By Hooman Peimani (4/6/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: The idea of exporting Iranian natural gas via a pipeline Armenia and through it to Georgia and Ukraine emerged shortly after the Soviet Union’s disintegration. In search of consolidating their newly-achieved independence, reducing their heavy dependency on Russia and thus decreasing Moscow’s political influence in their countries, the three ex-Soviet states found importing oil and natural gas from Iran a feasible and inexpensive alternative to Russian energy. Tehran was very interested in such prospects as it was eager to increase its fuel exports and particularly its natural gas, whose exports at the time was next to nil despite having the world’s second largest gas reservoirs.

By Stephen Blank (4/6/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: Nazarbayev’s speech certainly extols Kazakhstan’s independence and aims to safeguard it against potential threats by a program of economic reform and social initiatives that carry with them a strong whiff of paternalism. These socio-economic initiatives aim not only to provide the basis for the security of Kazakhstan’s people but also for their full movement into a modern state and economy. Thus he calls for a blueprint for moving the main industries of Kazakhstan from oil and gas to tourism.

By Matthew Oresman (4/6/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: To date, China has reacted to the Kyrgyz revolution with muted rhetoric. Beijing has let Russia take the lead in responding to developments and has refrained from asserting its desires publicly. Officially, the Foreign Ministry has merely stated that “China hopes the situation in Kyrgyzstan turns stable at an early date… As a friendly neighbor of Kyrgyzstan, China is paying close attention to the development of the situation and wishes social order there restored to a normal state as soon as possible.