1. They realize that by attempting to transform former Soviet republics into " unsinkable aircraft carriers, " the US presence in Central Asia could have great impact upon Russia.
2. He added that Russia's location next to Iran and former Soviet Muslim republics in Central Asia made it particularly vulnerable.
3. The CIS is an alliance of 12 former Soviet republics that was put together following the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991.
4. The CIS is a loose organization of 12 former Soviet republics that includes Ukraine.
5. But after the 15 republics became independent, the conflicts between different ethnic groups were on the rise for all kinds of reasons.
6. China's financial support can be critical to some former Soviet republics, which would look to Moscow for matching assistance.
7. Turkmenistan has the largest gas deposits among the former Soviet republics after Russia.
8. Competitively priced Chinese products and Chinese investment are in great demand in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia.
9. Russia said the original treaty became obsolete after several former Soviet republics and satellite nations joined NATO.
10. danci.911cha.com
10. Chechnya was hit yesterday by the third suicide bombing in the past week, part of a rising wave of violence in Russia's predominantly Muslim southern republics.