THЕ THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO ANALYSIS OF THE STATUS OF KAZAKHSTAN AS A «MIDDLE POWER»

Kazakhstan has been defined for the first time as a mid-power in the region in the Foreign Policy Concept of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2020-2030. This article examines whether Kazakhstan is a mid-power by testing it on the basis of the popular theoretical approaches to defining a middle power. Thus, the paper consists of two parts: the main theoretical approaches to defining a middle power are examined in the first part, while in the second paper each approach is applied to Kazakhstan. Three approaches to defining a middle power: by a country’s position, geography and behavior are examined in the paper. It also deals with Kazakhstan’s diplomacy in a comparative perspective in relation to the model of a middle power. The testing of the approaches to defining a middle power proves the emerging status of Kazakhstan as a middle power. The testing of «positional» and «geographical» approaches to Kazakhstan reveals that the country is a potential middle power. Analysis of the «behavioral» approach and its subsequent testing proves that Kazakhstan can be determined as a middle power.