The Regional Studies Center (RSC) held its latest closed monthly briefing on 22 December, offering a comprehensive analysis consisting of three main areas: (1) assessing recent political developments related to the implications of the passage of the 6 December Armenian constitutional referendum; (2) the outlook for Armenia-Turkey “normalization,” especially given the recent Turkish-Russian crisis, and (3) an assessment of the broader military situation, in light of the recent escalation of clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh and with an added focus on the outlook for the diplomatic mediation of the Karabakh conflict. 

In a special report entitled, “Peacekeeping Contributor Profile: Armenia,” RSC Director Richard Giragosian authored a study of trends and developments regarding Armenia’s demonstrable commitment to international peacekeeping operations.  The report, completed in late November, was commissioned as the 60^th country study for an independent research project, “Providing for Peacekeeping,” of the International Peace Institute, the Elliott School at George Washington University, and the Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect at the University of Queensland. 

18 December 2015

In an insightful report, the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) issued a report on 18 December raising new questions and challenges over the U.S. strategic concept of strengthening the military capabilities of foreign partners so that they could assume increased responsibility for regional security.  With a varied record of achievements and limitations, including the U.S “Train & Equip” program for Georgia, for example, this report examines the American approach known as Building Partner Capacity (BPC), which “has increased in prominence within U.S. strategy, arguably becoming a central pillar of U.S. national security and foreign policy in recent years,” based on the premise that strengthening fragile foreign security institutions abroad will have benefits for U.S. national security. 

18 December 2015

Although the Russian Navy receives far too little attention, as much of the analytical focus tends to be dominated by the Russian army and air power, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) released an insightful new report on 18 December, entitled, “The Russian Navy – A Historic Transition.”

http://news.usni.org/2015/12/18/document-office-of-naval-intelligence-report-on-russian-navy

The attached is our latest “RSC Nagorno-Karabakh Situational Assessment,” covering the most recent escalation, from 4-11 December, in which at least half of dozen deaths were reported from all sides, a military UAV was shot down and a tank unit was used for the first time since the signing of the 1994 ceasefire.