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The RPG Consortium Free Form Roleplaying Forums Archives
RP Ideas Interest Query
> Lights Out (For Good)
The original story is that all electronics and explosives and basically all technological innovations in the past 200 years suddenly stop working. The original took place in Oregon and parts of Idaho as well as some parts in the United Kingdom. My idea is what happened on the East Coast, namely rural Virginia. The game will start like right before the change.
Here's a basic character sheet:
Hobbies: (not everyone can be a member of the SCA: Society for Creative Anachronism (The guys who put on the Rennaisance Fairs and stuff if you didn't know))
The story will start in the city of Danville near the Virginia -North Carolina line.
I also don't want everyone to be a farmer. Make your characters realistic please.
[Edited by ZombieKiller13 on Monday, August 27, 2007 10:45 AM]
[Edited by ZombieKiller13 on Monday, August 27, 2007 12:17 PM]
wow this sounds pretty fun. i'm up for it. i'll for others first before i make a char.
Okay. I loved the books and thought it would make a fun game. I was going to write a story but never got around to it so this is the next best thing.
ok heres my char.
Name: Taylor Joch
occupation: accountant
hobbies: paintball, trap shooting, posting on internet forums.
age: 28
gender: male
will we begin before or after everything fails?
It's gonna start right before the change just like the books did. If you haven't read them they are awesome by the way. Your hobbies aren't going to be useful after the change you know. But that'a okay. And if you want you can have more than one character.
If you decide to read the books the first is called "Dies The Fire" The second is "The Protector's War" The third is "A Meeting At Corvallis"
There is also another trilogy coming out that takes place 25 years after the Change. The first comes ou like next month I think.
[Edited by ZombieKiller13 on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 6:06 PM]
I better look for those books next time i'm at barnes and noble. im always going there to get a new ( or old )Stephen King book or even another WOD book. as for a second character. I might wait till i get a good feeling of whats going on before i do that.
I better look for those books next time i'm at barnes and noble. im always going there to get a new ( or old )Stephen King book or even another WOD book. as for a second character. I might wait till i get a good feeling of whats going on before i do that.
They're awesome. There is also a series set at the same time that came out before the Emberverse trilogy about the island of Nantucket being transported back to the Bronze age. This transportation is what actually caused the change but it's not known what caused the transportation. But the island still has their technology. I haven't read that trilogy yet since the local bookstore doesn't have it but the first one is called "Island In The Sea Of Time"
Well i haven't read the books but I've wikided them and it sound like something I was thinking of starting (granted 300 years or so in the future) so I'm interested. (The new books take place 22 years later) I will have read the first books most probably by the end of the week as I am pretty interested.
I know my the last thread I joined and one I started I flaked on but this was mostly due to Sixth form stuff for this year taking up all my time. That not a problem anymore as it's all sorted but I go back on the 5th.
Name: Kathy Byrd
Occupation: Runaway
Hobbies/Skills: Guitar, Stealing(out of need not for the fun of it), Drawing, General basking
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Back to reading
Yay, another person. If noone else has joined by monday then we will just start with the people we have. I'm gonna go ahead and post my characters.
Name: Darren Wallace
Occupation: Librarian
Hobbies: Antique weapons collector, book collector
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Name: Rebecca Harris
Occupation: Doctor
Hobbies: Singing, playing drums and some bass
Age: 26
Gender: Female
I am relly looking forward to this. It shall be incredibly, insanely, awesome!
Nerd Power!
[Edited by ZombieKiller13 on Thursday, August 30, 2007 8:29 PM]
This is an Amazing book, I read for 7 hours after posting now I'm pissed cuss I didn't get any sleep.
Are we having our own story life with nothing to do with the characters in the book, but still events, eg the fire at the start?
I will have at least one other character but I'll wait to see who else joins
Ours is going to take place on the other side of the country. I live there and after reading the books I wondered what happened here. So now we're gonna find out. I was going to write a fanfic but I thought this would be more fun.
So far it's just me, you, and raikoh. One of my friends was thinking about joining but they have the signups down cause they're putting in the application invitation thing.
well threes pretty good. now all we gotta do is either start or wait for one more. and how does a fire start when ( if i read this right earlier ) things that are combustable don't work?
Wells the fire was caused by a plane crash... lots of them... as written in the book not sure bout it but it none the less happened. Fire still works as is shown by the burning of the gunpowder that burned but seemed to lack nitros that made it explode, so the oil in planes would still burn. The term of combustion your looking for is explosive combustion eg, cars, bullets, airplanes....
My point is that steam trains would work as would steam mills and things along those lines but I haven't read them all yet so that may come up. The other thing is the mass EMP that mucked up everything with electrics which is all so cars, airplanes.... copper cables (can be explained by changes in polarity) In the same why that combustion may be changed my differing levels of Ionization in the subject to be burned.... "Though I'm sticking to the Alien Space Bats," Ken Larsson
LOL. Alien space bats is as good an explanation as any in the books. Though if you've read the Island in the Sea of Time books, which I haven't yet, or the wikipedia page, which I have, you know that the change was caused by the Island of Nantucket's transportation back to the Bronze age. What caused this transportation is till unknown
"Though I'm sticking to the Alien Space Bats," Ken Larsson
The issue of steam power such as trains comes up in either Dies The Fire or the second book, The Protector's War. It doesn't play a big part in the book so I'll go ahead and tell you it doesn't work. Hydraulics do work though and old waterwheel powered mills would still work too.
As for the combustion it's like Luna said. No more explosive combustion but stuff still burns. Gunpowder burns slower than normal. I think gas burns slower too which allows them to make gasoline lanterns as well as the traditional kerosene. Aerosol cans are still flammable too and can be used as flame throwers. I assume actual flamethrowers would work too. I live near Danvill and there is a tank museum that has 2 or 3 working flamethrowers. Propane stoves and lanterns also work as long as you have propane.
Well as a head start I have all my characters set a lot but I plan on cutting down pretty quickly....
The Burnham Family
Name: Lieutenant /Mr Timothy Burnham
Gender: Male
Age: 53
Eye colour: Brown
Height: 6'3"
Occupation: Police Officer
Skills: Practical military skills, Hand to hand combat, Sailing, Fishing, Ballroom dancing.
He had a short cut blond hair that is a pull over from his days in the army, he has a chiselled jaw with a face to match and a quite thick body but not what it was when he was younger.
He grew up in Miami where he lived until he was 18 at Timothy joined the Army at the end of 1972 he was kept in the States only nearly saw action once, ready to be shipped off to Vietnam but the American occupation was end on the 14 January 1983 before he was ever sent. He never left the States before talking leave of the army in 1985 at the rank of sergeant. By 1986 he was a police officer, he advanced in the ranks of the police force until he was made lieutenant a year ago. He meet his future wife in 1983 as after many dates he asked her to marry him. He lives in Fredrick on the edge of Washington, with his wife two daughters and son who are all on a trip to visit his parents who live in Salem, Virginia.
Mrs Lenora Burnham (Jackson)
Gender: Female
Age: 49
Eye colour: Green
Height: 5'8"
Skills: Smart, Cooking, Gardening, Dancing, Managing two teenage daughters.
Occupation: Housewife, Carer for Alice Burnham
She had long dark brown hair normally tided back into a low pony tail, if she isn't wearing contact lenses she had thin glasses due to having short sight. She isn't a thin woman but she isn't large with a waist of 40 inches
She grew up New York as a single child born on the 21.3.1958 she completed university in 1979 and became a Maths teacher. She met her future husband at a party thrown by mutual friends and they were married a years later in 1984. She had three children Adam, Alice and Marybeth. She left her job a full time teacher in 1990 to look after her eldest daughter Alice.
Mr Adam Burnham
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Eye colour: Green
Height: 6'7"
Skills: Practical military skills, Hand to hand combat, Stealth, Living in hostile areas.
Occupation: US Marine Corporal
He has his mothers hair and his fathers haircut, he isn't as broad as his father but he does have the same build. He has the company tattoo on his left arm and a yin yang on his right shoulder.
Born in 1984 six months after his parents wedding, he attended the school his mother taught at in middle school. The family moved house in 2001 from north of Washington to Fredrick on the western edge of the city. He was a jock in school and part of the football team, he wanted to take after his father who he looked up to and joined the Marine core as soon as he could. He's had a term in Iraq and is on leave and came back to the US for four weeks.
Miss Alice June Burnham
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Eye colour: Very light blue near grey.
Height: 6'0"
Skills: Piano, Smart
Occupation: Student
She is slender and seemingly too thin, she has blond hair but darker than her fathers that is left long down to her shoulder blades. Her eyes focus like a normal persons but all she can see is movement very close to her, she is legally blind.
Born in 1990 she was the reason her mother gave up her job when the doctor said she would need a carer. She lives a relatively normal life going to the same school as her brother did taking normal classes with the aid of a laptop. She is a fan of music and has played the piano since she was four as it was one of the few things she could do at the time. This grew into a major part of her life as has be entered into state and country championships as her skill grew.
Miss Marybeth Burnham
Gender: Female
Age: 15
Eye colour: Green
Height: 5'2"
Skills: Kendo, Some horse riding skill.
Occupation: Student
She is much like her mother having her hair and her eyes, and some of her figure at that age. She has thin strong arms and is lighter than she looks.
