The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Moscow-brokered November ceasefire, and the presence now of Russian forces in all three countries of the Caucasus are significant events in a part of the world where Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Iranian policy objectives can collide with each other as well as with those of the United States and European countries. Moreover, while the November agreement may have stopped the fighting, it did not create peace. At the same time, the process is underway in the United States of transitioning to a new presidential administration on January 20, 2021. In charting out its foreign policy objectives, the Biden administration will need to examine this new situation in the Caucasus and its potential ramifications for Europe and Eurasia’s security, stability, and prosperity. The Caspian Policy Center (CPC) and the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) will convene a panel of experts from both the United States and Azerbaijan to discuss the future of U.S.-Azerbaijan relations in light of 2020’s landmark events.

09:00 – 09:10 Welcome remarks

• Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer, Caspian Policy Center
• Farid Shafiyev, Chairman, Center of Analysis of International Relations

09:10 – 09:45   Opening Statements

Moderator:

• Ambassador (ret.) Richard Hoagland, Security and Politics Program Chair, CPC

Participants:

• Ambassador (ret.) Robert Cekuta, Economy and Energy Program Chair, CPC
• Ambassador (ret.) Richard Morningstar, Director and Chairman of the Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
• Luke Coffey, Director of the Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation
• Dr. Svante Cornell, Director, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program Joint Center
• Farid Shafiyev, Chairman, Center of Analysis of International Relations

09:45 – 10:25   Discussion and Q&A

10:25 – 10:30  Closing remarks