Armenian vector of the Czech policy in the South Caucasus (1993-2018) [Армянский вектор чешской политики на Южном Кавказе (1993-2018)]

Abstract

The collapse of the USSR and Czechoslovakia created preconditions for developing relations between Armenia and Czechia at the end of the 1990s - the beginning of the 2000s. Azerbaijan became the main partner of Czechia in the South Caucasus and Armenia found partly itself on the sidelines of a Caucasian policy of Prague. However, Armenia and Czechia have been recently getting interested in expanding cooperation. The main tendencies and controversies of the development of Armenian and Czech relations are analyzed in the article. This issue has not been properly explored in modern science literature. However this topic is of high practical importance as it expands our perceptions of realities of the current situation in the South Caucasus, a policy of the European Union in the region and the Armenian integration into the world economy and politics. The article concludes that Czechia has constructed a two-level system of a dialogue with Armenia. Prague closely connects “the Armenian course” of its own foreign policy with the policy of Eastern Partnership of the EU. The economic links of two states has not reached significant results mainly because of imperfection of the Armenian legal system, domestic political instability and serious problems in its economy. More achievements can be found in the development of a political dialogue between Prague and Yerevan. Czech Republic aspires to support the modernization of the Armenian economic, political and legal systems, the development of civil society institutions in the country