Strategic significance and perspectives of the caucasus-caspian and central asian regions

Russian security and economic interests in the post-soviet republics in the Caucasian-Caspian and Central Asian regions are affected by the strategy of all the “big players”. The USA and the UK used Kazakhstan to undermine Russian interests by opening up a new “international financial center” – an offshore haven for Islamic banking aimed to attract Russian capital and to promote centrifugal tendencies in other Muslim republics. China as a rising global economic power is also expanding its influence in all post-soviet republics. However, China needs not only Russian energy and natural resources but also Russia’s role as a vital territorial bridge between Asia and Europe. In cooperation with China Uzbekistan opened a new economic think tank center aimed at expanding multilateral economic cooperation. However, these activities are coordinated with Russia in order to keep a balance in bilateral relations. Russia is counter-acting all centrifugal trends in the regions by using bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and increasing international cooperation worldwide. © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved.