PORTEFEUILLE

«Stimulating Academic Expertise and Public Discourse: The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Dynamics»

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains one of the most serious factors affecting regional politics and security of the South Caucasus. The lasting conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s international isolation and confrontation with the West highlight the risk that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may escalate as a result of the actions of external stakeholders.

However, international organizations and leading Western states can take steps to prevent the Nagorno-Karabakh factor from becoming a new source of confrontation between Russia and the West. An efficient prevention tool would be the conduct of international projects directed towards awareness-raising and consultations involving experts and decision-makers. Apart from other things, such projects can create a platform for contacts between the societies and political elites of Azerbaijan, Armenia and, last but not least, Nagorno-Karabakh.

The proposed project is directed at finding solutions to these long-term problems using a multilevel approach including an academic and analytical perspective, and interaction between societies, government agencies and international community.

The proposed project pursues the following aims:
- Establishment of regular contacts and networking between stakeholders including experts, decision-makers and civil society in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and the international community
- dissemination of academic and analytical information to domestic and international stakeholders
- stimulation of a balanced unbiased public discourse in all countries and territories involved.

In addition to the research objectives, the project will also help to disseminate information about the main aspects and parameters of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the ways of its further development/transformation within the South Caucasus region and beyond. The project will be informative for representatives of international organizations, namely for the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chair countries that provide the main format of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution via negotiation. The materials and publications will be used in the teaching process in Swiss and European universities and serve as a rich source of information for the international community.

Phase 1 of the study (February 2015 - April 2016) was successfully completed and the progress report was submitted to the Programme Management. Four open round tables as well as three closed meetings with high-profile actors in Chatham House format were conducted and a policy brief was published. The publication of a book on this topic is in preparation within phase 2 of the project.