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Central Asia in Russian and US Foreign Policy: Between Continuity and ‘Reset’

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Russia and its Near Neighbours

Abstract

Central Asian politics remain a backwater of world affairs. During Soviet rule this remote area, at the heart of the Eurasian landmass, was virtually isolated from the world. After independence from the Soviet Union a host of new actors engaged with the region, including the United States, which prioritised the promotion of liberal democracy and security cooperation, aimed at contributing to the region’s peaceful development. This was a period of ambivalence in Russian policies towards Central Asia, reflecting the ongoing debates on Russia’s post-Soviet foreign policy. The region was regarded by some as a burden at a time of economic strife, and by others as an important buffer zone from instability in South Asia, including Islamic militants from Afghanistan and Pakistan making their way to the South and North Caucasus.

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  1. Licínia Simão
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International Relations, University of Coimbra, Portugal

    Maria Raquel Freire (Assistant Professor) (Assistant Professor)

  2. Department of International Studies, University of Miami, USA

    Roger E. Kanet (Professor) (Professor)

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© 2012 Licínia Simão

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Simão, L. (2012). Central Asia in Russian and US Foreign Policy: Between Continuity and ‘Reset’. In: Freire, M.R., Kanet, R.E. (eds) Russia and its Near Neighbours. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230390164_8

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