Eurasianet

The mood in Baku is triumphal but it’s heavy and vengeful rather than joyous.

A facile and naïve plan being discussed in Washington risks backfiring on Iran’s minority Christians.

This week in our Turkmenistan bulletin: Ashgabat and Moscow suddenly ratify an aged security agreement. Plus budgets, boasts and bribes.

Some are speaking out against the conflict despite fears the government’s strong support for Azerbaijan could fuel nationalist reprisals.

The appearance of the self-defense units is the second time this year that civil society has been forced to hold the line. Where the state repeatedly fails to live up to its obligations, volunteers step in.

While it would be wrong to start pointing fingers and formulating conspiracy theories, clearly the risks are many and real.

After rewarding himself with a more pliant constitution, the president held a massive military parade. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Chinese personnel, whose presence Dushanbe denies, forbid reporters from filming.

The military clashes this week have become the latest cause for partisan squabbling.

The move comes as prospects for diplomatic negotiations with Armenia were already deeply troubled after days of heavy fighting between the two sides.

As diplomatic talks stall, Ilham Aliyev blames the negotiators for failing to push Armenia toward concessions.

The government’s lack of capacity helps explain the about-face.

Government troops are rumored to have been dispatched to quell the trouble.

Some hard talk from the Russian foreign minister has led to recriminations in Yerevan and the prospect of Azerbaijan’s foreign minister getting sacked.

Armed forces on both sides appear not to have made many concessions to the need to social distance, but diplomats have held their first videoconference as part of the ongoing peace negotiations.