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Abstract

Regional cooperation between the three states of the South Caucasus –Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia– has become firmly established in the region in spite of some high-casualty wars –be they on-going or under cease-fire (Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Upper Karabakh, Chechnya)– and several nation-state crises following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Some ten years after achieving their independence, these three countries, which are members of the main international organisations, must nevertheless overcome the structural difficulties of democratic transition and address the challenges of world economic realities. This paper is an overview of the principal themes of regional cooperation: opening-up to the West, reinforcing security, and fortifying democracy at a time when Russia and the United States are collaborating closely in the fight against international terrorism.

Gaïdz Minassian is a Research Fellow at the Centre de recherches sur l'Asie (University Paris X) and a journalist at the monde.fr.