United States President Barack Obama last week named the secretary of state’s special envoy for Eurasian energy Richard Morningstar as ambassador to Azerbaijan to succeed Matthew Bryza, whose short lived tour of duty in Baku ended late last year amid opposition from the Armenian lobby at the Congress. Morningstar’s nomination also has to clear the Congress before he can get the post.

Azerbaijan doesn't miss a single rostrum in attempts to attract international attention to the “threat” Armenia poses to the world civilization.

One such rostrum became the nuclear energy summit held in March in Seoul, during which Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev expressed concerns over the exploitation of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia.

Gunfire has again caused chaos in what is supposed to be ceasefire on the Armenian-Azeri border, this time on the north-eastern sector. For a half an hour Azeri armed forces were firing at border village of Dovegh with population of around 580 people, in Noyemberyan region of Tavush province.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in an interview to Russian Kommersant that Armenia is ready to discuss possible construction of a radar station on its territory similar to Gabala station in Azerbaijan.

The possibility of an Israeli offensive against Iran is being voiced more and more frequently. A Washington Post correspondent, accompanying chief of Pentagon Leon Panetta for the meeting of defense minister of NATO member-countries in Brussels, cited him as saying that “Israel is likely to strike sometime in April, May or June”.

Turkey does not cease to link the normalization of its relations with Armenia to progress in the Karabakh settlement that would favor its regional ethnic cousin Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that world leaders have repeatedly called for an unconditional rapprochement, officials in Ankara keep making references to the conflict between its two Caucasus neighbors.

Turkey fully supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Bekir Bozdag told media in Baku earlier this week. “Until Armenia withdraws from Nagorno-Karabakh, until the rights of Azerbaijanis in the region are restored, Turkish-Armenian relations will not be normalized.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan speaking in Gyumri last week made a curious statement, saying that over the past three years the country leadership has largely increased the level of army equipment, much more than during the previous 17 years of Armenia’s independence.

The relations between Armenia and the European Union are entering a new phase. President Serzh Sargsyan has visited Brussels to give assurances that Armenia will continue its European integration and cooperation with NATO.

While visiting the Belgian capital that is regarded as the political center for both the EU and NATO, Sargsyan met European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to say that “very important developments” have taken place recently allowing Armenia and the EU “to reach a new milestone in their relations.”

Russia’s powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gained a predictable first-round victory at the country’s presidential election on March 4 by garnering more than 60 percent of the vote.

The results of the presidential elections in Russia cannot but concern Armenia, as Russia is the main military and strategic partner of Armenia and a crucial factor for the country’s national security.

Clashes between protesters and security forces took place on Thursday in Azerbaijan’s city of Quba, 170 kilometers north of capital Baku.

About 10,000 people gathered in front of the local government office, demanding the resignation of local leader Rauf Khabibov. Armored vehicles and water cannons were brought into the region.