Azerbaijan Criticizes Armenian Delay On Peace Talks

President Ilham Aliyev (file photo) (epa) December 22, 2006 -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has criticized suggestions by Armenia's president that talks on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region be suspended during Armenia's 2007 parliamentary polls.

Aliyev described Robert Kocharian's comments as provocative. Kocharian has said that the talks should be temporarily discontinued to prevent candidates in Armenia from using the talks for their own political ends. Azerbaijan does not recognize the independence of the predominantly ethnic Armenian enclave.

(AP)

A Precarious Balance

A Precarious Balance

Richard Giragosian at RFE/RL on May 25 (RFE/RL)

SECURITY SLIPPING AWAY?: On May 25, RFE/RL's Prague broadcasting center hosted a talk by RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN titled, "The Military Balance In The South Caucasus And Nagorno-Karabakh." Giragosian, a Washington-based analyst of international relations in the former Soviet Union, concentrated on the military balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan as the two countries continue to increase defense spending. Girogosian argued that corruption is the main threat to the national security of both countries. He also commented on other security issues in the South Caucasus, Iran, elsewhere.

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Listen to the entire briefing (about 60 minutes):
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Selected Articles By Richard Giragosian:

Nagorno-Karabakh: Peace May Depend On Military Situation

Georgia: Gas Cutoff Highlights National Security Flaws

Azerbaijan: Has Government Taken A Troubling Example From Andijon?

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