By Dr David Grigorian.

Dr David Grigorian, Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund's Monetary and Capital Markets Department and a co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia, gives an in-depth analysis of Armenia's economic development from independence and to the present day. He argues that better governance is crucial to efforts to reform the economy, tackle public debt and improve long-term growth prospects.

Download FPC Briefing: Armenia's Economy since Independence (390 kilobyte PDF)

By Alexander Jackson.

FPC Research Associate Alex Jackson gives us his analysis of the new alliance between billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili and Western-feted opposition leader Irakli Alasania, that has been shaking up Georgian politics in recent weeks.

Download FPC Briefing: Comrades in arms, or a marriage of convenience (320 kilobyte PDF)

By Adam Hug. Source: E! Sharp

Bright future? Europe has diverse incentives to deploy to help consolidate democracy in Yerevan.

Over the past few weeks, Armenia has experienced a level of political turbulence not seen since 2008, as large crowds gathered to commemorate the third anniversary of the March 1 post-election protests that were strongly suppressed by the Armenian government, a move fiercely condemned by the international community.

Full text 

Adam Hug

April 2011 Hard copy: £4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download Kazakhstan at a Crossroads (710 kilobyte PDF)

To coincide with the early Presidential election of April 3rd 2011, the Foreign Policy Centre has produced its Kazakhstan at Crossroads publication, adapted and updated from three previous Foreign Policy Centre reports.

Kazakhstan at a Crossroads gives a clear overview of Kazakhstan's political, human rights and economic challenges, along with an assessment of its developing role in the world. After the missed opportunity of last year's OSCE Chairmanship the publication argues that if Kazakhstan wants to further develop a regional and global leadership role, the international community must insist that President Nazarbayev makes significant political reforms to improve its human rights and governance.

• Kazakhstan at a Crossroads project launch event

Adam Hug (Ed.)

February 2011 Hard copy: £4.95 , plus £1 p+p.

Download Spotlight on Armenia (1.34 megabyte PDF)

Spotlight on Armenia provides a clear analysis of the major challenges Armenia faces regarding democratic development, rule of law, media freedom, corruption and other human rights issues, while examining the impact of its international relationships on domestic politics. It argues for greater UK, EU and Western engagement in Armenia but that increased incentives must be matched by stronger pressure for reform.

Edited by Adam Hug (Foreign Policy Centre) the pamphlet contains contributions from leading Armenia experts including: The Caucasus Research Resource Centers, Tsira Chanturia (Penal Reform International), Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan (Eurasia Partnership Foundation), Narine Gasparyan (American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative), Richard Giragosian (Armenian Center for National and International Studies), Alexander Iskandaryan (Caucasus Institute), Dr Elisabeth Robson (East-West Insight), Vladimir Shkolnikov, Irina Urumova, Anna Walker (Control Risks) and Dr Mikael Zolyan (Brusov University).

• Spotlight on Armenia Washington Event
• Spotlight on Armenia London Event
• Spotlight on Armenia Brussels Event

Adam Hug (Ed.)

2009 Hard copy: £4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download Spotlight on Georgia pamphlet (3.71 megabyte PDF)

The FPC's Spotlight on Georgia pamphlet examines the growing human rights and governance challenges facing Georgia. It highlights increasing concerns both, internal and international, about Georgian rule of law, media freedom, policing and electoral processes. The pamphlet recommends how Georgia must reform and what the international community should do to support it.

Spotlight on Georgia was edited by Adam Hug, FPC Policy Director. It contains contributions from authors including: Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner; EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby; the Deputy Public Defender of Georgia Giorgi Chekheidze; former UK Foreign Secretary Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP; Chair of the UK's Georgian All Party Parliamentary Group Bruce George MP; former US Ambassador to the USSR Ambassador Arthur Hartman; Author and Conciliation Resources Associate Thomas de Waal; former OSCE Policing Advisor Marco Kubny; Elsa Vidal from Reporters Without Borders; Giorgi Gogia from Human Rights Watch; and Dr Hans Gutbrod from the Caucasus Research Resource Centres.

• Spotlight on Georgia: Irakli Alasania event
• Spotlight on Georgia: project launch event

Date: Thursday 23 June, 3pm-5pm,

Venue: European Policy Centre, Résidence Palace, 155 rue de la Loi, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium

As part of the FPC's global series of events following the launch of the recent Spotlight on Armenia publication, we are delighted to be able to partner with the European Policy Centre, to hold a seminar in the Brussels. The EPC and OSI Spotlight on Armenia event will debate the major challenges Armenia faces regarding democratic development, rule of law, media freedom, corruption and other human rights issues, while examining the impact of its international relationships on domestic politics.

Speakers:

• Peter Semneby, Former EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus(tbc)
• Adam Hug, Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre
• Jacqui Hale, Senior Policy Analyst - EU External Relations, Open Society Institute-Brussels
• Paruyr Hovhannisyan, European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA)

Chair: Amanda Paul, Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre

To RSVP please email: v.belmega@epc.eu

Date: Tuesday 14 June, 6pm-7.45pm

Venue: Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London SW1A 2LW (use public entrance on Victoria Embankment)

As part of the FPC's global series of events following the launch of the recent Spotlight on Armenia publication, we are delighted to be able to hold an event in London. The FPC's Spotlight on Armenia event will debate the major challenges Armenia faces regarding democratic development, rule of law, media freedom, corruption and other human rights issues, while examining the impact of its international relationships on domestic politics.

Speakers:

• Lord Prescott, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Rapporteur for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee for Armenia
• Anna Walker, Senior Analyst-Central Asia and South Caucasus, Control Risks
• Dr Elisabeth Robson, EastWest Insight and former head of the BBC Russia and Caucasus & Central Asia Services
• Dr Armine Ishkanian,Programme Director NGOs and Development, LSE

Chair: Adam Hug, Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre

To RSVP please email: events@fpc.org.uk

Download Spotlight on Armenia: London invitation (90 kilobyte PDF)

Date: Thursday 2 June, 12.15pm-2pm

Venue: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036-2103

To hear the recording of the event please click here

http://dl2.newmediamill.net/media/carnegie/2011-06-02-Armenia.mp3

As part of the FPC's global series of events following the launch of the recent Spotlight on Armenia publication, we are delighted to be able to partner with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to hold a seminar in Washington D.C. The event will debate the major challenges Armenia faces regarding democratic development, rule of law, media freedom, corruption and other human rights issues, while examining the impact of its international relationships on domestic politics.

Speakers:

• Adam Hug, Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre
• Dawn Schock, Armenia Country Director, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative
• Laura Jewett, Director, Regional Director- Eurasia, National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Discussant: Ambassador John Evans, US Ambassador to Armenia, 2004-06

Chair: Tom De Waal, Senior Associate, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment

To RSVP please email: events@fpc.org.uk

For more information about the event email: russiaeurasiaprogram@ceip.org