Saturday, May 01, 2010

INTERNET: New Article on CauCaz.Com

The last of the Georgian Communists
Article published in 12/04/2010 Issue
By Louis-Antoine LE MOULEC in Tbilisi
Translated by Aurora RIVENDALE

The current Georgian government has definitely chosen to fall in line with the West: liberalization, privatization, free movement, desire to join NATO, with their eyes set on the European Union. Nevertheless, at the heart of the Georgian United Communist Party, some still resist and remain vigilant against the "invaders....A journey to a different age.

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Imedi TV: The Russians invaded Georgia, Saakashvili murdered - a joke that evokes only forced laughter
Article published in 22/03/2010 Issue
By Nicolas LANDRU in Tbilisi
Translated by Aurora RIVENDALE

Tbilisi, 20h. Many Georgians would have been in a cold sweat this Saturday, March 13, 2010 if they had not turned on their televisions soon enough. The evening report on the television channel Imedi (hope) was replaced by a fake report which lasted half an hour. It announced a new Russian invasion, the bombing of major cities, and to top it off the assassination of President Mikheil Saakashvili. The result: panic, telephone lines clogged, the looting of a gas station in Gori ... domestic and international criticism, and a shock to the political opposition pulled out from hibernation and forced to launch a new response earlier than expected.

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SPECIAL REPORT: Will The Turkish-Armenian Relations Really Normalize?
Article published in 03/03/2010 Issue
By Burcu GÜLTEKIN PUNSMANN, Harountiun KHACHATRIAN, Nicolas LANDRU

On October 10, 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed protocols in Zürich, which opened the path to the opening of their border and to the normalization of their mutual relations.Not only before the signature of these protocols, but ever since, this act, its consequences and the question of its real impact are controversial in both countries. Political parties, media outlets and street conversations feature opposite opinions, doubts or beliefs, fears and hopes.Caucaz.com presents two opinion pieces from the two neighbouring countries about this new episode of a turbulent bilateral history.

Why the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations should continue by Burcu GÜLETKIN PUNSMANN
Why is Turkey shy of normalizing relations with Armenia? by Harountiun KHACHATRIAN


The Caucasus Television War
Article published in 14/04/2010 Issue
By Sophie TOURNON in Tbilissi
Translated by Aurora RIVENDALE

In Georgia, a new television channel has been born, and has caused quite the stir. However, it is not the only network to start up in recent years and it is not the only company to offer a Georgian-centric perspective of the news and history. Its novelty lies in its mission to deliver on an international level, moving outside of Georgia. Unsurprisingly, this ambition irks Russia, accused of instigating the initial technical problems which threatened the very existence of the network. The question now is: Will the station recover from this set back and will it meet the expected success among populations of North and South Caucasus?

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Portrait of Displaced Georgians: Current Situation and Prospects
Article published in 04/02/2010 Issue
By Sophie TOURNON in Tbilisi
Translated by Aurora RIVENDALE

For over fifteen years, Georgian Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been a social, economic and political reality which has only been partially taken into account in Georgia's political agenda. These 200,000 people, which make up 5 percent of the total population, are not only socially marginalized, but also made into political pawns. An overview of a delicate question...

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‘Caspian Qatar’ faces environmental challenges
Article published in 31/03/2009 Issue
By Bruno DE CORDIER in Baku

In the wake of the oil boom and as a late consequence of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku and the beak-shaped Absheron peninsula are slowly growing into a urban area. The impact on the area’s environmental security is becoming clear.

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The Marjanishvili Theatre in Tbilisi: A stage for Identity-Questions in Georgia
Article published in 21/03/2009 Issue
By Birgit KUCH, University of Leipzig in Tbilisi/Leipzig

Georgian society has undergone rapid changes and continuous transformation in recent years, and determining attitudes towards the Soviet past remains a complex and difficult issue. Which historical moments should be remembered and which ones are better to be forgotten is still a matter of ongoing discussion. A look at the changes and continuities experienced by the Marjanishvili State Academic Drama Theatre in Tbilisi provides a vivid example of how these questions concerning collective identities, memories and representations are being discussed in Georgia today.

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