The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of riac. This in turn points to a policy of material retrenchment that in hegemonic terms entails a flexible strategic goal consisting of selective acts of compromise and deterrence so as to maximize moscows strategic leverage at a. For example, leszek buszynski argues that russia has been eclipsed by china in the asia pacific region. Anyway, russian interest in central asia in natural resource has not ended yet rather it has been looking for a suitable opportunity. China and russias great game in central asia the national.
The russian conquest of central asia took place in the second half of the nineteenth century. Central asia, a huge landmass consisting of five former soviet republics caught between russian and chinese interests, is not part of the european neighbourhood policy enp or the eastern partnership eap. What are russia s interests in post911 central asia. Objectives and interests of russian federation in central asia 3 in november 2011 pakistani soldiers got shelled b y nato forces.
China, russia, united states compete over central asias. Trenin, russias spheres of interest, not influence. The land that became russian turkestan and later soviet central asia is now divided between kazakhstan in the north, uzbekistan across the center, kyrgyzstan in the east, tajikistan in the southeast and turkmenistan in the southwest. American involvement in central asia is primarily strategic in nature, i. The report next examines the prospects for sino russian and sino central asian relations, and how the development of these relations might affect u.
All the countries of central asia define russia as a major foreign policy prior. Chinese policy toward russia and the central asian republics. Russia, china, and the united states in central asia the web site. The energyrich central asian states of kazakhstan, turkmenistan and uzbekistan represent a natural object of desire for the geopolitical interests of their ambitious neighbours.
Pdf central asia is one of the regions of the highest priority in russian foreign policy. May 28, 2019 the second great game and russian interests in central asia. Indeed, us interests derive, first of all, from central asia s proximity to russia and china. In generational terms, two of the key leaders in the region president nursultan nazarbayev of kazakhstan and the ailing president islam karimov of uzbekistan. Russian authorities do not perceive russia s relations with china in central asia as that of competition. Pdf challenges to russia in central asia researchgate. Russias foreign policy in central asia has three main goals. Sinorussian geopolitical interests in central asia and. The monograph takes a critical look at the sino russian partnership and points to differences on energy and economic integration in central asia, despite. Central asia and south caucasus after the collapse of the soviet union has retained the elements of competition and bargaining between the united states of america, russia and china. In october 2012 a bilateral agreement was concluded between. Dec 23, 2019 american interest and involvement in central asia have waxed and waned since the collapse of the soviet union, intensifying in the aftermath of the invasion of afghanistan and ensuing anti. I will then identify possible areas of mutual interest.
Policy concept of the russian federation in central asia. Russia is being marginalized, and its partnership with china has not been in russia s best interests. Oct 01, 2014 if ukraine is russia s front yard, then central asia must be considered its back yard. Pdf russia seeks to reintegrate central asia around its power and authority and to that end deploys all the. Aug 22, 2019 over the past decades, central asia once the periphery of the soviet union has become an action field for key international actors, primarily china, russia, the us, and the eu. The sino russian partnership may be tempered by unfulfilled expectations on both sides. For the future of russia as a great power to a great extent depends on the economic, technological, and social uplift of siberia and the russian far east. Chinas foreignregional policy toward central asia has developed over the past decade focusing on security of its western border to energy development and economic investment. Russias role and interests in central asia saferworld.
Realizing indias strategic interests in central asia. Russia first established contacts with the taliban leadership in 2007 to discuss the issue of drug trafficking through central asian countries that share borders with afghanistan. First, it explains the role of imperial legitimacy in theoretical terms, and develops the typology of legitimation claims. All the rival states influence over central asia affects important, often vital interests. Chinas expanding commercial interests in central asia, the russian far. I will begin my analysis by defining and explaining u.
Central asia in the context of western and russian interests cairn. Balance of power shifts and energy interests in central asia. This book analyses how the bush administration understood and pursued its interests in the central asia states, namely kyrgyzstan, tajikistan, kazakhstan, uzbekistan, turkmenistan. Aug 03, 2020 to compete with russia and china globally, the united states must force them to commit more attention and resources in central asia, a region long under russia s political dominion yet. In no other region are the internal and external interests of russia so interconnected as in the northeast asia. Russia, china, and the united states in central asia. From the forgotten region to the great game region. Interest in the region grew stronger in 19931994 on the basis of growing nationalist sentiment in moscow and disillusionment with the west. Dushanbe and moscow, which provides for rentfree basing rights for russian forces until 2042. Likewise, their interests in central asia mix elements of cooperation with competition, reducing the likelihood of a sino russian condominium in the region. Pdf central asia in the context of western and russian. Economic cooperation between russia and central asian countries. Jul 01, 2012 in 2003, michael klares approach to the us foreign policy interests in central asia was also of an alarmist nature, when he stated the beginning of a new cold war in south central eurasia, with many possibilities for crises and flareups, because nowhere else in the world are russia and china directly involved and supporting groups and.
