Abstract: This article summarizes and analyzes the results of the SCO and BRICS summits in Ufa, held on 8-9 July 2015. It is noted that the summits contributed to the formation of the BRICS as an international organization and the expansion of the area of the SCO's influence in West and South Asia. The content of the basic documents adopted at the BRICS summit - Ufa Declaration, Action Plan and the Strategy for Economic Partnership to 2025 - suggests that the BRICS has actually become a new instrument for the formation of a new global political reality, a multipolar world architecture. The enlargement of the SCO by admission of new members - India and Pakistan - significantly changes its regional status on the international scene and makes the organization a global actor in the world politics. The methodology of the research is based on the systems approach, the structural and functional, the comparative political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation.The proposal of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to initiate the process of integration of the BRICS and the EAEU suggests that soon the BRICS, with the help of the EAEU resources, will become the leading world power, and the West with its policy of confrontation may find itself on the periphery of the rising economies of the BRICS member-states and and their allies, becoming the "backyard" of the BRICS.

Keywords: interests, democracy, color revolutions, hybrid wars, state, USA, society, policy, values, security

Abstract: The article analyzes the key image campaigns realized by Great Britain for the last 15 years with the aim to optimize the existing public image of the country as a “conservative and stiff” state and to increase the competitiveness of the country in the economic, cultural and political sense. In his famous work “The English People” George Orwell wrote that in the world of politics and force in the conditions of a permanent struggle for domination between the world powers (i.e. block confrontation between the USA and the USSR) England would have no resources for leadership. Therefore, the country’s role would come to the position of a satellite of one of the world super-powers. In this status Great Britain wouldn’t be able to influence the world developments. After the Second World War the role of Great Britain changed: the country became a secondary actor letting the USA become the global center. Even after the dissolution of the bipolar system in the late 20th century it is hard to call Britain a center of the world policy, let alone a hegemon. 

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Great Britain, public image of the country, Cool Britannia, image narratives, reputation assets, nation, values, security

Abstract: For several centuries the countries of Latin America have been led by charismatic leaders able to relatively easily influence on the audience not only in their countries but also in other states, using the linguistic and political manipulations. In the early 21st century within the policy of strategic communication the leaders of the ALBA countries use a range of similar methods when influencing the international audience for the conduction of an independent internal or foreign policy based on the principles of a new multipolar world formation, substituting the age of a monopolar world. Today, owing to the development of such a branch of political science as imageology, oratory with its speech manipulations is also an important criterion for a political leader who wants to be a successful politician from the viewpoints of audience in his country and abroad. 

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, ALBA, linguistic imageology, political manipulation, diplomacy, state, interests, audience, security

Abstract: The aim of the article is to understand the main peculiarity of the foreign policy of modern China, the diplomatic strategies which have been changed by its leadership depending on the political situation in the country or abroad. The author attempts to combine several aspects characterizing Chinese foreign policy: the brief history of the state identity development – a solely Western discourse which is poorly reflected in Chinese studies but important for understanding of China itself and its foreign policy; and the change of diplomatic strategies - a foreign policy practice connected with Chinese logic and philosophy. The author adduces the characteristics of each period of Chinese foreign policy typical for the Chinese authors. The article contains a thorough analysis of Chinese resources; it is characterized by a careful bibliographic analysis, attention to the history of the Chinese political thought, the comparative approach to the understanding of interrelations between China and the rest of the world. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the author attempts to conceptualize Chinese foreign policy (1949 – 2015) from the perspectives which haven’t yet been studied thoroughly enough: strategies, identity, globality. Without paying attention to these components it is hard to understand the logic of Chinese foreign policy and actions on the international scene. The analysis of genesis of identity, strategies and position of China in relation to the international system (inclusiveness/exclusiveness) will help to understand the current and, probably, the future foreign policy of China. 

Keywords: foreign policy of China, global values, global power, revisionist power, “a battle line”, partnership diplomacy, “leaning to one side”, diplomatic strategies, strategy, identity of China, foreign policy of China, global values, global power, revisionist power, “a battle line”, partnership diplomacy, “leaning to one side”, diplomatic strategies, strategy, identity of China, foreign policy of China, global values, global power, revisionist power, “a battle line”, partnership diplomacy, “leaning to one side”, diplomatic strategies, strategy, identity of China, foreign policy of China, identity of China, strategy, diplomatic strategies, “leaning to one side”, partnership diplomacy, “a battle line”, revisionist power, global power, global values

