The contemporary political history of the Caspian region

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New moves on Caucasus chessboard
By Paul Goble, Asia Times, 21 April 1999. Several events in the southern Caucasus last week may lead to fundamental changes in power relationships not only there but across a much larger portion of the world as well. And because of that, some of the players both within the region and beyond appear to be positioning themselves to respond with new moves.
A Discreet Deal in the Pipeline: Nato Mocked Those Who Claimed There was a Plan for Caspian Oil
By George Monbiot, Guardian (London), Thursday 15 February 2001. During the 1999 Balkans war, some of the critics of Nato's intervention alleged that the western powers were seeking to secure a passage for oil from the Caspian sea. The Trans-Balkan pipeline, due for approval at the end of next month, is to secure a passage for oil from the Caspian sea.
Iran, Azerbaijan face off as Caspian oil row turns nasty
DAWN, Wednesday 25 July 2001. Iran and Azerbaijan refused to back down after an Iranian warship threatened an Azeri oil research vessel in disputed waters. This casts a shadow over the multi-billion-dollar development of the Caspian Sea's oil reserves with the participation of Western companies.
Iranian Nation Determined to Protect Caspian Sea
Tehran Times, 16 May 2002. President Khatami said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is against any kind of unilateral and inflammatory measure in the Caspian Sea. Iran is willing to continue logical negotiations to determine the legal regime of the Caspian Sea fairly so that all the Caspian littoral states would be fairly provided with Caspian resources.
The empire isn'nt in Afghanistan for the oil!
By Jared Israel, The Emperor's Clothes, 22 June 2002. The Anglo-US-German assault on Afghanistan was not for oil. The United States' main pursuit in Afghanistan is part of a geo-strategic concept. The U.S. strategy of promoting Turkey as a regional Imperial proxy force, strengthening its relations with Georgia and Azerbaijan with the goal of weakening Russian influence.
Where Iran must draw the line
By Kaveh L Afrasiabi, PhD, Akaveh1@aol.com, Asia Times, 31 October 2002. Iran's boundaries in the Caspian Sea is a hotly contested question that has been the subject of protracted negotiation since 1992, when officials of the Caspian littoral states—Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkmenistan—gathered in Tehran for the first time to tackle the outstanding issues of the so-called Caspian legal regime.