After Ukraine crisis, Central Asia takes control of its destiny
The Fourth Consultative Meeting of the heads of state of Central Asian in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan last month was qualitatively different from the preceding ones. A sense of urgency, and resolve to forge greater regional unity underlined the meeting, which took place under the shadow of the Ukraine crisis as well as in the wake of wide unrest and secessionist tendencies in at least three of the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. While Turkmenistan has seen a change of guard, in neighbouring Afghanistan the Taliban have completed one ...