The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains unresolved for more than three decades. Previous studies on frozen conflicts focus on various aspects contributing to their...Show moreThe Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains unresolved for more than three decades. Previous studies on frozen conflicts focus on various aspects contributing to their prolongation but largely neglected the influence of public opinion. However, existing studies on the relationship between public opinion and foreign policy argue that public preferences and attitudes may have a significant impact on elites’ decisions concerning conflicts’ development and resolution talks. In this thesis, I argue that studying public opinion in Armenia and Azerbaijan towards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can have wide-ranging implications for our understanding of frozen conflicts duration. The analysis shows that negative public opinion has a profound effect on the conflict prolongation, both directly and indirectly. Directly, by constraining policy-makers in their attempts to resolve the conflict and indirectly by providing the elites with incentives to perpetuate the conflict .Show less
In 1992 a peace treaty was signed between South-Ossetia and Georgia. This seemed to be the end of the conflict that had engulfed Georgia for two years. Now, 26 years later and there still is not a...Show moreIn 1992 a peace treaty was signed between South-Ossetia and Georgia. This seemed to be the end of the conflict that had engulfed Georgia for two years. Now, 26 years later and there still is not a permanent solution for South-Ossetia. In this thesis the idea is put forth that the changing dynamic of the EU-Russian relationship has facilitated the creation and sustainability of this frozen conflict. In order to understand more of the reasons whereof an examination is given of the six elements of the EU-Russia relationship, a theoretical background concerning frozen conflicts will be given and an inspection of South-Ossetia has been done. Show less
