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Old 08-12-2008, 07:48 PM
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As Russia shows Georgia its iron hand, a look at the love-hate relationship it shares with Soviet Union’s former ‘republics’ since USSR’s dissolution in 1991:

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/348026.html

Rupinder Kaur
Posted online: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 2330 hrs


Armenia
Goodwill between Armenia and Russia has deep historical roots and is sustained by Russia’s recent role as Armenia’s protector. Russia is the ace up Armenia’s sleeve against feared aggression by Turkey, Armenia’s historical enemy, and as a deterrent to a renewal of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed enclave of Nagorny Karabakh. Armenia plays eager host to a few Russian bases and a few thousand Russian troops, who patrol Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Iran. Virtually the entire Armenian energy sector is under Russian control. The most telling picture of the relationship was a trip by President Robert Kocharyan to the Kremlin, ahead of the February 2003 presidential election, to receive the “blessings” of President Putin.

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan and Russia are caught in a bitter dispute over energy and labour migration, among other issues. Baku’s blunt refusal in December 2006 to import Russian gas following its energy giant Gazprom’s decision to hike gas prices for Azerbaijan marked a sharp acceleration in the worsening of relations between the two states.

Belarus
Belarus is closely allied with Moscow and forms a loose union state with Russia. The basis of the union was strengthened in 1997 with the signing of the “Treaty on the Union between Belarus and Russia”, at which time its name was changed to the Union of Russia and Belarus. Both member states seem to have lost their initial enthusiasm for the Union though, with first Russia and then Belarus restoring customs controls along their common border in 2001. Here too, Gazprom’s decision to hike gas prices has acted a spoiler.

Kazakhstan
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s first official state visit after taking office was to Kazakhstan. It was meant to boost ties between the two cash-rich states. In January-March 2008, trade between Russia and Kazakhstan amounted to $4.13 billion. However, trouble spots remain. Russia has been eager to maintain its influence over energy transit routes in the Caspian region.

Moldova
Moldova, like Georgia, is struggling with its own frozen conflict in the predominantly ethnic-Russian region of Transdniester. Although that separatist conflict is far less volatile than either Abkhazia or Georgia’s second breakaway region of South Ossetia, Russia is considered crucial to any resolution of the Transdniester conflict, and has used its leverage to reel in Moldova’s Western ambitions. Russia is also adamantly refusing to withdraw its troops from the Transdniester region.

Tajikistan
Traditionally Russia’s closest ally in Central Asia. Russia played a major role in ending Tajikistan’s five-year civil war. Russian soldiers were stationed in the country, guarded vital facilities during the war and helped the government maintain power. But the ties between the two have been affected due to Russia’s crackdown on illegal migrants from Tajikistan. Tajikistan’s proximity to Afghanistan has also raised its profile in the West and brought coalition troops to its bases — and this is not likely to go down too well with Russia.

Turkmenistan
Relations between Russia and Turkmenistan have always been complicated. Russia has signed agreements that will help it keep control over Turkmen gas exports. Russia is capable of influencing Turkmenistan if it decides to do so. The Turkmen economy depends heavily on gas exports, and its main pipeline route goes through Russian territory.

Ukraine
Russia strongly opposes any movement of NATO into what the Kremlin calls the former-Soviet space. Ukraine has sought to free itself of Russia’s influence, integrate into the West and join NATO. There have been disputes between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas prices in 2005 and 2008.

Uzbekistan
Russia is by far Uzbekistan’s closest trade partner, with trade turnover totaling roughly $4 billion in 2007. Moscow, in addition, has pledged to invest more than $2 billion in the Uzbek economy in the coming years. Uzbekistan, from Tashkent’s perspective, is in retrograde. Tashkent made a number of provocative steps against Moscow, from granting hydrocarbon contracts to Russian companies’ rivals to shunning Russian officials and making decisions without consultations with the Kremlin. Russia has attempted to offer Tashkent incentives to remain loyal to the Kremlin’s geopolitical agenda.
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