The South Caucasus has always been a place of collision of superpowers. Due to the Nagorno Karabakh and Georgian-Abkhaz conflict there is an impression formed that Russia is gradually being forced out of the region. What is the actual state of affairs? PanARMENIAN.Net asked first vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Studies, Colonel General, Doctor of Historical Sciences Leonid Ivashov, who headed Russian Army General Staff till 2001.

Apprehensions are voiced more often lately over possible attack against Iran by the US. Open threats by Washington, as well as Teheran pursuing a hard-edged policy increase this alarm. Taking into account Armenia neighboring Iran, the good naborly relations between us, as well as the presence of a many-million Azerbaijani population in it, Yerevan, of course, cannot remain indifferent to the growing tension in the region. Political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan answers these and other questions of PanARMENIAN.Net.