Until recently, the territory of the former Soviet Union appeared to be a vast geopolitical battlefield on which major world powers fought it out for the choicest «trophies». Today, everything has changed. Almost every major power has run up against its own dire economic and political problems. This has given Russia a chance to demonstrate its leadership potential. But is Russia capable of taking advantage of this new-found opportunity?

It is as if the situation has reverted to what it was in the early Nineties. Then, amid the chaos and confusion of the Soviet break-up, there were few world powers who wanted to get involved in the murky politics of the newly independent states.

The major powers only began taking a real interest in the region — and, consequently, began competing with one another — toward the end of the Nineties, when the situation became clearer and a degree of stability had appeared.

Uzbekistan last night closed its borders to refugees fleeing neighbouring Kyrgyzstan as the numbers killed in the ethnic violence spiralled and aid agencies reported fresh allegations of atrocities from the survivors.

With over 100,000 refugees pouring into Uzbekistan, Central Asian state’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov said the border would be shut, despite pleas from aid groups and the UN to leave it open.

Speaking on Russia Today TV channel, the head of the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom Alexei Miller said that his company would develop the Shtokman gas deposit without foreign partners, and would remain its sole user and owner. The company's priority will be to supply gas via the Nord Stream (the new title for the North European Gas Pipeline) to Europe rather than deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the United States. In the past, Gazprom planned to develop the deposit on the terms of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), and give 49% of its shares to foreign companies. The short list, announced in September 2005, included the Norwegian Statoil and Hydro, American ConocoPhillips and Chevron, and the French Total.