Azerbaijan and Georgia: Playing Russian Roulette with Moscow

(Yesterday the Central Asia - Caucasus Institute published an excellent article by Alexandros Petersen and our very own Taleh Ziyadov.)

"It is no secret that Russian-Georgian relations have gone from bad to worse since the 2003 Rose Revolution. Yet in December 2006, Moscow for the first time since 2000 attempted to use economic pressure against Azerbaijan, with whom it had been successfully developing bilateral ties in deep contrast to Georgia. Some experts have speculated that Georgia provided the impetus for Moscow to suddenly to increase prices for natural gas and electricity exports to Azerbaijan. Did Russia try to recruit Azerbaijan in its effort to isolate Georgia, and refused? Was this an attempt to spoil Azerbaijani-Georgian relations, and could it potentially threaten the cordial relationship that Baku has maintained with the Kremlin since 2000?"

Read the full article here.