Moscow Hostage Crisis Repercussions Felt Across Caucasus and Central Asia

In general, governments in the Caucasus and Central Asia have lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin's handling of the hostage drama, in which special forces used a potent opiate in an operation to subdue approximately 50 Chechen captors. Hundreds of hostages were rescued. But the gas attack is believed to have killed 118 of the civilians held inside the Moscow theater. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

In the Caucasus, two of the states in the region – Azerbaijan and Georgia – have played direct roles in the ongoing conflict in Chechnya. In the wake of the hostage crisis both countries have taken action to reduce tension with Russia over the Chechen issue. Yet, while Russia has thanked Azerbaijan for closing the Chechen cultural center in Baku [for background see the Eurasia Insight archive], Moscow continues to exert pressure on Georgia. Tbilisi's continuing reluctance to follow through on a promise to extradite suspected Chechen terrorists has Russian officials particularly irate. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

A Russian foreign ministry spokesman accused Georgia of "double standards" in renewing Moscow's demand for the immediate turn-over of the Chechens in Georgian custody. "Under current conditions, this [the extradition] is especially important," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted the ministry spokesman, Alexander Yakovenko, as saying October 29.

Though not directly involved with the conflict in Chechnya, the Moscow crisis has placed Armenian leaders on guard. A commentary published by the Mediamax news agency October 28 pointed out that an increase in instability in other areas of the Caucasus could potentially help re-ignite the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Already, the idea of again resorting to arms to settle the Karabakh issue appears to be gaining public support in Azerbaijan. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

"If the war in Nagorno-Karabakh resumes, can it be assumed that Chechen volunteers will express their willingness to participate in it [on Muslim Azerbaijan's side against Christian Armenia]?" the commentary asked.

"Armenia, for a whole number of reasons, will never become a