External Relations of Tatarstan

Neither Inside, Nor Outside, But Alongside Russia

Author(s): Andrei Makarychev, Vasilii Valuev
Series: Project Regionalization of Russian Foreign and Security Policy
Issue: 23
Publisher(s): Forschungsstelle für Sicherheitspolitik und Konfliktanalyse, ETH Zurich
Publication Year: 2002

As one of the most rebellious Russian republics, Tatarstan has been at the center of debates about Russian sovereignty and territorial integrity. This paper demonstrates the profound effect that Russia's constituent parts can have on the stability of the Russian Federation as a whole and the corresponding influence that they can bring to bear on Moscow. By examining Tatarstan's quest for independence and its bargaining tactics with the federal center, the authors expose the limits of President Vladimir Putin's re-centralization policies and show that there is room for optimism concerning a new approach to sovereignty in the new Russia.

Download:

English (PDF)