US military: NATO`s efforts in South Caucasus are hampered by  disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan

ArmInfo. Disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh hamper NATO's strengthening in the South Caucasus," US Army Colonel Robert Hamilton wrote in a Foreign Policy Research Institute article.

"The focus of the Alliance on the Russian threat on its eastern flank, as well as the threat of terrorism, minimizes its opportunities for serious involvement in the South Caucasus." The latter is an unfortunate combination of fragmentation and susceptibility to Russia's pressure to prevent NATO involvement. The Karabakh conflict makes regional cooperation impossible, while retaining Moscow's leverage over all three regions," he said.

According to Hamilton, Russia is Armenia's only ally, while preserving Azerbaijan's hopes for regaining control over Nagorno-Karabakh. For Georgia, Russia is a clear military threat. All these factors directly interfere with NATO's cooperation with the countries of the South Caucasus. The disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan are too deep and therefore unable to be overcome by any motivation that NATO could provide.

The US military notes the impossibility of NATO's complete withdrawal from the region until its final stabilization in the light of the proximity of the South Caucasus to Europe, the role of the energy corridor and the trade bridge between Europe and Asia. And also the potential for conflict in the region to destabilize the wider Black Sea region, which includes several NATO members.

"Inattention to the South Caucasus can have serious long-term negative consequences, and it is quite difficult to realize NATO expansion to the region, therefore, the Alliance should continue the policy of establishing priorities for relations with Georgia, preserving the channels open to Armenia and Azerbaijan." None of these steps for NATO will be but together they mean renewed interest in security and stability in the South Caucasus. The inability to intensify the presence in the South Caucasus and take Specific steps to confirm an open door policy can significantly damage the credibility of NATO, Hamilton notes.