Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals (Oct 2002)
Reflections on Russia and Central Asia: paths that cross and move apart
Abstract
In the 1990’s, Moscow’s relations with the former Soviet republics of Central Asia developed, in part, in the context of the Community of Independent States (CIS). In turn, these republics have set their respective agendas in accordance with the courses they have taken, which have a common past but are subject to ensuing centrifugal forces but also to intertwining. In this context, the article reviews Moscow’s relations with these republics and the factors they shared in this new coexistence. It also identifies the divergent forces that are accompanying this process and attempts to work out possible scenarios.Finally it seeks to make sense of the situation since September 11 when the area wentfrom standing in the background to playing a role of some importance on the world stage.
