Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of possible means for organized fighting against the spread of the “color revolution” ideology among the university students. Generally the student environment is not politicized, but it is rather easily moved, it follows any slogans, which allow the students to stand out among their peers. The goal of the student activities is to gain self-esteem, and partly, to bring variety into life, to fight boredom and to feel thrilled. This pursuit of self-esteem among the youth is often manifested through denying the existing norms and living standards, including the fundamentals of the state structure. That is why, the students are eager to join any protest movements, which allow them to do so, treat each new member of the movement as an individual and let them have active roles in the common work. All of the above is much different from the pro-government youth organizations, which are organized like military units or neo-sects, and look like “gray substance” which are sent wherever they are told to. Becoming a member of such an organization a student loses freedom, and he gets a personal commander, whom he has to follow without any reservations.

Keywords: politics, color revolutions, Russia, soft power, University, diplomacy, state, interests, values, security.

Abstract: In spring of 2011, the political regime of Burkina-Faso was shaken by great social and political cataclysms. However, in spite of the fact that almost all of the classes of Burkina-Faso community were part of opposition, the government remained. Blaise Compaoré, who has been ruling the state for quarter of a century by now, managed to keep the presidential position. He came to power through treachery and denial of his youth ideals, he tortured his former colleagues, spilled blood of his friend … In order to understand the reasons for the riots of spring of 2011 and stability of the regime of B. Compaore, one needs to look at half a century of history of independency of this African state. After the 2nd World War the French colonial empire was deformed and it gradually dissolved. Trying to keep their position in the Western Africa, the French agreed to modernize the statuses of their African colonies Within the framework of this process in 1947 the Upper Volta was transformed into the oversea territory of France, and called the French Upper Volta. This status remained till December 11, 1985, when the autonomous Upper Volta Republic within the French Community was formed as a result of a referendum. In 1958 the Upper Volta expressed the wish to join the Mali Federation (Fédération du Mali), however, under the pressure from the President of the Ivory Coast (Cote’d’Ivoire), it refused to join the Federation.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Burkina-Faso, France, conflicts, diplomacy, interests, values, security.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the current situation in the international relations between Ukraine and Poland, and the author draws a conclusion that these relations are getting worse. Then the author concludes that the tension between Kyiv and Warsaw may lead to Ukraine not sighing the Association Agreement with the EU. In this case Russia should actively pursue negotiations with the Ukraine on the issue of Ukraine joining the Eurasian Union. In November 2013 in Vilnius a summit is planned within the framework of the European Eastern Partnership. It is worth reminding that this project was formed in 2008 on the initiative of Poland, and it currently includes Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Belarus. These states were offered to join dialogue with the EU and develop the program of actions for the European integration. Due to its demographic, economic, military and political potential, the Ukraine is key to this program, and the relations between Kyiv and Brussels considerably define the perspectives of the European initiatives in the Eastern Europe at their current stage.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, diplomacy, interests, values, conflict, cooperation.

Abstract: The article presents a conceptual position of the author on a topical issue of formation of a complex multi-level innovative “soft power” strategy in the foreign policy of the Russian Federation, recovery and development of the “soft power” of Russia in the post — Soviet area and further abroad. The text contains analysis of the conditions necessary for the formation of the Russian public diplomacy and foreign cultural and information policy of the new generation. In spite of the fact that the modern international agenda is still centered upon the use of military force by the states as a priority means to achieve security, the cultural and communications globalization, powered by the growing economic interdependency leads to complementing of the military resources with the non-military political influence factors, which can be generally referred to as the “soft power”. In the opinions of the American political scientists, the tendencies in the development of international relations shall be for greater influence of the “soft power” in the general power balance of the states, and even the largest and most developed states shall not be able to resolve their problems purely by military means. They explain it by interdependency of economics (and interdependency management becomes a key force behind the American efforts in this sphere), and lowering of the role of “military glory” among the values of modern post-industrial societies.

Keywords: international relations, foreign politics, Russia, soft force, political instability, diplomacy, state, interests, values, security.

Abstract: The article presents the author’s point of view on contents and vectors of regime transformation of the new independent states, which differs considerably from a traditional point of view on the perspectives of the post-Soviet political modernization. In spite of the unity of historical destinies of peoples and states in the post-Soviet territory, the Russian political science pays little attention to the comparative analysis of the specific features of the political development of newly independent states. Existing works in this sphere present an exception to a rule. However, the mutual interdependency of the global processes, as well as the special role of matters facilitating or precluding the formation of regional communities, requires the need to fill the gap in the social sciences. The political orders of the post-Soviet independent states have a common feature, which is due to the historic context of their formation. In the opinion of most researchers, studying the newly independent states, one characteristic feature of their political landscape is immaturity of the new forms of political organizations, including national state formations, not having the formal elements of sovereign states.

