By Nicklas Norling and Niklas Swanström (10/3/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization recently held its annual summit in Bishkek. Energy-security was reported to be the primary focus of the summit while the Sino-Russian military exercises Peace Mission 2007 held a few days later attracted much attention. Even if these recent events suggest that China-Russia relations may be at an all-time high, the strains between them in the energy sector will likely impede a further strengthening of bilateral ties.
By Richard Weitz (10/3/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)
At the end of September, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov undertook his first visit to the United States as Turkmenistan’s new president. His five-day sojourn has revived speculation about the direction of his administration’s foreign policy. Berdimuhammedov has indicated that he might reconsider several of Niyazov’s isolationist policies.
By Richard Weitz (9/19/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)
For the second year in a row, the existing members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) declined to allow new countries to join the organization as members or formal observers. The stated reason – that SCO members need more time to define the legal issues involved in expanding further – sounds implausible. A more likely reason is that expanding the institution would present serious problems for the SCO.
By Dmitry Shlapentokh (9/19/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The increasing Jihadist trend in the Chechen resistance has important implications for general U.S. policy toward Islamic extremists.
The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst is a biweekly publication of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program, a Joint Transatlantic Research and Policy Center affiliated with the American Foreign Policy Council, Washington DC., and the Institute for Security and Development Policy, Stockholm. For 15 years, the Analyst has brought cutting edge analysis of the region geared toward a practitioner audience.
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