head of the Armenian National Movement, was duly elected parliament chairmen in August 1990 and Armenian president one year later. Yet his initial reputation as a liberal had been tarnished by his ongoing feud with the opposition Dashnaktsutyun party, which in January of last year was barred from contesting the July 1995 elections. In Georgia, the political scene had been dominated over the past six years by individuals, rather than political parties. Yet by late summer of 1995, Parliament chairmen Eduard Shevardnadze had succeeded in sidelining virtually all those who could have challenged his authority. Consequently, a total of 53 parties from across the political spectrum were permitted to contest the elections, including two groups representing Gamsakhurdia’s supporters and three separate Communist Parties. In Azerbaijan, the picture was less felicitous. Since late 1994 President Heidar Aliev has arrested hundreds of people suspected of plotting his dismissal, and has systematically harassed opposition political parties. Several opposition parties were barred from participating in the elections and prior censorship of a dual nature (military and political) remains in force in direct contravention of the existing media law. Russia Russia has played a key role in shaping political developments in the Trans-Caucasus. Primarily, although not exclusively, by using the conflicts over Nagorno Karabakh and Abkhazia to exert pressure on the respective leaderships in Baku and Tbilisi. Anti Russian sentiments were widespread in the wake of the Soviet military intervention in Baku in January 1990. Consequently, the parliament, under pro Turkish president Abulfaz Elchibey, voted against CIS membership in September 1992. It has been suggested that Moscow may subsequently have initiated the bloodless coup in June 1993, which culminated in Elchibey being ousted from power and the return of Heidar Aliev. Aliev, for his part, stubbornly resisted Russian pressure for the deployment of a Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno Karabakh. Finally, Moscow expressed its displeasure with the Baku leadership by closing the frontier in December 1994, ostensibly to prevent Azerbaijan channelling aid to Dzhokhar Dudayev. Georgia has experienced similar pressure, with hard line elements within the Russian military providing logistical support to Abkhaz separatist forces in 1992 1993. The Georgian membership of the CIS was the price the then parliament Chairmen Eduard Shevardnadze was constrained to pay Russia to help quash a comeback attempt by ousted president Zviad Gamsakhurdia in October 1993. Georgia subsequently agreed to lease military bases to Russia. Armenia’s leadership enthusiastically agreed to membership of the Commonwealth of Independent States in December 1991, and in March 1995 to the permanent stationing of Russian troops on its territory. The exceptionally harmonious relation between Russia and Armenia has made considerable amounts of financial aid available, specifically to counter the effects of the economic blockade imposed by Azerbaijan. Media and elections OSCE ODIHR Bulletin Vol. 4 No. 3 7