Saturday, September 25, 2010
CREES-FMSO Blog
This blog was established to help coordinate and monitor the research of students selected to participate in the CREES-FMSO internship. The overall theme of this blog deals with Eurasian security, but will reflect the particular research interests of selected students. Questions concerning content, should be directed to Mr. Ray Finch (rayfin3@ku.edu).
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After reading the article "China's Energy Security and Geo-Economic Interests in Central Asia," sent the following e-mail to the authors.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Hu and Mr. Chang,
Warm greetings from Lawrence, Kansas. I'm doing research on Central Asian energy supplies, and recently read your article dealing with China's energy interests in Central Asia, and have a couple of comments/questions.
1. Why hasn't China taken more forceful measures in creating an international currency or demanding that oil be priced in Chinese dollars? Couldn't they control a larger share of this market if the key commodities were priced in a currency other than the U.S. dollar?
2. Your article appears to be predicated upon the notion that oil companies in the US necessarily reflect US government interests. While this may be true in Russia, Iran, Venezuela, I don't think that the major US oil companies control the government. Your thoughts? Are the Chinese oil companies government owned?
3. You quote quite heavily from Dr. S. Blank. Are you aware that his writings don't necessarily reflect US policy?
4. You imply that the US has a 'plot' to control energy assets in this region. Where is the proof? You also suggest that the US may be behind separatist movements in W. China. Evidence?
5. What do you know about the TAPI pipeline? (see attached) Will it be built?
6. Your article was published in 2008. Would you change any of your conclusions today?
Thanks for your thoughts. Best, Ray Finch
http://cejiss.org/assets/pdf/articles/vol2-2/l.hu_chinas_energy_security.pdf
Some interesting links that I have found useful in my analysis. Please pass on those links that you use on a regular basis.
ReplyDeletehttp://echo.msk.ru/
http://www.svobodanews.ru/
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/index.php
http://rian.ru/
http://www.rutv.ru/?d=0
http://www.ng.ru/
http://oilandglory.foreignpolicy.com/
http://drugoi.livejournal.com/
http://www.robertamsterdam.com/
This semester we are examining two distinct and seemingly unrelated topics (“Oil and Natural Gas of Central Asia Post-Soviet States as a Factor in Russia-China Relations” and “The Religious Threat to Ukraine’s Security: Why Ukraine Must Guarantee the Rights of its Religious Minorities”). ‘Seemingly’ because everything is ultimately connected, and while the purpose of this internship is for students to focus on their specific research topic, it is often helpful to examine issues via different perspectives.
ReplyDeleteArticle and comments below might be of interest.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rferl.org/content/beijing_stealthy_expansion_central_asia/2274062.html
Post from Nathan P.
ReplyDeleteThis week in the news:
New legislation was signed into place this week regarding the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations by President Yanukovich. Of the changes made to the law--which were many--of particular note are the recognition of religious organizations as legal persons and a change in the process of registering religious organizations (the original text can be found here, the amended law is here). A letter from Patriarch Filaret (UOC-KP), who has recently been outspoken against the Yanukovich administration's alleged cooperation with Moscow to dissolve the UOC-KP, stated his disapproval of the legislation, stating that these new measures will only increase interconfessional conflict. He also noted that previously, all proposed changes to this law were first presented to the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches, yet these measures never were. There has of yet been no official response to the amended law by the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches. The updated law is written to go into effect on February 1, 2011.
Meanwhile, in Crimea, Vasil' Dzharty, head of the autonomous republic, drafted a letter to Mejlis leader Mustafa Dzhemil'ov requesting that he use his influence in the Tatar community to encourage Tatar squatters to vacate their homes. Dzharty stated in the letter that the situation these squatters have created is a major roadblock to the economical and social development of the peninsula. He also stated that if Dzhemil'ov did not exert his influence, the matter would be turned over to security forces. Dzhemil'ov, on official business in Turkey, responded that such questions are not solved in that manner. The Tatar leader then expressed his disappointment in the government, stating that the administration "is not interested in stability in Crimea." Five days later, while still in Turkey, Dzhemil'ov asked the President of Turkey Abdullah Gül for assistance in mitigating the conflict between the Mejlis and the Crimean government. In his letter to President Gül, Dzhemil'ov asked for Turkey to adopt a program of building apartments, schools, houses, and hostels for immigrants and Tatars in addition to laying out the Tatar community's major grievances with the Dzarty and Yanukovich administrations. Dzhimil'ov also spoke with President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Mevlut Cavusoglu in Turkey on the same topic. Cavusoglu said that he and his deputies would see to it that Ukraine fulfill its obligations to the Council of Europe in regards to the treatment of the Tatar minority in Crimea.
Articles referred to in this post:
"Київський Патріархат закликає керівництво держави не порушувати міжконфесійний мир через прагнення змінити законодавство" (Kyiv Patriarchate calls on government leaders to not break the interconfessional peace by changing legislation)