Studies On Russian Policy Towards Commonwealth Of Independent States

This essay considers Russian policy to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as a means Russia applies to control over the state relations with the CIS system in multilateral regions. In view of this, this essay follows the general thinking pattern of policy study, that is to say, to further elaborate the topic from three aspects, policy goal, policy operation, and policy evaluation. This essay deals with what strategic means Russia virtually applies based on its national power and fundamental interest of the development, and how Russia puts these strategic means into practice efficiently to realize its policy goal on CIS. What's more, the essay also evaluates the current operation of the policy, and discusses the issue of the relations between Russian and CIS as well as offers the outlook of its policy development. Therefore, the writing of the whole essay follows a clear main line and the topic is expounded in the"General–Specific -General"structural fashion.The first part discusses the goal of Russian policy to CIS, and points out that concerning the significant role the former Soviet Union area plays in Russia, to realize the integration of CIS can be regarded as the goal of the Russian policy to CIS. This is undoubtly determined by the fundamental political goal of the revitalization strategy of Russia. This part includes introduction and Chapter one.The introduction part mainly discusses the issue of the internal diplomatic relations between Russia and its neighbor countries during the period of Russian revitalization. This part points out the thought and the background of the theoretical approach of this diplomatic policy as well as offers a brief introduction to unfold the strategic significance the neighbor countries have upon Russia.Chapter one mainly probes into the matter on the relation-building of Russia and CIS after the cold war. This section lays more emphasis on the rebuilding of the regional order as well as relations of Russia and CIS after the cold war and elaborates the establishment of its goal of the postwar policy to CIS from macroscopic to microcosmic perspective grounded on three layers of aspects——Russia in the international politics, the rebuilding of the regional order and state-to-state relations and the establishment of the goal of the integration of Russia and CIS. Moreover, this chapter also concerns what strategy Russia will apply to realize the goal.The second part deals with the operation of Russian policy to CIS. This is the soul and main content of the study which questions and probes into what strategy Russia virtually applies to realize the policy goal, its integration with CIS.This part suggests the fact that CIS and Russia used to belong to the same country leads to the special state-to-state relations, and its superiority of power over that of CIS determines the fundamental feature of the state-to-state relations as unbalanced. In fact, Russia has applied both hard power (economy, political and security) as well as soft power (culture) in developing its relations with CIS, and ensured a smooth progress in achieving the integration goal. This part is divided into four chapters.Chapter two discusses the political relations between Russia and CIS, and highlights that the political factor is the basis for a country to wield its power. Taking the national power and geo-politics into account, Russia gives up the pursuit of the unrealistic political ideal such as to renew Soviet Union or follow European pattern to build"confederacy", to"rebuild integration"or"Salvic Union". Instead, Russia restrains"the axis power of geo-politics"in former Soviet Union region set up by America and NATO, and puts"The alliance of Russia and White Russia"as the core, as well as builds a closer state-to-state relations with"the alliance of Russia, White Russia and Kazakhstan"as the axis power to keep the dominant role Russia plays in the important matter of former Soviet Union area.Chapter three discusses the economic relations between Russia and CIS, and stresses that economic factor is the foundation in wielding the power of the country. Russia takes an active part in economic diplomacy, and applies resource diplomacy efficiently to advance positive development of the economic relations as well as to realize"economic integration". After the abortion of the strategic"economic alliance", Russia adopts pragmatism to build the kernel of"economic integration", and to form"European and Asian economic community"as well as"unified economic space"on the basis of"economic axis power of Russia, White Russia and Kazakhstan", thus further promoting the steady progress of the economic integration.Chapter four probes into the security relations of Russia and CIS, and stresses the point that security factor is the guarantee for the country to wield its power. Russia takes an active part in military reform in coping with the security pressure NATO poses upon it, and carries out the new military strategy"offensive defense". Moreover, based on"CIS security treaty organization"and"Unified air-defense system", Russia intensifies its military existence in CIS area. Russia also maintains its dominant power in the security of CIS, peace keeping operations and other traditional security affairs at all cost even with the use of military intervention. While in non-traditional security field, especially in CIS area, Russia does not rule out bilateral or multilateral cooperation with other countries.Chapter five discusses the cooperation in human culture between Russia and CIS, and highlights that cultural factor is the intangible expansion of the national power. Russia has gradually realized the constructive function of culture, and tried hard to build the soft power. It also accentuates that shared language and historic tradition is the natural bond between Russia and former Soviet Union countries. Russia builds the"unified cultural space"with technology, education, art and other cultural advantages; meanwhile it lays stress on the cooperation of culture field between Russia and other CIS countries. The appeal of culture is not only an intangible expansion of the national power, but also serves as an unrestrained strategic factor to other countries.The third part starts to evaluate the effect of the operation of the Russian policy to CIS based on the analysis of the policy goal and operation.This part points out it is the unbalance of policy goal and policy means that generates a wide range of critical issues of Russian policy to CIS, and it also offers an expectation on the outlook for its policy. This part contains Chapter six and conclusion.Chapter six discusses the problem Russian policy to CIS faces and its outlook, and it suggests that one of the biggest challenges Russia will face in the 21st century is how to give effective response to American hegemony and its leadership over the European security system. For a long period, America and Europe which is under its leadership resorts to the policy of"restrain, weaken and divide Russia", and prolongs its pace toward revitalization in order to turn it into a second-rate country described as"run without chaos, but fall into decline". The contention of the important geo-political axis powers in this area can be counted as a pivotal approach of the policy the occident enforces on Russia.The conclusion part is the summary of Russian policy to CIS. It mainly offers response to the fundamental question that whether the problem and puzzlement Russia faces on its policy on CIS foreshadow the end of the Russian"Monroe Doctrine".All in all, to some extent, as the interests of China and Russia crosses on the issue of the middle Asian orientation of the former Soviet Union, to recognize the nature and feature of Russian policy to CIS helps us to grasp the general process of the strategic cooperative Sino-Russia fellowship and to clearly realize the strategic interests and concerns of each country on the former Soviet Union area. Moreover, it assists to promote internal relations under the frame of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which may serves as the essential value of this study.