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As it negotiates the fate of New START, Washington should not lose sight of the importance of continued cooperation with Russia across a broad range of issues.
Despite the reset, a values gap still exists between Russia and the United States that could limit progress, undermine trust and confidence in the bilateral relationship, and raise difficult issues that cannot be ignored.
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 recent U.S. midterm elections could mean delay or even reversal for the Obama administration’s foreign policy agenda toward Russia, particularly on issues like New START, the “123 agreement” on civilian nuclear cooperation, and trade relations.
The ongoing conflicts in the Caucasus stem more from the way the region was managed under the Soviet system than from any ethnic incompatibility or ancient hatreds among its inhabitants.
The U.S.-Russia reset is off to a solid beginning, but it is incomplete in many respects; while the countries have made good progress in their relationship, much remains to be done.
Although the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission, which aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries on a broad range of shared interests, appears promising so far, the two sides must work together closely to ensure it continues to produce results.
Russia’s North Caucasus is in the grip of a low-intensity civil war and Moscow’s current policy of building up Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has not succeeded in preventing the spread of violence.
The inability of Armenia and Azerbaijan to find any common ground in their conflict over Nagorno Karabakh undermines the chance of peace in the region and, without more constructive international engagement, increases the risk of outright war.