Mongolia-Russia Relations (Kiakhta to Vladivostok)

Sandwiched between Russia and China, Mongolia has the distinction of sharing the largest chain of frontiers between these two powerful neighbours. Mongolia’s geo-strategic and landlocked position attracted both the Tsarist/Soviet Russia and China to influence the socio-economic and political history as well as international relations of Mongolia. Finally it was the Treaty of Kiakhta (1728) which fixed the Russo-Mongolian (then part of China) frontier. However, the whole span of nineteenth century saw Russians strengthening their position in Mongolia. With the Tsarist Russian support Mongolia declared its independence from China in 1911 and later with Soviet Russia’s support established the Mongolian people’s government in 1921. Since then Mongolia found itself totally dependent on the former Soviet Union on all fronts—political, military, economic and cultural domains. It was Gorbachev’s Vladivostok initiative of 1986 that marked the beginning of a new era in Mongolia’s contemporary political history. The book analyses not only the historical roots of Mongolia-Russia relations but examines in detail the extent and pattern of the whole gamut of their relations both during the Tsarist Russian as well as the Soviet period. While dealing with the rise of Pan-Mongolism the book throws fresh light on Tsarist Russian and Soviet diplomatic manoeuvres to prevent the emergence of a United Mongolia. The book also delves into the aftermath of the Vladivostok initiative, the emergence of new geo-political situation, its impact on Mongolia’s domestic and foreign policies, and new trends in the Russo-Mongolian relations in the post-cold war era.