Carnegie Moscow Center
Unlike in Russia, where organized crime persists in part because the government lacks the political will to enforce the law consistently, organized crime in the Caucasus has its roots in a larger cultural problem.
The mass unrest in Moscow this December has demonstrated the failure of the authorities to maintain stability in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith country.
While Turkey’s vote against additional UN Security Council sanctions on Iran was viewed by some as a sign that Turkey is drifting away from the West, in reality the relationship is much more complicated.
While the nations of the Caucasus are heavily influenced by historical narratives of intractable ethnic conflicts, a more critical look at the region’s history reveals a number of surprising alliances and pragmatic resolutions.
Abkhazia’s relationship with Russia and the larger international community is shaped both by its disputed status as an independent state and by a sharp historical memory of its equally disputed past.
Although Russia has officially recognized South Ossetia’s independence, neither Tskhinvali nor Moscow has clearly outlined the goals of a new state project or set out the mechanisms for its further development.
While war is not likely to break out over Nagorno-Karabakh in the near future, there is a growing possibility that escalation in the tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia could kill the peace process.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s central role in the country’s governance may leave Georgia ill-equipped to handle the growing economic challenges ahead.
The North Caucasus have been marked recently by renewed instability and violence and Russian officials have publicly acknowledged that the region poses a serious problem for their country.
Despite democratic reforms, a volatile political environment and an unsustainable economy continue to threaten Georgia's stability.