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South Caucasus

The South Caucasus – a region encompassing Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - is one of strategic importance, not only for adjacent countries, such as Turkiye, Russia, Iran and the Central Asian states, but also for neighbours such as the European Union and the GCC states, and globally for the United States, India, China, Pakistan and Japan.

commonspace.eu team brings decades of experience of working in the South Caucasus and we are pleased to share our insights with our loyal readers through the website, and the sister newsletter, Caucasus Concise.

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News
Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan hold important trilateral meeting
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Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan hold important trilateral meeting

23 August 2025
Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan held important trilateral meetings in the Turkmen city of Turkmenbashi on Friday, 22 August. Joint development of deposits on the Caspian shelf and cooperation in the field of energy exports, including renewable sources, were discussed. The talks came in the framework of the visit to Turkmenistan of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Shovkat Mirzizoyev of  Uzbekistan who were hosted by the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (Senate) of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is a former president and the father of the current president, Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Azerbaijani media noted that during the meeting Uzbekistan hailed a scheme to export green electricity to Europe as promising, while Turkmen officials signaled a new openness to ideas long discussed in Brussels and Ankara, to build a Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, a project that has been under discussion for more than 30 years.

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Editor's choice
Opinion
Opinion: An incomplete treaty between Baku and Yerevan will not bring peace
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Opinion: An incomplete treaty between Baku and Yerevan will not bring peace

28 November 2024
Over the past two years, numerous unofficial deadlines have been set for signing the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty. Until the end of last year, the people of both countries held their breath in anticipation of a breakthrough, encouraged by officials on both sides who deemed an agreement possible. Later, there was significant optimism that the two former adversaries might reach a deal during the United Nations Climate Conference (COP29) which was held on November 11-24 in Baku.
Vasif Huseynov
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Opinion
Opinion: Uncertain times for Azerbaijan and Armenia relations
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Opinion: Uncertain times for Azerbaijan and Armenia relations

27 November 2024
The recent BRICS summit held on 22-24 October in the Russian city of Kazan, featured the first talks in the last few months between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership. The countries were represented by President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan as well as the foreign ministers, Bayramov and Mirzoyan. Pashinyan declared that at the moment “all the matters of principles have been addressed and resolved” by the draft treaty, although Armenia’s chief diplomat Mirzoyan toned his statement a bit down, claiming that the document “is at least 80-90% agreed upon”.
Murad Muradov
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Opinion
Opinion: Pashinyan proposes partial withdrawal of EUMA from Armenia-Azerbaijan border
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Opinion: Pashinyan proposes partial withdrawal of EUMA from Armenia-Azerbaijan border

26 November 2024
With the conclusion of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP29 in Azerbaijan, discussions with Armenia on normalising relations are expected to resume in December. However, it remains uncertain whether an agreement will be reached anytime soon, as past attempts to finalise talks have consistently fallen short. That said, there may now be some clarity regarding the three key issues believed to be preventing a breakthrough. In early November, Farid Shafiyev, Chair of the Centre for Analysis of International Relations (AIR) in Azerbaijan, shared on X what he claims are the specific points left unresolved.
Onnik James Krikorian
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Opinion
Opinion: COP29 host Azerbaijan faces unfair accusations
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Opinion: COP29 host Azerbaijan faces unfair accusations

26 November 2024
“As the host country of COP29, we have become the target of a coordinated, well-orchestrated campaign of slander and blackmail”, said President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan during his inauguration speech at the climate conference on November 12. This conference was the largest international event ever organized in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus. Bringing together 80 presidents, vice-presidents, and prime ministers, the conference had 72,000 registered participants from 196 countries. Azerbaijan has concentrated all its efforts over the past year since it received the mandate of hosting this event to make it as well-organized and successful as possible. In parallel, the country has had to deal with the information attacks from multiple sources over the past year.
Vasif Huseynov
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Analysis
Analysis: China and the South Caucasus
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Analysis: China and the South Caucasus

24 November 2024
China is a relatively new player in the South Caucasus but has growing interests, particularly in the economic domain. While Beijing established diplomatic ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the early 1990s, it largely stayed out of the region’s geopolitics. Armenia acquired Chinese-made WM-80 multiple-launch systems in 1999, but they had little impact on the military balance with Azerbaijan. Chinese economic ties with the South Caucasus began to grow in the early 2000s, driven by the rapid expansion of its economy. Interest in the region deepened after President Xi Jinping announced the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, with the South Caucasus envisioned as a potential land route connecting China to Europe.
Benyamin Poghosyan
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Opinion
Opinion: Armenia and Azerbaijan again at crossroads as informal COP29 deadline passes
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Opinion: Armenia and Azerbaijan again at crossroads as informal COP29 deadline passes

19 November 2024
November marks the fourth anniversary of the end of the 2020 Karabakh war. It was also the month considered as an informal deadline for initialling or signing some kind of document ending the conflict between Yerevan and Baku or at least a joint statement cementing points agreed in peace talks to date. Instead, having failed to do so by the time of this month's United Nations Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, and with Yerevan effectively shunning the event, Azerbaijan says that negotiations will now resume in December. As usual, Azerbaijan says Armenia must change its constitution. Armenia refuses to do so – or at least not until other constitutional changes are put to referendum still most likely in 2027. 
Onnik James Krikorian
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News
Azerbaijan's railway infrastructure receives major upgrade in preparation for COP29
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Azerbaijan's railway infrastructure receives major upgrade in preparation for COP29

4 November 2024
Azerbaijan's railwy system is completing preparations to welcome international guests to COP29 by providing a seamless, environmentally friendly and efficient transit experience. These preparations include training more than 300 employees in customer service, English language and climate knowledge to ensure smooth transit for visitors arriving for the conference. 
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