Home to three protracted conflicts (Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh), the South Caucasus is a particularly security-challenged region. The conflicts are a serious impediment to real regional integration and detrimental to the region’s economic development and prosperity. Since Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia regained their independence, the EU has strengthened its engagement with the region, including in relation to conflict resolution and peacebuilding. In July 2003 the EU appointed its first Special Representative for the region. Today the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) is the only security mission on the ground in Georgia while the EU is also part of the Geneva International Discussions on the conflict in Georgia.

Although the EU is not directly involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, which is led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Russia, France and the United States (US), the EU nevertheless funds peace-building activities through its EPNK initiative (European Partnership for the Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh). The EU has also strengthened political and economic ties with the three states via the Eastern Partnership. This Policy Dialogue, organised by European Policy Centre (EPC) in cooperation with LINKS, focused on the work of the EU Special Representative, ongoing peace building efforts and key challenges in the South Caucuses.

Speakers included: Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre, Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia,Roxana Cristescu, Head Eurasia Programme, Crisis Management.