The Caucasus has always been one of the most important regions of the civilised world. The political, economic and cultural life of the Caucasus is quite a complex organism, significantly influencing the situation in the region. The problem of peace and war - a major problem for all the countries in the world, is especially important in the Caucasus, since history or maybe even destiny, has determined its extremely difficult way of development. 

On July 19-25, 1998, a seminar on the “Establishment of a forum of NGOs from the entire Caucasus, aimed at the activation of their role in the prevention and management of violent conflicts” was held in Nalchik. The seminar represented a continuation of the Sochi meeting of April 1998, arranged in the framework of the TACIS programme for trust building between the Georgian and Abkhazian peoples. In this project, the NGOs International Alert (London), International Centre on Conflicts and Negotiations (Tbilisi), and Civil Initiative Fund – Man of the Future (Sukhum/i) are the partners, enjoying equal rights. The seminar’s objective was to establish a forum for the entire Caucasus, with the aim of strengthening links and building trust among the Caucasian peoples.

As a result of six-days fruitful work, over 40 representatives of the Caucasian republics and regions set aims and objectives for future co-operation in the framework of the project. The participants adopted the Elbrus declaration, which became a part of the peacemaking history of the Caucasus.

· revival of the Caucasian culture;

· support to the joint civic initiatives attempting to develop tolerance, political culture, and civic consciousness and overcome inter-ethnic hostility and superstition.

· creating opportunities for regular contact and dialogue in the Caucasus;

· establishment of an effective communication net-work among Forum participants;

· support and development of NGOs;

· support of individual projects, undertaken in the framework of the Forum’s basic activities.

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The Forum’s constituent meeting has been supported by the EU TACIS Programme in the framework of the project on trust building between the Georgian and Abkhazian peoples and has been assisted by the British International NGO International Alert.

(1998-2000)

· To support and develop local NGOs in the Caucasus and establish an information network, the Caucasus Forum provides substantial assistance to developing NGOs in different regions of the Caucasus.

· The Forum supports projects consistent with its orientation (cultural, educational, peacemaking, aimed at the formation of civic society).

· The Forum annually nominates young leaders of NGOs for training in International Alert’s London office (training in fund raising).

· On May 17-23, 1999, the first meeting of the participants of armed conflicts in the Caucasus was held in Nalchik (Kabardino-Balkaria). The participants were ex-combatants from Armenia, Abkhazia, Georgia, Nagorni Karabakh, North Ossetia, Chechnya, South Ossetia, Russia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Ingushetia. Unfortunately, representatives of other republics and regions were not able to attend the meeting for some objective reasons.

The Nalchik meeting represented a first attempt to establish dialogue between the ex-combatants. The meeting identified the attendees’ needs and revealed their readiness to participate in peacemaking initiatives in the Caucasus. The declaration adopted by the meeting said: “We find it unacceptable to use violent means for the solution of conflict and opposition between our peoples”.

· On October 22-24, 1999, a mission for the investigation of the situation in Karachevo-Cherkessia and further actions preventing violent conflict in the Republic was set up. The mission generalises and analyses the results of its trips to Karachevo-Cherkessia on a regular basis and submits its reports to the conflict prevention and management group, a number of NGOs, the Russian Government and other interested parties.

· In relation to the mounting tension in the North Caucasus, resulting from the escalation of the armed conflict in Chechnya, an enlarged meeting was held at the initiative of the Caucasus Forum’s steering committee (Sochi, 22-24 October, 1999), where representatives of Caucasian NGOs adopted a declaration calling for an immediate cessation of bombing on the territory of Chechnya as well as of any other actions leading to the death of the civilian population of the Republic.

· In July 2000, the Caucasus Forum will participate in the Geneva conference of NGOs from the CIS countries. At this conference, devoted to refugee problems, the Forum will contribute to the conflict prevention and management group’s activity.

· At a number of working and enlarged meetings, the steering committee of the Caucasus Forum refined its structure, elaborated membership issues, and developed a one-year strategy for the year 2000.

· In 2000, the Forum transformed into a permanent conference of Caucasian NGOs, adhering to the principles of the Elbrus Declaration, and the steering committee developed into the co-ordination board. NGOs from the South and North Caucasus, South Russia, and international NGOs working on Caucasian problems are invited to participate in the Forum. Therefore, the Forum operates on a participation rather than membership basis.

· To increase the involvement of different regions in the Caucasus Forum’s activity, its office annually moves to a new region. For instance, from May 1999 to May 2000, the office will be operative in Tbilisi, Georgia.

· In the current year, the Forum’s office will be functioning on the territory of Georgia. It intends to carry out monitoring in the Pankisi Valley of the Akhmeta district, to study the situation in the locations densely populated with IDPs from Chechnya. Furthermore, the Forum plans to study the situation with the protection of the human rights of the IDPs from Abkhazia, temporarily residing in the Zugdigi district.

· The Forum has started preparation for a conference on traditional folk diplomacy in the Caucasus.