| Abstrakt: |
This article refers to one of the most disputed subjects in post-Soviet modern history - regional conflicts in the Black Sea - South Caucasus - Caspian region, their roots, current status and prospects for solutions. Political economy of conflicts in secessionist regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Azerbaijan - Nagorno-Karabakh, and Moldova - Transnistria, emerged as a war on Soviet succession and evolved into a real threat for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Newly Independent States (NIS), regional stability and international peace, undermining their democratization and reforms. The desperate struggle of these countries to find solutions for secessionist conflicts directly or indirectly set in opposition the West (European Union and USA) and Russia,especially in such sensitive areas as the proliferation of weapons, Conventional Armed Forces in Europe reinforced by adapted CFE Treaty (Russia recently announced its withdrawal from this Treaty), crime, corruption, trafficking and violence, energy security, democratization and reforms. The author addresses the following questions: Is the confrontation between the U.S. and Russia in these conflicts predetermined, what is the opportunity cost of their clashes in these areas, and what are the possibilities to build bridges instead of engaging into a new round of confrontation? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
