Latest Articles about Central Asia
CITING NEED FOR STABILITY, KYRGYZ LEADERS FORM POLITICAL UNION
On May 13, Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Felix Kulov signed an agreement to form a political team for Kyrgyzstan's July 10 presidential elections. Kulov agreed to withdraw his candidacy with the stipulation that he would become prime minister in case Acting President Bakiyev wins (Akipress, May... MORE
KARIMOV ORDERS BLOODY END TO ANDIJAN UPRISING
Troops dispatched by Tashkent have put down last week's popular uprising in Andijan, Uzbekistan. Undeterred by the thousands of demonstrators, troops opened fire on the crowd, shooting women and children as well as the rebels. Rather than waiting until nightfall, when the crowds diminish, the... MORE
TRANS-CASPIAN OIL PIPELINE PLANNED IN KAZAKHSTAN
A recent session of Kazakhstan's cabinet of ministers commissioned plans for creating a trans-Caspian westbound export route for Kazakhstani oil, bypassing Russia on the shortest route to consumer countries. Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov and KazMunaiGaz (Kazakh oil and gas) state company chairman Uzakbay Karabalin endorsed... MORE
MASSES REJECT CHARGES OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISM IN UZBEKISTAN
Early this morning thousands of residents took to the streets of Andijan, Uzbekistan, to protest a show trial of alleged Islamic extremists. Initial reports say that nine people are dead and Uzbek President Islam Karimov is on his way to the city. Reportedly demonstrators stormed... MORE
KYRGYZ INTERIM GOVERNMENT STILL CLEANING UP PROBLEMS LEFT BY AKAYEV
Kyrgyzstan's Acting President, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, joined other CIS leaders for an informal meeting in Moscow on the eve of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Bakiyev raised a series of bilateral issues with Russia, including dual citizenship, Kyrgyzstan's... MORE
Pushtun Politics and Violence in Afghanistan
Violence in Afghanistan in the past few months has been largely cross-border in nature, originating in Pakistan and carried out by individuals of multiple nationalities who return to Pakistan after striking. Examining the location of recent incidents supports such an analysis. [1] While no part... MORE
Why Extremism is on the Rise In Uzbekistan
The July 30 attacks on the Prosecutor General's Office, the U.S. Embassy, and the Israeli Embassy in Tashkent demonstrate the continued terrorist presence in the republic of Uzbekistan. These forces appear to be directing their efforts not only against the regime of Islam Karimov, but... MORE
Hizb Ut-tahrir in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan: A Comparative Analysis
New bombings at the gates of the U.S. and Israeli embassies in Tashkent on July 30, and an apparently-aborted political trial in the capital of Uzbekistan, have drawn renewed attention to the specter of Islamist extremism in Central Asia. Three Uzbek citizens were killed in... MORE
UZBEKISTAN DROPS GUUAM FROM ITS ECLECTIC FOREIGN POLICY MENU
On May 5, officials in Tashkent announced that Uzbekistan would shortly withdraw from GUUAM, the augmented Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova (GUAM) alliance formed in 1997. Uzbekistan's foreign policy has always been a mixture of nationalism and pragmatism, and the latter ultimately caused Uzbekistan to opt out of GUUAM.... MORE
TAJIKISTAN FOSTERS SECURITY LINKS WITH IRAN
Tajikistan has recently implemented measures aimed at fostering its military and security cooperation with Iran, as it seeks to diversify its foreign sources for security assistance. On April 20 Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Khayrulloyev met his Iranian counterpart, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, in Tehran and... MORE