Since then, however, some of the stans have been wooed back into Russia's embrace.

ECONOMIST: Central Asia's five stans

Nixon solved that problem by naming his chief fund-raiser, Maurice Stans, to the Cabinet job of commerce secretary.

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Producers outside the oil cartel, especially Russia and the 'stans, began pumping more.

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But none of the 'stans has become a member of the Council of Europe (another talking shop and human-rights guardian, based in Strasbourg).

ECONOMIST: ��Eastern Europe��: Wrongly labelled | The

Correspondent also works with BBC Two and BBC Four on special world affairs programmes, including the Holidays in the Danger Zone series, most recently focusing on the Stans of Central Asia.

BBC: NEWS | Programmes | Correspondent | About Correspondent

The 'stans vary (Tajikistan is poor, Kazakhstan go-getting).

ECONOMIST: ��Eastern Europe��: Wrongly labelled | The