Born in 1992 she is the youngest of the family, she has a slight complex towards her sister who gets a large amount of their parents attention. For the last 7 years she had practiced Kendo but has never been allowed to use a real sword as she's under 16. She had horse riding lessons when she was younger but it wasn't something she wanted to keep doing, she takes a interest in fantasy reading books but not as far as some people take it.
Miss Kathy Gem Byrd
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Eye colour: Brown
Height: 6'2"
Skills: Guitar, Shoplifting, Drawing, Basking, Sleeping outside, Camping, Bush craft
Occupation: Runaway
She looks like a woody hippy with braided hair and fairly out clothes, she has a thin figure not due to lack of food as she manages that very well. She near always have a full big camping pack that she build up over the years.
She ran away from home three years ago a four months after her mother remarried. She hated the man her mother married and he more than hated Kathy, he would hit her and yell at her any time he saw her. She loved her father and he meant the world to her, he was an ex army scout at every other weekend they would go out together into the forest. Kathy's world fell down around her when he died in a car crash and she was left with a mother that didn't really care for her and a stepfather that hated her. This was the reason why after one last beating she up and left her Danville home and headed north living around and about the Virginia area. She's managed to stay alive by shoplifting and fishing and making money from selling wood crafts like dream catchers and wood figures.
Thus I am ready for the Change
well that explains alot. oh and DAMN LUNA A WHOLE FAMILY?????
It's okay if she wants a whole family. as long as she can manage that many characters.
Well since you psted bios I guess I will too.
Name: Darren Wallace
Occupation: Librarian
Hobbies: Antique weapons collector, book collector
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Darren always loved books. That's why he went to college to be a librarian. He lived in Danville all his life but he always dreamt of bigger things. He wrote short stories in his free time but was always too netrvous to get them published.
He also collected antique weapons from between 1300 to 1948. He had several swords and bows as well as his prized posession, a genuine ancient Roman Ballista. It didn't work anymore but it looked awesome sitting in front of his house.
Name: Rebecca Harris
Occupation: Doctor
Hobbies: Singing, playing drums and some bass
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Rebecca always enjoyed helping people. She volunteered for everything in school. Strangely though she never thought of being a doctor until her mother died in a car accident during Rebecca's freshman year at college. Her mother ran off the road in a small town in the middle of nowhere that didn't even have a hospital. The ambulance was too late by the time it arrived. Rebecca changed her major from Music to Medicine immeadiately. She worked hard in school and had always been a smart student so it was no suprise when she graduated at the top of her class. She went to work at the hospital in her home town of Danville.
I'm going to go ahead and post the game in General Roleplaying titled Lights Out. Oh yeah and for those of us that have read the books we don't know that guns don't work at the beginning so our characters should probably try using guns at first.
Hey Luna, who's your favorite character in the books so far?
I like Astrid and Eilir.
[Edited by ZombieKiller13 on Sunday, September 2, 2007 11:22 PM]
I like Astrid and Eilir but I like Signe better, Eric barely says anything anymore having reached chapter 29 but I did really like him. Mike makes me curdle with mirth so much sometimes.
Oks I'm going to have to ask you to say what the area is like and what people are like... having never been to America I haven't a clue. Things like, in Wiltshire people are mostly overly friendly and everyone seems to know everyone. The area is forested with tall steep but gentle hills. I would also like to know some land marks in relation to what as I don't think I can get a good map of Danville.
If you have Google Earth you can type in Danville, Virginia. Otherwise Danville is in lower Virginia almost to the North Carolina border. The land around here is forested but not too heavilly. There is also a mountain near Danville called White Oak Mountain. The area is kind of hilly. The city stradles a river, the Dan River and there are several old factories along this river that used to belong to the old textile company. There is also a Goodyear Tire plant near town. I don't really know what ppl are like around here except for the Nerds. They are pretty nice though. I can't really think of any landmarks but Danville was the last capital of the Confederate States of America during the American civil war.
Thanks I did have a look on google maps but couldn't get very close in, does every state have a Salem?
The pain must have slipped my mind... working on it
Okay I thought I would reawaken the interest thread since more people seem to be around lately. The game has already started under General Roleplaying. We only have two people still around though so we need some more people to join. Please at least consider it. That is all.
Everything that make your life comfortable stops working, TVs, lights, phones, anything electrical. Not just that combustion, cars, trains, guns nearly every advance since the 1800s stops working.
This is about just survival, civil law and order as broken down, no food, no power, no running water... people flee the cities and towns for the countryside as things go from bad to worse. This is the story of those that made it that far and beyond, the story of those that have to live in a changed worlds. The biggest change is the planets history is upon us and its everyone's problem.
No one knows why this has happen only that it has.
"I'm sticking to the Alien Space Bats,"
Thank you for that explanation Luna. I didn't put one cause I thought people might read the beginning but that will be fine for people who don't want to read the whole thread.
Join people. We need you!
Well John you have me on her now. So lets get down to buisness, and yes John I am basically Rping myself.
Dennis Asmadi
Weight:210 lbs.
Eye Color:Hazel to grey
Skills:Basic Hand to hand and knife combat, Basic Sword combat (mainly european styles) and the most basic survival abilities.
Occupation: Dreamer and thinker.....Fancy name for employed but not really doing anything with his life.
He is stocky and it is hard to tell what is muscle and what is fat from simply looking at him, but make no mistake he is strong. His hair is kept short usually above the ears and he only shaves once a wek so he always has a bit of a beard. His sight is weak and he can barely recognize a person from 20 feet away without his glasses, however he learned ways around this.
Born in late 86 he was the son of an Army Master Sergeant and a stay at home mother. His younger days were filled with trips to the base to bring his father dinner and running around the backyard with his elder sister. In 1990 his younger sister was born and his father retired from the military at the age of 35. After his retirement his family moved around until they settled in Va. Dennis was 17 when they finally stopped moving.His entire childhood was basically one long combat training exercise as his father believed a man was measured by his ability to defend not only himself but his friends and family.
[Edited by Agni_Reborn on Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:46 PM]
Nice character. Maybe the game will actually move faster now. Luna this is one of my friends who just joined.
*shuffle's feet, then runs from room screaming*
Join people. We need you!
Since you asked so nicely, I guess I'll join you.
Name: Gerry Halob
Sex: Male
Hobbies: making random designs of guns, collecting antique guns, and of course spending his time shooting in target ranges.
Occupation: Air-pilot
History: He was always striving to pilot an airplane when he was little, and had an interest in guns. He soon ended up here after his boss finally let him have a vacation.
Tell me if I should add more to the history.
Your Character is fine though none of his skills will be useful after the Change. That will just make it more fun.
I'm already part of Journey DW lol.
The RPG Consortium - http://www.rpgconsortium.com


text:
However, the industry's plea for separate drawback rates for leather woven mesh/mats and leather woven belts/braids has not been considered, Mr Ahmed said.
Our Bureau
Kolkata, May 4
THE leather industry, hailing the new duty drawback rates announced by the Government, is now upbeat about achieving a leather products export target of $4 billion by 2010. The current exports stand at $2.1 billion.
The revised drawback schedule of items, effective from May 5, reflects an overall increase in rates for leather and leather products, including non-leather footwear.
Talking to Business Line on the new rates, Mr M. Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman of the Council for Leather Exports, said the Government has taken full note of the detailed presentation made by the council to the high-level committee constituted by the Finance Ministry.
He said the council had undertaken a comprehensive exercise for compiling the input cost data and other relevant information from members across all regions, to justify an upward revision of drawback rates.
Expressing satisfaction over the hike in ceiling to realistic levels in several items, Mr Ahmed said the new rates would considerably neutralise the duty incidence suffered by the critical inputs. "This will provide a better competitive edge for Indian products in the international market." He said the new drawback schedule was now aligned with the harmonised system code of customs nomenclature to minimise the interpretation and classification problems at the
field level. Accordingly, the entries of finished leather, footwear, leather goods and garments, including gloves, have been bifurcated to align with the customs tariff headings, he said.
The footwear items have now been categorised on the basis of French point sizes for adults and children without gender specifications.
Mr Ahmed said the long pending request of the industry to notify drawback rates for items such as sofa covers and other upholstery items made from leather (now sought after in the overseas markets) have been considered, and separate rates have been notified for these items. However, the industry's plea for separate drawback rates for leather woven mesh/mats and leather woven belts/braids has not been considered, he said.
