaijan

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APRIL 16 2024 (The Bulletin) — France recalled its ambassador in Baku after accusing Azerbaijan of deliberately damaging relations. France is a staunch supporter of Armenia and has boosted military supplies since Azerbaijan recaptured all of the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh last year. Azerbaijan has refused to take part in peace negotiations mediated by France. French intelligence officials have accused Azerbaijan of spreading disinformation about the Olympic Games due to be held in Paris.

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— This story was published in issue 565 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on April 23 2024

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2024

Azerbaijan appoints first ambassador to Israel

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JAN. 11 2023 (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijan appointed its first-ever ambassador to Israel. The appointment came as its relations with Iran continued to sour. It has boosted relations with Israel over the past few years, trading oil for weapons. Israel has previously said that in the event of war with Iran, it will use air bases in Azerbaijan.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Azerbjainan’s energy fund SOFAz denies it plans to buy Latvian gas firm

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JAN. 5 2023 (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijan’s energy wealth fund SOFAZ was forced to deny that it intended to buy Latvia’s biggest gas trading company Lavija Gaze after some news agencies reported that it would shortly become the biggest shareholder. SOFAZ’s cash pile has been swelled by huge inflows from oil and gas sales this year and analysts have said that it is looking to buy assets, especially in Europe.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Repressive leader of Azerbaijan’s Nakchivan retires

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DEC. 21 2022 (The Bulletin) — Vasif Talibov, the repressive leader of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, quit after 26 years for health reasons. He had been given the job by Heydar Aliyev, father of the current Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev. Human rights groups had highlighted Nakhchivan under Mr Tabilov as being particularly repressive and corrupt. Analysts had said that Mr Aliyev would want to exert more direct control over Nakhchivan after his victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. Shahin Mirzayev, the emergencies minister, was appointed head of the region (Jan. 17).

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

New coronavirus variant discovered in Azerbaijan

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OCT. 27 2021 (The Bulletin) — Health officials in Azerbaijan said that they had detected six cases of a new variant of the coronavirus which has been described as 15 times more dangerous than the Delta variant. The AY.4.2 variant was first discovered in Britain, the US and Israel but has now spread to other countries.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Erdogan opens new Nagorno-Karabakh airport

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OCT. 26 2021 (The Bulletin) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew to Nagorno-Karabakh, the region recaptured by Azerbaijan in a war last year against Armenia, for the third time in the past 12 months to open a new airport alongside his ally, Azerbaijani Pres. Ilham Aliyev. The new airport at Fizula is being promoted as one of the highlights of Azerbaijan’s infrastructure push in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Armenia and Iran agree to build road bypassing Azerbaijan

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OCT. 25 2021 (The Bulletin) — Armenia and Iran agreed to build a stretch of road that avoids crossing through territory now controlled by Azerbaijan and to smooth customs regulations, Iranian media quoted Iranian officials as saying. The deal is considered significant as it underlines the neighbours’ commitment to each other despite pressure from Azerbaijan to break up the alliance. It now controls a 20km stretch of road that it captured after defeating Armenia in a war for Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Azerbaijani mineral water wants to export to Europe

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OCT. 22 2021 (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijani mineral water producer Badamly said that it plans to start exporting to Europe and that it has applied for an export licence. Badamly Mineral Water is currently only exporting to FSU countries. The plant used to produce around 350m bottles per year until the late 1990s but now produces around half that at its plant in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan. The most famous mineral water export from the South Caucasus is Georgia’s Borjomi.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021