Assembled here is a documentary portrait of the CIS, drawing on more than 500 official publications and releases and reports from the broadcast and print media. Excep-tionally comprehensive in scope and breadth, Russia and the Commonwealth of lndepen-dent States presents the actual texts of CIS accords and protocols as well as commentary from leading journalists and political actors.

The documents are grouped within 10 chapters. Each chapter is preceded by introductory notes written by the editors, supplying historical background and identification of key issues surrounding the documents...