SOUTH CAUCASUS UNDERGOES GREAT CHANGES, EXPERT SERGEI SHAKARIANTS CONSIDERS
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Great changes took place in the
South Caucasian region after the latest events in Georgia: there were
three states in the region before it, while now together with South
Ossetia and Abkhazia their number is five. Sergei Shakariants, an
independent expert on regional issues, stated at the September 4 press
conference. However, in his opinion, formation of new states is only a
visible change. Other changes are also expected that will take place as
a result of a confrontation between NATO and Russia.
According to S. Shakariants, new dividing lines appeared in the region
after the Georgian-Russian confrontation, as the U.S. provided support
to the Georgian side in the assault of Tskhinval. "In this case
Americans played the same role to Ossetians as Austrian-Hungarian and
German officers played to Armenians during the Genocide," he stated.
As regards Turkey’s initiative of creating a "South Caucasian
platform," S. Shakariants said that no security plan will act in the
region without including Iran in it, which has always played a
significant role in preservation of stability and security in the
Caucasus.
It should be mentioned that the idea of the "South Caucasian platform"
implies development of regional cooperation in the format of Russia,
Turkey, and three South Caucasian countries.