Mr Ahmed said the council had stressed on the need to adopt holistic procedures for determining new rates, in keeping with the status of the industry and its future potential for growth, both in export as well as employment generation.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The retrial of Branden Higgs, a Santa Clarita Valley man accused of a 2011 Halloween murder in Canyon Country, was scheduled to be continued, District Attorney officials said Friday. Don't miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox. Higgs is expected to appear back in court on Jan. 22 at the San Fernando Courthouse, said District Attorney ...Read More »
Jury Finds Two Guilty, One Mistrial In 2011 Halloween Murder
Ed. Note: More will be added to this story as it becomes available. Jurors found Eric Edwards and Diamonte McGhee guilty Thursday in the 2011 Halloween murder in Canyon Country. Don't miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox. McGhee and Edwards were both found guilty of murder and attempted murder, with special allegations that a ...Read More »
Sheriff's Crime Reports Include Investigations, Car Chase, Court Updates
Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station officials have released the crime reports for the week of August 18-24.Read More »
Murder Trial For Halloween Trio Set For Next Month
The trial for the "Halloween Trio", three teens accused of fatally shooting a man in an alleged robbery in 2011, has been set for next week, officials said Thursday.Read More »
'Halloween Trio' Accused Of Murder Could Face Trial In June
A long-awaited Santa Clarita murder trial for three teen suspects accused of fatally shooting a man during an alleged Halloween robbery in 2011 could see jury selection in June, an official said Thursday. The "Halloween trio," Diamonte Jerome McGhee, 20, Branden Trevaughn Higgis, 19, and Eric Michael Edwards, 19, were all under 18 when they were arrested on charges they were involved in the death of Alex Sanchez and wounded Ricardo Sandoval during a robbery gone awry Oct. 21, 2011. "We expect (jury selection) to start June 23 or June 24," said Brad Lieberman, the deputy district attorney in charge of the case's prosecution. The defendants have a June 16 court date, but that's a pretrial conference for the attorneys, officials said.Read More »
Santa Clarita Valley Murder, Manslaughter Cases Continue With Delays
Two Santa Clarita Valley cases, a boating manslaughter accusation and robbery-murder charges, were delayed in court WednesdayRead More »


text:
Atlantic Voices Vol. 2, no. 8
Following the recent global headlines about new tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and a continued lack of regional security cooperation in the South Caucasus region, the August issue of the Atlantic Voices is dedicated to views from the region on regional security in a transatlantic context.
ATLANTIC TREATY ASSOCIATION Volume 2 - Issue 8, August 2012 SOUTH CAUCASUS AND TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY: Views from the region In early June 2012, the long-standing `frozen' conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region flared up with clashes between the armed forces of the two countries that led to deaths on both sides. These incidents triggered new security concerns in a region that is looking back at a long history of conflicts. Although the region got worldwide attention during the August 2008 War between Georgia and its separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the potential for the outbreak of military conflicts is still underestimated in international politics. The major western institutions - above all NATO, EU and OSCE - hold the main responsibility when it comes to finding strategies for stabilizing the South Caucasus region. One important issue will be the democratization of security governance in all countries. Thereby, the situation needs to be analyzed individually for each country with their respective political systems. Yet what is even more important is changing people's mindsets. As long as age-old stereotypes and narrow-minded public opinion dominate in the region, no progress towards mutual trust and more transnational cooperation will be made. - Florian Bauernfeind Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 1 The Nagorno-Karbakh conflict is one of the major sources of tensions in South Caucasus Contents: Global Pulse: A way forward or glimpse back? Reflections on international cooperation in South Caucasus Tornike Metreveli looks at different concepts of 'nationalism' and examines the reasons for the difficulties with creating international cooperation in South Caucasus. He argues that youth cooperation could be the key for a better understanding of the Caucasian peoples. South Caucasus and transatlantic security cooperation: Views from Armenia and Azerbaijan Tevan Poghosyan and Rozy Kopyan as well as Orkhan Ali examine the status quo of their countries' integration into the transatlantic security framework and the prospects for NATO membership. They conclude that, given different national political circumstances, the relations of the Southern Caucasian countries to NATO differ significantly. ISSN 2294-1274 GLOBAL PULSE A way forward or glimpse back? Reflections on international cooperation in South Caucasus By Tornike Metreveli The starting point Those of us who at some point in their lives had certain connections with South Caucasus might outline general observations about the characteristics of the people of this region. A culture of hospitality, an emotional behaviour and a commitment to help each other are perhaps the qualities best describing Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Georgians. Forget these sweeping generalizations for a second, and bring in another side of the coin: Ethnocultural nationalism, secessionist and interstate wars, military coups, a lack of democratic institutions and a poor economic performance are the issues the aforementioned nations experienced and are still experiencing. Bearing this in mind, one might be surprised to find explanations for quite basic and simultaneously rather complex questions which may arise. Why, for example, can the peoples such as the Armenians and Azerbaijanis, or the Georgians and Abkhazians and Ossetians, while being quite peaceful to their guests, be so hostile and antagonistic towards each other? How can we explain a dialectical opposition to another's identity (the hostile "other") while defining its own (what Charles Taylor called dialogism when reflecting on the role of the other in selfimagination)? And, how can international actors such as NATO deal with cultures, legacies and institutions of these societies in order to prevent radical nationalism from evolving and strengthen regional cooperation but at the same time remain themselves distant from an involvement into domestic politics? Finding answers to these questions is indeed difficult, even for experts of the region. There may be some general reflections on nationalist tendencies in South Caucasus, raising the issues rather than addressing them comprehensively. I don't mean to qualitatively contextualize the Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani nationalist discourses; I seek to reflect on similar trends in national narratives. After a critical reflection, the article will examine how to enAtlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 hance regional cooperation and stimulate a peaceful departure from ethno-nationalist thinking. `Old' versus `new' nations: A myth or a reality? The origins of nations and nationalism appear to be one of the central topics for discussion among scholars of nationalism studies. Opinions are divided about this topic and different camps have their own "objective" arguments at hand. Two sets of rival schools of thought within nationalism studies propose several conflicting visions on the subject. Modernists aka constructivists suggest to see `nation' as a modern phenomenon which emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, nationality or nation-ness is not something historically given or inherited or "natural" necessarily having connectivity with one's past, neither is it fully accidental in all cases. Constructivists consider a nation as a humanly constructed phenomenon which can also be invented ex nihilo by nationalist elites, even if cultural roots and links with the ancient past do not exist at all. The process of modernization can create those roots without any preconditions or connection to antiquity, suggested Ernest Gellner. While arguing about the origins of nations, Anthony Smith distinguishes between two relatively similar terms: nations and ethnies. Smith construes a nation as "a named human population sharing an historic territory, common myths and historical memories, a mass, public culture, a common economy and common legal rights and duties for all members," whereas ethnie is defined as "a human population with shared myths of ancestry, common historical memories, one or more elements of culture, a link with a territory, and a measure of solidarity, at least among the elites." As we will find out further, it is Smith's and not necessarily Gellner's argument that gained broader popularity among the academic and political circles in South Caucasus during the early and mid-1990s, and it continues to be popular today. 2 The pride of small nations Based on reflections on history textbooks, a media discourse analysis and academic literature about nationalism, one might assert that the concept of nationhood is understood in Smithian primordial terms rather than in the Gellnerian modernist vision. This does not necessarily suggest that South Caucasian states still suffer from ethno-cultural nationalisms, perhaps they do to a lesser extent than in the past, but this is not the point of concern. Noteworthy is a belief among the nationalist elites in accuracy of history and reference to "historical justice" while constructing their political agendas. For example, certain disputed territories are believed to be exclusively under the ownership of particular ethnies which historically inhabited these regions. The ironic thing is that the historical narratives about similar geographic areas considerably differ and mostly even contradict each other. A historical deadlock � a space for primordial thinking of triumph � emerges. It is worth reading a passage in Armenian and Azerbaijani textbooks about Nagorno-Karabakh, or Georgian versus Abkhazian history on the matter of `who owns what' in Abkhazia, in order to understand how conflicting the search for historical justice might be and to what extent it may be counterproductive for peace-building. The recent history illustrated that the war between historians and linguists sometimes, if not quite often, evolved into interstate conflicts between the nation-states (e.g. the AzerbaijaniArmenian conflict over Karabakh), or between central governments and leaders of autonomous republics (e.g. the Georgian war in Abkhazia and South Ossetia). We may argue that the ethnic perception of `nation' is mainly or partly a by-product of Soviet ethno-federalist and titularization policies. However, bearing in mind the deeply rooted beliefs in pre-modern and quite ethno-culturally exclusive concepts of nationhood among the nationalists in Tbilisi, Yerevan and Baku in the early 1990s, one might suggest that the instrumentalization of history appeared easy for Russia in order to maintain "spheres of influence" in its formerly occupied states. Despite the fact that more than twenty years passed and ethno-nationalism already "thrived" to destroy states, divide societies and antagonize political actors, certain primordialism in imagining the self and a dialectical identification vis-�-vis the hostile "other" still persists. For Armenians, it is the Azerbaijanis who are the "hostile others" and vice versa; for the Abkhazians and Ossetians, targets of these "dialogical relationships with others" are the Georgians; for Georgians, it is the Russians, etc. Perhaps Charles Taylor is right suggesting that "indirect dialoAtlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 gism" entails a way of defining oneself by identifying what we are not (i.e. "hostile other"), and ethnicity still plays a substantial role in this process in South Caucasus. However, an essential question is how to deal with an ongoing clash of the modernist versus the primordialist way of thinking when the latter prevents regional cooperation. Ways forward: Looking to the past or the future? Having in mind a complex historical legacy, not to mention the historically shaped cultural and institutional set-up of this region, one might wonder how organizations like NATO may contribute to the development of regional cooperation if some nations still literally hate each other. I see one essential dimension that is working with younger generations. Comprehensive sociological empirical research suggests that the youth is less reluctant to regional cooperation than for example the generations that lived in the Soviet Union or fought wars against each other after its demise. An observation of the activities and work of the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA) of Georgia and Russia on the one hand, and Armenia and Azerbaijan on the other, shows that, despite tense political relations, younger generations still manage to cooperate in various formats within the framework of YATA activities and events. Thus, it is an enhancement of a bottom-up rather than a topdown cooperation what regional actors should aim at. YATA's Balkans experience tells us that despite bloody ethnic rivalries, historical memories of war and personal tragedies, younger generations from Croatia and Serbia successfully cooperated and continue to do so within the framework of YATA. Their joint activism within YATA only strengthens the argument that younger generations are more adaptable to work with the socalled "enemies" than their more aged compatriots. On a critical note, it will be reductive to suggest that aiming at youth cooperation will have a direct short-term positive impact on regional peace. Yet perhaps in the long run, a long-term engagement with younger generations within the young Atlantic community in South Caucasus may have a potential of becoming a driving engine for change and a tool for gradual departure from primordial thinking. Tornike Metreveli is a PhD Candidate at Ilia State University who specializes in Political Science. He is a Visiting Researcher at London School of Economics. He holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Edinburgh. 