A new electortal law, adopted earlier this year, provides a new framework, which has on the whole been welcomed by local political forces and the international community. However, as political analyst Sos Avetisyan writes from Yerevan, in this commentary for commonspace.eu, the government still has subtle ways in which it can influence the outcome of next spring's parliamentary elections

President Ilham Aliev, wearing military fatigues, inspected command and control capabilities of the Azerbaijani army, and observed Armenian positions on the front line.

Mehmet Simsek told a meeting of business leaders that Europe is a reference point for Turkey as it moves forward its democratic standards. "We want to improve the rule of law and the quality of our institutions. Europe has advanced standards in this regard", he said.

Dossier: In the South Caucasus the governments of the three countries were extremely cautious in commenting on Trump, both before and after his election. But it is fair to assume that leaders in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were no less surprised with a Trump victory, than others in the rest of Europe and the world. Like in other parts of the world it is the unpredictability that worries leaders in the region most.

At an event in the European Parliament in Brussels, Port of Baku Director-General, Taleh Ziyadov, said legislation to be presented by the end of the year will turn the new facility into a Free Economic Zone with special legal status

In an acceptance speech in New York in the early hours of Wednesday, Trump said: "I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for every American"

At a meeting this morning Armenian Foreign Minister Nalbandian and Italian Foreign Minister Gentiloni discussed issues related to the Karabakh conflict, the new Armenian-EU framework agreement, as well as various bilateral and international issues.

Paolo Gentiloni earlier had meetings in Tbilisi with the Georgian leadership during which he expressed his support for Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations

The former President of Georgia accused Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko of handing over Odessa to corrupt clans, and the enemies of Ukraine.

The visit of the head of the Farnesina to the region comes as Italy prepares to take on important roles in various international organisations over the coming two years