The situation in the South Caucasus remains strained despite the efforts the United States and Russia exert to maintain the fragile peace in the Karabakh conflict area and in the region, as a whole. Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations remains undecided while Azeri President’s threats to start a new war seem endless. Peacekeeper, first director of the NKR-based Center of Civil Initiatives NGO and coordinator of the international working group on missing persons and exchange of POWs Albert Voskanyan comments on the current situation to PanARMENIAN.Net.

Nagorno Karabakh conflict is in focus of the international community. The latest developments have instigated the interest of the international institutions, specifically the OSCE. PanARMENIAN.Net requested Mr. Joao Soares, President of the OSCE PA, to comment on the organization’s approaches to the problem.

Mr. Arnold Stepanian, Chairman of the Public Movement “Multinational Georgia”, coordinator of the Assembly of Armenians of Tbilisi is one of the most well known political activists of the Armenian community. He started his political career well before the “Rose Revolution”. Disillusioned with the values of the “Revolution”, he looked for the truth in the ranks of the opposition. However, he returned to the community, as he deems that protection of its interests is his principle task today. The reason of the interview with Mr. Arnold Stepanian was the forthcoming local elections, which are planned to take place in Georgia in spring.

The problems of the higher education have always been urgent, and this fact is especially evident now taking into account that there are no special obstacles in that field. However, it is not always possible to receive a high quality education and sometimes young people face a dilemma what university and country to choose. On the prospects of the cooperation between Armenia and Russia in the field of the higher education deputy director of SU-HSE branch in Saint-Petersburg, professor of sociology department of the SU-HSE branch in Saint Petersburg, Daniil Alexandrov to PanARMENIAN.Net:

Armenia is dynamically integrating into European structures. The inclusion of the republic in the Eastern Partnership initiative can encourage closer cooperation with Europe and offer a stability and security guarantee. Head of the European Commission Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Raul de Luzenberger commented to PanARMENIAN.Net on prospects for the initiative.

The regular meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Zurich late January gingered up the OSCE MG Co-chairs, who are planning a regional visit in the near future. European structures are pressing for soonest resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which they consider to be an obstacle to regional development. OSCE PA Special Representative on Nagorno Karabakh Goran Lennmarker comments to PanARMENIAN.Net on his vision for the conflict resolution.

Although the Karabakh movement has counted 21 years already, the conflict between NKR and Azerbaijan remains unresolved. The proposals the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs submitted to the sides in Madrid in November 2007 did not satisfy the sides, specifically the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, as the basis of talks. On request of PanARMENIAN.Net, Mr. Bako Sahakyan, President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, comments on the current situation in NKR and Stepanakert's position on the settlement process.

The Nagorno Karabakh problem doesn't lose urgency in 2009. Despite optimistic statements by the international mediators, its resolution is still a long way off. The regional visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and the impending meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Davos do not promise a breakthrough. PanARMENIAN.Net requested Ruben Zargaryan, historian and adviser to Foreign Minister of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, to comment on the current situation.
   

The European Union shows genuine interest in the South Caucasus and the five-day war in August is among the reasons. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili confessed of starting the war that cost Georgia too dear: NATO decided not to offer MAP to Georgia and Ukraine, the U.S. is changing its foreign policy trends. PanARMENIAN.Net requested Ivlian Khaindrava, director of South Caucasus programs at the Tbilisi-based center of development and cooperation, to comment on the current situation in Georgia.

The OSCE Minsk Group dealing with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict managed to prevent resumption of hostilities. The Moscow declaration signed by Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia lays emphasis on confidence-building measures, although no result has been seen yet PanARMENIAN.Net requested Mr. Dennis Sammut, the Chair of the Executive Steering Committee of the Consortium Initiative, to comment on the current stage of the settlement process.