The Media Is the Message: Shaping Compromise in the South CaucasusDate: 18.11.2015 12th Workshop of the PfP Consortium Study Group “Regional Stability in the South Caucasus” On 12-14 November 2015, George Niculescu, the Head of Research of the European Geopolitical Forum, attended the 12th Workshop of the PfP Consortium Study Group “Regional Stability in the South Caucasus”, held in Chateau Rothschild in Reichenau/Rax (Austria). He moderated a panel on “What Room Is There for a Public Debate on the Commercial and Economic Value of Peace?”, and a Breakout Group session on "Developing a Constructive Media Campaign on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Resolution". Distinguished panelists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia put forward their thoughts on the subject, while the audience consisted of experts from regional and international think tanks, education institutions, and civil society. Mr. Niculescu concluded that: "All parties understand that a political compromise is needed to resolve the South Caucasus protracted conflicts. That would require adopting a changed narrative on conflict resolution reflecting a constructive, dialogue-oriented approach. Dialogue on economic issues would have an important role to play in preparing the political and psychological conditions for readying wider circles of the respective societies to accept a negotiated compromise solution. This is where creating a platform for economic dialogue -such as the one set up by the European Geopolitical Forum for the case of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict- could help. It may be used as a key element of a public debate on the advantages of choosing peace and regional economic integration over the current state of hostility. Or it may be used to develop economic incentives in the framework of post-conflict scenarios, while investigating the links among the economic, political and security agendas of the parties concerned."
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