THE ROLE OF THE CASPIAN SEA REGION IN THE GLOBAL ENERGY SECURITY SYSTEM
Authors: Latsabidze Alexander 
Published: November 2024

The Caspian Sea has traditionally been the center of conflicting geopolitical interests of both regional and non-regional powers. The struggle for influence in the Caspian Sea region has its historical counterpart. In the early eighteenth century, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and weakened Persia vied with each other for influence on the Caspian Sea. The mentioned process can be compared to the events caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the twentieth century. The activity of the world's leading states in Central Asia and the Caspian region is manifested in various forms, in particular - diplomatic, economic, military, and finally, it reflects the main geopolitical reality, the growing rivalry for energy resources. The region has geostrategic importance and plays the role of a bridge in the supply of energy carriers between East and West. Thus, finding an optimal transit route for oil and natural gas is one of the main concerns facing the states of the Caspian region. After the Cold War, the struggle for resources in the region is one of the most important geopolitical events. In today's international system, energy carriers, are the most important factor, contributing to security, but at the same time creating regional and international conflicts. The increased demand for energy carriers in the world leads to the active involvement of external forces in the ongoing processes in the region, often geopolitically opposed parties. The Caspian Sea and the Central Asian region are important not only for energy resources, trade and economic opportunities but also for geopolitical security and ancient cultural and civilizational importance. Considering the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of the region, special attention is paid to issues of security both in the Caspian Sea basin region and beyond. The region's energy reserves, trade and transport corridors influence regional and trans-regional actors in the field of stability and security. All countries bordering the Caspian Sea are rich in hydrocarbons, which is why energy plays an important role in the region's geopolitics. According to H. Morgenthau, the main component of power is natural resources, which are divided into food and raw materials. H. Morgenthau believes that after the First World War, oil became an industrial and military source of energy. According to him, the need for oil reserves changed the importance of the power of the great powers. Great powers try to control these oil reserves and deprive their competitors of access to them, thus shifting the distribution of power in their favor. In addition to the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea, other regional and global states (USA, Europe, China) are also interested in being represented in the region to protect their interests using political, and economic means. The main goal of the research is to determine the influence of regional and global players on the balance of power in the Caspian region after the collapse of the Soviet Union and to determine their role and positions in the search for alternative ways to transport energy resources.