As Armenia and Azerbaijan move toward normalization, why is Baku simultaneously intensifying its campaign around Armenian history and cultural heritage? In this episode of “State of Play”, Maria Titizian speaks with Dr. Nerses Kopalyan about Azerbaijan’s strategy of managed antagonization, the revival of the Caucasian Albanian narrative, and what these efforts reveal about the competition for strategic depth and influence in Washington D.C.
Topics discussed:
The revival of the Caucasian Albanian narrative and cultural erasure
The competition for strategic depth between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Armenia’s “Christian capital” and “peace capital” in Washington
Why Baku may seek to undermine Armenia’s peace narrative
The difference between negative and positive peace
Armenia’s changing security environment and deterrence capabilities
The implementation of TRIPP and its role in the wider
Trans-Caspian project
What to watch for as the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process develops
