scholarly journals The Geopolitical Dimension of the Conflicts in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 72-75
Author(s):  
Gvantsa Chkheidze Gvantsa Chkheidze ◽  
Irakli Mekvevrishvili Irakli Mekvevrishvili
Keyword(s):  
Developing Country ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Modern World ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Dominant Position ◽  
Unresolved Problem ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Research Analysis

Conflicts remain an unresolved problem in the modern world, which is particularly difficult for such a small and developing country like Georgia. The collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the emergence of new sovereign states led not only to an adjustment of a world map but also global geostrategic changes. As a consequence, new centers of power appeared, operating through a variety of strategies to obtain a dominant position in the post-bipolar world. The South Caucasus region turned out to be especially “attractive” in this regard. Two of the conflicts in the abovementioned area arose directly in the territory of Georgia, and these conflicts remain unresolved. Research, analysis and search for settlement mechanisms of the conflicts in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region are the most important challenges for Georgia, therefore, the purpose of our article is to present the impact of Russia's soft power in the existing conflicts and possible mechanisms for resolving the problem. Keywords: Geopolitics, Abkhazia, Tskhinvali, Conflicts

Conclusion

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehran Kamrava
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Middle Powers

As middle powers with regional aspirations, Iran and Turkey see the South Caucasus region as an ideal arena for expanding their reach and influence. As post-sanctions Iran finds greater space for diplomacy and trade, the ensuing competition between the two neighboring countries is likely to intensify in the coming years. For both states, trade and soft power are the most viable tools for expanding their influence. In the long run, the competition in trade is only likely to benefit the three states of the South Caucasus. But it is also likely to keep the multiple conflicts that have ravaged the region over the last several decades — especially between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia and Georgia, and even the historic animosity between Turkey and Armenia — frozen and without a solution in sight.

Pipeline Politics in Iran, Turkey, and the South Caucasus

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmood Monshipouri
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Complex Dynamics ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Economic Interests ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
Territorial Conflicts

The relationship between Iran, Turkey and the South Caucasus states have been influenced by an array of geopolitical, strategic, cultural, and economic factors. The competition between Iran and Turkey and their roles in the South Caucasus are best defined by traditional balance-of-power relations and the broader context of the post-Soviet era. This chapter unpacks the complex dynamics of pipeline politics in the South Caucasus region by underlying the need to understand the “Great Power Game” involving geostrategic and geo-economic interests of local governments, regional actors, global powers, and international oil companies. The larger focus turns on underscoring the importance of the region’s large oil and gas reserves; its land connection between the Caspian Sea, South Caucasus, and Europe; and its long-standing territorial conflicts in the post-Soviet era. Iran and Turkey have fought for influence in the South Caucasus while maintaining relatively good bilateral relationships in the region.

OSCE IN GEORGIA: IN SEARCH FOR A NEW FORMAT

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-114
Author(s):  
FEDOR N. BUGAEV ◽  
◽  
GEORGE M. TURAVA ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
Comprehensive Assessment ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Regional Stability ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
Peaceful Settlement ◽  
High Conflict

his article examines the activities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts. The OSCE is one of the most important structures in ensuring regional stability and security, but in the current conditions it does not use the set of tools at its disposal to an adequate extent. The high conflict potential of the South Caucasus region and the specificity of the contradictions between the parties do not allow the use of identical formats for the settlement. This article conducts a retrospective analysis of the OSCE's participation in the conflicts in Georgia, identify the weak and strong sides of the organization's existing tools and propose new mechanisms and initiatives for the region under consideration that are in the OSCE's arsenal, but need more flexibility and adaptability to specific cases. Thus, the paper is aimed primarily at rethinking the role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in the peaceful settlement of conflicts in Georgia in the current geopolitical conditions through a comprehensive assessment of the OSCE's potential in the specified region.

scholarly journals Post-Soviet Transformations of Health Systems in the South Caucasus

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Hohmann ◽  
Cécile Lefèvre
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
International Aid ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Global Crisis ◽  
Oil Boom ◽  
Policy Choices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Country Specific