Abstract: The subject of the research is the dumping potential of oil prices in the global political process. Oil as a strategic product has been frequently used as a political weapon and the instrument of pressure in the international relations. The political factor of energy crises has been changing depending on the current condition of the world policy. In this situation the manipulation of oil prices is a rather effective way of achievement of the necessary geopolitical aims. The methodology of the research is based on the systems method, the historical, sociological and comparative methods, the method of situation analysis, and the general scientific methods of generalization, induction and deduction. The author concludes that geopolitical interests of the main participants of the oil prices conflict of 2014 predetermine the political agreements between the leaders of oil production aimed at the destabilization of oil market. The aspiration of Europe for the decrease of its dependence on Russian energy resources and the desire of the USA for the preservation of its world leadership led to a double damage for Russian oil-producing industry and economy. The current crisis will transform the obsolete political system, and will lead to serious changes in the world order, new agreements and a new balance of power on the international scene. Sanctions against Russia may be long-term, but the country has all the chances to overcome the consequences of the crisis with the support of the government policy adequate to the challenges. 

Keywords: changes in the world order, policy of import substitution, anti-Russian sanctions, cooperation, geopolitics, dumping of oil prices, oil crisis, foreign policy, international relations, collective security system

Abstract: The article considers the remarks of the UN Human Rights Committee on the report of the Russian Federation about the fulfillment of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Committee noted the positive changes which had taken place in the country since the previous report and formulated the remarks and recommendations to the Russian Federation. Special attention in the paper is paid to the legal position of the Committee about the efficiency of Russian control over the territory of the self-proclaimed republics of Eastern Ukraine and to the conclusion about the necessity of the efficient realization of the Committee’s considerations in Russia. The study is based on the analysis of the legal provisions of the Human Rights Committee and the foreign literature devoted to the legal status of its provisions. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that this is the first translation and analysis of the remarks of the Committee on the report of the Russian Federation adopted on March 31, 2015. The author enumerates pluses and minuses of the remarks. 

Keywords: discrimination, freedom of association, independence of judiciary, freedom of expression, international covenant, report, human rights committee, UNO, racism, status of conclusions

Abstract: Статья рассматривает правовой статус участников миротворческих операций ООН с точки зрения международного гуманитарного права. Целью исследования является политический и правовой анализ влияния положений международного гуманитарного права на все три компонента (военный, полицейский и гражданский) современных миротворческих операций и операций по принуждению к миру. Особое внимание уделяется положениям Женевских конвенций 1949 года и дополнительных протоколов к ним 1977 года. Анализ выявил отличителные черты миротворцев ООН как комбатантов и некомбатантов. При проведении исследования использовался комплекс методов, включающих специальные исторические методы, сравнительно-правовой, формально-правовой и политико-правовой методы. Новизна исследования заключается в том, что данная работа - первое англоязычное сравнение позиции российской доктрины международного права и иностранных доктрин по вопросу правового статуса миротворческих сил ООН в случае их участия в вооруженных конфликтах.

Keywords: Geneva Conventions, non-combatants, combatants, right to life, applicability, international humanitarian law, peacekeeping operations, UN, Additional Protocols, armed conflict

Abstract: The article studies the construction of regulation of relations within the Eurasian Economic Union. The author reveals the etymological and conceptual content of the construction; defines the notion of the construction as a standard model reflecting the legal condition of the structurally organized phenomenon of legal life; analyzes the provisions of the Treaty of the EAEU. The author concludes that the existing construction of the Treaty of the EAEU contains seven elements: the law of the Union; the system of the principles of the Union; legal relations within the EAEU; the system of the EAEU bodies as the managing parts; the mechanism of arguments resolution; customs union and customs regulation; common economic space. The author describes the essence of each element of the construction of the Treaty of the EAEU. Special attention is paid to the study of the law of the Union, the system of bodies and customs regulation. The methodology of the research is based on the dialectical method helping to reveal the peculiarities, the essence and the internal links, to form the author’s view and comprehension of the construction of regulation of the relations within the EAEU. The author also uses the general scientific and the special scientific methods of cognition. The exposition of the article and the conclusions are based on the logical, analytical and comparative-legal methods. The novelty of the research lies in the statement that with the formation of a new international integration association – the Eurasian Economic Union – appears the need to study the construction of regulation of relations within this association, its elements, internal links, etc. On the base of the analysis of the Treaty of the EAEU the author concludes that the construction of regulation of relations within the Union has a socio-political, financial, economical, and ideological meaning, and this fact determines its close interrelation with the principles of legal regulation of external economic relations. The author also concludes that the construction of regulation of relations within the Union has a financial-legal character. 

