Publications
Uncertainty abounds in talks on the possible export of Turkmen gas to Europe 
By Vasif HUSEYNOV, PhD, Head of Department, AIR Center, Adjunct Lecturer, ADA and Khazar Universities, Baku
On May 14, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Mikail Jabbarov signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of natural gas, including the export of Central Asian gas to Türkiye. Bayraktar told the media that by 2030, Türkiye is expected to receive increased gas supplies from Azerbaijan’s natural gas deposits and the Caspian Sea’s natural gas reserves, though he did not specify how much. Some of the gas flowing to Türkiye will transit onward to Europe. Bayraktar highlighted that a key aspect of the deal was arrangements for transporting Turkmen natural gas to Türkiye via Georgia and Azerbaijan. In recent years, traditionally isolated Turkmenistan has begun to seek more cooperation with outside partners, especially in the energy sector. The transit of Turkmen gas to Türkiye and onward to European markets would go a long way in removing ongoing reliance on Russian supplies. While Bayraktar did not disclose the planned transit route for the Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan or the amount of gas involved, several recent developments offer hints on how the two sides plan to carry out this project.
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Publications
The anatomy of the current protests in Armenia 
By Benyamin POGHOSYAN, PhD, Chairman, Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies
Armenia is still absorbing the implications of the protests that overwhelmed Yerevan on May 9. On April 19, 2024, the Armenian and Azerbaijani border delimitation and demarcation commissions signed the protocol on the delimitation and demarcation process in the Tavush region of Armenia. That agreement granted Azerbaijan control over a patch of territory along that border that had been officially part of Soviet Azerbaijan but controlled by Armenia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The movement “Tavush for the Motherland” started with the closure of the Armenia-Georgia interstate highway near the village of Kirants in the Tavush region, one of the villages that was going to be affected by the process. Later, it transformed into a march towards Yerevan. Protestors led by Tavush Archbishop Bagrat reached Yerevan on May 9, 2024, and at a rally asked for Prime Minister Pashinyan's resignation. The rally was followed by several rallies in Yerevan in the last two weeks, sometimes accompanied by clashes with police.
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Publications
Gender Issues in Contemporary Uzbekistan 
Roxila Mardonkulovna Usmanova, Doctoral Student, Institute of Family and Gender Research, Republic of Uzbekistan
Special attention is being paid to further enhancing the status of women in the new Uzbek society and ensuring their rights as a priority value. Gender equality is recognized as a social phenomenon that permeates all aspects of the life and activities of society, encompassing politics, economics, law, ideology, culture, education, and science, shaping the dynamics between women and men. In the words of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoev, "The stereotype formed in the minds of our people makes me think about many things. Traditionally, we perceive a woman first and foremost as a mother, a keeper of the family hearth. This is undoubtedly true. However, today not every woman should not be just an observer, she should be an active and proactive participant in the democratic changes taking place in the country." Therefore, it can be asserted without exaggeration that in recent years, increasing the political, social, and economic engagement of women in Uzbek society has emerged as a top priority of state policy, driven by the political will of the Uzbekistani leadership.
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