scholarly journals Regional Integration in Central Asia: Efforts and Results

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nargiza Sakmurzaeva
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Economic Organizations ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Central Asian countries have created and joined many regional economic organizations. The aim of this paper is to identify the efforts and obstacles of regional integration and cooperation in Central Asia against the international experience with regional integration in Europe. At present, the governments of Central Asian countries have still not realized the network's function and advantage of regional integration. Since 2000’s integration process in Central Asia conducted by Russia’s initiatives. So regional integration which could include only five Central Asian countries became unreal. This paper examines why today there is no Central Asian Union? In order to analyze the topic were used books written by Dadabayev, Karasar and Kushkumbaev, Dikkaya, papers by Zeyrek, Linn, Erol and Shahin. As the methods of analysis were used comparative method of analysis and historical analysis.

CENTRAL ASIA: THE BUMPY ROAD TOWARDS POLITICAL MATURITY

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg KARPOVICH
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Soviet Period ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries

Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the new Central Asian independent states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan replaced the Soviet republics of Central (Sredniaia) Asia and Kazakhstan. By the time they gained independence, these countries had already developed specific mechanisms of governance: The Communist Party and state structures had relied, to a great extent, on certain regional clan principles of decision-making inherited from their distant past. The new states immediately declared that they would strive to build Western-style political systems. They elected their presidents and parliaments, set up judicial systems, yet the political elites proved unable to realize the democratic standards of the West they supported in words. Over the course of three decades, heads of state, who dominated and still remain the dominant figures in their countries and are responsible for domestic and foreign policies have replaced each other without any real competition. None of the regional states can boast of competitive presidential elections. On the other hand, even though their political development may have external similarities, there are still numerous differences rooted in their very different past, cultures and mentalities. The regional clan division, swept under the carpet during the Soviet period, was revived as an important and highly influential feature. Kazakhstan was divided into zhuzes; Kyrgyzstan is in the midst of an ongoing regional confrontation between the South and the North; in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan regional clans have gradually gained a lot of political weight. This means that the leaders of all Central Asian countries had no choice but to take into account the interests of groups and clans and the ties between different tribes, which inevitably affected the principles of governance and choice of officials. The personal characteristics of leaders who came to power after the Soviet Union had left the stage and their interpretations of the ongoing processes played a huge role in regional developments, the relationships between the regional states, the regional balance of power and the political situation. Today, all the above-mentioned countries with the exception of Tajikistan, have elected new presidents either amid domestic political turmoil or through a power transit within the same group. This means that in all Central Asian countries presidential elections are not seen as an instrument of change of power but, rather, as an instrument of remaining in power. The complicated economic situation, the non-regional actors that put pressure on the local political elites and, recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified the social and economic problems, did nothing positive for the political and economic stability in Central Asia.

scholarly journals The Impact of the "Big Powers" to the Integration Processes in Central Asia

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ediliia Abdykadyrova
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
External Forces ◽  
The Impact

It has been over 20 years since the Soviet Union collapsed. Despite that the post-Soviet countries were not able to build strong economic structure, which would be competitive in the international arena. They failed to implement the economic integration among themselves using communication that they had during the Soviet Union time. There have been various attempts to change the situation, but efforts were not successful due to various obstacles. Among these obstacles take place the influence of America, Russia and China, which are considered as great powers and which are pay great attention to Central Asia. This issue attracts attention due to the fact that the problems associated with the integration of the Central Asian countries still exists and that any integration process in the region does not achieve success without the involvement of other external forces. In this paper basic information about the integration processes between the Central Asian countries and their results will be analyzed. In addition, the attitudes of the Central Asian countries towards integration as well as economic and political influence of the great powers to the integration processes in the region will be examined.

scholarly journals The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Gateway to Central Asia

2019 ◽  
Vol 05 (03) ◽  
pp. 455-469
Author(s):  
Mir Sher Baz Khetran ◽  
Muhammad Humayun Khalid
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Regional Markets ◽  
History Of ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
The Belt And Road

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); and its launch in 2015 was regarded as a landmark event in the history of the Sino-Pakistani relationship. With a budget amounting to over $62 billion, it has become the foremost regional integration initiative between China and Pakistan. The project is also open to all interested regional stakeholders, among which Central Asia is one of the most important in geopolitical terms. Located in a landlocked but resource-rich region, Central Asian countries need better access to regional markets including Pakistan, China, India, and the countries of West Asia. Pakistan and China have huge energy demands that can be satisfied by growing trade with Central Asia. Thus, the CPEC will not only benefit Pakistan and China, but it also presents a strategic opportunity for Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan to transport their goods more easily and gain competitiveness in regional and global markets.

