Overview:
Kyrgyzstan played the US and Russia for a whole lot of money (Suez Crisis all over again?). There were scuffles between border guards over the Ferghana Valley borders. Nabucco is still on paper while a pipeline between China and Kazakhstan opened. Kazakhstan heads the OSCE while Kyrgyzstan kills or harasses those it considers enemies of the state. Turkmenistan continues to slowly move away from Niyazov’s rule. Uzbekistan makes life more difficult for its own citizens while denying electricity, in summer and winter, to neighboring countries.
Person of the Year:
The person of the year should be Kyrgyz President Bakiyev, who came to power in a colored revolution, under the banner of Westernization, and has spent the year consolidating his own power. His son was appointed to an influential post while human rights workers and journalists were killed. Good job, Bakiyev.
Most Unexpected Event:
The pipeline between Russia and Turkmenistan blowing up in April. Russia probably blew it up so it did not have to pay for expensive gas during an economic crisis. I’m curious, however, what do my readers think was most unexpected in Central Asia this year?
What to Watch for in 2010:
Watch the political ramifications from the Kazakhstan-China pipeline, which finally frees Central Asian gas/oil from Russian transport.
