The Role of the Republic of Karelia in Russia's Foreign and Security Policy

This paper gives an overview of Karelia's international security situation. The study offers an analysis of the region's various forms of international interactions and describes the internal situation in the republic, its economic conditions and its potential for integration into the European or the global economy. It also discusses the role of the main political actors and their attitude towards international relations. The author studies the general problem of center-periphery relations and federal issues, and weighs their effects on Karelia's foreign relations. The paper argues that the international contacts of the regions in Russia's Northwest, including those of the Republic of Karelia, have opened up opportunities for new forms of cooperation between Russia and the EU. These contacts have encouraged a climate of trust in the border zone, alleviating the negative effects caused by NATO's eastward enlargement. Moreover, the region benefits economically from its geographical situation, but is also moving towards European standards through sociopolitical modernization. The public institutions of the Republic of Karelia are relatively democratic, and the structures of local self-government are well developed compared to other regions of the Russian Federation.