U.S. intelligence is concerned about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the possible emergence of new terror hot spots in Eurasia, the U.S. director of national intelligence James Clapper's report, presented at the hearing in the Senate Committee of U.S. Congress, said, ITAR-TASS reported.
'The unresolved conflicts in the Caucasus and instability in some Central Asian countries are the most possible causes of hot spots in Eurasia', the report said.
The potential hotbed of conflict in the Caucasus was named as the Nagorno-Karabakh. "'Mistrust from both sides and continued violence in the contact line increases the risk of miscalculation that could lead to escalation of the situation without any warning', the report said.
Regarding Georgia, Mr Clapper expressed the view that the new Georgian constitution strengthens the powers of the Prime Minister after the presidential elections of 2013. He said that it gives rise to the assumption that President Saakashvili will strive to maintain power as Prime Minister. This may affect the prospects of easing tensions.
The report on Central Asia said that violent extremism in the region is a reason for concern in the field of security for Moscow. Tajikistan was referred to as a particularly important country in the region. It has a long common border with Afghanistan.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.