Russian Foreign Policy and the CIS (Routledge Advances in International Relations and Politics, 24)

This book investigates the options, the debates and the ensuing policies of the fledgling Russian government. It examines the evolution of policy from the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 until the Presidential elections in June 1996.Analysing Russia's actions in the context of contemporary foreign policy theory, Nicole J. Jackson discusses and compares three key conflicts: the separatist war between Moldova and Transdniestria; the separatist war between Georgia and Abkhazia and the civil war in Tajikistan. It will be of interest to students and researchers of international relations, security, foreign policy analysis and Russian studies. "Soon after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, hostilities erupted within several of Russia's peripheral states, ranging from minor border skirmishes to outright war. How to respond to these outbreaks of conflict quickly became the most serious foreign policy challenge that confronted the Russian Federation." "Unlike under the Soviet Union, there were open, diverse and complex deliberations about whether, and how, Russia should react to these challenges. Russian Foreign Policy and the CIS investigates the options, the debates and the ensuing policies of the fledgling Russian government. It examines the evolution of policy from the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 up to the presidential elections in June 1996." "Analysing Russia's actions in the context of contemporary international relations and foreign policy theory, Nicole J. Jackson discusses and compares three key conflicts: the separatist war between Moldova and Transdniestria, the separatist war between Georgia and Abkhazia; and the civil war in Tajikistan. A complex pattern of relations emerges for the case studies which explains Russian involvement in the three specific conflicts, and which may be successfully adopted to illuminate other studies of post-Soviet Russian foreign policy. This book will be of particular interest to students and researchers of international relations, security studies, foreign policy analysis and Russia/CIS politics."--BOOK JACKET Social Sciences Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 List of tables 12 Preface 14 Acknowledgements 16 Introduction 18 Ideas and political debates in theoretical approaches to foreign policy development 29 Foreign policy ideas and their manifestation in key foreign policy orientations 44 Russian domestic politics and the evolution in debates about foreign and military policy towards the CIS states, 1991 6 68 Russia's political debates and military involvement in the Moldova Transdniestria conflict 98 Russia's political debates and military involvement in the Georgia Abkhazia conflict 129 Russia's political debates and military involvement in the Tajik conflict 157 Conclusions 188 Notes 200 Selected bibliography 226 Index 236 1. Introduction -- 2. Ideas And Political Debates In Theoretical Approaches To Foreign Policy Development -- 3. Foreign Policy Ideas And Their Manifestation In Key Foreign Policy Orientations -- 4. Russian Domestic Politics And The Evolution In Debates About Foreign And Military Policy Towards The Cis States, 1991-6 -- 5. Russia's Political Debates And Military Involvement In The Moldova-transdniestria Conflict -- 6. Russia's Political Debates And Military Involvement In The Georgia-abkhazia Conflict -- 7. Russia's Political Debates And Military Involvement In The Tajik Conflict -- 8. Conclusions. Nicole J. Jackson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [209]-218) And Index. This book investigates the options, the debates and the ensuing policies of the fledgling Russian government. It examines the evolution of policy from the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 until the Presidential elections in June 1996. Analysing Russia's actions in the context of contemporary foreign policy theory, Nicole J. Jackson discusses and compares three key the separatist war between Moldova and Transdniestria; the separatist war between Georgia and Abkhazia and the civil war in Tajikistan. It will be of interest to students and researchers of international relations, security, foreign policy analysis and Russian studies. This book provides a systematic study of Russian foreign policy and the separatist and civil military conflicts in the former Soviet republics following the collapse of the Soviet Union.