Caucasus: Apr '09

Journalists in the South Caucasus say they regard CRS articles as a reliable and invaluable source of information and use them frequently in their work.

In April, one Caucasus Reporting Service, CRS, article that received particular attention in Georgia’s media recently was Russia’s Gift of Recognition Hurts Abkhaz Traders, written by Abkhaz journalist Anaid Gogorian.

The article is about the side-effects of the Russian recognition of Abkhazia’s independence for Abkhazian traders, who have, since the Kremlin’s move, been experiencing difficulties exporting their goods to Russia.

“Today, when hardly any information reaches us from Abkhazia, or if some ever does, it’s distorted and biased, articles contributed to CRS by Abkhazian authors are very important to us,” said Eter Turadze, who is editor-in-chief of Batumelebi, a newspaper boasting the largest circulation among Georgia’s regional media outlets.

“As a matter of fact, it is from these articles that we get some idea of the situation in the republic.”

Inga Gvilava, of the TV company Alania, said, “That the Russian recognition has caused problems to the Abkhaz economy is, in itself, a highly interesting topic. Since one of our TV companies focuses on conflicts and their resolution, we will follow closely further development of the situation.

“Since it’s very difficult to get comments from Abkhaz politicians, we’ve had to rely on quotes from articles written by Abkhaz journalists as the only means to make our reports more or less objective.”

Irine Jvarsheishvili, from the Fact news agency, said she was particularly impressed by the fact an Abkhaz journalist has openly admitted that the Russian recognition may have had some adverse consequences for the republic.

“I am glad to see this, because the Abkhaz media are overly influenced by the government, and critical publications rarely see the light there,” she said.

“Georgian outlets possess no objective picture of what is going on in Abkhazia or South Ossetia, which is why such articles written in accordance with western standards are always read with a great interest.”

IWPR’s CRS main focus for April was Armenian-Turkish relations. Two articles from Armenia were on the developments around the reconciliation process between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia Presses On With Courtship of Turkey and Border Turks Want Door to Armenia Kept Shut.

“I’ve read with great interest articles on the prospects for Armenia-Turkey relations and about Georgia’s Armenian schools,” said Lela Inasaridze, senior editor of the Southern Gates newspaper, which is published in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javekhti region, home to a large Armenian community.

“Ethnic Armenians constitute a large part of our region’s population, and knowing what is going on in Armenia is very important to them. The information is difficult to obtain, which is why we often use articles from the CRS, seeing them as a reliable source of information.”

The CRS reports about the perceived thaw in Armenia-Turkey relations have been followed with interest in Azerbaijan.

“The prospect of the Turkish-Armenian border opening has been discussed intensively in Azeri society as an issue affecting the interests of Azerbaijan and its people,” said Mirmahud Mirelioglu, the head of Azerbaijan’s Popular Front Party.

“Local newspapers wrote a lot about the reactions in Azerbaijan, but it never occurred to any of them to try to find out what ordinary residents of Turkish towns near the border thought of the possibility. And this is something a CRS contributor did, reporting from Igdyr.

“The report carried opinions that reflected both sides. It was balanced.”

Meanwhile, a CRS article, Armenian Gays Face Long Walk to Freedom, continues to attract the attention of local readers. It was republished in Armenian in Armenianow.com and initiated discussion and debate around gay rights in Armenia.

It was also republished in the blog of Azerbaijani journalist and writer Alekper Aliev, who thanked the author of the article for the informative and unique report. The article prompted debates in various Internet blogs and forums that lasted for a whole month.

“I read the article on gay issues in Armenia and I can say it is an excellent example of journalistic work. The author managed to find sources that openly talk about their problems. It is balanced article, there is no humiliation of gays in the article. It is very tolerant journalistic work. One can find such journalism only very rarely in the local press,” said journalist Naira Bulghadaryan.