Keywords: international relations, politics, Russia, the CIS, political transformation, political regime, democratization, post-Soviet territory, integration.

Abstract: The Taiwan has great important for the future of China. Unlike the disputes on the Eastern Chinese and Southern Chinese Seas, the issue of Taiwan is a domestic issue of China. The representatives of one nation live on the both sides of the strait, and their unity is the issue of national dignity, perspectives of development of united Chinese nation, taking into the consideration important strategic situation of the isle. The Taiwan problem has historical and political roots, and it is influenced by a number of various factors, including international and domestic ones. It is due to the fact that the Taiwan is an important junction for the Chinese cabotage navigation. The isle of Taiwan serves as a cover for the continental China. Taiwan is situated in the Eastern Chinese Sea about 130 kilometers from the continent. The coasts of the island border the Eastern Chinese Sea on the north, the Southern Chinese and Philippinine Sea on the south and the Pacific Ocean on the east. The length of the isle is 394 kilometers from the north to south, and the width is about 140 kilometers, its area is 35834 square kilometers. The coasts are not much indented, the eastern parts of the island are steep, while the western parts are sloping. The length of the shoreline is 1566 kilometers. The wooded Taiwan mountains are lined along the island, and in the northern part of the island there is a groups of extinct volcanoes. In the western part of the island, there is a coastal value, where 90 percent of the population dwells. Douglas MacArthur called Taiwan “the unsinkable aircraft carrier” and an important part of the first chain of the islands.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, China, Taiwan, political instability, diplomacy, state, interests, values, security.

Abstract: In order to understand the causes for the fall of the Soviet “real socialism” one needs to analyze the “barrel hoops” holding this system and the causes for their erosion. For a certain period of time the following four social and psychological factors were holding together the Soviet “real socialism”, or a totalitarian state capitalism. The first factor was pragmatic interests in sustaining the regime. Bureaucracy as a class was interested in support of the system of bureaucratic privileges, allowing it to control and formally rule property of the society. The non-bureaucratic part of the population was also interests in preservation of the status-quo of the social and economic system, since it (the nonbureaucratic part of the population) valued stability and predictability of the situation as positive features of “socialism”. The latter refers mostly to the post-Stalin period of time (after 1953). The second factor was ignorance of most of the population including the higher ranks of bureaucracy on what was going on in the state and in the world. This ignorance was supported by the government itself, since being confused, it thought of one matter, talked of another matter, and did something altogether different, when it was necessary for support of their interests. The third factor was a fanatical belief in coming of Communism as a kingdom of God on Earth. Raised by ignorance and supported by party bureaucracy this new religion spread an optimistic view of the future, and that is why the present situation was regarded as acceptable by a considerable part of the Soviet population. The fourth factor was the fear to act against the “socialist” system, this fear being inhomogeneous. It included fear of those, who were not sure of the “socialist” character of the system, but could not stand the pressure of fanatical believers, and nervousness of those who did not believe the kingdom of God on Earth, but was paralyzed with fear of the almighty KGB.

Keywords: international relations, politics, the USSR, socialism, political instability, political regime, state, interests, values, security.

Abstract: Currently the correlation with the presence of natural resources, serving as a powerful foreign policy instrument of a state, and the international relations, serving as a forceful factor for distribution of resources among various states, becomes quite topical. Such a “formula” is directly related to the water supply issue in all of the regions of the world. It is more and more often, that one has to mention forced migration of the people due to lack of fresh water, as well as conflicts among the states related to water use and control over vital waterways. The fresh water becomes a considerable factor in a global policy, and it is one of the most important security elements, since it is based upon three key elements: energy resources, foodstuffs and water. Till recently the states paid attention to the lack of fresh water to the needs of people, agriculture, and industry, now the states become more and more interested in gaining access to vital water ways of bordering states, which may in the futures guarantee security of the state allow to control neighboring states and regions.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, civilization, conflict, water resources, the Southern Asia, interests, values, security, state.

Abstract: The modern foreign political course of the USA towards retaining global leadership is held under the motto “partnership in the name of peace” and it is implemented via widening the scope of global functions of the North Atlantic Alliance. It fully conforms to the concept of civilization anthropology, studying the issues of civilization and large state formation development based upon the motivation dynamics of the elites and other socially important groups. In the XX century the USA took part in global confrontations of international systems three times, which included two World Wars and one “Cold” War. The main result was the growing role of the USA in the global arena. Throughout one century the USA transformed from an isolated Western hemisphere states into a global scale state in respect of its interests and influence. It led to the situation when no important problem may be resolved without participation of the USA or its direct counteraction.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, the USA, geo-politics, political instability, diplomacy, state, interests, values, security.

