‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract Afghanistan , as an  example of multi-ethnic , multi-racial, multi-lingual , multi-religious, multi-historic and multi-geographical  countries has witnessed Taliban’s 2^nd governance  and the collapse of the government for the 6^th times in the last 48 years. Given the arrogance created in Taliban, concerning the expulsion of the US from the Afghanistan soil, and the Taliban record of governance from 1996 to 2001, and given their current practices, the human rights in Afghanistan including the women’s conditions, health and education, Afghanistan is in an inappropriate situation. The parties involved in Afghanistan are still perpetrating gross violations of international human rights, such as war crimes and other gross infringements of human rights. The proponents of human rights, women rights activists, newspaper staff, health and humanitarian workers, and religious and ethnic minorities were among those targeted by the Taliban and non-governmental actors. During the Taliban takeover of the country, a wave of revenge killings engulfed the country. Thousands, mostly of Shia Hazeras, were forcefully expelled. The little progress made in improvement of women’s rights was reversed under the Taliban rule. The rights of gatherings and freedom of speech were severely restricted. Access to healthcare and international aids were halted. Therefore, the current research intends, while addressing the human rights conditions in Afghanistan under the 2^nd Taliban rule, to examine the statements, regulations, and agendas declared by the US, and probe the US responsibility in present situation in Afghanistan.
 

Abstract Competitive behavior of the countries in economic area of contemporary era has led to the formation of new theoretical approaches for explaining those behaviors. In the mentioned era, economy has once again been noticed as the main motivation for world powers’ competition. Strategic relations between US and China also have the mentioned characteristic. Their competition in Tajikistan is seen as a new form of competition in international arena. Therefore the present article tries to answer the following question: What are the most important elements in competitive interaction between US and China in Tajikistan? According to the hypothesis, the most important elements in competitive interaction between the two countries are defined in two categories of economics and security. The mentioned competition has also its impact on the national interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Abstract With increasing economic dependence of world on hydrocarbon energy resources, and ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the emergence of Russia as a major player in the global energy market; the resources of oil and gas in Central Asia and their transportation routes to consumer markets have been greatly considered by the great industrial powers. There have been decades of long struggles over controlling natural oil and gas resources and infrastructures, and influence of central Asia that has been called "the new great game" between Europe, China, Russia and America, and each of these powers were trying to outpace each other in order to obtain more influence in the region. In the years of the Soviet Union collapse and the discovery of huge reserves of oil and gas in Central Asia, the competition between the great powers has been intensified. On the one hand, the Russians by confining all the exporting routes of their land have tended to maintain their traditional influence and control over the newly independent states. On the other hand, the United States has entered in the region as a serious competitor, and as a fan of the paths that will lead to its own long-term goals and geopolitical interests. Also, China with its strong incentives to be present in Central Asia and to challenge the hegemonic policies of America and also to achieve the regional energy resources and huge market has entered in this competition. Although Russia is the major power in Central Asia's resources, the presence of new players such as America, and especially China and the efforts of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to find alternative ways to transport oil and gas have faced the Russian interests with some challenges in the region. Accordingly, the authors of this article ask this question: who is going to win the power game of having control over Central Asia's resources? Our hypothesis is that due to China's economic growth and the need of this country to the huge oil and gas resources as well as the development of Beijing's relationships with Central Asian neighbors; in the future China will be the main power in the region.    

Abstract US-Russia relations have been a function of widespread international considerations, having roots in the history of their foreign relations. At the end of the Cold War, the concept and nature of the relations between these two superpowers changed from a level of two equal superpowers toward to Hyper-Power and Great Power. This is done while yet Issues and implications of bilateral affected by perspectives of the Cold War, and as a result of this mentality and existing realities regarding different capabilities of the two sides, interactive approaches of the post-cold war affected by combining   old strategies and new methods of diplomacy. In this article attempts are made to analyze their mutual perception toward one another using the paradigm of the defensive realism and balance of threat as the fundamental principle of this approach. Also in this article, competition and cooperation are being considered based on negotiation and conflict of interest.