... specific interests in the South Caucasus are primarily pursued within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, encompassing geopolitical, geoeconomic, and security dimensions. Accordingly, China has sought to deepen diversified cooperation with Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.
The South Caucasus is not only strategically significant but also a complex region characterized by sharply conflicting interests among major global powers. By leveraging its economic and technological cooperation opportunities,...
... Julfa-Nakhichevan-Yerevan route as well as the Julfa-Nakhichevan-Meghri-Zangilan-Baku-Moscow route, is one of the fastest and most cost-effective railway projects that, after 35 years, could once again provide the opportunity for the railway connection between Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. Currently, the railway in Nakhchivan
extends up
to the eastern part of this region, namely the city of Ordubad; therefore, it would be sufficient for this line to cross into Siah Rud in Iranian territory by constructing a 360-meter-long ...
... the Caucasus affairs (both from Russia, the West and countries of the East) lie in the lack of intra-regional unity. Even if we assume the success of Armenia’s drift to the West, this does not remove the problematic situation, as there are traces of Georgia correcting its rigid pro-Western course. Azerbaijan does not intend to get embedded in any structured integrations, preferring bilateral relations and pragmatics to values and deterministic attitudes.
For many years, the 3+3
format
has been discussed in the context of Caucasus security, but ...
... abandoned by Western companies due to corporate boycotts. Ample opportunities remain for the supply of their products to Russia through Kazakhstan without the sanctions regimes being violated. Their skilful implementation will benefit the country. Like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan is benefiting from rising energy prices.
Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan can be considered the main beneficiaries from migration from Russia. At the same time, the question of the stability of such a flow remains open. The Russian government has sent two important signals. The first is that the country ...
... is the latest example, as most of the ethnic quarrels in the South Caucasus are still ongoing since 1991, with Abkhazia and South Ossetia remaining
de facto
[
1
] independent from Georgia, while only one of the three recognized countries (Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan), Armenia, has managed to join a supranational framework [
2
].
In over three decades, the political-economic context of the region has deteriorated with a continuous decline in birth rates coupled with emigration, difficult economic recovery ...
... should keep in mind that going beyond the post-Soviet political geography was primarily
determined
by the situation in the Caucasus: among radical Jihadis fighting in the Middle East were quite a few natives of the Russian North Caucasus republics, of Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Whatever international security problems are put at the forefront today, thereby overshadowing the Caucasus challenges, this region retains its independent significance. The armed conflicts that accompanied the collapse of the Soviet Union have ...
... Model Is Exhausting
2019 marks the 10
th
anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, a political initiative the EU launched in 2009 for developing relations with six eastern countries of the former socialist bloc. The collaboration program with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine was primarily intended as a means for introducing these countries to the European experience and approaches to developing their economies, political institutions and civil society. Given current events, however, Russia has ...
... Caucasus, the war of Russia and Turkey, etc. Another defrosting mechanism can be a regional war, which arose initially due to the escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh — Turkey, Russia and, less likely, Iran may be involved into a full-scale war of Armenia and Azerbaijan. This may also involve Georgia in these catastrophic processes. In this sense, the key to peace in the South Caucasus lies in Nagorno-Karabakh. The settlement or at least a deep freeze of this conflict can mitigate most of the regional military risks.
1
. Military Balance 2018....
This publication includes 53 articles analysing the main development trends in the post-Soviet space – both the geopolitical region as a whole and the individual countries that make it up. The anthology consists of three sections: the first section is retrospective in nature and looks at the post-Soviet space 20 years after the collapse of the USSR; the second section analyses the current state of the former Soviet nations; and the third section provides a number of forecasts for the development...
... move towards creation of a common energy space (including the South Caucasus). Both integration blocs will have a sufficient level of trust to start the process of national legal harmonization in favor of creating common oil and gas markets.
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will have to take necessary steps as well to join the common energy market. Armenia will take up the obligations of the EEU that will have more political force in favor of national legislation. Georgia will have to accept new rules of the game ...
