Georgia's Only Oil Refinery to Stop Processing Russian Crude

Good news! Make Russia more dependent on China, India, North Korea!

Georgia's Only Oil Refinery to Stop Processing Russian Crude "In brief: Black Sea Petroleum LLC, owner of Georgia's only oil refinery, confirmed on Monday, Aug. 4, that it is phasing out Russian crude oil. The Kulevi refinery began processing Kazakh-origin crude in early July and expects a shipment of Libyan crude between Aug. 20-30 under an agreement running through 2027. The move follows EU sanctions that gave the refinery until January 2027 to end Russian oil processing."

Azerbaijan Confirms Secret German-Russian high level Talks Were Held in Baku

Disturbing news! Possibly a political bombshell revelation! Incredible, if confirmed!

Again how clueless and naive is the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz?

"... According to flight records cited by media reports, the clandestine meeting took place in the Azerbaijani capital from July 12 to 14. Aliyev’s remarks marked Azerbaijan’s first public acknowledgment of the reported visits, though he emphasized that Baku did not organize, host or participate in the talks.

Similar quiet channels of dialogue reportedly also took place in Baku last year. ...

Unofficial diplomatic channels

The confirmation follows a joint investigation by German media outlets Die Zeit and ARD, which reported that former senior German politicians have been holding back-channel discussions with Russian representatives in Baku since 2024.

Among those reportedly involved on the German side were former Chancellery chief Ronald Pofalla and former Brandenburg Minister-President Matthias Platzeck.

The Russian delegation reportedly included senior figures close to 4Vladimir Putin, including Gazprom chairman Viktor Zubkov and Valery Fadeyev, head of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights. ..."

Azerbaijan Confirms Secret German-Russian Talks Were Held in Baku "In brief: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that former German and Russian officials held secret talks in Baku earlier this month to discuss possible ways to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Aliyev said Azerbaijan was not officially informed by either side. Merz denied any German government involvement, while the reported talks raised concerns over unofficial diplomacy without Ukraine at the table."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliev sign the Joint Declaration of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Azebaijan on Bilateral Cooperation at the Chancellery in Berlin on July 21, 2026. 

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Lauds Trump as ‘a Man of Peace,’ Credits Him with Armenia‑Azerbaijan Deal

President Trump, the peacemaker!

"... the Azerbaijani president credited Trump’s success to a fundamentally different approach to resolving long-running conflicts. ...

The Azerbaijani president argued that previous administrations spent nearly three decades pursuing policies that effectively froze the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict rather than resolving it, while Trump approached the conflict from an entirely different perspective. ...

Describing Trump as “a person who loves peace” who “sees peace as an opportunity,” Aliyev said Trump’s role proved decisive as Azerbaijan and Armenia reached the final stage of negotiations on a peace agreement. According to Aliyev, Trump and his team understood Azerbaijan’s concerns, worked to persuade Armenia that peace served both countries’ interests and ultimately “created such a framework that peace became possible.” ..."

EXCLUSIVE: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Lauds Trump as ‘a Man of Peace,’ Credits Him with Armenia‑Azerbaijan Deal "Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed President Donald Trump as a uniquely effective peacemaker whose fundamentally different approach to diplomacy proved decisive in securing the historic Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement and ushered in what he described as an unprecedented new era of U.S.-Azerbaijani relations."

Armenia PM Pashinyan’s Ruling Party Wins Polls: Early Results

Good news, I suppose! Elections have consequences!

This is not a Radio Yerevan joke anymore! 😊 

Armenia PM Pashinyan’s Ruling Party Wins Polls: Early Results "Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s party led early parliamentary election results on Monday, putting him on course to strengthen Armenia’s shift toward the West despite Russian pressure and allegations of interference. Pashinyan hailed a “historic victory” and vowed to pursue peace with Azerbaijan while maintaining ties with Moscow."

P.S. A supposedly Radie Yerevan joke: " Is it possible to drive a Moskvitch on a curve at 100 km/h? — In general yes, but only once"

Armenian Prime Minister and leader of the Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan holds a press conference following the parliamentary election at the party's headquarters in Yerevan early on June 8, 2026.

Putin the Terrible Warns Armenia Over EU Ambitions, Citing ‘Ukrainian Scenario’

What else to expect from this megalomaniac and warmonger!

When will the apathetic and lethargic Russian people/Slav(e)s finally get rid of Putin the Terrible!

"During a press briefing on May 10, Vladimir Putin addressed Armenia’s growing alignment with the EU, urging Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to hold a referendum to choose between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). While claiming Moscow would support what benefits the Armenian people, Putin warned of “certain circumstances” and invoked the “Ukrainian scenario,” claiming that conflict began with Kyiv’s EU aspirations. ..."

Putin Warns Armenia Over EU Ambitions, Citing ‘Ukrainian Scenario’

Connecting Azerbaijan, Protecting Armenia: Trump’s Quiet Caucasus Power Play Sidelines Russia

Good news!

