Latest Articles about Central Asia
RUSSIA PLAYS PEACE ADVOCATE IN KYRGYZ “REGIME CHANGE”
Russia's military presence in Central Asia has come into focus again through its participation in the Rubezh 2005 military exercises involving participants from the Commonwealth of Independent States. Although in itself there is nothing unusual about this exercise, the involvement of Russian air force units... MORE
RUSSIA PURSUES TURKMEN RICHES, WITH MIXED RESULTS
Russia has been courting Turkmenistan's authoritarian regime in an apparent attempt to secure its energy interests in the gas-rich Central Asian state. However, the pursuit has been dealt a number of setbacks recently. In the wake of regime change in Kyrgyzstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin... MORE
AKAYEV OFFICIALLY RESIGNS WHILE KULOV DECLARES CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT
Although the mass lootings in Bishkek have ended, Kyrgyzstan's political crisis is not over. The legacy of Askar Akayev's regime is patently apparent as the new government begins to revise the ownership status of the country's major businesses. At the same time, more and more... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN STICKS TO OLD POLITICAL PLAYBOOK DESPITE KYRGYZ UPHEAVAL
In the wake of last week's democratic revolution in Kyrgyzstan, top officials in Kazakhstan have launched what appears to be a wave of spectacular political reforms, at least on the surface. On March 29 the National Commission on Democratization and Civil Society convened in Astana.... MORE
Kazakhstan Sticks to Old Political Playbook Despite Kyrgyz Upheaval
In the wake of last week's democratic revolution in Kyrgyzstan, top officials in Kazakhstan have launched what appears to be a wave of spectacular political reforms, at least on the surface. On March 29 the National Commission on Democratization and Civil Society convened in Astana.... MORE
TULIPS BLOOM IN KYRGYZSTAN BRINGING HOPES FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
March 24, 2005, has become an important date in the history of Kyrgyzstan. On that day, in less than an hour, a crowd of demonstrators seized the Kyrgyz White House in Bishkek, opposition leader Felix Kulov was freed from jail, and President Askar Akayev reportedly... MORE
ASTANA ERECTS INFORMATION BLOCKADE TO FEND OFF KYRGYZ “RIOT”
Incredible as it may sound, the majority of Kazakhstan's population has no idea about recent events in the country next door, Kyrgyzstan. Long after the "governable democracy" of Kyrgyzstan had become clearly unmanageable and President Askar Akayev fled his country on March 24, Kazakhstan's government-controlled... MORE
MOSCOW CRITICIZES EU AND OSCE OVER KYRGYZ ELECTION
Russian diplomacy is pointing a finger at the European Union and the OSCE, attempting to suggest that their goal of upholding democratic election standards in Kyrgyzstan is partly responsible for the outbreak of post-election unrest. Moscow wants international organizations to lower their evaluation criteria, ostensibly... MORE
MOSCOW PUNDITS PONDER TURMOIL IN KYRGYZSTAN
As Askar Akayev's regime collapsed across Kyrgyzstan, Russian policymakers and analysts considered whether the upheaval in the Central Asian republic falls into the same category as the Rose Revolution in Georgia and Orange Revolution in Ukraine. Most Russian commentators note some important parallels between events... MORE
CROWD SEIZES GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN BISHKEK
This morning, 15,000 to 20,000 people gathered in Bishkek's central square demanding President Askar Akayev's resignation. The protesters then stormed the government headquarters. There are reports of severe fights between the protesters and hooligans allegedly hired by the government to stir up tensions in the... MORE