Russian exceptionalism, and its standing in world politics today. Qamar fatima lahore college for women university, lahore. This paper will analyze the interests, objectives and strategies of the main three competing powers in central asia and south caucasus. Russia is the only external actor which is comprehensively active in central asia, in the areas of politics, security, economy, social policy immigrants and culture. Russia and china in central asia, the russian far east, and the arctic unlikely course correction in russia s relationship with the west, the part nership will strengthen. Sinorussian geopolitical interests in central asia and south. Countries in central asia and the caucasus are situated in a strategic geopolitical location that bridges asia, europe, russia, and the middle east, and have abundant natural resources such as oil, natural gas and. Abstract the hinterland of central asia had been the centre stage of nineteenth century imperial rivalry between britain and russia. Policy priorities and military roles central asia and must maintain relationships with the states of the region see pp.
Of particular concern is a scenario where russia would lose the. Russias role and interests in central asia the web site cannot be. Russia, which perceives central asia as its own sphere of interests, has. Dec 01, 2019 this was primarily aimed at securing british india from the russian threat, and not an interest in central asia, per say. At present, russia s influence in the central asian region is still quite significant, and it is bound to grow. Central asia has lost its former importance to russia as a military buffer zonefirst between the. Dushanbe and moscow, which provides for rent free basing rights for russian forces until 2042. Aug 15, 2002 russia s interests in central asia are strikingly similar to those of the united states. Russia and eurasia, the middle and near east, south asia, and asia more broadly. The monograph takes a critical look at the sino russian partnership and points to differences on energy and economic integration in central asia.
Central asia, a huge landmass consisting of five former soviet republics caught between russian and chinese interests, is not part of the european neighbourhood policy enp or. Russian interests in the region are primarily related to control over energy resources. In order to achieve its goal of a stable, independent central asia, the united states. On us interests in central asia in russian download. Central asian states were all ranked as not free, with. The first is promoting security and militarytechnical cooperation from the modernization of the armed forces of the states of the region to the construction of military bases in kyrgyzstan and tajikistan. Implications of russian interest in naturalenergy resources the central asia is comprises of different types of geographical locations and it is quite rich in the natural resource. Russia, the natural successor state to the soviet union, has a traditional geostrategic interest in central asia and views the region as part of its natural sphere of interest and security.
First, it explains the role of imperial legitimacy in theoretical terms, and develops the typology of. The area was called turkestan because most of its inhabitants spoke. Central asia is simultaneously a buffer zone between conflict areas and a transit area connecting east asia with europe and russia. Empirically, i focus on russian expansionism in a specific region. The importance of central asia for russias foreign policy. Chinas expanding commercial interests in central asia, the russian far east, and the arctic are likely increasing the competitiveness of chinese firms on a global scale. Chinas relationships with the central asia republics pose fewer potential problems for u. Central asia in the context of w estern and russian interests l europe en formation n. Interests congressional research service 1 introduction the central asian regionbordering regional powers russia, china, and iranis an ageold eastwest and northsouth trade and transport crossroads. Russia declared a desire to preserve and strengthen its economic and military presence in the central asian republics as well as in other former soviet states. University of central asia university of central asia. It was the first to establish diplomatic ties with each of the central asian countries, and u.
China, russia, united states compete over central asias post. But the greatest threat to the west of the sino russian partnership emanates from their efforts to adjust the inter. Moscow partly owes its relatively strong position in the region to the still limited engagement of other players. Pdf russian foreign policy towards central asia researchgate. Us and china competition for influence in central asiaa. Explaining russian and chinese foreign policy in central asia.
For much of the postsoviet period, central asia has been a backwater of. Russian interest in central asia s energy resources energy can be broadly divided into two types. Sumera zafar lahore college for women university, lahore. The first is promoting security and militarytechnical cooperation from the modernization of the armed forces of the states of the region to the construction of military bases in kyrgyzstan and. It is the core region of the asian continent, stretching from the caspian sea in the west to china in the. It is a sign of good manners today to discuss the importance of this region in terms of economic and international security. Its primary interests are maintaining its sphere of influence, keeping out western influence and preventing the postsoviet states there from drawing close to the west, and securing the region from external and internal threats to stability, especially with regard to spillover effects from afghanistan. Central asian reintegration with russia, those sectors figure most prominently in this rivalry, whose outcome has vital consequences for both regional as well as russian security. September 2017 home policy center for the new south. Central asian oil and gas to the west and the tariff policy.
The united states, russia, and central asia, including afghanistan 31 the united states, russia, and trade and investment 32. Sep 17, 20 chinas and russia s interests in central asia. In central asia, the russian campaign of expanding the customs union has been more low key, but. Next i will trace and analyze the influence of the united states in central asia since the emergence of independent states after the collapse of the soviet union in 1991. Central asia focuses on security, economics and energy and has not changed since its development in the mid 1990s. Apr 19, 2018 russia s geopolitical outlook in central asia is evolving. Reflecting on a quarter century of russias relations with. Jun 20, 2016 democracy promotion, security and energy are the predominant themes of us policy in central asia after the cold war. Chinese policy toward russia and the central asian. Russia is also concerned with the protection of significant ethnic russian populations, particularly in kazakhstan, and perhaps most centrally, control over. Russia has longstanding historical, economic, and political ties to central asian governments. Chinarussia relations in central asia the asan forum. The eu has long been central asia s biggest trading partner for decades, but it was surged past by china in 2010. The main research topic is the impact of the chinese new silk road project on the russian interests in one of the zones of its strongest traditional influence central asian countries.
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