The Azerbaijani people have been divided between Iran and the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan for more than 150 years, yet they have retained their ethnic identity. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of an independent Azerbaijan have only served to reinforce their collective identity.

The brief proposes that a number of U.S. interests can be advanced through an active and coherent policy toward the Caspian region: viability and stability of global energy supplies and diversification of supply from areas other than the Persian Gulf; improved relations with the Muslim world; and support for Turkey. Among the ways to promote those interests, the memorandum suggests continued efforts to assist in the success of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project; continued activity aimed at solving the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict; and working cooperatively with Russia, while remaining firm in the U.S. commitment to support the independence of the states of the region.

In this incisive Policy Paper, Caspian Basin specialist Brenda Shaffer presents a comprehensive overview of how Russia and Iran view each other, providing a detailed explanation of why Russia does not share all U.S. concerns about Iranian actions. Using her rich command of the Russian literature on Iran, the author argues that because Russia views its relations and cooperation with Iran as vital to national security, it will not jeopardize those relations for the sake of short-term material incentives or out of fear of U.S. condemnation.

The contributors to The Limits of Culture find that, contrary to the currently popular view, culture is rarely more important than other factors in shaping the foreign policies of countries in the Caspian region.

Read the Foreign Affairs review.

"This study examined the foreign policies of the states of the greater Caspian region throughout the first decade after the Soviet Union's demise and attempted to identify the role of culture in the foreign policy decisions of these states...."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran could conceivably be the poster child for the proponents of cultural explanations of foreign policy and of those who claim that Islam is the guiding force of foreign policy formation for Muslim-populated states...."

"In recent decades, area studies and international relations specialists have conducted and published research with little dialogue between their respective fields, especially concerning the impact of culture on states...."