Economic dependence and shared cultures and borders make it nearly impossible for the former Soviet republics to break ties with the Kremlin without shooting themselves in the foot.
Economic dependence and shared cultures and borders make it nearly impossible for the former Soviet republics to break ties with the Kremlin without shooting themselves in the foot.
Uzbekistan’s president is dead, a suicide bomber struck the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan leader cracked down on widespread demonstrations.
Given the amount of money already committed to supporting Afghanistan’s development, the effects of increased spending in Central Asia would be limited. Rather, the U.S. should withdraw from the region, leaving China and Russia to battle over influence.
The latest attack in a long series of aggressions left more than 50 people dead and dozens wounded.
NGOs, aid workers and human rights groups will be the first to feel the wrath of Krygyzstan’s eastward slide.
One of the biggest questions among analysts in 1991 was whether the five republics of Central Asia, after 70 years of Communism, would re-claim their historical faith and become a region of political Islam. Almost 25 years on, secular autocrats still rule and recognize Muslim traditions but keep faith out of governance.
With many eyes on the World Cup, another international contest has been brewing in Central Asia: the region’s biggest mosque. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, both former Soviet republics, each have under construction mega-mosques in their respective capitals, funded by foreign partners. While perhaps unsurprising in predominately Muslim countries in the fading shadow of the USSR, the […]
After more than a decade of conflict, America is reducing its footprint in Afghanistan. Although it seems likely that America and Afghanistan will come to terms on a security agreement to ensure a residual force of 8,000 to 12,000 soldiers remains in country to carryout counter-terrorism missions and training for the Afghan National Army, the […]
Just when things are hotting up again with its neighbors in the East and South China Seas, Beijing faces new challenges from its western neighbors in Central Asia. A report released on February 27 entitled “China’s Central Asia Problem” issued by the International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based non-governmental organization tasked with reducing deadly conflict, […]
After more than a year of planning, much diplomatic hype, and thousands of attendees, last month’s UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro produced what one activist called a “failure of epic proportions.” The few agreements—including yet another “universal intergovernmental high level political forum” to talk some more—seemed to fall well short of the challenge […]
As NATO is looking for logistic ways to implement the concluded strategic partnership agreement with Afghanistan, which extends its participation in the region beyond pullout timeline of 2014, Kyrgyzstan regains leverage over Russia and the United States, considering it hosts military bases for both countries. However, this time Kyrgyz new authorities are facing some restrictions […]
While most news about Central Asia discusses pipelines and transiting materiel to Afghanistan, southern Kyrgyzstan still sways uneasily in a quiet cross-breeze of mistrust and recriminations, after riots in June 2010 that killed over 400 people. After 18 months, two special commission reports, and a new president, few residents in this mountainous region believe the […]
It was a rough but lucky landing (both “rough and “lucky” are strong understatements here) when a Soviet-built Tupolev (Tu-134) crash landed in dense fog in the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan. According to The Washington Post 82 passengers and 6 crew members were evacuated, 31 of them were injured and 17 hospitalized. Miraculously everyone on board […]
Starting Sunday, September 25, the Kyrgyz government introduced a ban on all foreign news broadcasting for the duration of the presidential campaign – until election day on October 30, 2011. During the five week moratorium, Kyrgyzstan’s television stations and cable operators are barred from rebroadcasting foreign news bulletins, reports EurasiaNet. The motivation behind the law […]
Early morning February 7, 2011, Hikmatullo Saifullozoda, a 60 year old editor of the opposition newspaper Najot and a prominent member of the opposition from the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), was ambushed and brutally beaten by unidentified perpetrators near his home in the capital city Dushanbe. He is currently in a hospital in […]