This report wants to contextualise the impact and importance for Armenia that cultural events such a photographic exhibition can have in Italy, a country which in the last years has developed a strong commercial partnership and connection with Azerbaijan and has demonstrated less attention and interests to the Yerevan and Stepanakert’s position about the Nagorno-Karabakh while has privileged Baku’s narrative.
In July 2023 SpecialEurasia delved into the key aspect by visiting Cherkessk in the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia within the North Caucasus Federal District. The occasion was the Forum of Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Federation, where our team could discuss with Mussa Khabalevich Ekzekov valuable insights into the dynamics of the North Caucasus focusing on ethnic minorities, indigenous people, and local socioeconomic developments.
The opening of trading houses between Dagestan and Uzbekistan confirmed Makhachkala’s role in promoting its business in Central Asia and, therefore, supporting the Russian presence in this strategic market. Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, the North Caucasus has played a significant role in promoting the Kremlin’s economic and political presence in Russia’s blizhnee zarubezhe.
The diplomatic meeting held in Tehran stressed that Iran has emerged as a key actor in supporting the peace process regarding confrontation over Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It also indicated a possible shift of geopoltical influence from Europe towards East regarding the region.
On October 11th, 2023, SpecialEurasia, in collaboration with Mondo Internazionale ASP and MInter Group srl, organised the webinar in the Italian language titled “Geopolitical and Social Dynamics in the Caucasus: current challenges and future developments.” The primary objective of this event was to delve into the intricate situation prevailing in the Caucasus region.
Azerbaijan-Iran recent bilateral agreement to initiate a collaborative rail project signifies a pivotal development in the geopolitical landscape of the South Caucasus. This strategic infrastructure venture holds the potential to bring about a measure of stability to the region.
In August 2023, SpecialEurasia undertook a visit to Abkhazia, engaging in discussions with Viacheslav Chirikba, Director at the Centre for Strategic Studies under the President of Abkhazia, to delve into both the regional geopolitical dynamics and the intricacies of the local socioeconomic landscape.
The recent Azerbaijani military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, culminating in the capitulation of Stepanakert, coupled with the subsequent meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Nakhchivan, has engendered heightened concerns within the international community, notably within Iran.
Our OSINT report shows that a segment of Azerbaijani society or Azeri Diaspora in the post-Soviet space on different Telegram channels in Russian language exhibits pronounced sentiments of Armenophobia, manifesting in a discernible hostility towards Armenians in occasion of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.
Erdogan’s planned visit to Nakhchivan following Baku’s military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh has raised significant concerns regarding the territorial integrity of Armenia since Azerbaijan and Turkey may actively seek to establish the conditions for a potential military intervention in Armenia’s Syunik Province, with the ultimate aim of securing the Zangezur Corridor.