Understanding the revival of American interest in Central Asia. Debates: The new C5+1 format being established to strengthen cooperation between Washington and the countries of Central Asia could have implications for the future balance of power in the region. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (C) with foreign ministers of the five Central Asian states — Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan — at the C5+1 meeting in Washington, DC.
Photo: EPA/Shawn Thew On Aug. 3 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met in Washington with foreign ministers of the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan). As a result of the talks, the six ministers agreed to launch five projects in these areas, which the U.S. plans to support with up to $15 million in funding. Following the meeting, the U.S. has also expressed its readiness to cooperate on counter-terrorism with Kazakhstan. Daniel Rosenblum, deputy assistant secretary for Central Asia at the U.S. Water Wars in Central Asia. By David Trilling The relations of the five former Soviet Republics in Central Asia—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—are, more often than not, defined by water. When they were still a part of the Soviet Union, the upstream republics—Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan—which have an abundance of water, would release some from their reservoirs in the spring and summer to generate electricity and nourish crops both on their own land and in the downstream republics, which would return the favor by providing gas and coal each winter.
But since the dissolution of the Soviet Union over a quarter century ago, that system has collapsed. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan now face constant blackouts and hope to build giant dams to provide for their energy needs. Kyrgyzstan completed its Kambarata-2 power station in 2010 and is building a second one, Kambarata-1, with the help of Russia. In response, Uzbekistani President Islam Karimov warned in 2012 of a real war over water. Central Asia Is Less Stable Than It Looks - Bloomberg View.
Important news rarely comes from countries whose names end with "stan," but the hospitalization of Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov after he suffered a stroke last weekend is noteworthy indeed. Karimov, 78, who has run the country without interruption since 1988, has done nothing to ensure a smooth succession, and his country is probably the strongest bastion against Islamist extremism in Central Asia. "Fasten your seatbelts," Gleb Pavlovsky, a former policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now one of his opponents, posted on Facebook after Karimov was reported dead on Monday night.
The reports, which first surfaced on the Fergana News portal -- a Russian-language site that is probably the best source of day-to-day information on the authoritarian black-box state -- were later denied by the Uzbek authorities. So the president of Uzbekistan is officially undead, but very likely in the twilight zone dictators enter when they are about to give up power. Un technocrate proche de la Russie nommé Premier ministre en Arménie. Le président arménien Serge Sarkissian a nommé mardi un technocrate pro-Kremlin, Karen Karapetian, Premier ministre de ce pays du Caucase secoué en juillet par une prise d'otage dans un poste de police d'Erevan. "Le président a signé un décret sur la nomination de Karen Karapetian mardi matin", a indiqué la présidence dans un communiqué.
Ancien maire de la capitale Erevan, M. Karapetian, 53 ans, a également occupé des postes importants au sein de Mejregiongaz, une filiale du géant russe Gazprom, ainsi que dans la banque Gazprombank, basée à Moscou. Son prédécesseur, Hovik Abrahamian, mis à mal par une prise d'otages de deux semaines en juillet et par les importantes manifestations ayant suivi, avait démissionné jeudi afin de permettre la formation d'un nouveau gouvernement. L'Arménie, le plus proche allié de Moscou dans la région, est membre d'une union économique conduite par la Russie et dispose d'une base militaire russe sur son sol. Karen Karapetyan appointed Armenia's new prime minister. YEREVAN , Armenia, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Karen Karapetyan was named Armenia's new prime minister Tuesday following the resignation of Hovik Abrahamyan last week. The Armenian parliament's ruling Republican Party approved Karapetyan's candidacy on Sept. 8, and the Presidential Press Service reported Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan made the announcement, noting Karapetyan has 20 days to form a cabinet.
The change in leadership comes after months of protests in the streets of Yerevan, the capital, calling for social reform. Anger over electricity costs, pension reform and increases in the cost of public transportation led to armed men overtaking a Yerevan police station for two weeks in July. They demanded freedom for jailed opposition leader Kirair Sefilian and the resignation of the government. Human Rights Watch accused Armenian police of using excessive force on peaceful protesters and for jailing journalists. Moscow ‘Bypassing’ Armenia to Reach Azerbaijan, Iran and India. Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 130 July 19, 2016 05:28 PM Age: 58 days Category: Eurasia Daily Monitor, Home Page, Transit, The Caucasus, South Caucasus , Azerbaijan , Middle East, Iran, South Asia, India (Source: Wikimedia Commons) Perhaps the most important geopolitical development of mid-July 2016 was not the continuing conflict in the South China Sea, the failed coup in Turkey, or terrorist violence in France—all of which attracted considerable international attention—but rather the quiet signing, in Moscow, of an agreement by Russian, Iranian, Azerbaijani and Indian officials to open a north-south rail line in the Caucasus.
That accord will not only link those three countries, but ultimately tie together rail systems from India, by ship to Iran (see EDM, December 4, 2015), and on to Europe, via Azerbaijan and Russia. This will have profound consequences for the states and territories along its route. Azerbaijan courts Russia and Iran – EurActiv.com. The Baku summit, during which Azerbaijan hosted the presidents of Russia and Iran, couldn’t have come at a better time, writes Stratfor. Stratfor is a Texas-based global intelligence company. The balance in the Caucasus is changing. With Iran emerging from the malaise of sanctions, it is reaching north and becoming more assertive.
Russia, too, is changing tack, aligning with Azerbaijan instead of Armenia in the long-running Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The 7,200-kilometer (4,500-mile) North-South Transport Corridor was first discussed in 2008. If realised, the North-South Transport Corridor would have a strong effect on the region’s geopolitical order. While regional heavyweights stand to accrue economic benefits from the project, the transportation corridor would be a major geopolitical asset for Azerbaijan in particular.
But it is not the only prospective rail project for the Caucasus region. The Baku summit could not have come at a better time for Azerbaijan.
After Karimov / L'après Karimov.