From Soviet Republics to Independent Countries: Challenges of Transition in Central Asia

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 291-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirzohid Rahimov
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Historical Period ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Interstate Relations ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Creation

AbstractIn the twentieth century, the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan passed through a complex historical period. They were originally founded as republics of the Soviet Union in the 1920s-30s as a result of national and territorial state delimitation. The process of the creation of new national state formations began after the Soviet Union disintegrated and these republics achieved independence. At the same time, the region's nations are facing complex problems of transition and the creation of new societies. Nevertheless, these countries have to continue the process of political and economic reforms, as well as development of civic institutions. The Central Asian nations established contacts with foreign states and international organizations and started to form a system of interstate relations between the countries of the region. There are potentials for development of regional integration of Central Asia. Future integration will depend on the readiness of the nations to carry out political and economic reforms, introduce forms and methods of economic regulation compatible with global norms, and most important, international support of political reforms and regional integration.

scholarly journals Competition of world powers in Central Asia

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-54
Author(s):  
Anna Sergeevna Iuniushkina ◽  
Tat'yana Ivanovna Pon'ka ◽  
Kristina Alekseevna Shapovalova
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
The United States ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries

This article explores the role of Central Asia in modern conditions, which significantly increases in geopolitical and geoeconomic aspect. Attention is given to the general security challenges of Central Asian countries, as this region requires the coordination of efforts of the leading global actors, as well as Central Asian countries themselves. Security issues associated with vulnerability of Central Asian countries to natural disasters and emergency situations that may occur as a result of territorial disputes, ethnic violence, drug trafficking, and terrorism prevention, fight against extremism underline the need for multilateral cooperation aimed at solution of general problems. The novelty of this research lies in the fact that after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which changed the world political map, the newly formed Central Asian countries gave acquired statehood on the international arena. Namely during this difficult period, the Central Asian countries were forced to choose their own development path. Russia and China, to certain extent, have confirmed their presence in the region by creating the economic and military integration institutions with participation of Central Asian countries. Therefore, the emphasis is placed on the analysis of interaction between China and Russia in the post-Soviet Central Asia, their role in ensuring regional stability and economic growth. The article also examines the importance of studying the role of the United States and the European Union in Central Asia.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Energy Consumption and Growth in the Transition Economies of Central Asian Republics

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Özdemir ◽  
Mehmet Mercan ◽  
Erkan Dendeş
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Capitalist System ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries

The transition period from the socialist system to the capitalist system is used to describe economies in transition. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, with Central and Eastern European Countries, the Countries in Central Asia have entered into this process. Central Asian Countries haven’t entered into this process providently a lot in transitional stage. At the end of secession process from the Soviet Union, these countries had only limited industrial plants and natural resources. However, reserves of energy resources that these countries have in their economic growth have been a pusher factor. No doubt, increasing energy consumption has a significant effect in the development of the countries. The main purpose of this study is to test the existence of growth relation and energy consumptions in Central Asian Countries that live the transition period accordingly. This study investigates relationship between economic growth and energy consumption for Central Asian Countries over the period 1990-2010 by using panel data analysis. As a conclusion it is reached that there is a significant correlation between energy consumption and economic growth for these countries.

