CORE Mission Information Package: South Caucasus Centre for OSCE Research Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) Mission Information Package South Caucasus By Dr. Frank Evers October 2003 1 CORE Mission Information Package: South Caucasus Centre for OSCE Research Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) Mission Information Package South Caucasus Table of Contents Preface Introduction The Caucasus and Its Separate South Chapter One Main Conflict Potentials in the South Caucasus Chapter Two The Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (Dagliq Garabakh, Artsakh) Chapter Three Conflicts and Security Threats in the Republic of Georgia Chapter Four Main Foreign Interests and Further Conflict Potentials in the South Caucasus Chapter Five Armenia in Brief Chapter Six Azerbaijan in Brief Chapter Seven Georgia in Brief Chapter Eight OSCE Operations in the South Caucasus Chapter Nine UN, CIS and Joint Peacekeeping Operations in Georgia Chapter Ten International Organisations’ Activities in the South Caucasus Further Web Addresses Websites of Institutions and Services Reporting on or Discussing South Caucasus Affairs 2 CORE Mission Information Package: South Caucasus Preface Purpose of This Mission Information Package (MIP) on the South Caucasus is the second in a series of the MIP induction papers for incoming members of the OSCE, UN and other international field missions. Its purpose is to provide essential background information on the region and international field endeavours in a concise and user-friendly format. The MIP includes: - Basic country information on Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - A brief history and concise analysis of regional conflicts and conflict potentials in the South Caucasus - A comprehensive overview of foreign interests in South Caucasus affairs - A comprehensive overview of international organizations that are involved in conflict management and development co-operation in the region - References to relevant Internet resources. The MIP aims to offer the reader an academic synthesis of the vast literature available and to present it in a cogent, digestible and applicable form. As mentioned, it is to provide a compact source of information for members of international field activities in the region. It is also meant to be used by the participants in international peace mission training courses that are organized by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Likewise, it is hoped that the package will be of interest to officials of other international organizations, NGOs and governmental agencies as well as students and academics interested in this subject. As part of a series of information packages, this MIP has been prepared by the Centre for OSCE Research (CORE Hamburg) with the financial assistance of the OSCE Desk of the German MFA. Acknow- CORE wishes to express its acknowledgment and appreciation to the German MFA as well ledgement as the OSCE Headquarters, the OSCE and other international field operations in the South Caucasus for their courtesy and significant support. MIP South The MIP covers the main political events in the South Caucasus until late 2002 and early Caucasus 2003. It is divided into ten main parts. Following a short Introduction on the Caucasus and its separate South, Chapter One gives an overview on the main conflict potentials in the region. Chapters Two and Three focus on the three South Caucasus countries themselves, providing a history of national and regional events and conflicts. In particular, the relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan and especially the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are highlighted. Also, an introduction is given on conflicts and conflict potentials in a number of provinces of Georgia, namely Abkhazia (Georgia’s north-west); South Ossetia (north); Ajaria (south-west); Javakheti (south), mainly populated by ethnic Armenians; Samegrelo (west); the Pankisi Gorge (north-east), populated by ethnic Chechens; as well as the district of Marneuli (south-east), considerably populated by ethnic Azeri. An attempt to reflect the specific security relevance these entities and sites have determines the order in which they are presented. 3 CORE Mission Information Package: South Caucasus Chapter Four provides information on the various international players and their interests in the South Caucasus. Chapters Five through Seven give three brief country overviews on Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Chapters Eight and Nine provide information on the OSCE, UN and CIS peacekeeping activities and other engagements in the South Caucasus. Chapter Ten gives a general idea on other international organizations’ activities. Disclaimer The information contained in this paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the German MFA, the OSCE or any other organizations mentioned. Equally, reference to geographical names or boundaries does not automatically imply political, legal or other recognition or endorsement. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the permission in writing of the Centre for OSCE Research (CORE). Any citations from the MIP should indicate the source. This Mission Information Package on the South Caucasus has been produced by Dr. Frank Evers. He wishes to express his profound gratitude to his colleagues (in alphabetic order): Katri Kemppainen, Kim Bennett, Ruzanna Baghdasaryan, Marietta König, Anna Kreikemeyer, Guenaj Rsajewa and Veronica Trespalacios for their advice and indispensable assistance. Your Views The information covered here is subject to continual revision. The Centre for OSCE and Research (CORE) would highly appreciate any feedback and suggestions from our readers. Comments Please address comments to: Dr. Frank Evers CORE - Centre for OSCE Research, Falkenstein 1, D-22587 Hamburg. Email: [email protected] 4 CORE Mission Information Package: South Caucasus Introduction The Caucasus and Its Separate South This introduction is a brief description of the South Caucasus, its distinctive history, its peoples and inner driving forces which are seen as a unique and separate part of the Caucasus region. The The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain range extending from the Black Sea in the west to Caucasus the Caspian Sea in the east. It consists of two parts: the North and the South Caucasus. The North Caucasus encloses the southern part of the Russian Federation and is mainly inhabited by Russians and a multitude of the so-called Small Ethnicities of the North Caucasus. The South Caucasus embraces three countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In the south-west, it borders on the northern part of Turkey. In the south-east, it neighbours Iran. The Caucasus Mountains are considered a dividing line between Europe and Asia. The South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), neighbouring countries and districts Source: http://www.armenianholocaust.com/caucasus.htm The Separate While it is part of a larger geographic mountainous area, the southern part of the Caucasus South (the South Caucasus, the Southern Caucasus or—especially in the Russian perception— the Transcaucasus) is commonly seen as a separate region with its own geography, history, and its own social and political rules. Like the North of the Caucasus, it is made up of a mixture of ancient cultures with dozens of different peoples all insisting upon their ancient pasts and wanting to assert their longstanding rights. It is something that is difficult for the people of the West to visualize, but history, religion and ethnic background in the South Caucasus are a lively element of daily public and even private life. In the conversations of men and women in the streets, history is often measured in millennia and centuries rather than in decades and years. History is largely seen as an integral part of the present and a driving force for the future. In fact, references to the deep roots of preceding civilizations serve as arguments in contemporary political disputes. Psychologically backward attitudes in public thinking to a large degree dominate reflections over present-day realities. In politically sensitive situations, this often leads to rigid positions that are hard to negate. For this reason, it is obvious that deadlocks over disputed issues have always been and will 5 CORE Mission Information Package: South Caucasus remain a very typical scenario in the South Caucasus. Furthermore, inter-ethnic and international relations in the South Caucasus are defined to a large degree by ethnic and tribal pride and self-esteem. In the view of the outsider, the native peoples of the region exhibit an indefatigable conviction in the uniqueness and historical mystery of their ethnic groups and areas of settlement. Close kinship ties within the various ethnicities (including families, communities, business circles or political groups) are simultaneously cornerstones of and threats to South Caucasus statehoods. The clan- like structure of public life serves as a means of ethnic and national self-protection. Not only is the South Caucasus separate from the rest of the region, but it is divided internally. It is their diverse religious, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds that make the different peoples of the three little nations in this tiny sub-region so disconnected from one another. As a rule, each ethnic group of the South Caucasus sees itself as indigenous people with a natural und exclusive right to live in their