Assessing the Impact of Track Two Initiatives on the Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Process, Fall 2012

Despite the twenty-year-long OSCE Minsk Group’s mediation efforts concerning the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, so far no tangible results have been achieved  in  the  official  negotiation  process. Meanwhile, various local and international actors have also undertaken a number of non-official (Track Two) initiatives with regard to this conflict. This article explores these Track Two diplomacy initiatives and assesses their impact on the overall peace process. The analysis suggests that there may not be any progress towards a peaceful, negotiated solution unless the Armenian and Azerbaijani societies, divided by Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, have a clear vision of a common future. As a driving force, this vision will assist in building trust and bring the parties to more compatible positions through interaction in both official and non-official arenas