Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov has staked much on his efforts to strengthen and sustain relations with both Russia and China. He predictably talked up Uzbekistan's ties with China during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Shanghai on June 15-16. Nonetheless, behind the scenes Karimov... MORE

During his June 6 visit to Tehran Kazakh Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev extended a message of friendship from President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the letter the Kazakh leader emphasized that the Iranian nuclear crisis goes beyond Tehran's long-standing confrontation with Washington... MORE

Kyrgyz Defense Minister Ismail Isakov has called for an increase in the levels of foreign assistance to help the beleaguered Kyrgyz armed forces. These appeals are rooted in his conviction that the Kyrgyz economy cannot afford the type of armed forces and security structures necessary... MORE

Russia is now Turkmenistan's top foreign trade partner thanks to sizable purchases of Turkmen natural gas in the first three months of 2006. Russia imported Turkmen goods worth $754 million (or 58% of all Turkmen exports), followed by Iran ($152 million or 12%), and Turkey... MORE

For more than a year the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, has witnessed numerous demonstrations and protests. According to estimates from the Ministry of the Interior, on average there have been two different protests each day in various parts of the country since the beginning of 2006.... MORE

Officials in Russia’s nuclear sector have long eyed Central Asia’s uranium deposits. Now Russia appears prepared to invest in the uranium-mining sector in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in order to supplement domestic production. In May representatives from the Russian nuclear agency, Rosatom, and Kazakhstan's nuclear company,... MORE

There is every reason to believe that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian resort town of Sochi on May 20 were highly successful for Astana. Putin generously offered his Kazakh counterpart Russian military equipment and, in what seems... MORE

Kyrgyz Armed Forces Day, scheduled for May 27, normally passes with a routine military parade. However, in the current tense political climate in Kyrgyzstan, routine has given way to suspicion and rumor. Opposition groups ignited controversy surrounding the parade, notably the "For Reforms" movement, by... MORE