Region

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
Ruling party in Georgia secures tense local election victories as EU expresses concern on democratic process

Ruling party in Georgia secures tense local election victories as EU expresses concern on democratic process

Candidates of the ruling Georgian Dream party have won local elections held on 4 October in all five self-governing cities namely Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Batumi, and Poti based on preliminary results released by the Central Election Commission. The results appear to consolidate the ruling party’s control over Georgia’s largest municipalities amid a backdrop of political tension and opposition boycotts of the local elections.
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News
Almaty Summit advances reforms to strengthen the Trans-Caspian transport route

Almaty Summit advances reforms to strengthen the Trans-Caspian transport route

On Wednesday (1 October), Almaty hosted a high-level summit attended by delegations from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey to coordinate measures to improve the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. The meetings produced a series of agreements intended to streamline logistics, boost infrastructure, and unify tariff policies along the corridor.

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EUMM: Unarmed but effective. The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia has helped stabilise the situation after the bloody August 2008 War. However the situation on the frontline is often tense, and the future far from certain.
EUMM: Unarmed but effective. The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia has helped stabilise the situation after the bloody August 2008 War. However the situation on the frontline is often tense, and the future far from certain.

EUMM: Unarmed but effective. The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia has helped stabilise the situation after the bloody August 2008 War. However the situation on the frontline is often tense, and the future far from certain.

The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia has helped stabilise the situation after the bloody August 2008 War. However the situation on the frontline is often tense, and the future far from certain. Commonspace.eu Joseph d'Urso travelled with an EUMM patrol, and talked to villagers and IDPs whose life has been deeply affected by the war.
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Interview
Medoev: "Our independence is irreversible". Commonspace exclusive interview with South Ossetia's envoy in Moscow.

Medoev: "Our independence is irreversible". Commonspace exclusive interview with South Ossetia's envoy in Moscow.

In this exclusive interview with commonspace.eu South Ossetia's envoy to Moscow blames Georgia for starting the 2008 war, and the international community for complacency bordering on complicity. He dismisses the role of civil society in resolution of the conflict and says Russia was the salvation of the Ossetian people.
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News
The August 2008 Georgia-Russia War in ten questions and answers.

The August 2008 Georgia-Russia War in ten questions and answers.

Five years have passed since Georgia and Russia fought a short but costly war that again brought suffering and death on a huge scale to the Caucasus. Lessons need to be learnt and the world and the people of the region together must say "Never again", and must with their actions and their will avoid the spiral that leads to war. Commonspace.eu summarises the conflict and its background in ten short questions and answers as an introduction to a series of articles, interviews and special reports which we will be publishing over the next few days
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Russia builds artificial border in the heart of the Caucasus. A new fence around South Ossetia creates problems for the local population.
Russia builds artificial border in the heart of the Caucasus. A new fence around South Ossetia creates problems for the local population.

Russia builds artificial border in the heart of the Caucasus. A new fence around South Ossetia creates problems for the local population.

A new fence around South Ossetia is both geographically and politically artificial, and creates problems for the local population.
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Baku publishes "black list". The Government of Azerbaijan has declared 335 individuals, including MPs and diplomats, persona non grata
Baku publishes "black list". The Government of Azerbaijan has declared 335 individuals, including MPs and diplomats, persona non grata

Baku publishes "black list". The Government of Azerbaijan has declared 335 individuals, including MPs and diplomats, persona non grata

The Government of Azerbaijan has declared 335 persons, including members of parliament of Russia and several European and other countries, as persona non grata for visiting Nagorno-Karabakh
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Aliev and Lefort review situation around Karabakh conflict. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus concludes latest round of visits region.
Aliev and Lefort review situation around Karabakh conflict. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus concludes latest round of visits region.

Aliev and Lefort review situation around Karabakh conflict. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus concludes latest round of visits region.

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus concludes latest round of visits to the region.
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Azerbaijan increases rhetoric against Minsk Group. Senior officials have over the last weeks indicated dissatisfaction with the process.
Azerbaijan increases rhetoric against Minsk Group. Senior officials have over the last weeks indicated dissatisfaction with the process.

Azerbaijan increases rhetoric against Minsk Group. Senior officials have over the last weeks indicated dissatisfaction with the process.

Several senior state officials have over the last weeks made harsh attacks against the work of the co-Chair and indicated dissatisfaction with the process.