International Center on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN)

After the Soesterberg (the Netherlands) meeting 2003 launching the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, the Regional Process in the Caucasus has been launched. The International Center on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN) coordinates the regional process in the South Caucasus, while Non-Violence International – Newly Independent States coordinates the North Caucasus. The strategy and activities of the Regional Process in the Caucasus presented by the Caucasus Regional Initiator was adopted and implemented by the regional actors involved.

During the first phase of the preparatory process (October 2003 – February 2004), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and NGO networks, as well as academics/experts involved in the regional process shared their experience in the field and discussed their approach and vision towards the conflict prevention problematique in the region; they also presented realistic ideas with a potential for implementation.

First Caucasus Regional Meeting was held on February 25-27, 2004 in Likani (Georgia). Various NGO and NGO networks representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the North Caucasus as well as experts and academics attended this meeting. The representatives of the UN, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, other international organizations and financial institutions that cover the Caucasus region were actively involved in the process providing broad consultations and recommendations for the regional meeting format. The draft regional agenda was fully supported and afterwards improved by the participants of the meeting. NGO representatives defined the regional/sub-regional priorities and established the following thematic groups on: 1) Interaction/Cooperation between Civil Society, Government and International Organizations; 2) NGO Networking; 3) Human Rights; 4) Preventive Measures; and 5) The Role of Women in Conflict Prevention. Afterwards the whole regional process was implemented through these thematic groups.

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The second phase of the Caucasus Regional Process was undertaken within October 2004 – March 2005. This phase consisted of further research of conflict prevention issues in the region, research of the role of civil society in conflict prevention as well as discussion of issues on the strengthening NGO networks in this field.

As a part of the implementation of the Caucasian regional preparatory process, the civil society institutions of the eight Southern Russian regions were developing the North Caucasian Sub-regional Peacebuilding Action Agenda of Non-governmental Organizations that was discussed at a meeting in Nalchik on February 27-28, 2005. A key role in setting up this action agenda was played by the Caucasus Sub-network of the Working Group on Conflict Management and Prevention (WG). At the same time the NGOs and NGO networks in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were working out the South Caucasus sub-regional Action Agenda.

The Caucasus Regional Conference was held in March 24-25, 2005 in Tbilisi. This overall Caucasus conference with broad participation of all actors involved in GPPAC concluded the regional process in the Caucasus region. South Caucasus Regional Action Agenda as well as North Caucasus Regional Action Agenda were presented and adopted at the Conference. Afterwards these documents were integrated into Caucasus Regional Action Agenda and the Caucasus Action Agenda was submitted to the participants of the International Forum of in July 2005 in New York.

Key actors of the South and North Caucasus Regional Process participated at the International Conference at UN Headquarters in New York on July 19-21, 2005. The delegates from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia as well as conflict zones (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) had an opportunity to share/ exchange their regional experience in conflict resolution and peacebuilding with the representatives of other regions.

After the New York Conference it became more obvious that the division of North and South Caucasus regions into two sub-regions within the Caucasus regional process would highly contribute to the effectiveness of the process. Technical and organizational difficulties hinder the decision making process and implementation of the adopted action plans. The clear division of responsibilities and functions between North and South Caucasus sub-regions will serve to the successful implementation of activities within the region. However, the North and South Caucasus sub-regions will still be represented as one integrated Caucasus region in international process.

The working meeting of the Regional Steering Group (RSG) was held on April 20-22, 2006 in Tbilisi. The meeting that brought together 14 representatives – the key actors of the regional process, aimed at reviewing: i) the achievements and drawbacks of the Global conference; ii)to develop the Action plan for the implementation of the Regional Action Agenda; iii) to adopt the regional structure of the GPPAC.

At the regional meeting participants discussed also the current developments in the South Caucasus states and overviewed the situation in conflict zones. Participants underlined the necessity to transform the adopted recommendations into practice. The Action Agenda for long-run (2006 –20012) was outlined and the plan of concrete activities for 2006-2008 was elaborated. The Action Plan stresses an urgent need for dialogue between the civil society actors of conflicting parties and implementation of joint projects with national governments with broad participation of international organizations. The whole process and concrete activities will be undertaken within the following directions: 1) Dialogue and Mediation; 2) Civil Society interaction with regional and UN agencies; 3) Peace education; 4) Early warning- Early Response systems; 5) Governance and democratization. The participants outlined the security problems, however, they expressed their doubt to influence or contribute to the resolution of existing problems in this sphere.