The GPPAC process in the Caucasus is coordinated jointly by Regional Secretariats International Center on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN) for the South Caucasus, and Nonviolence International for the North Caucasus. For more information on GPPAC in the region, contact:

North Caucasus:

Mr. Igor Savin

Nonviolence International 

Moscow 109507,

Samarkhandsky blvd. 15 corp. 5 apt. 30,
phone 291-11-42,

fax 291-23-58
e-mail ninis@online.ru

South Caucasus:

Ms. Tina Gogueliani

International Center on Conflict and Negotiation 

P.O.Box 38,

Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
Phone: (995 32) 999 987
Fax/Phone: (995 32) 939 178
E-mail: iccn@iccn.ge

The South Caucasus region is in a transitional process. Georgia is overthrowing its post-revolution syndrome, drawing more attention to the civil, territorial and political integration of the country. Armenia and Azerbaijan are independently trying to manage conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The need for more civil preventive actions is as high as ever.

Differences in state-building processes in the South Caucasus
The differences can be found in the manner of political governance, the features of civil society, the foreign policy orientations and alignments. Each country of the South Caucasus has different resource possessions (political, economic, cultural, societal, natural etc.).

Similarities in state-building processes in the South Caucasus
A common authoritarian past and a common Soviet legacy granted us with common challenges and opportunities.

The crucial challenge for our countries is the problem of territorial integration. Frozen conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are zones of tension in each country and the problem of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees do not contribute to the regional political stability and represent great risks for the overall development process in the region.

New solutions
There is also a need for new solutions and approaches. Civil participation in the framework of the Global Partnership’s process will play an important role in the process of a regional preventive agenda.

It is also very important to take the factor of external influences and interests into account when analyzing the region in terms of its political environment. The leaders of South Caucasus countries publicly speak about peaceful conflict resolution, but it does not decrease the risk of armed conflicts in the future. Especially when the status quo is not changing and negotiation between conflicting sides are interrupted. Non-violent solutions to the conflicts are essential for the future of the region.

Non-violent solutions depend on more than just local and regional initiatives. Non-violent solutions will serve as the successful example by justifying the constructive role of global participation in conflict resolution.

Cooperation
The first product of this process is the real cooperation of regional civil society organizations, information exchange, and the creation of thematic groups working on different issues covering all sectors of society.

CSOs involved in the process are trying to find common solutions for specific problems and provide governments with these views. This is to be considered the beginning of a true regional conflict prevention process.

After the Soesterberg 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.

The 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 Regional Action 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.

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 Subnetwork 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 and the South Caucasus Regional Action Agenda as well as North Caucasus Regional Action Agenda were presented and adopted.

• Strengthening Democracy- and Civil Society-Building
• Positive Peace-building and Conflict Prevention/Management in the Divided Society
• Human Rights, Tolerance and Gender Equity

ICCN has professional experience in research and analysis, including regional security studies, sociological surveys and public opinion polling, human rights focusing on gender equity, minority rights and IDP/refugee/migration studies, peace education including training in a number of fields, public diplomacy (track-two) efforts across conflict zones, cross-border activities and peace campaigning, media and publishing activities, international expertise and networking. ICCN plays an active role in peace-building and civil society-building in Georgia and the Caucasus region. ICCN activities also include advocacy and lobbying, use of opinion multipliers, networking and NGO coalitions, public campaigning, third-party intervention: consultation, facilitation, mediation. Increasing role and share of stakeholder’s analyses at all stages.

The numerous outputs include research - including sociological research: opinion polls, content analysis, monitoring and expert assessments; nation- and region-wide security studies (resulting publications), conferences, problem-solving workshops and training seminars and round tables for target groups, with respective publications - including periodicals.

Regional Co-initiator, North Caucasus: Nonviolence International
www.nonviolenceinternational.net

Nonviolence International, is a 501 (c3) non-profit organization, based in Washington, DC together with its regional partner organization in Russia, Nonviolence International – Newly Independent States.

Since its founding in 1989, the goal of Nonviolence International (NI) has been working to strengthen the ability of individuals or communities to make decisions about situations affecting their lives and to participate in defining their state's or nation's interest by enhancing leadership and nonviolence skills. NI promotes nonviolent action as an effective means for citizen diplomacy and the resolution of conflict, as well as a powerful alternative to violence.

“Nonviolence International – Newly Independent States” is a public non-commercial, voluntary and self-governing organization working on the territory of Russia and other Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union. It was organized as an independent non-commercial and non-governmental organization in 1993 by a group of “grass-roots” peace activists.

NI recognizes that in order for people to use nonviolence, they must first become educated about it. NI provides this assistance through the development and distribution of general education materials on nonviolent action as well as hands-on strategy sessions and training for activists and organizers. In addition, NI has been instrumental in assisting universities to develop academic programs in nonviolence. Two such existing programs are at the American University in Beirut and the American University in Washington, D.C.

Nonviolence International also serves as a coordinating and administrative agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States NGO Working Group on Conflict Management and Prevention since 2001 – a unique network of over 70 nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations and researchers throughout Eurasia, covering all CIS regions, which experienced violent conflicts over the past decade.
For information on the work priorities of NI – NIS, please see Western Commonwealth of Independent States, of which NI – NIS is also the Regional Initiator.