Rethinking Central Eurasia Eldar Ismailov Vladimer Papava   © 2010 Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program – A Joint Transatlantic Research and Policy Center Johns Hopkins University-SAIS, 1619 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036; Institute for Security and Development Policy, V. Finnbodav. 2, SE-13130 Stockholm, Sweden.

The disintegration of the Soviet Union not only gave rise to new independent states, a process of historic importance, but also formed the beginning of their integration into new geopolitical spaces. These spaces had their own geographical contours even within the former Soviet Union. It comes as no surprise that the independence and sovereignty of these states raised the question of finding new names for these geopolitical spaces – names that would better highlight their newly acquired status in relation to Moscow. Recently the relatively new geopolitical term “Central Eurasia” has been gaining currency. It has been normally applied to the eight states of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, which are treated as a single geopolitical space. However, this is not completely correct from the geopolitical viewpoint since it still reflects the Russian idea of this geopolitical expanse. The purpose of this study is to re-examine some aspects of the geopolitical-economic understanding of the region that encompasses the above-mentioned countries through a descriptive approach, that is, irrespective of the interests that motivate the world and other countries in this region.

This study of geopolitical and geo-economic problems in Central Eurasia is carried out on the basis of geographic and historical descriptions of this region. It presents a critical analysis of most popular geopolitical theories of “Eurasianism,” “the Heartland,” and “the Rimland,” theories that seem to have found renewed attention today. Researchers are less interested in the question what the Central Eurasian states themselves want. Do they want to be sovereign democratic states with a market economy, or would they prefer to be under the patronage of a particular nation that is interested in retaining its influence at all costs in these countries? It is extremely important for the region’s countries to be aware of the objectives the world and regional actors are pursuing in this region. This will make it easier for them to find their bearings and know what kind of relations to build with their external partners. At the same time, the rest of the world would know somehow what goals the Central Eurasian states are pursuing.

In this study, the authors share their assessments and views of the current geopolitical and geo-economic state of Central Eurasia and of the possible ways both the entire region and the individual countries belonging to it might develop. They re-examine many well-known theoretical constructs and offer a new concept, “Central Caucaso-Asia.” Understanding that many of the issues raised in this study are essentially disputable, the authors welcome a constructive and substantive debate on the topic.

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Cover and Contents

Introduction.................................................................................................................5

Eurasia and Central Eurasia: Initial Analytical Assumptions...............................................8

Eurasianism and the Concept of Central Caucaso-Asia....................................................21

The Heartland Theory and the Present-Day Geopolitical Structure of Central Eurasia.........84

Key Findings and Conclusion........................................................................................103

Appendix. Evolution of Central Eurasia in Different Imperial systems...............................108

Authors......................................................................................................................117