M. Esenov. ABOUT THE JOURNAL CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS.

M. Roshchin. WHO HOLDS THE KEYS TO THE CHECHEN PROBLEM? Summing Up of a Carnegie Endowment Seminar.

O. Moldaliev. AN INCONGRUOUS WAR IN THE VALLEY OF POISON. The Religious Conflict in Southern Kyrgystan.

I. Khaindrava. THE ELECTIONS IN GEORGIA ARE OVER. A Summary of the Parliamentary Elections in the Republic of Georgia.

A. Mamedov. ASPECTS OF THE CONTEMPORARY ETHNIC SITUATION IN AZERBAIJAN.

K. Kokoev, G. Svanidze. PROBLEMS OF ETHNIC MINORITIES IN GEORGIA.

D. Darchiashvili. ETHNIC RELATIONS AS SECURITY FACTOR IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA.

V. Kurganskaia. KAZAKHSTAN: THE LANGUAGE PROBLEM IN THE CONTEXT OF ETHNIC RELATIONS.

N. Kosmarskaia. “ETHNIC RUSSIANS IN CENTRAL ASIA” —A SENSITIVE ISSUE? WHO IS MOST AFFECTED? (A STUDY CASE OF KYRGYZ REPUBLIC).

S. Gitlin. CRIMEAN TATARS IN UZBEKISTAN: PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENTS.

T. Tolgurov. SOME ASPECTS OF THE FEDERAL CENTER’S ETHNIC POLICY IN THE NORTHERN CAUCASUS (1994-1996).

H. Kuliev. MYTHS AND REALITIES: OIL STRATEGY OF AZERBAIJAN.

A. Didebulidze, G. Tarkhan-Mouravi. GEORGIA’S ENERGY PROSPECTS.

I. Komissina. DO FOREIGN INVESTMENTS ALWAYS PRODUCE THE DESIRED EFFECT: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE UZDAEWOOAVTO JOINT VENTURE.

T. Papuashvili. GEOPOLITICAL ASPECTS OF ISLAMIZATION.

M. Atkin. THE RHETORIC OF ISLAMOPHOBIA.

M. Murtazin. MUSLIMS AND RUSSIA: WAR OR PEACE?

S. Mel’kov. THE ISLAMIC FACTOR AND RUSSIA’S MILITARY POLICY.

K. Dzebisashvili. THE MASS MEDIA AND CONFLICTS IN THE CAUCASUS.

R. Taukina. THE POWER STRUCTURES AND THE MASS MEDIA DURING THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN KAZAKHSTAN.

The Special Feature column in the next issue will include:

• The problems involved in and prospects for developing interrelations between the Central Asian and Caucasian states and western countries.

• The problems involved in and prospects for developing interrelations between the Central Asian and Caucasian states and the Russian Federation.