The Caucasus: A Changing Security Landscape

On September 13, 2012, the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program and PONARS Eurasia, GW Elliott School of International Affairs will host a conference titled "The Caucasus: A Changing Security Landscape." 

Opening Remarks by:
Andrew Kuchins
Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program

Panel One: Regional Security
George Khelashvili, University of Tbilisi
"Regional (In)stability in the Caucasus: Strong States. vs. Weak Regional Security Architecture"

Sergey Markedonov, CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program
"The Big Caucasus and Russia: Goals and Challenges after 2008"

Scott Radnitz, University of Washington
"The Politics of Foreign Intrigue in the Caucasus"

Anar Valiyev, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
"Azerbaijan-Iran Relations: Quo Vadis, Baku?"

Chair: Jeff Mankoff, CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program

Panel Two: Frozen Conflicts 
Mikhail Alexseev, San Diego State University
"Crossing Borders, Validating Sovereignty: Russia, Georgia, and the WTO"

Sergey Minasyan, Caucasus Institute (Yerevan)
"Coercion in Action: Compellence in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict"

Sufian Zhemukhov, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and Institute of International Education "Recognition without Independence: Abkhazia's International Context"

Chair: Cory Welt, George Washington University

The Russia-Georgia war of August 2008 threatened to decisively alter the security context in the Caucasus. Four years later, what really has changed? In this conference, panelists assess the changing relations of the three states of the Caucasus -- Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan -- with each other and major neighbors, Russia and Iran. They also explore innovative prospects for resolution in the continued conflicts over Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the possibility of renewed hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh. This conference is based on a set of new PONARS Eurasia Policy Memos, which will be available at the event and online at www.ponarseurasia.org. 

PONARS Eurasia is an international network of academics that advances new policy approaches to research and security in Russia and Eurasia. PONARS Eurasia is based at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. The program is generously supported by the International Program of Carnegie Corporation of New York and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

This event has reached capacity, no RSVP available.