Russian Energy Policy in the Caspian Basin

Prior to the events of September 11, 2001, the geopolitical importance of Central Asia and the Caspian Basin primarily was defined by one factor: energy. Some hailed gas and oil deposits in the region as a second Per sian Gulf,1 and commentators began to speak of a new great game in the region that involved a variety of powers (the United States, China, Iran, Turkey, and, above all, Russia) and revolved around energy exploration and pipeline politics. However, September 11 put this region on the radar screen of many policy makers for different reasons. Islamic funda