ABSTRACT
The South Caucasian Republics of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia have been significant neighbours for Turkey, and, historically, the Caucasian region was highly valuable geopolitically for the Ottoman Empire. However, despite these geographical and historical facts, the South Caucasus only found its way onto the agenda of Turkish foreign policy after 1991. Indeed, until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, relations between Turkey, as the eastern flank of NATO, and the USSR had been complicated, rendering any positive relations with the Caucasian countries impossible. The independence of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia has initiated a new phase in Turkish regional policy. However, the differences and the tense relations among these new countries did not make it easy for Turkey to develop a global, coherent and successful policy for this region.
