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IS-MOBIL-Mobilitetsprogr.f.utl.Ph.D-stu

Russia`s External Energy Policy: Paradigm Shifts within Geographical Context of Europe, Northeast Asia, and Central Asia

Awarded: NOK 0.16 mill.

Project Number:

195693

Project Period:

2009 - 2010

Despite variations in Russia`s approaches within each of dimensions - Europe (EU), Northeast Asia (NEA), and Central Asia (CA) - some common features allow analysis of three policy paradigms: liberal (adjusted to market economy principles) towards EU; col lectivist (informed by residual Soviet-thinking patterns as well as by newly commenced integration frameworks) in CA; and gradualist (implemented in a trial-and-error fashion and yet blurred) in NEA. Diverse factors influence energy policy making as Russi a simultaneously acts as energy producer, exporter, importer, consumer, and transit state. Additionally, Russian energy sector is not a unified space. Differences observed across the regions allow representing national energy complex as composed of three zones. The western part is the most advanced within both domestic and external (Europe oriented) domains. The central zone - the Urals and West Siberia - is concurrently involved with the West (EU) and CA. The eastern realm - East Siberia and the Far East - remains disconnected from united energy system and has rather constricted external ties (with NEA). Thus, Russia`s multi-role status in the global energy arena as well as asymmetry observed across the national energy complex explain concurrent existen ce of different conceptual frames for the country`s external energy policy and their contents` flexibility over time. The project`s objectives are to: - identify ideas and determinants informing Russia`s external energy policy; - examine evolution of Ru ssia`s energy policy towards EU, CA and NEA; - proffer a view on policy paradigms` transformation. Principal challenges derive from broad geographical context and number of actors under scrutiny, which is why the most significant ties with the most repre sentative partners are examined within each dimension. The findings are to be shared with leading issue-specific think-tanks in parties concerned, and disseminated through publications and presentations.

Funding scheme:

IS-MOBIL-Mobilitetsprogr.f.utl.Ph.D-stu