Russia and its Near Neighbours

Abstract

Introduction: Russia and its Near Neighbours M.R.Freire & R.E.Kanet PART I: DETERMINANTS OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY Russia's Vital and Exclusive National Interests in the Near Abroad R.Laenen Domestic Influences on Russian Foreign Policy: Status, Interests and Ressentiment H.Smith Nationalist Grievance and Russian Foreign Policy? The Case of Georgia L.March The August 2008 Russo-Georgian War: Which Side Went First? J.B.Dunlop PART II: RUSSIA AND THE CIS Whose Near Abroad? Dilemmas in Russia's Declared Sphere of Privileged Interests J.Russell Russia's European Security Treaty and the Kyrgyz Crisis G.Herd Central Asia in Russian and US Foreign Policy: Between Continuity and 'Reset' L.Simao Russia's Foreign Policy towards Central Asia D.Digol PART III: ENERGY IN RUSSIAN-CIS RELATIONS Strategic Security and Russian Resource Diplomacy M.Sussex Russian Resource Politics toward the CIS Countries under Medvedev B.Nygren Russia's Energy Policies in Eurasia: Empowerment or Entrapment? M.R.Freire Russian Energy Policy in the South Caucasus L.Arakelyan & R.E.Kanet Conclusion M.R.Freire & R.E.Kanet