Russian foreign policy in the context of North Caucasian republics

By the influence of both domestic uncertainties and changes in international stage, foreign policy of Russian Federation has shown different inclinations. Russian Federation which is the natural inheritor of Soviet Unions has survived political uncertainties and economical difficulties in its first years as the world reshaped by the end of two-pole global political system and USA appearing to be sole super power. The foreign policy approaches leaning towards West with the influence of the governing forces in charge has not helped as well. Near abroad doctrine which is abandoned with Atlantic thinking has been replaced with Euroasian foreign policy. Having the desire of ruling in the old Soviet soils and accepting those regions as living areas have endep up Russia to be effective in its moves in those regions. Attempts of implementation of controlling peripheral regions and centralization as Putin starts governing the country has been important for Russia's standing on its own and recovering to its old days' power. Peripheral regions have been crucial on establishing national security as well. Especially Caucasian region has been a buffer by means of which Russian Federation controls the threats headed for itself. The approach of Russia in dealing with the problems in North and South of Caucasian region has appeared as handling the cases without tolerance occuring in its soils in Northern Caucasia and using the cases as trumps against the interested countries occuring beyond its boundaries. As Russia has problems with countries in region and Western countries due to harsh policies pursued in Chechnya problem, nothing effective could be done against it. The agitative policies pursued in the indepedendent countries of Caucasian has been due to the purpose of holding control the region. As Peripheral regions being in high priority in its foreign policies, Caucasian 158 region in Russian foreign policies has the highest priority regarding to its geographical position and problems it contains. As the energy starts to have bigger impact on describing foreign policy, importance of Caucasian region becomes more important. However, after 9/11, Russia using terrorism as a justification to freely move in Chechnya could not prevent USA to enter the region for the very same reasons. USA having close relations with countries in region and establishing military bases have been the development against Russia and in the coming future Caucasian and Black Sea will be an important contention region between two states. In its foreign policy, Russia taking place in several alliances in Asia, without destroying relations with Western Countries, proceeds to be a regional power in a rich geograpy called Euroasia. It advocates multi polar system in world policy and claims to be in that system. multi aspect foreign policy followed by Russia will help in this objective. Russian Federation which can not be disregarded due to its vast lands, population, prosperous energy resources and nuclear power will consolidate its power as it stands on robust grounding with these characteristics.