Russia Enters 2008 At Geopolitical Highpoint

But Stratfor analysts said Russia's extensive influence was being challenged on the energy and political front, including in Asia and Europe. "Chinese pipelines to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan (to be constructed in 2008) threaten to divert the energy that until now could only flow northward and serve Russian purposes," the report said, adding that the Kremlin has been ignoring the problem. "China is stealing Central Asia, building a network of infrastructures that will make it more attractive for the Central Asian states to integrate with China than to use Soviet-era links to Russia." On another front, Russia has to contend with NATO's eastward expansion, the think tank said. http://en.rian.ru/world/20080109/95810032.html

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