Keywords: the customs Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, integration association, relationships, customs regulations, international Treaty, construction, the law of the Union, economic space, Eurasian economic Commission

Abstract: The article deals with lobbying activities of Russian and foreign interest groups at the international level in the conditions of global destabilization. The author studies the peculiarities of influence of economic actors (companies, corporations, financial institutions), which interests are connected with the settlement / escalation of the conflict between Russia and the Western world, on the public authorities in the United States and the European Union. In particular, the author analyzes the examples of successful and unsuccessful lobbying campaigns aimed at overcoming of confrontation and cancellation of sanctions. The methodology of the research is based on the systems approach, the structural-functional, comparative-historical, comparative-political and cultural and civilizational approaches, the methods of analysis,  synthesis,  induction, deduction, modeling and observation.The author concludes that the so-called "interest groups of peace" and "interest groups of war" have the direct impact on the international relations. The first ones are interested in cancellation of the restrictions for international business, but the second ones, on the contrary, associate their economic interests with the further escalation of the confrontation. The author concludes that the key factor for the resolution of the conflict is the improvement of lobbying activities of the "interest groups of peace" in the American and the European governments.

Keywords: interests, sanctions, international relations, foreign policy, interest groups, international lobbying, government relations, destabilization, values, security

Abstract: The article aims to determine the influence of political values on the perception of Russia by its citizens.The formation of the country's image in the minds of people is affected by many factors: political, cultural, economic, socio-demographic, psychological. Among the latter the most important are the political values as the most stable components of personality.The article presents the political-psychological approach to the study of political values and the resulting perception peculiarities of the country by citizens. In the theoretical and methodological section of the article the nature and characteristics of political values are defined in the context of the analysis of the political perception process, and methodological foundations of their study and interpretation are also referred.The article also presents the results of empirical studies of political values which determine the influence of values on the country perception. The author concludes that the most important values for citizens are the materialistic values or values of the safety. Russians's orientation to peace, order, law, safety, human rights is a response to the socio-economic and political conditions of life in which people do not feel confident about the future. These values determine the inconsistency of the image of Russia, in which the positive characteristics of the country (territory, history) are combined with the negative representations about the state (politics and government).

Keywords: materialism, political perception, image of Russia, political values, society, policy, postmaterializm, safety, political psychology, creativity

Abstract: The paper presents the results of the political and psychological analysis of Russian Muslims in the context of modern transformation of semantic values of the Russian society. The authors draw the attention to the fact that in the course of liberal reforms the formation of the protest anti-Russian ideological phenomena is going on and they have a destructive character. One of them is connected with the processes of islamisaton of Russian young people and with such a political-psychological phenomenon as islamism. The methodological basis of the research is the systems approach, the structural and functional, the comparative political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation. The article points out the cardinal determination of neophytes' consciousness that is accompanied with the modification of the world model against the background of their infantilism, low subject status and frustrated identity. The authors come to the conclusion that the global operators of political Islam make use of psychological and spiritual predisposition of the marginal part of Russian young people to realize the strategic course on the reformation of their identification ideas and guidelines with the aim to destroy the Russian mental code.

Keywords: neophytes, Russian Muslims, person, state, politician, society, policy, islamisation, Russian islamism, Russian islamists

Abstract: The article focuses on the postwar relations between the Soviet Union, the USA and Japan, particularly, on the issue of extradition of the Emperor Hirohito to the International Military Tribunal for war crimes. The question of appropriateness of punishment was considered by American command on the base of the analysis of specialists and in terms of the political consequences of this step for the American policy towards Japan. The issue of the emperor prosecution was one of the main contradictions between the USSR and the USA in the sphere of a postwar order in Japan and served as one of catalysts of worsening of relations between the USSR and Japan. The research is based on the historical documents, the evidences of the witnesses of those events and the articles and scientific works of the leading specialists in this sphere. The author concludes that American specialists had a perfect understanding of the mentality of the Japanese and managed to choose a successful strategy in relation to Japan and the USSR. Using the issues of prosecution of the emperor, repatriation of Japanese prisoners of war, territorial belonging of the Kuril Islands, the USA created a “Japanese problem” for the USSR, which hasn’t been solved yet. 

Keywords: Russian-Japanese relations, WWII, Japan war crimes, Postwar relations, Relations USA-USSR, The Emperor Hirohito, Japan, Cold war, Foreign policy, capitulation of Japan