The five Central Asian countries-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – share more than just a common Soviet past. Their way of life, economy, standard of living, and even population growth are about the same, although there are certainly some differences.

From the very beginning, it should be emphasized that in the post-Soviet era, all States in the region experienced serious upheavals, including the civil war in Tajikistan, two revolutions in Kyrgyzstan, and quite powerful violent protests in Kazakhstan. The region has also demonstrated its extreme vulnerability to Islamic militant groups. For Russia, we note, these threats are too close and serious to ignore them.

This became especially relevant after US President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. Experts believe that after this, the militants of ISIL and Al-Qaeda (both organizations are banned in Russia) can enter the Central Asian republics and further into Russia. This is one of the reasons why Moscow maintains its presence in the region and closely cooperates with the governments of Central Asian states in the fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as in border security issues.

Against the background of the global changes that the modern world has recently faced, the independent states of Central Asia are also undergoing a stage of serious transformations related to the adjustments made by the United States, China and Turkey in their strategy in this region, the transit of power in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The internal problems of each of the countries of the region separately can be added. Moreover, the main changes in the situation of Central Asia are not accidental, but are the result of the influence of various external and internal factors.

According to most analysts, the situation in Central Asia has generally remained stable in recent years. Politically, each country in the region is actively pursuing a development path that is consistent with its aspirations. In the economic aspect, countries are quite successfully responding to the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, striving to improve the lives of the population, at the same time implementing long-and medium-term development strategies, promoting structural reforms, and increasing the level of resistance to external threats.

In particular, in the field of security, the Central Asian countries have launched a resolute fight against extremist forces, have taken strict preventive measures against the growth and strengthening of the opposition, and are also using the support of major powers, primarily Russia, to preserve national and regional stability.

It is obvious that the countries of the region are trying to pursue a balanced foreign policy towards such major powers as Russia, the United States, China, Turkey, and Iran, hoping that this will form a healthy competition between them in Central Asia and will contribute to the development of each country in the region separately. In general, this policy justifies itself and allows us to maintain peace and stability in the region. It should be noted that the activities of the Central Asian countries within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), where all of them, with the exception of Turkmenistan, are included, also contribute to the progressive development of the countries of this region and add calm to their daily lives.

However, not everything is as smooth as it may seem at first glance. For example, the recent climate of goodwill in the region has been overshadowed by the conflict between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which have long-standing differences over border issues. It is sad that the conflict on the border of the two states led to human casualties in April of this year. Then, during the armed clashes on both sides, 55 people were killed, more than 300 were injured, and hundreds lost their homes. Of course, this local conflict has a negative impact on the stability and security of the entire region, and this fact cannot but worry Russia. In this regard, it is not surprising that Moscow acted as a mediator in the settlement of the border conflict between Bishkek and Dushanbe.

Thus, on May 8, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon paid a visit to Moscow, where he held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed issues of bilateral relations and regional security, including the situation around the Tajik-Kyrgyz border. And on May 24, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov came to Sochi, who also discussed with Vladimir Putin the issues of stabilizing the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. It should be noted that in early June, the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border normalized.

Certain territorial differences between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan do not add to the stability and calm in the region. However, it is encouraging that during the visit of Kyrgyz leader Sadyr Zhaparov to Uzbekistan on March 11-12 and his talks with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the contradictions on this issue were somewhat smoothed out. In particular, the leaders of the two countries made it clear that the final work on the delimitation of approximately 350 kilometers of disputed sections of the 1,400-kilometer border may take several months. Therefore, we can note with satisfaction that the agreement was reached within a few weeks after the visit of the Kyrgyz leader to Uzbekistan.

For example, the most important element of the agreement reached between the parties was the commitment to establish numerous checkpoints for the passage of cars and minibuses plying between Uzbekistan and its Sokh enclave, which is located on Kyrgyz territory. In addition, Kyrgyzstan has received large tracts of land, and Uzbekistan has gained some confidence that it will be granted access to water resources in the upper reaches of reservoirs located in Kyrgyzstan.

It is noteworthy that these agreements were reached by the parties without the participation of external intermediaries, such as Russia or Kazakhstan. This example once again proves that the Central Asian states can solve their own controversial issues on their own. And this fact cannot but rejoice, because it indicates the growing maturity of the states of this region.

A source