Abstract: The problem of preserving the due level of security in Afghanistan remains topical, and keeps gaining topicality. To a great extent it is related to the intention of the USA and its allies to bring the military forces out of Afghanistan by 2014. There are worries, that after the US leaves Afghanistan, their place shall be occupied by the Taliban, them being the only real force capable of taking political power in the states. No one believes that the “puppet” regime of Hamid Karzai shall be capable of staying in power. If Afghanistan returns to the civil war situation, or yet again becomes controlled by the Taliban, it shall become a “gunpowder keg” for the region, where many states are balancing on the verge of falling apart even in current rather peaceful conditions (such as Kirgizstan and Tajikistan). In fact, many regional players are getting ready to the possible chaos in the region and the maneuvers within the frameworks of the OSCE and the SCO.

Keywords: political science, ISAF, the USA, the Canada, Afghanistan, national security, foreign policy, international relations, conflict, national interests.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the key evolutionary stages of the definition of “patriotism” as one of fundamental values of the human civilization in the global political history. The author pays attention to the specific features of patriotism development in the Ancient Greece and Rome, as an ideological basis for the formation and existence of statehoods, unlike the Middle Ages, when patriotism lost its value as recognition of priority of state interests. In the opinion of the author formation of the national self-conscience at the time of Renaissance and the Modern Times in many states make the issue of raising patriotic citizens topical once again. There is a clear connection between the patriotism and the ideological bases for the support of state interests and security. In the opinion of the author the states, which defy patriotism or allow it to devalue, for example by substituting it with the provocative terms “nationalism”, “chauvinism”, etc. are doomed to degrade and be forgotten.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, patriotism, education, values, ideology, nationalism, conflict, cooperation.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the definition of public diplomacy and the main approaches to its definition. Much attention is paid to public diplomacy as an element of “soft power” in a modern state. The authors analyze the possibility for the influence of Universities on the international relations and global policy with the use of such instruments as discourse and elite formation, scientific and information campaigns. The authors provide a detailed study of political aspects in the positioning of higher educational institutions in the international ratings as a factor for greater prestige of state and support of its positive image. The authors evaluate the role of Universities in formation of social-economic and foreign political strategies of the states. The authors come to a conclusion that more and more active participation of the Universities in the public diplomatic activities and their greater influence upon the global political processes fall within the trend of power transformation in the modern global politics, making information and intellectual instruments (so-called “smart power”) more topical.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, the USA, soft force, smart power, public diplomacy, University, interests, values, security.

Abstract: It was 75 years ago, when on September 29, 1938 Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier and Mussolini gathered for a meeting and in the night of September 30, 1938 after a short period of negotiations and speeches the Munich Agreement was signed by the governments of the Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the Great Britain and France. It was one of the shameful pre-War deals, and on this tragic day, when the gates were opened to the 2nd World War and the sovereign Czech Republic disappeared from the political map. The haste of the aggressor showed itself in the fact that it was just four hours after the meeting in Munich, when the Prime — Minister of the Czech Government received the text of the Munich Agreement, under which 1/5 of the Czech territory was transferred to Germany. And on September 30, 1938 the Anglo-German Declaration of 1938 and the Franco-German Declaration of 1938 were signed, standing for the nonaggression pact between the French and English Governments and the Hitler’s Germany and regulation of all of the issues. Therefore, starting from September 30, 1938, the world was doomed for the war.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, geo-politics, political instability, the Munich conspiracy, the 2nd World War, political history, interests, values.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the analytic note, presented to the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee Y.V. Andropov. The sharp confrontation between the Soviet Union and the coalition of the Western states in the late 1970s made the Soviet leaders face a number of matters in the sphere of improvement of the Soviet foreign policy. The attack on the Western positions posed a huge pressure on material and moral resources of the state, overstepping its real abilities. In order to guarantee the Communist Messiah expansion and wage the “Cold War” the USSR spent 15 to 30 percent of the GDP (compared to 5 per cent of GDP for the USA). It threatened to undermine the economic fundamentals of the state. The Soviet government violated the fundamental foreign policy principle, as formulated by von Clausewitz, providing that the established foreign political goals should strictly conform with the material resources and international situation. However, instead of easing the tension in the relations with the West, and lowering the pressure on the economies of the Soviet Union and its partners in the Warsaw Treaty Organization, in the 1970s the Kremlin chose to intensify the tension.

Keywords: international relations, politics, the USSR, geo-policy, Andropov, diplomacy, ideology, security, values.