RUSSIA: THE TRADITIONAL HEGEMON IN CENTRAL ASIA

Year 2008, Volume: 13 Issue: 2, 45 - 63, 01.10.2008

Roy Sultan Khan Bhatty

Abstract

After the collapse of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics USSR , Russia leaned towards the West, but West’s cool response in providing economic aid and regional developments forced Russia to pay attention to the Central Asian Republics CARs . Russia has made efforts to keep the CARs in its sphere of influence by increasing its control on the CARs’ energy resources, deploying its troops in the CARs and establishing regional groups. Russia has also exploited the threat of extremism in the CARs. While allying itself with United States US on its war on terrorism and cooperating with North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO , Russia is strengthening itself internally and externally. Russia would like to see undemocratic and fragile CARs in the fields of defense and the economy to maintain its hold on the CARs. Weak CARs are in Russia’s interests to keep them dependent on Russia

Keywords

Russia and the West, Russia’s foreign policy, Central Asia.