US INTERESTS IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE GREATER CASPIAN REGION

Abstract

The article highlights the interests of the United States of America in the countries of the Greater Caspian Region, which includes such states as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. The new US strategy in the Caspian region, focusing on negotiations on the delimitation and legal status of the Caspian Sea, has become a response to rapid geopolitical and economic changes in the region. The growing activity of Western oil and gas companies seeking to develop the rich hydrocarbon resources of the Caspian Sea, and the change in the economic priorities of the Caspian states towards energy expansion, have led to a revision of approaches to regulating the use of marine resources. Russia, seeking to maximize its influence and control over the Caspian reserves, has chosen to move from a multilateral negotiation format to a series of bilateral agreements, which has caused a lot of controversy. The American strategy, in turn, seeks more transparent and fair regulation of the use of Caspian resources, including through the promotion of multilateral negotiations and transparency in the production and transportation of hydrocarbons. The United States is also interested in preventing the monopolization of Caspian energy by one country or group of countries. To this end, the United States actively promotes the development of infrastructure for the transportation of Caspian oil and gas via alternative routes, thereby reducing dependence on Russian infrastructure. However, the U.S. task is complicated by the complex geopolitical environment in the region, including the influence of Iran and the tendency to form regional blocs. Therefore, aspects of American policy in the Caspian region often include diplomatic efforts to strengthen relations with the Caspian states in order to ensure a balance of power and prevent dominance by one power.