"Washington has been quietly crafting a South Caucasus plan that turns diplomacy into steel, roads, and real leverage – a blueprint for reshaping the region.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan unveiled the Implementation Framework for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP). ..."

Connecting Azerbaijan, Protecting Armenia: Trump’s Quiet Caucasus Power Play Sidelines Russia "A new US-Armenia framework aims to unlock transit through the South Caucasus, strengthen Armenia’s sovereignty, and sideline Russia and Iran – just as Yerevan heads into a volatile election year. ...

laying out how unimpeded, multimodal transit would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave while fully preserving Armenian sovereignty, jurisdiction, and border control. ...

In practical terms, TRIPP would insert Armenia into the Trans-Caspian “Middle Corridor,” linking Central Asia and the Caspian to Europe – and doing so with American capital, oversight, and commercial stakes built in.

A US-controlled development company, Armenian regulatory authority, and explicit guarantees on territorial integrity form the project’s backbone. ..."

US President Donald Trump meets with Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the White House Cabinet Room on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.

Decoding Armenia's 6,000-Year-Old Dragon Stones: An Ancient Water Cult

Amazing stuff! Armenia's Stonehenge!

"Archeologists say they have finally cracked the 6,000-year-old mystery of Armenia’s “dragon stones" – massive carved monoliths scattered across high-altitude volcanic slopes and pastures where no ancient settlements ever existed. ...

New research ... is the first large-scale statistical and spatial analysis of 115 known dragon stones – or vishaps – to argue that these monuments were not markers of territory or myth, but deliberately placed totems of an early “water cult” whose rituals were tied to melting snow streams, springs and the seasonal movement of herding groups through the mountains. ..."

From the abstract:

"Vishaps, or dragon stones, are prehistoric stelae discovered in the high-altitude mountainous regions of modern-day Armenia and adjacent regions.

The first statistical analysis of their elevation distribution and size reveals that their construction was intentionally labor-intensive rather than arbitrary.

The findings support the hypothesis that vishaps were closely associated with an ancient water cult, as they are predominantly situated near water sources, including high-altitude springs and discovered prehistoric irrigation systems. Furthermore, the unexpected bimodal distribution of their altitudes suggests specific placement patterns, potentially linked to seasonal human activities or ritual practices.

These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the symbolic and functional significance of vishap stelae within the framework of prehistoric social and religious systems."

Decoding Armenia's 6,000-Year-Old Dragon Stones: An Ancient Water Cult

Vishap stelae as cult dedicated prehistoric monuments of Armenian Highlands: data analysis and interpretation (open access)

The distribution and quantification of vishaps [dragon stones]

Aserbaidschan: Fossile Brennstoffe und Diktatur

Empfehlenswert!

Tulsi Gabbard on President Trump's New Peace Deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia (and about Hawaii)

Good news! Blessed are the peacemakers!

India Arms Armenia: A Warning Shot to Pakistan & Turkiye with Palki Sharma

Here is a new link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOfSLgxVCcM

Very recommendable! Good news! Good move! India, a rising superpower!

More than 1,300 prehistoric burial mounds and necropolises in western Azerbaijan systematically surveyed for the first time

Amazing stuff! Expect more to come in the near future!

"Spanning more than 1,000 kilometers in length and up to 5,600 meters in height, the mountain ranges of the Caucasus stretch between the Black and Caspian Seas. What appears to be a huge natural barrier was actually an important contact and exchange zone between the highlands of West Asia and the Southeast European steppes for thousands of years. Despite its importance, archaeological data from the Caucasus and neighboring regions remains fragmentary.

Researchers from the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence at Kiel University together with colleagues from the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan systematically surveyed and documented more than 1,300 archaeological sites in Azerbaijan in two field campaigns in 2021 and 2023. They have now published the results of their latest research campaign in the international journal Antiquity. The article is a follow-up of an overview of the results of the 2021 field campaign, which was published in the journal Archaeological Prospection earlier this year. ..."

From the abstract:

"This project documents the current archaeological record of the Qaraçay River Basin in western Azerbaijan. Integrating intensive pedestrian survey, satellite imagery analysis and topographic mapping, the study identified 85 kurgans, six necropolises and nine sites from the Chalcolithic or medieval periods. The authors believe this demonstrates the potential for further archaeological studies in the region."

More than 1,300 prehistoric burial mounds in western Azerbaijan systematically surveyed for the first time

More than 1,300 prehistoric burial mounds in western Azerbaijan systematically surveyed for the first time (original news release)

The archaeological record of the Qaraçay River Basin along the northern piedmont of the Lesser Caucasus

Kurgans are a common feature of the landscape in many places in West Azerbaijan

Figure 1. Location of the sites recorded during the 2023 field season. Basemap imagery Landsat 9, 31 October 2022, available from the USGS

Figure 6. Examples of pottery sherds recovered during surface collection: A–C) Chalcolithic sherds from site WGP040; D) Kura-Arax sherd from site WGP036; E) Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age sherd from site WGP038 (figure by authors).