3 South Caucasus and transatlantic security: A view from Armenia by Tevan A. Poghosyan nership for Peace (PfP) and the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP). NATO inaugurated the IPAP instrument at the rmenia gained its independence in September 1991. Since then, the main objective of the country has been to ensure the security, stability 2002 Prague Summit as a mechanism to tailor relations with specific countries, which may include eventual membership. IPAPs are open to countries that demonstrate the political will and ability to deepen their relationship with NATO. The program is also used for countries not desiring to join NATO. Though Armenia-NATO relations date back to 1992, when Armenia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (later renamed the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council), the key document on which the relations are based is the IPAP. The main spheres of cooperation under the IPAP are security, defense and military issues, public information, science, environment, and democratic reforms. But while Armenia intends to intensify practical and political cooperation with NATO, it does not seek membership in it. Some say that NATO membership may worsen relations between Armenia and Russia, Armenia's main strategic partner. The point is that South Caucasus is an important geopolitical region and NATO's control over it may ensure Russia's isolation from both the Caucasus and the Middle East, which is against Russia's interests. Today, Russia has a military base in Armenia, which contributes to the protection of Armenian borders. Along with Russia, Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which is a major component of the country's security architecture. But unlike NATO, the CSTO doesn't pursue global goals. Russia is a dominant country among the CSTO members, and the security of member states usually does not depend on the organization as a whole but on the intentions of the Russian Federation. Thus, Armenia needs to maintain close relations with Russia, which, however, should not imply limitations on NATO-Armenia relations. However, at the same time, the Russian Federation doesn't launch any effective initiative to contribute to the solution of the regional issues, as the current status quo is beneficial for the country. This is why some experts think that Armenia's integration into NATO will provide the country with better opportunities for resolving its disputes with the neighbours and for maintaining regional security. Others, however, are worried about Visit of Armenian President Serz Sargsyan to NATO in March 2012 (Photo: NATO) and peace in the region, as its neighbour Azerbaijan imposed a war on the newly created republic. During the NagornoKarabakh war between the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) and Azerbaijan, Armenia found itself in an economic blockade, which was planned by Azerbaijan and Turkey. The aim of our neighbours' blockade has been to force the Republic of Armenia to make concessions in favour of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Though a ceasefire was signed between the Republic of Armenia, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the Azerbaijani Republic in May 1994, bellicosity from Azerbaijan didn't stop. The ceasefire regime has repeatedly been violated by Azerbaijan. Since the dissolution of the USSR, NATO has also experienced a multitude of changes. The Cold War era with its bipolar system disappeared, and the unipolarity in international relations could have led to the collapse of the military Alliance as its main aim was to oppose the Soviet Union that no longer existed. Therefore, NATO decided to prevent its breakdown by enrolling more and more states in it in order to become a global Alliance. As a result, South Caucasus was also considered as a region of possible new members. Today, cooperation between NATO and South Caucasus is implemented through different NATO projects such as the Part- A close relations with NATO, as Turkey is a member of the Alliance. It is well known that Turkey, along with Azerbaijan, does 4 Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 not have diplomatic relations with Armenia and has blockaded the country. Therefore, the main objective of the Armenian security system is to eliminate the threats coming from neighbouring countries. So, according to Armenian politicians, NATO membership will only be on the agenda when the Alliance clarifies its position on the regional issues.1 Otherwise, Turkey might have an influence on NATO resolutions over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in favour of its partner Azerbaijan. Moreover, even if Armenia decides to join NATO, Turkey might veto its membership like any other pro-Armenian resolution. However, Armenia cooperates with NATO even without being a member of the Alliance. For instance, in the sphere of defense and military cooperation, the Armenian Armed Forces receive personnel training and support from NATO to increase border security. Cooperation with NATO is very important in this sphere because NATO can contribute to the technological progress of the Armenian Armed Forces, which the Russian Army cannot guarantee as it is the USSR's old-fashioned legacy. 2 Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on Russian military presence at the Gyumri base in 2010 (Photo: N. Armenakyan) aggressiveness by turning down all the confidence-building measures. One year later, Azerbaijan objected to the participation of Armenian officers in "The Cooperative Best Effort 2004", which had been planned to be held in Azerbaijan.4 As a result, NATO decided to cancel "The Cooperative Best Effort 2004" as all PfP exercises are agreed and conducted on the principle of inclusiveness for all Allies and partners wishing to participate. On September 13th, a NATO spokesman declared: "We regret that the principle of inclusiveness could not be upheld in this case, leading to the cancellation of the exercise."5 Four years later, Armenia hosted the PfP exercise "Cooperative Longbow/Lancer". It involved approximately 900 troops from NATO, PfP, and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) nations. Unfortunately, very few sources highlight the fact that while being the smallest country in South Caucasus, Armenia hosted the biggest NATO exercise of the region. The exercise served as an opportunity to learn how to work together in the framework of a NATO-led operation. In September 2010, Armenia hosted the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre's civil emergency exercise ("Armenia 2010") in the Kotayk region. Teams from 15 Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) nations took part in the exercise, and 11 additional countries participated by sending staff officers. Altogether, more than 600 individuals belonging to civilian and military teams from NATO and partner countries with capabilities to deal with different aspects of emergencies took part in the event. Through this exercise, NATO and partner nations practiced the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) procedures and capabilities, in order to improve the nations' ability to respond to a disaster. Besides, Armenia participates in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, thanks to which it is able to prevent the adoption of 5 Armenia also participates in the Partnership for Peace (PfP). Since joining it in 1994, Armenian troops have cooperated with NATO countries in many peacekeeping operations. For example, Armenia contributed troops to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) as of 2004. But recently, Armenia has ended its participation in KFOR. The Armenian platoon of light infantry (35 personnel), which served within the Greek contingent had to return to Yerevan because of the pull-out of most of the Greek peacekeeping battalion. Today, Armenia is ready to send its troops back to Kosovo if another NATO member state agrees to cover their logistical expenses in the place of Greece. Besides, since 2009, Armenia has been contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. In June 2011, the number of Armenian troops serving in ISAF was almost tripled to about 130. In 2003, Armenia successfully hosted a NATO/PfP exercise for the first time. "The Cooperative Best Effort 2003" took place at the Vazgen Sargsian Military Institute in Armenia. The aim of the exercise was to improve land force effectiveness in the field by making NATO and partner contributors work together to develop better understanding and interoperability. Turkish troops also participated in that exercise on Armenian soil. But this does not apply to Azerbaijan. The country continued its Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 3 Since 2009, Armenia has been contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. unfavourable resolutions for Armenia, especially concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia contributes to the fight against terrorism through its participation in the Partnership Action Plan on Terrorism (PAPT). This includes sharing intelligence and analysis with NATO, enhancing national counter-terrorism training capabilities and improving border security. Under the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, Armenia has received grant awards for about 38 projects. Projects undertaken include the prevention, detection and response to nuclear threats, risk assessment on natural disasters and water security. Armenia also participates in the Virtual Silk Highway project, the purpose of which is to improve internet access for research communities The AAA's main goal is to foster Armenia's links with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and to promote a better understanding within Armenia of NATO's mission and activities. The Association strives to correct misperceptions about NATO and its policies that exist in the country. Another goal of the AAA is to inform the public in NATO member-countries about political, economic and social developments in Armenia and to promote solidarity amongst nations participating in the NATO PfP program. The AAA adheres to the principles of equality, selfgovernance and public service. It does not pursue political aims and is not affiliated with any political group. It is worth mentioning that all three states of the South Caucasus region conduct different policies Armenia has increased its troop contribution to ISAF up to 130 soldiers in 2011 (Photo: RFI/RFN) in South Caucasus and Central Asia. Under this project the academic and educational communities in the eight countries concerned will be connected to the Internet by way of a common satellite beam. One should keep in mind that, before 2000, relations between NATO and Armenia were not strong enough. Armenian politicians didn't trust NATO. They considered the Alliance as an enemy as Turkey, the historical foe of Armenia, has been its member since 1952. Armenians thought that NATO's policy is similar to the policy conducted by Turkey. Though public opinion has changed recently, this perception hasn't disappeared completely. That is why Armenia intends to raise public awareness of NATO by implementing information campaigns about the North Atlantic Alliance. An information centre about NATO was established in Yerevan in 2007 with the support of the Armenian government and NATO.6 Besides, Armenia organizes annual NATO weeks in order to deliver information on NATO activities in the world and in the region. In its turn, the Armenian Atlantic Association (AAA), which was established in 2001, also contributes to raising public awareness. Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 towards NATO. While Armenia is not interested in NATO membership, Georgia desires to join the Alliance as soon as possible. Georgia is very interested in NATO integration mainly because it has no alternative. The point is that in both the Georgian-Abkhazian and the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, Russia supported the self-declared movements. As a result of these conflicts, Russian forces are present on Georgian territory. Thus, Georgia needs NATO as a means of protection from the threat coming from its powerful northern neighbour Russia. The areas of NATO-Georgia cooperation are the same as in the case of Armenia. The main difference is that NATOGeorgia relations are based on the Annual National Programme (ANP), which has replaced the IPAP. As for Azerbaijan, the country hasn't made any clear statements about its position on NATO membership. Though Azerbaijan tries to cooperate with the Alliance in implementing democratic reforms, in this sphere the country is far behind the other two states of the region. Azerbaijan's human rights abuses, the basic breaches and violations of the principles of democracy, freedom of speech, rule of law, etc. are strongly condemned by 6 Some say that NATO membership may worsen relations between Armenia and Russia, Armenia's main strategic partner. the European Union. In NATO-Azerbaijan relations the Turkish factor should also be taken into account because, while being a NATO member for decades, Turkey maintains close relations with Azerbaijan and may have an impact on its integration into the Alliance. But at the same time, Azerbaijan tries to maintain high-level relations with Russia, as the latter plays an important role in South Caucasus, and especially in the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijani politicians comprehend that the intensification of NATO-Azerbaijan relations will definitely contribute to the improvement of the already close Russian-Armenian ties, which may have a negative effect for Azerbaijan regarding the future settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It can be concluded that all three states of the South Caucasus region are trying to implement major reforms in the area of security, economy and defense in order to be integrated into the EU and other European institutions. But as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia conduct different policies towards NATO, the integration process of each will differ from the others'. Russia's role should also be taken into account, as it has a huge influence in the region and can therefore have an impact on NATO-South Caucasus relations. For example, while Georgia is trying to become a NATO member as soon as possible, in order to feel safe from the Russian threat, Armenia does not need this. On the contrary, a NATO member state (Turkey) is a source of danger to Armenia. In its turn, Azerbaijan does not want to deepen relations with NATO either as it may harm the country's ties with Russia. Though the three South Caucasus states have different positions on NATO, they have one thing in common � the European integration, which is an important factor that contributes to NATO-South Caucasus cooperation. The European integration is one of the main goals of the foreign policies of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. As NATO is an important organization in the European system, close relations and the integration into the Alliance can represent a huge step towards the EU. As for Armenia, NATO membership is not on the agenda today as the Alliance's role is not efficient enough to solve regional conflicts and to maintain peace and stability in South Caucasus. In this context, the former Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanyan once stated: "Neither Armenia is ready to join Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 NATO, nor NATO is ready to accept Armenia."7 The point is that NATO membership implies responsibilities not only from the Armenian side but also from NATO. First of all, the Alliance should be responsible for the security of the region, which is quite complicated because of the ongoing regional conflicts. Armenia doesn't seek NATO membership because Armenian politicians comprehend that it is unrealistic in the current situation. But Armenia's integration into NATO should not be ruled out. Maybe the situation in South Caucasus will change, and Armenia would come up with an intention to join NATO in the nearest future. 1 http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/politics25227.html http://www.lragir.am/armsrc/natohb64929.html North Atlantic Treaty Organization, http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2003/06-june/ 2 3 e0616a.htm 4 Human Rights in Armenia, Civil Society Institute, http://www.hra.am/hy/ events/2004/09/12/13942 5 North Atlantic Treaty Organization, http:// As Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia conduct different policies towards NATO, their integration processes will differ from each other. www.nato.int/docu/pr/2004/p04-121e.htm 6 Information Centre on NATO in Armenia, http:// www.natoinfo.am/eng/index.php?sub=centre_about 7 Diplomatic Observer, http:// www.diplomaticobserver.com/EN/belge/2-1153/ kocaryan-armenia-is-not-going-to-join-nato.html The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the author. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Atlantic Treaty Association, its members, affiliates or staff. About the authors Tevan A. Poghosyan Tevan A. Poghosyan is Executive Director of the International Center for Human Development in Armenia as well as Executive Director of the Armenian Atlantic Association (AAA) and lecturer at the Armenian Russian States (Slavonic) University. Prior to this, he has also worked for the Central Bank of Armenia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the NagornoKarabakh Republic. Rozy Kopyan Rozy Kopyan is an MA candidate in International Relations at Yerevan State University. She is also member of the Young Armenian Atlantic Association. 7 South Caucasus and transatlantic security: A view from Azerbaijan by Orkhan Ali comprising 93%, Georgia's and Armenia's economic growth are mainly based on the construction, services, transit routes and he 21 century brought many changes to the South Caucasus region, but it had limited impact on any peace process in the region. Due to the st conflicts, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia have narrowed down tripartite integration and demonstrate a lack of willingness to cooperate. Each of them has different aspirations vis-�-vis security guarantees because of their diverse political, economic, social and diplomatic developments. The continuation of Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the annexation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the August War in 2008 have prevented the region from joining the NATO security platform or at least seeking for a regional security guarantee under a single defense structure. T agriculture sectors. For Armenia, remittances from Armenians living and working abroad play an important role. For Georgia, the transit of resources from the Caspian Sea to Turkey matters greatly, while for Azerbaijan, Georgia is the most important transit country for its resources to Europe. Georgia is also a crucial partner for Armenia to access regional and international markets, and approximately 70% of Armenian trade is linked to transits via Georgia. This illustrates how prosperous the region could be if cross-border cooperation were in motion. In this conflict-driven region in which security is being questioned, a regional security framework still remains unmatched. Conflicts and the search for `new security': To rush or not to rush? Russia has always regarded South Caucasus as its traditional backyard of influence and resisted western involvement in this region. The geostrategic importance of the region for Russia is based on three factors: rich hydro-carbon resources of the Caspian Basin (Azerbaijan), and its role as an energytransporting corridor (currently Azerbaijan and Georgia) and security insurance (military presence in Armenia, gateway to the Middle East, Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan). Although the South Caucasus countries tried to diversify their foreign poliAzerbaijani and US soldiers participating in a NATO military exercise outside Baku (Photo: NSI News Source Info) The Caucasian security context As far as regional security is concerned, all three states are grouped under one regional security complex regarding many common issues such as occupation of territories, unresolved conflicts, refugee problems, ethnic tensions, economic dependence and safe energy transportation. This security framework is obviously defined by the security concerns that are interlinked, and this leads to the perception that national problems cannot be reasonably solved independently from each other. Security developments in all three countries undersive security framework. Even from an economic point of view, the states of the region differ but nonetheless depend on each other. While the share of oil in Azerbaijan generates more than 70% of budget revenues, with the export of oil and petroleum products alone Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 cies away from Russia, they could not simply ig- went serious drawbacks, and the region is seeking a comprehen- nore the country they had lived with for 200 years. In this context, the perception of Russia has been decisive for the development of a security framework for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Moreover, all three states were left with very limited leverages to pursue independent foreign policies after the Soviet break-up, and they were in political disarray to systematically 8 resist Russian pressure. The occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan by Armenian military forces at the beginning of the 1990s is the most significant impediment for regional integration. The war between Armenia and Azerbaijan reached the point of a mutual stalemate, and the ceasefire was officially inked on 27 July 1994, paving the way for the OSCE to technically start the mediation mission. However, a preservation of the status quo of the conflict is mostly sustained due to the Russian control of Caucasus politics. Armenia is the only country in the region with a pro-Russian posture and a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), where Moscow remains a security -guarantor. Furthermore, a recent security agreement signed between Armenia and Russia in 2010 has extended the Russian troop deployment to Gyumri until up to 2044. Beside that deployment, Russian border guards continue to monitor Armenia's borders with Iran and Turkey. The purpose of siding with Russia militarily is to get Russia's military and tacit political support for Armenian occupation until the legalization of military gains and to restrain Azerbaijan from starting any military operation. Therefore, Armenia is more confident in Russia than NATO, an organization in which Turkey is deeply involved, while Azerbaijan relies on Turkey as a "brother country" and NATO member with the same Turkic root. Taking this into account, Yerevan gave preference to being the Kremlin's only strong foothold in the region. Conversely, the energy potential has made it possible for Azerbaijan to diversify its political and economic contacts and has enabled Baku to deal with Russia as a partner, albeit in limited terms. However, the status-quo in Karabakh is the most powerful tool of Moscow to control Azerbaijan. This policy could seriously challenge Russia in the case of military escalation between the parties, where abstention would potentially engage other actors, above all Turkey. Turkey could hardly remain a mere observer of a war, and Ankara would most likely be forced to take part in the conflict on the side of Azerbaijan, which might trigger NATO's intervention if Turkey's security is at stake. This scenario might also trap Russia and Turkey into a proxy war, if not into direct confrontation. Recently, the breach of the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact and the death of soldiers on both sides created concern over the `frozen' status of the conflict and demonstrated the Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 tense muscles of both countries, which coincided with the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the region from 4 to 6 June 2012. The likelihood of a military confrontation is like a time-bomb in the region. Azerbaijan's defense budget has grown from $1.59 bn in 2010 to $1.76 bn in 2012 while Armenia's military stands at a budget of about $400 million in 2012, which is about 4.5 times less than Azerbaijan's military budget. The oil boom in Azerbaijan, however, could reverse the status quo and may convince Armenia not to trust its opponent at the negotiation table. Most dangerously, Yerevan could act pre-emptively to forestall the risk of being attacked by Azerbaijan. And obviously, as long as the conflict remains in a `no war, no peace' conundrum, the possibility of a future military scenario cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, Armenia is the dominating party in the negotiations for now, as it invaded and took control not only of Nagorno-Karabakh, but also of the seven adjacent regions to Nagorno-Karabakh for convenient defense posture and legalization of more occupied areas. Georgia is a different case. Mikheil Saakashvili's triumph in the 2004 Rose Revolution was a turning point in Georgia's search for a security framework. The solidification of the pro-Western president in power significantly increased the course towards European integration. Tbilisi declared a membership interest to NATO, and since then, Saakashvili's administration perceived Russia as the only threat towards its breakaway regions and tried to deter it through an alignment with NATO and the US. During NATO's Riga Summit in 2006, NATO parties even encouraged Tbilisi in its effort to join the NATO family. This tendency improved even further in the 2008 Bucharest Summit. Then US President Bush lobbied strongly for Georgia's case. Bush's support for Georgia, however, contradicted the German, French and Italian governments' interests within NATO. As a result, under the consistent pressure of France and Germany, NATO denied granting a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia. But all these pre-assessments of Georgia's readiness to join NATO and overly sensitive advocacy policy failed in mid-2008. The new leadership in Tbilisi began to falter in managing overly ambitious expectations. Hasty and imprudent decisions employed in solving the conflicts in the two breakaway regions by the use of force in August 2008 ended up in a fiasco for Georgia. The relations with the Kremlin plummeted, resulting in the controversial recognition of de-facto independence of Abkhazia 9 The likelihood of a military confrontation is like a time-bomb in the region. and South Ossetia by Russia, thereby disrupting the territorial integrity of Georgia. Russia proved to be the defining country for whether Georgia could go any further or not. As a result, the MAP has been put on hold for Georgia. Besides, NATO member countries came to the conclusion that extending the organization's membership to the area where Russian troops are heavily deployed and numerously present could possibly initiate a confrontation of bigger scale. all projects of the PfP to demonstrate its vivid interest in NATO membership. Armenia doesn't seek NATO membership to deter its enemies, in particular Turkey and Azerbaijan, as this task is reserved to Russia. Yerevan just tries to diversify its relations and pursues a multi-vectoral foreign policy. Azerbaijan is also actively cooperating with NATO under the PfP, but its relationship with NATO is more balanced than Georgia's and Armenia's. