News from the Caucasus

Google Tech Talks August 12, 2008 ABSTRACT Come learn more about the important issues of the Caucasus region and why you should be paying attention. The Caucasus is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse regions on Earth. The nation-states that compose the Caucasus today are the post-Soviet states Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Russian divisions include Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, and the autonomous republics of Adygea, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Three territories in the region claim independence but are not acknowledged as nation-states by the international community: Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia. Gregory Shvedov will speak on several topics including: Human rights issues in Russia and the Northern Caucasus War in South Ossetia Corruption in the Armenian Presidential election Speaker: Gregory Shvedov