JOURNAL OF CENTERAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS STUDIES
Year:2015 | Volume:21 | Issue:91|Papers Count:7

Since 2001 Ashgabat lunched more normal pattern of neutrality. In 2006, with the arrival of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow as new leader, The process of change in foreign policy intensified. In view of the aforementioned considerations, this paper seeks to answer the two main questions: what kind of changes Turkmenistan's neutrality strategy have experienced? And what have been the economic consequences of this strategy? The hypothesis here is that the Turkmenistan’s foreign policy until 2006 was based on Isolation. After 2001 negative neutrality has been adopted. Then, with the arrival of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, active and positive neutrality has been adopted. This strategy explain as one of the main factors of economic growth in Turkmenistan in the last ten years (2016-2006).

The Caucasus always has enjoyed a unique geopolitical importance. The fall of the Soviet Union and its geopolitical aftermath were the factors which dramatically enhanced the significance and influencing role of this vital part of the world. According to the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Caucasian region benefit from a common cultural and historical heritage and the geographical proximity, it can be said that the geopolitical characteristics of the Caucasus can have direct effect upon Iran's national security.The main question of this study has been carried out based on the impacts of Caucasian region geopolitical shifts on military and political dimensions of national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The inherent tense situation in the Caucasus made the governments of this region weak and at the same time, rendered the Caucasus extremely alluring for the regional and international powers, which might entail their presence and influence, and subsequent tensions. All these factors can seriously endanger the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran and pose military and political threats against Iran.

The hypothesis of this paper is that due to impotency of understanding the changing concept of ‘Geopolitics’ in Russian foreign policy and its shifting strategic choice, the doctrine of political realism and economic pragmatism are not capable of analyzing the Russian voting behavior in the SC, rather, the admixture of classic approaches with the doctrine of critical geopolitics will more clarify the Kremlin’s voting behaviors in the SC. Indeed, realistic and utilitarian approaches on one hand and the concept of politics as societal, cultural and discursive action on the other hand will answer the question.

Salafism as a relatively new phenomenon has obtained an active and growing role in Islamic affairs of the Russian Federation especially in the Northern Caucasus, in various dimensions.The realization of radical salafis’ endeavors in separatist militants’ activities, either in the framework of al-Qaeda linked Emirate of the Caucasus or in IS Caucasus Province are not the whole story. Another aspect of this phenomenon is the efforts of moderate salafis to increasingly open up the areas for public and official activities in the religious sphere of Northern Caucasus republics. There is so much evidence to indicate salafism as the fastest growing Islamic sect in the Northern Caucasus, which given especial Importance to this phenomenon.According to the internal dynamics of the region, continuation of insecurity in the North Caucasus and the failure of the Russian government to implement its stated policy to eradication of separatist and extremist movements in the region, this phenomenon has been emerged as a crucial problem with national dimension in Russia. In the current situation, there is no doubt about ties between radical salafism in Northern Caucasus and sponsors of radical salafism in regional and international level.The main problem of this paper is about the historical, cultural and political factors which have been playing role in the emergence and development of salafism in the Northern Caucasus. The problem of the paper has been explained and analyzed by descriptive – analytical method.To answer the problem of the paper, a series of historical, cultural and political factors of the Northern Caucasus, including the background, and the political - defiant characteristics of Islam in the region, weakening of Islam during soviet period, post – Soviet sphere and the transformation of the roles of religious actors, rejection of Sufi Islam by the salafists, the lack of a coherent and coordinated policy towards Salafism in the North Caucasus, counterproductive rivalry between Muslim scholars of Russia, counterproductive ethnic rivalry in the region, the consequences of Chechnya wars, assassination of scholars and thinkers of traditional Islam and de-Iranization of the Northern Caucasus have been introduced and surveyed as the hypothesis of the paper.

Modernization for long time has been the main concern of many developing countries. In Russia also this process, began in earnest from the time of Peter the Great and until today continues as one of the key issues in this country. This article is a descriptive and analytical research based on Russian sources and data, historical investigation of political and economic modernization in Russia. Moreover, this article addition to offer the definitions of the modernization, and different points of view, insinuates to intensity and weakness of Russian government’s policy and measures. In line with barriers and problems of political and economic modernization. The main question of this article is that why political and economic modernizations in Russia were reversed? The hypothesis of this paper is that modernization in Russia in effect of the state modernization, never hasn’t could found the depth of the social, thus has been superficial and vulnerable. In fact, the main goal of this article for the expansion of this idea is studying the process of construction and genealogy of modernization in Russia. Therefore this article is trying to explain the historical necessity to establish economic modernization in Russia, and the root of many of the problems and barriers to political modernization in today's Russia.

American missile defense shield defines from cold war in context of "Star Wars", "global protection against limited attacks", "National Missile Defense" and most recently "comparative approach "Obama stage. Whether the Cold War or the post-Cold War, missile capabilities use as a means of deterrence and containment of missile capabilities, particularly missile defense rival countries as well as increasing the relative power for control of the other competitors.The missile defense shield plan in East Europe aim to maintaining America's hegemony in the Western Hemisphere. Therefore, America's offshore balancing strategy and alliances with actors of East Europe region seeks to curb and control Russia as a potential regional hegemony through the deployment of a missile defense shield near Russia for controlling potential power. In this regard, this article tries to answer these questions by applying the theory of offensive realism that the purpose of extends missile defense shield in Europe and America is and how it has affected the control of Russian power? The hypothesis is that America's missile defense shield maintains America regional hegemony and curbs Russian rising military and missile power in Eurasia. The study is based on descriptive-analytical research.