This article analyzes post-Soviet changes to the health systems in the three South Caucasus countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. After a severe economic and social crisis and deindustrialization in the 1990s, divergent trends emerged in the 2000s. Azerbaijan saw a spectacular recovery in growth, fuelled by an oil boom, while the impact of the 2009 global crisis restrained Georgia and Armenia’s capacity to allocate budgets to health care. Many similarities can be identified between the three countries, particularly in the 1990s, attributed to a common Soviet past and to the same trends in international aid. Differences and country-specific features increasingly manifested themselves in the 2000s, and resulting from diverging policy choices.

scholarly journals INDONESIA-FIJI BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION IN 1999-2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-32
Author(s):  
Hanna Ladrika Precillia
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Technical Cooperation ◽  
The South ◽  
Territorial Integrity ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
The Impact

The use of soft power in diplomacy is essential because it minimizes the use of violence and coercion to solving a problem. This strength became the primary tool in the diplomacy of Indonesia-Fiji bilateral relations. The implementation of Indonesia's soft power is Indonesia's engagement in South-South Cooperation through technical cooperation for Fiji. This training is considered essential for Indonesia’s national interest, such as to support the territorial integrity and Indonesia's position in the South Pacific. The problem in this research is how the development of bilateral relations between Indonesia-Fiji through South-South Cooperation in 1999-2016? What is the impact of South-South Cooperation that Indonesia has made with Fiji? The research method used is qualitative with collecting data and uses the concept of Soft Power, Bilateral Relations, and International Cooperation Theory. Indonesia's bilateral relations with Fiji over the period of 1999-2016 have increased. The increase can be seen from the position of the total ranking of Fiji trade with Indonesia, which always occupies the top three in the South Pacific region. The Indonesian Government's strategy to improve bilateral relations with Fiji is to use a soft power approach in the form of technical cooperation within the South-South Cooperation Framework. This strategy has a positive impact on the political and economic fields of Indonesia. In politics, Indonesia has gained political support from Fiji about Indonesia’s territorial integrity from the separatist movement. In the area of economy, Indonesia has succeeded in opening up a new market in the agriculture sector that is selling hand tractors to Fiji and Vanuatu.

scholarly journals Turkish policy in the South Caucasus

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-297
Author(s):  
M. S. Suvanova
Keyword(s):  
Global Politics ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Western Countries ◽  
Caucasus Region ◽  
The Status ◽  
Energy Aspect ◽  
Effective Policy ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
Cultural Components

The South Caucasus region traditionally has an important role to play in global politics. This region for centuries has been an arena of confrontation for geopolitical and geostrategic interests between regional states and world powers; this affected the main transport routes, different cultures and religions. With the collapse of the USSR, the South Caucasus became an important and strategic place for Western countries; this bolstered the weakening of Russian influence in the region and the creation of a catalyst for further strengthening of its partners. Western countries sought to establish control over the extraction and diversification of Azerbaijani hydrocarbons. To fulfill these goals Western countries have relied on their ally Turkey, which also pursues its interests in the South Caucasus region.Since the early 1990s, Turkey’s policy towards the countries of the South Caucasus has intensified. Turkey developed policies of expanding its influence in the region. These policies were complex; it included both economic, energy and cultural components. A key element of Turkey’s policy in the region was the energy aspect. In the issue of diversifying the energy resources of the South Caucasus Turkey has made significant progress by implementing projects of pipelines going through its territory, she achieved the status of an energetic conveyor. Another important area of Turkey’s policy in the South Caucasus was the cultural and educational aspect. It is based on the policy of «neo-Ottomanism», which includes elements of «pan-Turkism». The main purpose of this idea was to expand Turkey’s influence by educating pro-Turkic youth in the countries of the region, and also create a positive image for Turkey among various segments of the population that would support its policies.The peculiarity of Turkey’s policy is a multilateral and flexible policy that includes both economic integration, energy cooperation, and a soft and effective policy that includes cultural interaction based on ethnic and linguistic similarity. 

Russia and oil have mixed impact in Caucasus

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
External Factors ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Subject Economic turmoil in the South Caucasus. Significance Economic performance has been affected by two major external factors: turmoil in Russia, which remains a significant economic partner, and declining oil prices. While lower imported fuel bills are positive for Armenia and Georgia, there are second-round negative implications, through the impact on economic activity in Russia. Impacts Lower oil prices will lead to some cuts on infrastructure spending in Azerbaijan but these will be limited. Armenia will suffer the most from the Russian turmoil, but the positive impact of domestic factors will prevail in 2015. Georgia's more diversified economic links make it more resilient to Russian shocks.

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