THE CONTEST to secure the coveted export route for Azerbaijan's oil riches being pumped up from the Caspian Sea is more than just a battle for transit revenues. National pride and prestige are at stake among countries seeking greater influence in the Caucasus region, for whom a pipeline could serve as a conduit of increased political power. The decision on the main pipeline for the Azerbaijan International Operating Company's $8 billion project to develop the Chirag, Azeri and Gunashli fields in the Caspian has become one of the most divisive issues in the region but it now appears that the republic of Georgia is gaining the upper hand.