Russia’s International Integration and Caspian Sea Oil

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's international integration has been complicated by both its economic weakness and its unpredictable foreign policy. In 1996-97, as a result of the size of the potential revenues from the oil and gas sectors and the need to boost the economy, these issues have dominated Russian foreign policy, increasingly bringing Russia into direct competition with the United States. This is particularly evident in Russia's dealings in the arena that has become the focus of attention since the appointment of Evgeny Primakov as Foreign Minister in January 1996–the broader Caspian region on Russia's southern flank, which includes Central Asia and the Caucasus and extends to the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. […]

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