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| An Audit of Russia’s Foreign Policy |
Ivan Safranchuk
A country seeking to return to the global stage as a major actor must find a well-planned solution to the problem of providing its foreign policy with sufficient resources. The volatility of foreign policy spending reveals the main problem: political decisions in Russia are poorly translated into budgetary categories and specific plans with a particular price tag. |
| A Development Strategy for Russia’s Largest Cities |
Olga Vendina
Proponents of globalization believe that Russia’s largest cities must follow in the footsteps of the ‘global cities’ and compete for command positions in the global economy, using the geopolitical and geo-economic advantages of their Eurasian location and Soviet-era heritage. This does not seem very realistic. Around Russia |
| Russia Against the Background of Major Economies |
Valentin Kudrov
In the long term, Russia will inevitably be a strong state economically and will rank first in Europe and fifth or sixth in the world in terms of GDP. But the situation is different from the political, social or civilizational points of view: unless Russia makes a final choice in favor of globalization and Europeanization, anything can happen to this country. |
| Strengths and Weaknesses of the Russian Economy |
Vladimir Mau
Russia entered its postindustrial transformation much later than the West. In fact, we must choose an effective model of a postindustrial market and produce a set of state policy instruments that will ensure its proper functioning. |
| The 21st Century Mafia: Made in China |
Vladimir Ovchinsky
As China continues to consolidate its leading positions in the global economy, Chinese organized crime is expected to broaden its presence in global criminal links. This is of tremendous concern for Russia and the world. |
| East Asia and Russia’s Development Strategy |
Group of authors
Although Russia has stepped up its military and political presence in East Asia, it has not yet gained the required levers of influence in the region. It fails to take into account the geopolitical changes there, while it views the changing situation in a simplified, outdated way: through the prism of its rivalry with the United States. |
| Self-Determination: Between Law and Politics |
Alexander Aksenyonok
Can Kosovo’s imminent independence be seen as a precedent in resolving other internal state conflicts, including in the former Soviet republics? This problem has gone from being a subject of academic dispute to an explosive element of Realpolitik. |
| Security Services, Police, and Human Rights |
Valery Zorkin
States should take inventory of the laws that regulate the limitations on human rights in the course of implementation of security measures. Most importantly, they should ensure various controls over security services and police by parliamentary and governmental bodies. |
| Energy Partnership – A Dialog in Different Languages |
Tatyana Romanova
The difference in approaches and the need to search for a compromise between diametric views de facto predetermines the structure of any future agreement between Russia and the EU. This can only be a general strategic partnership agreement and a number of sector-specific agreements, which will be used as a platform for a complex compromise between two visions. |
| Are the Energy Majors in Decline? |
Vladimir Feygin
The Shtokman project may be a forerunner of critical changes in the global energy sector. The older-generation majors are heading for very tough competition. The governments of the resource-rich countries, and national companies enjoying governmental support are interested in reducing the role of transnational corporations to that of ordinary contractors. |
| On the Eve of Change |
Fyodor Lukyanov, Editor-in-Chief
Russia is entering a momentous election season. In December, Russian voters will elect a new parliament, while in March 2008 they will vote for a new president. |
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