Dynamics of Friendliness of Communication Regimes in the South Caucasus Countries

Abstract

The article presents a Rating of the friendliness of the communication regimes of post-Soviet countries for 2023. The author focuses on the countries of the South Caucasus, shows the trends in the development of communication regimes, the degree of their friendliness towards Russia. The communication regime is defined as a system of rules, norms, conditions and opportunities for communication between state and non-state actors. To determine friendliness, the legal, political, and socio-cultural conditions for the development of 12 types of cross-country communications are analyzed. The strengthening of the formation of a common communication space with Russia in South Ossetia and Abkhazia is argued. In Azerbaijan and Georgia, the strengthening of a pragmatic approach to the development of communications with Russia and the strengthening of the role of the economic factor are being recorded. The example of Armenia shows how the political elite strengthen the movement towards unfriendliness in conditions when there is no deep anti-Russian position in the consciousness of the Armenian society. The author has compiled profiles of the friendliness of communication regimes for each country and reveals their features. The article uses the materials of the annual monitoring of the communication regimes of post-Soviet countries. Monitoring is provided by the National Research Institute for the Communications Development (Moscow) under the guidance of the author of this article.