Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region - Tapa dura

'This is a well-written book...an important contribution to contemporary Caspian literature.' -Terry Adams, Journal of Energy Literature 'a comprehensive review of the evolving political and economic developments in the Caspian Sea basin... The authors have a strong sense of history... Recommended for general readers, upper-division undergraduates and above.' -L.K.D. Kristof, emeritus, Portland State University 'Dekmejian and Simonian have done a remarkable job of synthesizing information and insights from an impressive array of sources in various languages. Their 38-page bibliography speaks for itself. Their narrative and analysis are objective,and they have rendered these in sparse, jargon-free prose.' -Dilip Hiro, Middle East International 26 July 2002 'The book is well researched, well written, and full of useful information. It is a valuable introduction to the politics and economics of the Caspian region at various levels. Its extensive bibliography provides the reader with useful sources for further and more detailed information.' -Shireen Hunter, International Journal of Middle East Studies

This work analyzes political and economic dynamics of the Caspian basin. It examines the area's historical evolution and the diverse issues and players in what has become a modern variant of the "Great Game" of the 19th century. Following a historical overview of the region and its oil industries, the text analyzes the domestic politics and the foreign policies of the five states bordering the Caspian - Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. It identifies all the external interests involved in the Caspian's political rivalries and control over its resources and territory, including the US, the European powers, various nationalist movements, Islamic militants, multinational corporations, NGOs and international financial institutions.