Author: Goga Akhalkatsi

When the United States and its Western allies are so distracted by the war in Ukraine, it poses a challenge for those of us elsewhere in the world. How do we ensure the conflicts we face, which are just as urgent and real, are fully understood in the Western corridors of power and the columns of newspapers? Take the situation in Karabakh. This region of Azerbaijan was occupied by neighboring Armenia for 30 years. And after a brutal war in the early 1990s, which saw close to 1 million Azerbaijanis ethnically cleansed from their land, occupying Armenian forces mined thousands…

The Georgian delegation headed by the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili attended the Third Summit of the European Political Community (EPC) held in Granada, Spain on October 5-6. The visit centered around the anticipated report of the European Commission on Georgia’s fulfillment of the twelve conditions for becoming the candidate for membership in the EU. The summit was attended by the heads of 47 European countries and heads of various institutions of the European Union. The Prime Minister participated in a thematic discussion on “Multilateralism, Security and Geopolitical Developments” and held meetings with his counterparts from various countries. He also met the President…

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was announced on the sidelines of the recently concluded G20 leaders’ summit in New Delhi. The project, if completed, could act as a foil to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive infrastructure project that has fueled concerns over Beijing’s extensive footprint across at least three continents. Ambitious rail and shipping project The IMEC is a transnational rail and shipping route spread across two continents, which the United States expects to energize economic development through improved connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf and Europe. It will include two separate corridors — the eastern corridor connecting India to the Arabian…

Israel has not only been the victim of a vicious and despicable terrorist attack. It is also the victim of a brazenly cynical move to disrupt the international stage and subvert tranquility in the Middle East. The Israeli-Palestinian powder keg conveniently served to add yet another full scale crisis putting even further pressure on a global order already strained to breaking point. Although no concrete evidence exists of any involvement in the attacks, Russia stands to gain the most from this extra flash point on the world map, as violence and war in the Middle East distracts from Putin’s unjustified…

Representatives of Georgian-based tourism businesses on Friday said the hosting of the 2024 m&i Forum, an event for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism industry, next year in Georgia would make a “positive effect” on the tourism industry of the country. Maka Kubusidze, the Founder of Click Holding event company, said the event would create an “excellent” opportunity for Georgia to position itself on the world business tourism map. The country will have the opportunity to introduce Georgia and its leisure as well as business tourism opportunities to the representatives of 110 European companies. Georgian companies will have the…

Positive economic trends in Georgia were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting of the Government’s Economic Council led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. The meeting reviewed a “record” increase of foreign investments in the country, with the volume of direct foreign investments made in Georgia in the second quarter of 2023 reaching $505.7 million, which is 29.9 percent higher than the adjusted data of the Q2 of 2022, the Government Administration said. The members of the Council also discussed the growth trend of foreign trade indicators, noting that the trade turnover in this August amounted to $1,766.1 million, increasing by…

Senior Russian legislators will consider revoking the ratification of a global nuclear test ban treaty after President Vladimir Putin suggested resuming nuclear weapons tests, the parliament’s speaker said Friday. Putin said Thursday it was “theoretically possible” to de-ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) since the United States had signed but not ratified it. Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s lower-house State Duma, said he and his fellow deputies will discuss Russia’s exit from CTBT “at the next meeting,” which is scheduled for Oct. 9, according to RIA Novosti. “The situation in the world has changed. Washington and Brussels have unleashed a war against our…

Dublin, London (9/10 – 25) The pool stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France reached its final day on Sunday. The eight quarter-final contenders who will compete on 14 and 15 October are now confirmed. Host France are the Pool A winner, followed by three-time champion New Zealand. Italy finished third in Pool A, neatly qualifying them for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. From Pool B, current World Number One Ireland are flexing their muscles with a perfect record: four wins out of four matches makes them Group Winner. Defending champion South Africa finished second, with Scotland managing…

Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has held a phone talk with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Azernews reports. The ministers discussed bilateral issues, as well as the current regional situation in the post-conflict period. During the telephone conversation, issues that arose following the results of recent meetings held between the co-chairs of the Azerbaijan-Iran State Commission on Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Cooperation, and further steps to be taken were discussed. In addition, the contribution of high-level meetings and interdepartmental contacts between the two countries to the development of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations was highly appreciated. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian once again recalled his meeting with President…

We strongly condemn and reject the baseless anti-Azerbaijan allegations of French President Emmanuel Macron voiced on October 5 during the press conference held in the scope of Granada meeting of the European Political Community, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. The statement of Foreign Ministry reads: “Allegations of the French President on the refusal of Azerbaijan and Türkiye to participate in the Granada meeting are a clear case of hypocrisy. The participants of this event are well aware of the particular opposition of France to Türkiye’s participation in the meeting. The French President spreading false information on this issue is improper behavior…