Oil and gas ‘a gift of God’, says COP29 host Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev

Good news! Quite ironic! 90% Azerbaijan's exports are fossil fuels. 50% of the economy is based on fossil fuels. 

Armenia: Small Country, Big History

Recommendable! I was able to brush up on my French a little bit! 😊

Armenien – kleines Land mit großer Geschichte

Empfehlenswert!

Could Georgia's Protests Bring Down its Pro-Russian Government?

Recommendable!

Clashes in the Republic of Georgia as it Presses Forward with Controversial Law with Palki Sharma

Recommendable!

Russia, Azerbaijan And Congo Agree On Oil & Gas Refinery Projects, Economic Cooperation

Good news! How Africa begins to shape the future of the world! Exciting!

"Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso has engaged in game-changing strategy, widening its search for reliable partner ready to explore it oil reserves, undoubtedly after Russia’s delay in acting on its bilateral agreements. Russia’s Vladimir Putin held an official meeting with Sassou-Nguesso, in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow during which both leaders assertively agreed on strengthening economic cooperation.

Several packages of documents that were signed that year included  intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and also on exploration of natural resources. Russia’s Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK) was awarded the sole contract for building a major oil pipeline, running more than 1,300 km from the port city of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo to the border with Cameroon.  ...

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held both tete-a-tete and expanded negotiations with Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso in early April 2024, a statement on the Azerbaijani leader’s website said.

The report monitored by this author, indicated that Azerbaijan and Congo signed a package of documents aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation following high-level negotiations in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan.

It therefore implies that the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the National Oil Company of the Congo, by the signed agreement, both will jointly on specified conditions develop and expand Congolaise de Raffinage oil refinery. Congolaise de Raffinage specializes in the processing of light oil, its website says. The refinery’s capacity is 1 million tonnes of oil per year. Production started in 1982. ..."

Azerbaijan And Congo Agree On Oil & Gas Refinery Projects, Economic Cooperation – OpEd – Eurasia Review

Azerbaijan, Republic of Congo open new horizons in economic cooperation

How Russia is Losing its Grip on the Caucasus

Very recommendable! Putin the Terrible must be gnashing his teeth! 😊

South Caucasus Turns Away From Russia Toward Middle East

Good news! Leaving the influence of Putin the Terrible!

No neighboring country wants to be invaded next by the Russian empire!

"... Georgia has boosted relations with the European Union, China, and—to some extent—the United States, while Azerbaijan has sought closer ties with Turkey, Israel, Central Asia, and a number of European countries. Having gone through the traumatic loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia has pushed for closer engagement with the EU, rapprochement with Turkey, and even military links with India and some European states. ...
The decline of Russian power has led to the reemergence of close links between the South Caucasus and the broader Middle East. Indeed, geography favors such a connection. Russia lies across the formidable Caucasus mountains, and Middle Eastern states have long regarded the South Caucasus as a natural continuation of their own territories. ..."

South Caucasus Turns Away From Russia Toward Middle East - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Rapid geopolitical change is curtailing Russian power in the South Caucasus, boosting the influence of Middle Eastern countries and bookending the region’s “post-Soviet” history.

Landmark Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Treaty Inches Closer

Good news! Blessed are the peacemakers! Will peace become a reality this time despite still sheer insurmountable differences?

"... Claims that a landmark treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan is imminent have been made so often in recent years that they now attract little attention. A breakthrough was expected at the end of 2022, then spring 2023, as well as in the fall of 2023, when Baku’s seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh finally put an end to their long-running territorial dispute. ...

The Armenians would like to use military maps from the 1970s as the basis for a border agreement, whereas Baku wants experts to map the situation on the ground and to use that as the basis for a permanent settlement. Baku’s approach means Azerbaijan retaining many strategic positions. In addition, President Ilham Aliyev has said that the Azerbaijani army will not retreat from positions it seized during bouts of fighting in May 2021 and September 2022—even if they are on Armenian territory.  ...

Another issue on which the two sides appear to be converging is that of transport corridors. By stating it will build a road via Iran—not Armenia—to its exclave of Nakhichevan, sandwiched between Armenia and Turkey, Azerbaijan has made a significant concession. 

Not only has Aliyev publicly announced that the construction of the Iran route is already under way, he has named his price for ditching the Armenian route (also known as the Zangezur Corridor): that Azerbaijan will not open its border with Armenia. Even the possibility of Azerbaijan renouncing its claim to the Zangezur Corridor is a positive development.  ..."

Landmark Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Treaty Inches Closer - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Despite their bloody history and repeated recent disappointments, a long-term accommodation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is within reach.