Countries of the CIS and Baltics

(3 credit units, 108 hours)

Objectives:

 to develop a comprehensive understanding of the specifics of international relations in the post Soviet space;  to develop an understanding of the phases and trends of the CIS evolution, foreign policies,  social, economic and political development of the countries of the CIS and Baltics, their relations with Russia and connections with Siberia; to learn the art of analyzing the problems of integration, conflicts and cooperation in the post  Soviet space; to learn the activities of regional and sub-regional international organizations established by the CIS countries.

Competences

A graduate must know:

 the specifics and major trends of the development of international relations in the post Soviet space, economic and political processes in the countries of the CIS and Baltics;  major problems of integration, inter-state cooperation and conflict regulation on the post Soviet space;  the phases of development, major areas and problems of the activities of the Commonwealth of Independent States, regional and sub-regional organizations established by the CIS countries.

A graduate must be able to:

 analyze major international political and economic problems and contradictions, appraise the potential of cooperation existing in the relations between Russia and the CIS countries, at the inter-state as well as at the inter-regional levels;  formulate and provide academic evidence to substantiate Russia’s prospective positions on the vital problems of security in the post-Soviet space and in relations with the major CIS countries;  to take account of the factors originating in the post-Soviet space while analyzing the models of social, economic and political development of Siberia;  to discern the specifics of foreign policies, political and economic development of the major CIS countries.

Major units of the course: 1. The Collapse of the USSR: reasons and process.

Reasons of the collapse of the USSR:

 socioeconomic, ethno-cultural, religious heterogeneity of the country;  the national-territorial principle of the federal construction;  the recognition of the nations’ right to self-determination;  the social, political and ideological crisis of the Soviet society

2. Structure and Functions of the CIS Institutions

Composition

: Russia; Ukraine; Belarus; Moldova; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Uzbekistan.

Associated member:

Turkmenistan.

Georgia left the CIS in August 2009.

Major bodies:

Heads of States Council Heads of Governments Council Foreign Ministers Council Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Economic Court Executive Committee

Seat of the CIS Executive Committee – Minsk

3. Problems of the Economic Development and Cooperation of the Countries of the CIS and Baltics

1991 – 1998 – economic crisis; in 1996 – the lowest point (53 % of the USSR’s 1989 GDP); 1999 – 2008 – economic growth, annual average rate of 7 – 8 %; 2008 - 2009 – global financial crisis, GDP reduction; 2010 – 2012 – fragile economic growth.

Regional economic groupings:



The CIS Free Trade Zone

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan); (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Kazakhstan, 

the Eurasian Economic Community

Tajikistan); (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, 

the Customs Union and the Joint Economic Space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan;



the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

4. Security Relations between the CIS Countries

Russian Military Presence in the Post-Soviet Space:

Belarus; Ukraine; Moldova; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Abkhazia; South Ossetia.

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Membership:

Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.

Areas of activities:

Collective Rapid Deployment Forces; Collective Operative Reaction Forces; Opportunities for peace-keeping operations; Military supplies from Russia to allied countries at reduced prices; Joint training of military personnel.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Membership:

Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.

Observers:

Mongolia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan.

Dialogue partners:

Belarus, Sri Lanka, Turkey.

5. Conflicts in the Post-Soviet Space

Tajik (1992 – 1997).

CIS peace-keeping operation (1993 – 2000). The conflict was settled.

Georgia - Abkhazia (since 1992).

CIS peace-keeping operation (1994 – 2008).

Result: a partial international recognition of Abkhazia.

Georgia – South Ossetia (since 1992).

Trilateral peacekeeping operation (1992 - 2008).

Result: a partial international recognition of South Ossetia.

Karabakh (since 1988).

No peace-keeping operation

.

The conflict has been “frozen” since 1994. International mediators – co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, the US, France).

Transnistrian (since 1992).

Trilateral peacekeeping operation since 1992 up to present. The conflict has been “frozen” since 1992. Negotiations within the «5 + 2» framework (Russia, Moldova, Transnistria, Ukraine, OSCE + observers, the US and the EU).

Russian - Georgian (August 2008).

Russia’s military victory, diplomatic relations with Georgia severed. Cease-fire established with the EU’s mediation.

Recommended Topics of Master Dissertations

 The “Russian Question” in a country of the CIS or Baltics.

 Economic and Humanitarian Links between West Siberia and a country of the CIS and Baltics.  The Customs Union and the Joint Economic Space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan: the experience of the first three years.