A sound family for a healthy nation: Motherhood in Tajik national politics and society

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Roche
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
National Politics ◽  
National Narratives ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Family ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
The One

Since independence in 1991, Central Asian countries have put great effort into creating their respective national narratives, which are often based on an ethnic imagination. In Tajikistan this included the idea of shaping society via the family unit. Increasingly, motherhood became the focus of attention, which was made possible by merging two concepts. On the one hand, women are considered as “cultured” and educated people who the Soviet Union freed from “backward” traditions. On the other hand, traditions were reinvented such that the woman is considered the ultimate mother of the nation and the backbone of tradition. This article examines the changing status of motherhood in society and politics through efforts to create a sound family and a healthy nation.

scholarly journals Publication Productivity in Central Asia and Countries of the Former Soviet Union

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalkar Adambekov ◽  
Sholpan Askarova ◽  
Sharon C. Welburn ◽  
Sharon L. Goughnour ◽  
Ayumi Konishi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Publication Productivity ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Scientific Heritage ◽  
Publication Patterns ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
Number Of Publications

Introduction. Despite the significant number of research institutions and rich scientific heritage, published research from Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan) is traditionally underrepresented in international scientific literature. The goal of this paper was to analyze publication patterns in Central Asian countries, and to explore the factors that contributed to the publication productivity in Kazakhstan.Methods. Publication  productivity was evaluated using data generated by the SCImago Journal & Country Rank over the period of 1996-2014 for all of the 15 former Soviet Union Republics for all subject categories. Country specific data, including total population, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, research and development (R&D) expenditure (% of GDP), number of reserchers (per million people), was abstracted from World Bank data. ANOVA and ANCOVA analyses compared the mean number of publications among Central Asian countries. Separate analyses was done for publication patterns in the health sciences. Multiple comparisons were performed using Tukey methodResults. The analysis of publication productivity showed significant discrepancies in the number of published documents among the Central Asian countries. Kazakhstan demonstrated a significant increase in the number of published documents in the period of 1996-2014, mainly in the areas of natural and multidisciplinary sciences. Our analyses also showed that the number of publications are siginicantly associated with GDP and population size.Conclusions. We identified large gaps in publication productivity among the Central Asian countries. The association between publication rate with GDP and population size indicates there is a need to adjust for these factors when planning research policy. 

scholarly journals Russia's Muslim Frontiers

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-120
Author(s):  
M. E. Ahrari
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Muslim Country ◽  
Armed Struggle ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Cold War

The sudden independence of five Muslim Central Asian countries-Khazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-and one Muslim country in the Transcaucasus regionAzerbaijan-has surprised even the international scholarly community.When the former Soviet Union was alive and well, there were "Sovietscholars," a rubric that largely included specialists on Russia, Ukraine,and the Baltic states. Western scholars were almost never inclined tospecialize in, or to give any serious attention to, the Muslim regions ofthe Soviet Union. This neglect was also reflected in their evaluations ofthe problems of this region, as can be seen by the uncritical acceptanceof the Soviet vocabulary. For instance, the Qorabashi armed resistancein Muslim Central Asia was labeled the "Basmachi" (or bandit) movementby the Soviet Union and its scholars. This phrase was also used bywestern scholars.Now there is no more Soviet Union, the cold war has entered history,and there are six new Muslim republics. These developments haveengendered a renewed interest in these republics, as can be seen by thenumber of recently published books that have been devoted to them.Although some of them have been hurriedly compiled, others have beenwritten with a lot of forethought and balanced analysis.Eickelman's present anthology definitely falls into the latter category.In fact, to the best of my knowledge, his anthology is one of thefirst books that raises the question of whether the above-mentionedQorabashi movement was indeed an armed struggle against the Sovietimperial masters or was a "bandit" movement as portrayed by Sovietscholars. This book comprises four parts: "International and RegionalPerspectives," "Central Asia " "Afghanistan and Iran," and "Pakistan."The first two sections formulate the essence of this study. Eickelman'sintroduction, in my estimation, is certainly one of the best chapters. Itis unfortunate that he did not include more of his writing in this book.His review of the literature on modernization theories and orientalismin this chapter will be read by students of Central Asia and the MiddleEast with interest.Other noteworthy contributions are the two essays by RichardCottam and Gregory Kornyenko. It is refreshing to read Cottam's ...

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