Eurasianism and the Concept of Central Caucaso-Asia

Rethinking Central Eurasia 77
basin. 309 In other cases a more or less precise definition of the term
“Caucasian-Caspian region” is not given at all. 310
It seems that the term “the Caucasian-Central Asian geopolitical region” 311 is
much more precise. Even though it covers certain territories outside the eight
countries, as discussed above, the Caucasus is not limited to Azerbaijan,
Armenia, and Georgia.
If we proceed from the notion that the eight republics discussed here form
two sub-regions—the Central Caucasus and Central Asia—the larger region,
which simultaneously includes both sub-regions, can be called the Central
Caucaso-Asia, 312 or Central Caucasasia: 313 this preserves the term “Central” as the
key determinant for both regions, while the new term “Caucaso-Asia” is derived
from two related terms “Caucasus” and “Asia.” In Russian the term “Caucaso-
Asia” is “Kavkaziya,” 314 but formation of this word in English is rather
problematic, since “Caucasia” is a synonym for the word “Caucasus.” So we
suggest using the term “Caucaso-Asia” in English. The region can also be
called Central Caucaso-Asia. If the term is applied to nine countries (the
original eight and Afghanistan), the region should be called Greater Central
Caucaso-Asia.
We should not forget that Central Caucaso-Asia as a single region is not
integrated because it has no political or cultural homogeneity. 315 But at the
309
Igor’ Muradian, Regional’naia politika SShA i Velikobritanii: Turtsiia—Iran—Iuzhniy
Kavkaz—Chernoe more, [The Regional Policy of the U.S. and Great Britain: Turkey—
Iran—the Southern Caucasus—the Black Sea] (Yerevan: Antares, 2008), p. 241.
310
For example, Maisaia, The Caucasus-Caspian Regional and Energy Security Agendas.
311
Vladimir Maksimenko, “Central Asia and the Caucasus: Geopolitical Entity
Explained,” Central Asia and the Caucasus, No. 3 (2000), p. 56.
312
Papava, “Tsentral’naia Kavkazia,” p. 47; Papava, “‘Central Caucasasia’ Instead of
‘Central Eurasia’,” pp. 38-39; Vladimer Papava, “Central Caucaso-Asia: Toward a
Redefinition of Post-Soviet Central Eurasia,” Azerbaijan in the World. The Electronic
Publication of Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, Vol. I, No. 17, October 1 (2008),
.
313
Papava, “Tsentral’naia Kavkazia,” p. 47; Papava, “‘Central Caucasasia’ Instead of
‘Central Eurasia’,” pp. 38-39.
314
Papava, “Tsentral’naia Kavkazia,” p. 47.
315
Weisbrode, Central Eurasia, p. 13.