• Analysing the EU approach to conflict resolution in its neighbourhood – the overall framework of the policy framework and the instruments of its promotion; 
• Discuss EU policies on the conflicts in Georgia (Abkhazia and South Ossetia). The use of ENP instruments and their impact, as well as the role of the EU Special Representative;    
• To develop policy recommendations on the development of a coherent approach to conflict resolution in EU neighbourhood with a particular emphasis on the two conflicts.

• Do some initial research on the conflict resolution dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy,
• Develop the analytical framework of the policy paper.
• Do some initial work on the conflict resolution dimension of ENP: analyse the existing EU and Member states documents on the issue and do an overview of the existing literature.
• Write the first chapter of the research paper on the state of ENP and EU views of how the ENP should contribute to conflict resolution in EU neighbourhood. To discuss the ENP framework and its gaps in conflict resolution efforts.

• I have attended a conference on “US and EU strategies and instruments of democratisation” in June 2005 in Brussels at CEPS. At the conference I have been a discussant on the case of Belarus. The conference has been of value for my research as one of the objectives of my research is to look at ways to support democracy in secessionist entities, and a broader discussion on democratisation-related issues was of great value for my work.
• After the conference in Brussels the IPF Wider Europe Group had a meeting at CEPS in which our work was discussed with the supervisor, other IPF fellows and CEPS researchers.
• During my stay in Brussels I have also interviewed a number of EU officials on various aspects of conflict resolution. I have met officials from the European Commission, Policy Unit of the EU Council and the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe. The aim of the interviews was to discuss ways the EU supports conflict resolution in its neighbourhood in general. The cases of Southeast Europe and Moldova were of interests and relevance for possible models for the EU to play a greater role in Southern Caucasus. I paid special attention to some of the lessons learned and “do’s” and “don’ts” that the EU learned from these two cases.   
• In August I have travelled to Moscow. While the trip was not for IPF purposes, I have established some preliminary contacts which will be useful during my research trip on my IPF project to Moscow in Autumn 2005. I have also acquired and read a number of books on Caucasus (Northern and Southern) which would give me an overview of how Russia sees the region and through what angle the EU could develop a cooperative approach with Russia on the conflicts in Georgia.
• I have analysed EU documents and some of the existing secondary literature on EU approaches to conflict resolution.

 
Next steps:

• Start working on the cases of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and EU and Russian policies towards the region. The September-December period will be dedicated to empirical research in the field as well as in Brussels.