Caspian Elite Consensus: a Pact of Integration in a Globalizing World
Contemporary activities in the geopolitical space including the countries of the Caspian Sea Basin and its adjacent regions give relevance to the problem under study. Globalism has an impact on the development of regional processes, making adjustments in their course. This article aims to analyze the consensus achieved by the political leaders of the Caspian states regarding their integration. The leading approach in the research explores the position of modern Russian elitology, taking professional elites to be a synergetic system striving for the acmeological pinnacle of their (elites') competence. This approach helps to find out the adequacy of their professional activities, the objectivity of their assessments of reality, and the impact of their political decisions. Comparative analysis has made it possible to identify the points of convergence, while the use of political conflictology techniques has made it possible to identify and curb the emergence of threats in a timely manner. The combination of such methods and approaches enhances the objectivity of conclusions and assessments of the Caspian leaders' actions. The paper analyses the activities of regional political elites who created a political and legal platform for a new stage of constructive development of dialogue between cultures and socio-economic cooperation. It is noted that this process had a complex gradual nature of harmonizing different positions, compromises and smoothing over the contradictions of national interests. In this process, the Caspian countries have demonstrated genuine tolerance, political correctness and democracy in addressing the complex geopolitical challenges and reaffirmed their desire to resolve existing problems in a peaceful manner. The materials of this paper may prove useful for the development of further integration strategies, as well as for the expert support of the critical decisions on security issues and the formation of independent regional financial, political and cultural systems.