ESI in Barcelona: A European South Caucasus?

Nicu Popescu (ECFR), Deniz Devrim (CIDOB) and Nigar Goksel (ESI). Photo: CIDOB

In anticipation of the Spanish EU presidency, CIDOB in cooperation with ESI and FES organized an event in Barcelona to discuss the South Caucasus and the EU's role in the region. The event was supported by the OSI Fellowship Programme.

The enlargements of the EU and of NATO in the Black Sea area, together with Russia's renewed self-confidence on the international stage, have created a new situation in this part of the world. The importance of the Caucasus for issues of Europe's energy security is another reason that explains the EU's interest. The war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008 has brought the Caucasus back onto the international agendas. New EU initiatives such as the Eastern Partnership and Black Sea Synergy have relaunched the debate on finding an effective political approach for promoting peace and security in the South Caucasus.

The event was attended by ESI Chairman Gerald Knaus and ESI Analysts working on the South Caucasus: Nigar Goksel, Tigran Mkrtchyan, Arzu Geybullayeva and Besa Shahini.

Gerald Knaus (ESI) and Peter Semneby (EUSR for South Caucasus). Photo: CIDOB

Besa Shahini (ESI) and Giorgi Baramidze (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Georgia). Photo: CIDOB