Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
It is likely that Kyrgyzstan will become a member of the Customs Union. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan’s integration process with Russia was not substantially affected by the developments in Ukraine.
It is time for Moscow to rethink its approach to Central Asia.
Beijing is emerging as the big winner in Central Asia, displacing Washington and Moscow while ensuring that engagement with countries in the region takes place on its terms.
Central Asia is in a period of transition. Many tenets of Soviet infrastructure and culture have expired and rather than renew these precedents, the countries are emphasizing individual development.
The Eurasian Customs Union should give careful consideration to current and future WTO obligations when pursuing expansion.
The Istanbul Process’ Heart of Asia Ministerial Conferences can play a role in efforts to promote regional stability and security in Central and South Asia.
Remittances from Russia form a lifeline for Central Asian economies. But with Moscow tightening migration controls, dependence on money transfers risks exacerbating, rather than alleviating, economic and political instability at home.
Twenty years after the Soviet collapse, leaders of the five Central Asian republics have built functioning states but they have yet to fully implement democratic reforms, decentralize and share power, and develop strong intraregional relations.
Dialogue, education, and an accepted role for religion in society are critical to countering the possible threat that religious radicalization could pose to state security in Central Asia.
The international community should focus on pressing the Kyrgyz government to respect the basic human rights of all their citizens and emphasize the importance of equality and accountability before the law.