Eurasia News Week in Review - March 21, 2014

03/21/14
Aleksandra Zaytseva
Central Eurasia
U.S. Policy, Drug Policy, Arms Control, Politics and Security

This week, the counternarcotics situation on the Tajik-Afghan border featured prominently during talks at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Moreover, new data published on global arms transfers showed a significant increase of arms imported by Azerbaijan. Below are some of the top articles and news highlights from around Central Eurasia over the last week:

Top stories from Central Asia and the South Caucasus:

  • The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published new data to its global arms transfers database. Of note is Azerbaijan’s significant increase in arms imports: it became the second largest arms importer in Europe over the past five years, increasing its imports by 378 percent between the periods of 2004-2008 and 2009-2013. Russia is the largest exporter of weapons to Azerbaijan, while Turkey, Belarus, Israel and Ukraine also play substantial roles. Analyst Joshua Kucera has examined Azerbaijan’s arms purchases from Israel and Russia on this blog, noting in particular Russia’s complicated position as an arms seller to Azerbaijan and a security guarantor to Azerbaijan’s rival, Armenia.
  • Representatives from Central Asian drug agencies attended meetings hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, where they presented their progress in implementing a regional counternarcotics program. Todd Robinson, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, attended as part of the U.S. delegation. For more information regarding U.S. counternarcotics assistance to the Central Asia region, check out our recent blog on the annual U.S. International Narcotics Control Strategy Report.
  • During his time in Vienna, the director of the Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency met with Deputy Assistant Secretary Robinson to discuss issues of bilateral cooperation, such as United States training of law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the U.S. handed over a new National Security Forces Communications Center to Tajikistan’s border guards. The $3.5 million facility was funded by the U.S. Embassy through the U.S. Central Command’s Counternarcotics Program and will provide technical trainers on radio maintenance.

 

Quick hits from Central Asia and the South Caucasus:  

  • The Defense Department announced a proposed 28 percent cut to the Pentagon’s Warsaw Initiative Fund (WIF) in 2015. The WIF funds Defense Department activities in former Soviet countries. Regional security analysts worry that the proposed cuts could negatively impact U.S. military cooperation with Ukraine
  • During a visit to Tbilisi, U.S. Lieutenant General Richard Tryon met with Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania this Thursday. The two sides discussed security cooperation and Georgia’s continued participation in the Afghanistan mission.
  • The U.S. Army organized an aerial rapid response training with Armenian riot crowd control troops and the North Dakota National Guard last week in Kosovo. The weeklong training familiarized the soldiers with quickly loading and unloading from Black Hawk helicopters.
  • During a visit to Azerbaijan by the Afghan foreign ministry delegation this Wednesday, the two sides drafted an agreement on security cooperation between their law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the two parties discussed strengthening military ties and assistance.
  • The U.S. and European Union criticized the sentencing of two Azerbaijani opposition leaders to prison terms on Monday. The U.S. embassy in Baku stated, “Our observations lead to the conclusion that the verdicts were not based on the evidence and were politically motivated.”  
  • U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Fatema Sumar visited Uzbekistan this week, during which she explored expanding U.S.-Uzbek relations and discussed regional affairs.
  • Kyrgyzstan’s coalition government collapsed on Wednesday after the Ata Meken (Fatherland) Party left the coalition claiming a “loss of trust” in former-Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev, who has been accused of “abuse of office and misappropriation of state and foreign funds.”  
  • In an interview with Central Asia Online, Uzbekistan’s National Security Service spokesperson discussed the service’s response to the perceived growing threat by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The measures include “[upgrading] its armed forces” and detaining or placing under surveillance 7,000 suspected extremists.