Promoting democracy in the six post-Soviet countries in Eastern Europe that were designated by the European Union as deserving special attention will require the EU to offer incentives for implementing reforms.
The reluctance of Armenia and Azerbaijan to commit to peace negotiations over Nagorny Karabakh blocks the efforts of the international community to establish peace and U.S. bilateral interests in the two nations constrain a more aggressive push to force a deal.
Although the Armenia-Turkey normalization process which began in 2008 seemed promising, it only made the situation throughout the South Caucasus worse when it stalled in April 2010.
Lifting the Russian embargo imposed on the Georgian wine would benefit the economic interests of both countries and would support the strained Russian-Georgian relationship.
The failure of the international community to recognize the Caucasus and Central Asia as a region with complex internal dynamics complicates efforts to respond to global challenges ranging from energy security and arms proliferation to humanitarian crises.
The South Caucasus, a region with a long history of conflict and failed foreign intervention, would benefit from a paradigm shift in the policies of external actors.
Amid an atmosphere of mistrust and a fragile ceasefire, the conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh could quickly become violent. The international community would be better served to spend extra resources now on preventative diplomacy to prevent tensions from flaring.