‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract The present study examines the geopolitical challenges of exploiting oil and gas resources in the Caspian Sea between Iran and Turkmenistan. The primary research question is what factors underlie the energy differences between the two countries and whether these differences are solely due to legal issues or are also influenced by national interests and pressure from transregional actors. The research hypothesis is based on the fact that existing geopolitical challenges are the result of a complex interaction among the legal structure, conflicting national interests, and competition between regional and transregional actors. The research method combines analytical and qualitative approaches, utilizing document content analysis and a review of specialized books and articles. Data were collected from written sources, agreements, Caspian conventions, and scientific articles and were examined based on three levels of analysis (structural, national and regional, and transregional). The findings show that the Caspian’s legal ambiguities, the pressure of sanctions and internal Iranian restrictions, Turkmenistan’s export strategies, and the influence of Russia, China, and the United States have all contributed to the persistence and intensification of disputes. These results confirm the research hypothesis and indicate that sustainable management of Caspian energy resources requires a combined approach of joint agreements, active diplomacy, and strengthening domestic capacity.

Abstract At present, Iran’s neighbourhood policy toward  the Central Asian region has been preserved based on Iran’s geographical potentials. Turkmenistan is one of the countries in this region being of importance to the foreign policy apparatus by virtue of the neighbourhood policy and sharing a border. Hence, the question raised is what are the capacities and requirements of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Neighbourhood Policy concerning Turkmenistan? The presumption of the research is that situation  of  Iran and Turkmenistan on each other’s borders and existence of economic, political and cultural potentials create a ground for integration and cooperation between the two countries, and this can help ease Iran’s political and economic bottlenecks. The results of the research show that historically and economically , Turkmenistan has had many cultural commonalities with Iran. In addition, this country enjoys gas resources and various economic grounds. With regard to rivalries among the hostile regional and extra-regional powers  like the US and Israel in this country, on one side, and the existence of wide trade and economic sanctions of the west, Turkmenistan can be a fertile ground for offsetting pressures exerted on Iran and reducing them. The method of the research is qualitative of the descriptive-analytical type, and the data have been collected using the library method and through cataloguing.

Abstract An increase of energy consumption in China since last two decades and the same continuous perspective for future has made the issue of fossil fuel provision a vital and significant factor for the country. An access to safe energy resources is an important element for guaranteeing the revitalization trend as China’s strategic choice. Therefore one of the prominent foreign diplomacy trends for China is to have an access to convenient energy resources and to diversify its import hubs as well as to extend its relations with countries that are rich in hydro carbonic resources, especially in Caspian region. Furthermore considering its rich gas resources, Turkmenistan’s strategic plan is to become a strategic actor in energy area. During the presidency of Bardi Mohammadov, de-isolation was one of the foreign policy priorities as well as attracting foreign investment and access to diversified foreign markets through development of gas transportation routes.
The present article attempts to assess the impact of energy on foreign policy and bilateral relations. The hypothesis of the literature is that energy has paved the way for Turkmenistan – China relations and Central Asia – China gas pipeline has been the startup of the mentioned cooperation. This article is written using explanatory – analytical description and the theory of economic interdependency.

Abstract The European Union’s limitations to assured and inexpensive access to energy resources, the usage of resources as political instruments by countries such as the Russian Federation has made diversification and transmission lines of energy resources the Union’s primary aim in the international policy arena. The European Union aims to access rich sources of natural gas and create new markets in accordance with its economic goal; the Southern gas corridor project is in line with this energy policy. On the other hand, Turkmenistan¢s strategy is to be transformed to a strategic actor in the energy domain. Turkmenistan¢s geographical location, its rich sources of natural gas and its strategy to diversify its energy export routes, especially in the period of the country¢s next president, paves the way for the opportunity of extensive international cooperation.
The question which is proposed in this regard is the following: what role will Turkmenistan have in the European Union’s new energy policy outlook?
Accordingly, our proposed hypothesis is that with the implementation of the southern gas corridor project, Turkmenistan will actively cooperate and compete with Russia to have a presence in the supplying of energy to the European Union.
The paper has been based on descriptive-analytic method and the interdependence theory.

Abstract          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).