Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are commonly grouped together under a common label -- the "South Caucasus." But evidence of such unity is hard to find on the streets of the nations' capitals.
In Tbilisi, one man, asked whether he considered Georgia part of a regional bloc, said simply, "No, I don't. Georgia is Georgia."
Asked if Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan had anything in common, he said, "Absolutely nothing."
In Baku, the sentiment is similar, with a local resident saying: "I don't want Azerbaijan to be in only the South Caucasus -- it should also be in stronger blocs."
And in the Armenian capital, one woman spoke nostalgically of a time when the three countries had a greater sense of unity.
"We used to have many things in common," she said. "We were similar in our temperament, lifestyle, and human relationships; similar in almost everything. I never felt like an outsider in either Baku or Tbilisi."
And now? "I think that all these things have changed a lot, and they've gotten worse -- in religious matters, and in other ways as well."
What's changed over the years?
Not much, according to regional analysts. To them, the notion of a "South Caucasus" or a "Transcaucasus" has always been an artificial construct imposed from outside.
"Russian people -- or, let's say, the Russian Empire -- logically gave the name
Editor's note:
RFE/RLs Azerbaijani, Armenian, and Georgian services contributed to this report.