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan doesn't need to fully integrate into NATO, but its relation with NATO is much stronger than Armenia's. However, Baku has never materialized its commitment to NATO, due to the preservation of a balanced foreign policy with particular consideration of Russia, and does not consider NATO membership as a priority. In support of this sign, Azerbaijan also joined the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 2011 with full membership status, which clearly marks Baku's reluctance to be part of either NATO or any other defense organization.2 One can say that the PfP puts forward a very flexible cooperation framework in line with the Caucasian countries' preferences. NATO's moves are determined by the interest in balance, and if vital interests are at stake, member states come to terms on action with regard to collective defense. Bearing this in mind, it was witnessed that NATO gave preference to common interests it shares with Russia, such as counter-terrorism activities, arms control and disarmament, nonproliferation of WMD, rather than NATO and confrontational partnership in South Caucasus As the conflicts in the region, labeled `frozen' in many western media, have begun to thaw, basically no progress was made around the table between the parties. There is a reason to believe that NATO is interested in pipeline security in South Caucasus for clear geostrategic reasons. But energy is not the only reason to keep an eye on the region. NATO member states are now deeply committed militarily in both Afghanistan and Iraq, generating a much greater interest in the wider Middle East. The South Caucasus region is a logistical corridor crucial for the access of coalition aircraft to operational theatres further east in Afghanistan. On a strategic level, the increasing NATO focus on the Caucasus stems from the fact that security interests of NATO in South Caucasus have grown to an extent that they would significantly be affected by more instability in the region. The collective interests of NATO members therefore suggest that a larger role of the Alliance in strengthening the security in South Caucasus is warranted. NATO unveiled the Partnership for Peace (PfP) in 1994, and it was hailed as the cornerstone of a new security relationship between NATO and the newly democratic states in the East. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia joined this programme on 5 October, 4 May and 23 March 1994 respectively. But the PfP falls considerably short of a security guarantee; it only assures the Eastern European states of consultation if their security is threatened. The PfP is an individual program that offers the military diversification of member states, but doesn't promise a NATO security guarantee. Despite the fact that all three countries show a deep interest in a partnership framework with NATO, the level of engagement differs from country to country. Georgia is more active in Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 1 Baku does not consider NATO membership as a priority. straining its relations with the Kremlin. NATO's influence in the region has declined after the August War. The August 2008 events reinforced the reservations of many NATO members concerning the granting of membership to a state with unresolved territorial disputes. The lesson was that false security hopes granted to Georgia could entail a risk of drawing NATO into conflicts which could lead to a direct confrontation with Russia. Not surprisingly, Russia legally institutionalized the results of its intervention by officially recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia as new independent states on 23 August 2008. NATO simply confined itself to condemning Russia's military move as being in breach of UN Security Council Resolutions and infringing on Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Indeed, at the 2009 Strasbourg/Kehl NATO 60th Anniversary Summit, member states did not demonstrate an over-excessive support for upgrading Georgia to the status of 10 MAP country. However, this event unpacked many controversial issues. Since then, Georgia has become more realistic in drawing up the prospects of an aligned European or Transatlantic security framework, and new realities cemented a sober judgment of the likelihood of Georgia's success in the aspiration for NATO membership. Russia has used this experience for putting pressure on other post-soviet nations' NATO aspirations and displayed its immediate alertness regarding such moves. Armenia and Azerbaijan took the lesson that an excessive NATO aspiration could end up with the cost of unprecedented territorial outcomes. Hence, at NATO's recent Chicago Summit, member countries came up with a cautious agenda based on the lessonslearned. For Georgia, the Summit was of particular significance in order to demonstrate Tbilisi's firmness concerning EuroAtlantic integration. The Summit Declaration reiterated NATO's support of the territorial integrity of Georgia and reaffirmed its aspiration for NATO membership. Nevertheless, Brussels was very careful in the wording and put an accent on the implementation of necessary reforms to complement NATO standards. For Armenia, the Summit Declaration sparked dissatisfaction, stating its support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in resolution of the ongoing confrontation. In this context, Azerbaijan seems to be happy with NATO's reference to the territorial integrity, which, to a certain extent, enhances Azerbaijan's diplomatic standing against Armenia, regarding the withdrawal of military forces from the occupied territory. security alternatives with NATO; however, any upgrade in its MAP efforts will be constrained by Russian counter-moves. Unfortunately, the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the US and France, is limited to initiating a peace deal between the warring countries, and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains a low priority on the international level because of the consensus that there is no immediate danger of escalation. The Geneva talks, established with the aim of arriving at a conflict resolution in Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the August War in 2008 and co-chaired by the EU, the OSCE and the UN, have not produced any tangible results over the last four years. Both the OSCE Minsk Group and the Geneva talks have had the role of monitoring the cease-fire agreements rather than promoting peace-frameworks that could potentially lead to meaningful rapprochement. Out of the three, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict stands as the only hindrance over-shadowing the entire Caucasus region, and it creates great uncertainty with respect to future cooperation between the three nations. However, an uncontrolled tension in the region cannot be ruled out and this would not only mean serious political changes in the entire South Caucasus region but it would also force Russia, Turkey, Iran, and possibly NATO member states, to seriously revise their respective policies. Given the example of the August 2008 War, those assumptions supporting the war scenarios could be revisited. 1 Hugh de Santis, "Romancing NATO: Partnership for Peace and East European stability", Journal of Strategic Studies, vol. 17, no. 4, 2004, p. 65. Conclusion For twenty years, South Caucasus has been plagued by conflicts and fails to benefit from progress, due to closed borders and limited economic developments on a war footing. Efforts to change this situation have yielded few results, let alone a peace agreement. NATO is interested in the peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the region in order to avoid any unexpected escalation. The more stable and independent the South Caucasus countries are the easier it will be for NATO to secure the diversification of the energy flow from the Caspian Sea and to establish a reliable cooperation with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia for its operations. Russia is committed to blocking any further NATO involvement in the region, which means that any future talk of possible deployment of NATO peacekeeping forces in the Caucasus is far from happening. Georgia will most likely look for Atlantic Voices, Volume 2, Issue 8 2 http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijan_join_nonaligned_move-ment/24200776.html The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the author. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Atlantic Treaty Association, its members, affiliates or staff. About the author Orkhan Ali Orkhan Ali works as a Governance Programme Coordinator at Oxfam Great Britain in Azerbaijan. He holds an MA degree in Non-Proliferation and International Security from King's College London and a Post-Graduate Diploma from Universit� Libre de Bruxelles. He was Director of the NATO International School of Azerbaijan in 2008. 11 ATA Programs In July 2012, two traditional seminars for young Atlanticists took place. From 2 to 8 July, the Danish ATA hosted the Danish Atlantic Youth Seminar (DAYS) at Aalborg Airbase. The 27th DAYS was held under the headline "Tomorrow's Challenges Today" and involved 22 participants from 15 different countries. From 21 to 28 July, the Portuguese Atlantic Youth Seminar (PAYS) took place at Lisbon Airbase looking at "NATO Transformation and the New Transnational Threat Paradigm". YATA President Kristin Durant participated in both events and exchanged her views with representatives of many national chapters. Atlantic Voices is the monthly publication of the Atlantic Treaty Association. It aims to inform the debate on key issues that affect the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, its goals and its future. The work published in Atlantic Voices is written by young professionals and researchers. The Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) is an international nongovernmental organization based in Brussels working to facilitate global networks and the sharing of knowledge on transatlantic cooperation and security. By convening political, diplomatic and military leaders with academics, media representatives and young professionals, the ATA promotes the values set forth in the North Atlantic Treaty: Democracy, Freedom, Liberty, Peace, Security and Rule of Law. The ATA membership extends to 37 countries from North America to the Caucasus throughout Europe. In 1996, the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA) was created to specifially include to the successor generation in our work. Since 1954, the ATA has advanced the public's knowledge and understanding of the importance of joint efforts to transatlantic security through its international programs, such as the Central and South Eastern European Security Forum, the Ukraine Dialogue and its Educational Platform. In 2011, the ATA adopted a new set of strategic goals that reflects the Atlantic Voices is always seeking new material. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance. For details of how to submit your work please see our website. Further enquiries can also be directed to the ATA Secretariat at the address listed below. constantly evolving dynamics of international cooperation. These goals include: the establishment of new and competitive programs on international security issues. the development of research initiatives and security-related events for its members. the expansion of ATA's international network of experts to countries in Northern Africa and Asia. The ATA is realizing these goals through new programs, more policy activism and greater emphasis on joint research initiatives. Editor: Florian Bauernfeind Images should not be reproduced without permission from sources listed, and remain the sole property of those sources. Cover Photo: ArmenianPages.com These programs will also aid in the establishment of a network of international policy experts and professionals engaged in a dialogue with NATO.


