The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia: Security Issues in the Caucasus

Abstract

The unresolved dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the most worrying unresolved conflicts in the Caucasus region, both because it involves two sovereign states and because the three principal regional powers—Russia, Turkey and Iran—all have a differing stance towards the issue. The ongoing conflict undermines security across the Caucasus and wider Black Sea region: it has polarized countries and their allies, and has also created a security vacuum that encourages the proliferation of trans-national security challenges. This paper assesses the impact of the conflict on security across the Caucasus region. It examines the current defense postures of Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the influence that the ongoing conflict has on their relations with other states throughout the region, demonstrating that the lack of a resolution not only undermines the security of those directly involved and of their neighbors, but also undermines the potential for regional co-operation, as well as economic development and stability, deterring vital investment.