Rywalizacja i współpraca mocarstw na obszarze Azji Centralnej

Great power rivalry and cooperation in Central Asia

Region of Central Asia is one of many areas of the world, in which interests of western countries especially the United States (but also the EU), Russia and China are crossing. Turkey and Iran being a participant of “the New Great Game” are not yet the main players in the regional competition. The rivalry concerns mainly on economic dimension (natural gas and oil resources) but relates as well to political, military and security issues. At the same time there is several areas of cooperation between Russia and Iran, Moscow and Beijing or even between whole participants of the rivalry. Such an cooperation occurs for example in common efforts connected with the war on international terrorism or against drug trafficking. Furthermore Russia, Iran and China are worried about the increasing role of United States in Central Asia countries. Despite the rivalry, which takes place in Central Asia and decreasing Russian role in this region, Moscow is still the important player, mainly because it controls so far a considerable part of Central Asian pipelines and has located there military bases.