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Life Insurance Sales Agent: Job Description & Career Info
Life insurance sales agents sell life insurance policies to individuals and then collect monthly or yearly payments from the policyholder. If the policyholder dies, agents ensure that beneficiaries receive the designated financial settlement from the policy. Learn more about this occupation by reading further.
Career Definition
Life insurance sales agents sell life insurance policies that pay out in case of death. According to Life Happens, www.lifehappens.org, agents generally sell two different types of life insurance called permanent insurance and temporary insurance. Permanent insurance provides life long coverage for individuals, while temporary insurance only covers beneficiaries for a predetermined amount of time.
How to Become a Life Insurance Sales Agent
Education Required
Most employers highly recommend that potential life insurance sales agents earn a bachelor's degree in business or economics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, reports that students in college take courses in finance, accounting, marketing, economics and business administration. It can also be beneficial for anyone looking to work in life insurance sales to focus on psychology, public speaking and sociology classes. Agents continue to receive education by shadowing experienced life insurance sales agents and learn how to write polices, interact with customers and make sales.
Skills Required
Life insurance sales agents have to be confident, hardworking and enthusiastic. Agents must have tremendous interpersonal skills and be able to communicate with customers on the phone and in-person. Life insurance sales agents need to manage their time well and be sensitive to any client needs. Having computer skills allows sales agents to stay organized and keep client information readily available.
Economic and Career Outlook
According to the BLS, as the overall population ages, job opportunities for all insurance sales agents, including life insurance sales agents, are expected to grow at an average rate of 10% between 2012 and 2022. The BLS reports that the median salary for an insurance sales agent is $48,150 per year as of May 2012.
Alternate Career Options
Personal Financial Advisor
Normally needing at least a bachelor's degree, in addition to licensing or registrations, depending on the products bought or sold, these professionals give people financial advice concerning taxes, investments and insurances. Much faster than average employment growth of 27% was forecast by the BLS for this career, from 2012-2022. Also according to the BLS, personal financial advisors earned an annual median salary of $67,520 in 2012.
Advertising Sales Agent
Although entry-level positions may be found with just a high school diploma, applicants with a bachelor's degree and sales experience may have the best prospects for these positions where agents contact clients, make presentations and maintain accounts of businesses and individuals. Little or no change was expected in the number of available positions, according to the BLS for the 2012-2022 decade. In 2012, an annual median wage of $46,290 was revealed for these agents, per the BLS.
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Join ePHOTOzine, the friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more for free!
doolittle's Gallery Comments
Supermarine Spitfire with D-Day markings
Perfect shot !
By: brian17302
Well controlled light. Very interesting shot - full of character.
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Stunning image, stunning model !!
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Stunning shot.
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Interesting composition but your processing makes it too unnatural for me.
By: TrevBatWCC
It's a pity the right side of her face is over-exposed otherwise an interesting and well posed shot.
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Superb capture, great colours, DoF, pose and detail.
By: fishiee
A superb shot with the subject(s) perfectly arranged. The background does not distract at all. Well done.
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I also have mixed feelings - I find aircraft seldom have much in the way of colour and so the darker sky may have taken away what colour there might have been.
By: brian1208
Herdalssetra Mountain Summer Farm
Beautiful scene with a nicely placed leading line.
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Like your composition and the blue/grey monotone.
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The "action" is outstanding and well captured but for me it's a bit under-exposed and the contrast too strong.
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Absolutely stunning work.
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The B & W works well but it's too tightly framed on the right - the subject needs space to look into.
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Simply beautiful !!
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Superb prop blur, great capture of a beautiful plane.
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Stunning shot - perfect timing.
By: s2005b
Like the composition and the treatment.
By: Simon_Marlow


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Thomas Brooks has made tackle after tackle after tackle for the East Webster Wolverines the last two years.
With a total of nearly 200 tackles during that span, Brooks has served notice that he's going to be around the football most of the time.
"I just try my best to get there first and be the one to get them," Brooks said.
EUPORA – It came as no shock to Derrick Jones' team and his coach when the senior was chosen for the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game.
Hold onto your hats football fans. A wild weekend of football is coming up for this area.
While everyone is busy hyping Saturday's Southeastern Conference Western Division clash between No. 13 (The Associated Press poll) Mississippi State and No. 1 Alabama and rightfully so, there's some high school matchups on the schedule Friday that will serve as nice appetizers.
A year ago Malcolm Johnson ended his redshirt freshman season with a lot of confidence and year two looked to be a break season for him.
A pectoral injury on his right side sidelined him for the first five games of the season.
The Bulldogs entered the Tennessee game with a 5-0 record and Johnson was cleared to play.
Alabama week is one the Mississippi State Bulldogs have had circled for a long time.
MSU if it took care of business then a battle of unbeatens on Oct 27 was a distinct possibility.
Now, the Bulldogs are a perfect 7-0 as are the Crimson Tide. The winner of Saturday's matchup in Tuscaloosa, Ala., earns the top spot in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division.


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94 per cent of individuals suffer from gum diseases and 80 per cent have dental caries
A few days ago, I met someone whose smile left me wondering about his even white teeth, as they resembled dentures. But since the man I met was aged less than 30, it was unlikely he was wearing dentures, unless he had been seriously injured in an accident.
The man reminded me of what a professor of dentistry M.B. Aswath Narayanan told me some time ago — that crooked and malformed teeth are one of the three common problems a dentist encounters in his practice. The other two, are cavities and caries.
Dental caries or tooth decay and plaque formation can be easily rectified with timely care, Dr. Ashwath Narayanan said. According to him, 94 per cent of individuals suffer from gum diseases and 80 per cent have dental caries. "But simple methods like teeth cleaning, removing decayed teeth and filling in cavities will prevent further damage," he said.
If you have been to a dentist, he will tell you to return every six months for a thorough cleaning of your teeth. "There is plaque and it needs periodic cleaning," he might tell you, after filling in your cavity. The kind of abuse that teeth withstand should be enough warning. But unless the problem is insurmountable, and a decaying tooth causes trouble, most people keep away. The inability to comprehend what the doctor is doing to one's teeth with instruments that look somewhat menacing is, for many, enough reason to avoid the dentist.
No wonder then that doctors say that at some point in our lives, almost all of us suffer from gum diseases and dental caries. And that explains why dentists say it is important to have a biannual appointment with them.
A study by a toothpaste-manufacturer last year found that even adults who can afford to buy expensive toothpaste do not care much for oral hygiene. Last April, at the Indian Dental Association's two-day exhibition, visitors got a glimpse into what goes on in the mouth and the digestive tract, which sums up how our teeth are affected. Sometimes it is not lack of knowledge, but lack of access that is the barrier.
The Madras Dental College's camp for children in Corporation-run schools in the city in 2009 found that 85 per cent of children had some form of abnormality in their teeth. A survey in rural Tamil Nadu, published as a research paper in the Indian Journal of Dental Research in 2008, called for a primary tooth care system in rural India. A survey under the National Rural Health Mission brought similar results.
The good news is that the government has proposed the appointment of dentists in some primary health care centres. "When that happens, we will be the trendsetters in the country in dental healthcare," Dr. Narayanan said.
