STEPHEN WHITE is James Bryce Professor of Politics and a Senior Research Associate of the School of Slavonic, Central and East European Studies, University of Glasgow, UK. He also holds visiting appointments at the Institute of Applied Politics in Moscow and the John Hopkins University Bologna Center. RICHARD SAKWA is Professor of Russian and European Politics, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK and an Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House. HENRY E. HALE is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University, USA.