Regional Integration Processes in the Commonwealth of Independent States : Economic and Political Factors

This book investigates the economic, political and cultural factors that influence regional economic integration processes as well as international political cooperation in the area of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The authors analyze market integration manifested in interregional trade, investment and service connections. Taking a constructivist approach, they shed new light on how national, ethnic, religious and linguistic factors as well as systems of government, political regimes and models of leadership shape foreign-policy decision-making in various post-Soviet countries. Preface 5 Contents 6 List of Abbreviations 10 Chapter 1: Introduction 12 References 24 Part I: Premises, Origin and Scope of Regional Integration Agreements in the CIS Area 27 Chapter 2: The Commonwealth of Independent States 28 2.1 Origins 28 2.2 The Member States 31 2.3 Institutions 32 2.3.1 The Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States 35 2.3.2 The Council of Heads of Government 36 2.4 Cooperation Within the CIS 37 References 39 Chapter 3: The Eurasian Economic Union 41 3.1 Genesis 41 3.2 The Member States 46 3.3 Institutions 47 3.4 The Effectiveness of Cooperation 51 References 52 Chapter 4: The Union State of Russia and Belarus 54 4.1 Genesis 54 4.2 The Member States 56 4.3 Institutions 56 4.4 Effectiveness 58 References 60 Chapter 5: The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development-GUAM 62 5.1 The Origins of GUAM 62 5.2 Organizational Structure 63 5.3 Areas of Cooperation Within GUAM 64 5.4 External Relations of GUAM with Its Main Partners 67 References 68 Chapter 6: The Scope and the State of Institutional Integration Within the CIS Area 70 References 78 Part II: The Economic Environment for Regional Integration of the CIS Countries 79 Chapter 7: The Economic Situation of Particular Countries Researched 80 7.1 Russian Federation 81 7.2 East European Post-Soviet Countries 88 7.3 South Caucasus Countries 97 7.4 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 105 7.5 Conclusions 120 References 123 Chapter 8: Intensity of Trade in the CIS Area 127 8.1 Russian Federation 128 8.2 Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries 131 8.3 South Caucasus Countries 138 8.4 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 146 8.5 Conclusions 160 References 162 Chapter 9: The Scope of Trade Integration of the CIS Countries 164 9.1 Russian Federation 165 9.2 Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries 168 9.3 South Caucasus Countries 175 9.4 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 183 9.5 Conclusions 195 References 198 Part III: Selected Non-economic Factors of the Regional Integration of the CIS Countries 200 Chapter 10: Directions of Constitutional Changes in the Context of Relations Between State Authorities 201 10.1 Russian Federation 202 10.2 Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries 204 10.3 South Caucasus Countries 210 10.4 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 217 10.5 Conclusions 227 References 228 Chapter 11: Concepts of Political Leadership in the CIS Region 231 11.1 Russian Federation 232 11.2 Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries 233 11.3 South Caucasus Countries 237 11.4 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 240 11.5 Conclusions 246 References 247 Chapter 12: Key Vectors of Foreign Policy in Countries of the CIS Region 251 12.1 Russian Federation 251 12.2 Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries 254 12.3 South Caucasus Countries 258 12.4 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 262 12.5 Conclusions 267 References 270 Chapter 13: Sources and Consequences of Major Domestic and International Conflicts in the CIS Area 275 13.1 The ``Frozen Conflicts ́ ́ in South Caucasus and Eastern Europe 276 13.1.1 Conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia 276 13.1.2 Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh 279 13.1.3 Transnistrian Conflict in Moldova 281 13.2 The Crimean Conflict 284 13.3 Domestic Conflicts in the Countries of the CIS Area 286 13.3.1 The ``Color ́ ́ Revolutions in the CIS Region 286 13.3.2 The Civil War in Tajikistan 290 13.3.3 The Violent Events in Andijan 292 13.3.4 Conflict in the Chechen Republic 293 13.4 Conclusions 294 References 296 Part IV: The Model of Economic and Political Relations and Regional Integration Processes in the CIS Area 301 Chapter 14: Russian Federation 302 Chapter 15: Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries 305 Chapter 16: South Caucasus Countries 313 Chapter 17: Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries 320 Chapter 18: Reflections on Regional Integration in the CIS 330 Part V: Conclusions 333 Chapter 19: Conclusions 334 References 344 Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-15 Front Matter....Pages 17-17 The Commonwealth of Independent States....Pages 19-31 The Eurasian Economic Union....Pages 33-45 The Union State of Russia and Belarus....Pages 47-54 The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development—GUAM....Pages 55-62 The Scope and the State of Institutional Integration Within the CIS Area....Pages 63-71 Front Matter....Pages 73-73 The Economic Situation of Particular Countries Researched....Pages 75-121 Intensity of Trade in the CIS Area....Pages 123-159 The Scope of Trade Integration of the CIS Countries....Pages 161-196 Front Matter....Pages 197-197 Directions of Constitutional Changes in the Context of Relations Between State Authorities....Pages 199-228 Concepts of Political Leadership in the CIS Region....Pages 229-248 Key Vectors of Foreign Policy in Countries of the CIS Region....Pages 249-272 Sources and Consequences of Major Domestic and International Conflicts in the CIS Area....Pages 273-298 Front Matter....Pages 299-299 Russian Federation....Pages 301-303 Eastern European Post-Soviet Countries....Pages 305-312 South Caucasus Countries....Pages 313-319 Central Asian Post-Soviet Countries....Pages 321-330 Reflections on Regional Integration in the CIS....Pages 331-333 Front Matter....Pages 335-335 Conclusions....Pages 337-348