Foreign relations in Central Asia: a comparison between the soviet and post-soviet era
https://doi.org/10.24412/2221-3279-2021-10040
Abstract
Central Asia’s pivotal geographical position allowed it to play an essential role in relations among nations of Eurasia in the Middle Ages as the bridge between China and Europe. Yet, during the Russian and then the Soviet rule in Central Asia, the region’s republics had no independent position in international relations as foreign affairs was formed and managed by the central government in Moscow. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 made salient the geopolitical, economic, and cultural importance of the fi ve former Soviet Central Asian republics. They reemerged as independent actors in the global interstate system and could have played a signifi cant role in international affairs during the last three decades. The article aims to discuss the Central Asian region's position in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras. It explores how Central Asia as a “closed” region during the Soviet period changed its geopolitical position and became an infl uential actor in global affairs.In addition, the article addresses factors that have played important role in globalizing Central Asia.
About the Author
Enayatolah Yazdani
Sun Yat-sen University
China
China
Ph.D., Associate Professor
School of International Studies
Zhuhai Campus
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Review
For citations:
Yazdani E. Foreign relations in Central Asia: a comparison between the soviet and post-soviet era. Comparative Politics Russia. 2021;12(4):56-67. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24412/2221-3279-2021-10040
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