Keywords: dental care, dental health, teeth


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Morningside Elementary School kindergartners make Valentines for soldiers overseas
PORT ST. LUCIE - Morningside Elementary School kindergartners, from left, Hudson Fein, Victor Monaco, Judith Vazquez, Gillian Ellis and Melissa Gale from Jean Constantine's class had the honor of creating beautiful Valentine cards that will be sent to troops overseas who are serving our country.
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Maybe this isn't appropriate, but he's such a hnomsade guy. Really enjoyable to watch him. Of course, that has absolutely nothing to do with why I would vote for him. He could look like the grinch and I'd still admire, respect, and vote for him.
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The Patriots will open their 2013 Training Camp next week with the first practice slated for 9 a.m. on July 26. Here at PatsFans.com we'll be bringing you a look at the roster by positions and who is competing for each slot and how they fit the system.
We've already looked at the running backs , linebackers, defensive ends , safeties,  tight ends, defensive tackles  and cornerbacks as many of the positions this summer will be hotly contested. Check in with us daily as we'll bring you a close look at training camp from the entire staff here.
Tom Brady continues to lead the New England offense, regardless of who else is on the field. (FILE:USPresswire)
Today we'll be looking at the quarterbacks, the players on the roster and how they'll likely be used by the Patriots and their chances of sticking on the final 53.
Brady Remains The Great Equalizer- The Patriots have been blessed to have no quarterback controversy since 2001 once Tom Brady took over the starting job from an injured Drew Bledsoe. Brady has done more than just hold down the position, he's led the team to five Super Bowl berths in 11 years and he's among the best to ever to play the position.
It doesn't matter who is on the field, hurt, etc. Brady has made the offense work to an extremely high level.
Ryan Mallett only got to throw four passes last year and was relegated to being a cheerleader and clipboard holder and take the occasional knee at the end of games. Now the team has added Tim Tebow and the accompanying media frenzy that comes with that.
But as long as #12 remains healthy, the other Patriots quarterbacks will have to be content with just being observers.
Roster Breakdown- Tom Brady, Ryan Mallett, Tim Tebow
Tom Brady- In 2012, Brady led the Patriots to a 12-4 record and the offense was prolific, scoring 557 points. Brady completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 4827 yards with 34 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions.
On an offense that heavily relied on tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, both suffered injuries at different times of the season and only played together for 15 percent of the snaps last season, Brady had the offense scoring at near record levels.
Other quarterbacks threw for more yardage or had more touchdown passes but no one came close to have a scoring offense close to New England's regardless of the injuries suffered by key players.
Many of the experts are calling for an end to the Patriots decade of dominance in the AFC East because of the vast turnover at the receiver position coupled with the injury to Gronkowski. Don't bank on that. Don't be shocked that after getting all the new parts sorted out, that the offense is among the top 5 again in 2013.
Ryan Mallett- Mallett remains entrenched as the team's primary backup quarterback and that shouldn't change just because the team acquired Tebow this spring.
The 6'6, 245 Arkansas alum has a big arm but still holds the ball a little too long while making his reads and admitted during the June Mini-camps that he is "still a work in progress."
Mallett was the subject of many trade rumors this spring and he may indeed be auditioning for a starter's job elsewhere during the preseason this summer. With all the new receivers on the roster, he'll get a chance to work with all of them and it will be interesting to see how he works with them on the field.
Tim Tebow- The Patriots signed perhaps the most polarizing sports figure in America on June 11. Tebow inspires the most heated of conversations with little middle ground when it comes to his QB prowess.
The QB who led the Broncos to a playoff win over Pittsburgh was traded to the Jets in 2012 and was relegated to the bench behind Mark Sanchez is now the 3rd QB on the Patriots roster behind Brady and Mallett.
As it stands now, Tebow is a QB, not an H-back, halfback or tight end. If indeed the Patriots keep him on the 53 man roster, it would be as long term project, he could learn under one of the best at his position and under coach Josh McDaniels and get his career back on track. A case of the "Foxboro Flu" may be forthcoming.
Conclusions- The Patriots are set at quarterback for the foreseeable future with Brady at the helm. He remains at the top of his game and the intensity still burns bright inside him. He told Peter King earlier this week he plans on still playing to age 40 …and beyond.
Mallett and Tebow will compete for backup snaps during camp, but that will be the extent of it, back up snaps. Neither is ready to seriously challenge him for the starter's position.
A lot of people want to see Bill Belichick put in a package of plays to allow Tebow to contribute this season. Personally, if I'm Belichick, I want no part of anything that takes the ball out of Tom Brady's hands. If it were a blowout situation in the second half of a game, then by all means, get Mallett and Tebow some game experience and work in. But other than that, both of them should be once again the designated clipboard holders again.
Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG or email me at email@example.com
Listen to our Patriots 4th and 2 Podcast at blog talk radio as the writers Russ Goldman, Derek Havens and I from PatsFans.com discuss the latest Patriots news Wednesdays at 12 noon.
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|Key Info
Number 19A is a bright and airy apartment on the lower floor of a traditional Georgian building right in the centre of historic Edinburgh, less than 2 minutes walk from Princes Street, yet peaceful and quiet.
The spacious bedroom houses a huge super-king sized bed made up with high quality linen, the walls are pastel Farrow and Ball, the lined curtains are silk. Fluffy bathrobes and towels await. The living room is a large airy space with high ceilings, oak floor and furnished with a combination of classical and contemporary furniture. Free wifi is provided along with a blu ray dvd player and freesat, smart tv. The kitchen has every modern facility, dishwasher, washing machine and high quality cutlery and crockery. Finally, the kitchen provides access to an intimate private patio area. Perfect for an al fresco breakfast or pre-dinner glass of wine and a rare find in a city centre location!
New to the market in 2014 the apartment been has completely redecorated and furnished to create a unique, comfortable and spacious city centre base for couples who require an alternative to the standard, small and anonymous hotel room. Just take a look at our reviews! 19A is not suitable for children or pets.
|Sleeps up to 2, 1 bedrooms
|Will consider
|Corporate bookings, Long term lets (over 1 month)
|Car not necessary
|Nearest Amenities
|100 m
|Nearest travel links
|Nearest airport: 19A is 20 minutes by taxi, 30 by bus (8 miles) or 30 mins by tram. The last tram stop is a minute aw 12 km, Nearest railway: From Waverly station it is a 8 minute walk to 19A 600 m
|No pets allowed, No smoking at this property
|Internet access, DVD player
|Central heating, Safe, Satellite TV, Wi-Fi available
|Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer
|Clothes dryer, Dishwasher, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine
|1 bedroom, 1 bathrooms of which 1 Family bathrooms
|Double beds (1), Dining seats for 4, Lounge seats for 4
|Linen provided, Towels provided
Scotland is world-famous for its awesome scenery, vibrant culture and spectacular heritage. It's a land packed with brilliant moments, those sights, sounds and experiences that make your break truly memorable, especially in 2014, the Year of Homecoming.
Edinburgh city region represents one of the best connected areas of Scotland, with a highly developed transport infrastructure linking the region to the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond. That's why 50% of all visitors to Scotland come to Edinburgh as part of their trip.
With a rapidly-expanding international airport, two mainline train stations, a vast road network, excellent bus and coach services and a tram system opening this summer, getting into and around the city region could hardly be easier. Edinburgh Airport, situated just eight miles from the city centre, serves over 80 destinations worldwide. For those who prefer rail travel, the East Coast mainline takes rail passengers from London right into the heart of the city.
Visit Edinburgh this year and join the year-long celebration of all that makes Scotland great and an amazing place to visit.
Edinburgh is an multi-award-winning, world-class tourist destination. A must-see cultural capital. From stunning skylines to sandy beaches, festivals to fireworks – the city has something for everyone, day and night. A modern day Jekyll and Hyde, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, split between the medieval Old Town and the Georgian splendour of the New Town.
But Edinburgh isn't living in the past - it's a vibrant, cosmopolitan city, boasting an exceptional blend of contemporary pubs and bars, restaurants, specialist retailers and leading tourist attractions. Days can be spent exploring the city's medieval alleyways and glorious architecture– not least the magnificient Edinburgh Castle, dramatically perched on an extinct volcano, high above the city centre.
Nights out in Edinburgh provide an opportunity to discover what makes the city tick amidst the bustling bars, clubs and lively street scenes. Edinburgh is renowned the world over for its year-round festivals. During the Summer and Winter festivals the city's streets throng with visitors from around the world.
For international visitors, Edinburgh is the second favourite UK city for tourism after London thanks to its ideal mix of shopping, entertainment, culture and history. It's little wonder then that the city constantly receives accolades from around the globe. Travel magazine Wanderlust named Edinburgh as of the world's top ten cities, while at the Trip Advisor Destination Awards named Edinburgh as the top UK destination and ranked it in the top 25 worldwide.
The inspiring capital has won numerous 'Best City' and 'Short Break' awards, including the Guardian / Observer Reader Travel award for thirteen years running, The Telegraph Readers 'Best UK City' 2012, 'Europe's Leading Destination' at the World Travel Awards 2012 and Condé Nast Traveller Awards 'Best UK City' 2010 and 'Top for Culture' 2011.
Why not come and see what all the fuss is about?