A Global TrendEU‐style: Democracy Promotion in ‘Fragile’ and Conflict‐Affected South Caucasus

Abstract

This article examines the EU's democracy promotion in ‘fragile’ and conflict‐affected states. The article discusses the EU's perception of state fragility, contrasts it to the evolving understanding of the concept in the literature, and discusses its actions in the conflict‐affected states of the South Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The analysis demonstrates that while the EU has adjusted its democracy promotion policies following critical international junctures, it has not specifically addressed the perceived fragility or conflicts of states where it promotes democracy. While the EU's democracy promotion profile in the South Caucasus countries has become more visible, its involvement in the resolution of regional conflicts has remained marginal. Yet, by not following the trend of accentuating fragility, the EU may have proven itself as a more nuanced democracy promoter, attempting to take into consideration local perceptions and realities.

International Risk Factors Occurring in the Caspian Sea Region

“…As a matter of fact, it is the group of external Western players which constitutes the second important group pursuing its interests in the Caspian Sea region. Th is group comprises the member states of the European Union which seek diversifi cation of the supply of energy fuels, and more precisely, which want to become independent from Russia's supplies and its fuels policy (Babayan, 2016). An important part is played also by the United States, which since the dissolution of the Soviet Union has been trying to expand its sphere of infl uence in the near abroad states and limit Russian potential by using such instruments as strategic partnership with the states in the region or support for the BTC oil pipeline and the Baku-Erzurum gas pipeline (Austvik, Rzayeva, 2017).…”