Harsh Welcome For Chechen Refugees
'Caucasus-1' is the sole checkpoint on the Chechen border and the traffic is increasing. The small neighbouring republic of Ingushetia is struggling to cope.
'Caucasus-1' is the sole checkpoint on the Chechen border and the traffic is increasing. The small neighbouring republic of Ingushetia is struggling to cope.
There are clear improvements in the Georgian economy - yet more than half of the country's unemployed have been out of work for more than three years and 41 percent of this group are professionally qualified. Half are women.
Russia's forceful bid to 'resolve' the Chechen problem seemed certain to attract criticism from the very start of the military operation in Chechnya. The Kremlin's ability to ignore those critics may not be as strong as the army's.
How deep was the crisis between President Robert Kocharian and the military? Thousands of troops were pointedly still patrolling the city last week.
The Russian authorities use the kidnap threat to discourage reporters from attempting to travel to Chechnya, and those who dare to try are being stopped at the border. The result is a news blackout that benefits only the Kremlin.
Chechen refugees are trapped in limbo, unable to return to Grozny or leave the country while Russia and Ingushetia prevaricate on reopening the border.
Armenia's stand off at its parliament may be at an end but the political fallout from Wednesday's televised carnage will linger for months yet.
Mutual suspicions between Russia and Georgia have been increased during the Chechnya crisis, erupting into a key issue of forthcoming parliamentary elections.
In crossing the Terek river, Moscow seems to be heading for a full-scale war in Chechnya, and neglecting many of the lessons from its previous defeat.
The chaos in Chechnya is spreading over the border into Georgia as armed gangs turn to kidnap to raise foreign money for weapons.