INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTESTED STATEHOOD IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA AND THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

An understanding of the processes that contribute to the negotiation of authority in the context of contested statehood requires particular attention to the interplay between domestic and exogenous dynamics. Towards this end, this paper seeks to address potential theoretical explanations that link specific types of external actors to the domestic objectives of opposing parties and the nature of their interactions. It addresses the various roles of International Organizations in conflict resolution in Moldova and Georgia towards a critical assessment of their policies in settings of contested statehood. Furthermore, it seeks to identify the distinctive influencing mechanisms directed towards the opportunity structures of domestic elites in a bid to alter the strategies of primary actors engaged in negotiations over political settlements. Ultimately the purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the external dimension of enduring state contestation in the Republic of Moldova and Georgia in light of various and dynamic patterns of international engagement.