Luke Coffey
Former Director, Allison Center for Foreign Policy
Luke Coffey oversaw research on nations stretching from South America to the Middle East.
Far from being just a localized conflict in a place far from Washington, DC, the fighting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian militaries and Armenian-backed militias in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno–Karabakh region could destabilize an already fragile region even further. If the U.S. is to follow the guidance outlined in its 2017 National Security Strategy, the current fighting in the South Caucasus cannot be ignored. The U.S. must monitor the situation closely, keep an eye on malign Russian and Iranian influence in the region, seek guarantees that international trade and transit routes passing through Azerbaijan will remain secure, and call for a negotiated settlement that respects the territorial integrity of all countries in the region and is based on the existing Madrid Principles.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Azerbaijan–Armenia conflict in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno–Karabakh region could destabilize an already fragile region even further.
If the U.S. is to follow the 2017 National Security Strategy, with an emphasis on great-power competition, it cannot ignore the current unrest in the South Caucasus.
Inside the Minsk Group, the U.S. must advocate a negotiated settlement that delivers a cease-fire and respects the territorial integrity of all those in the region.
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