Eurasia News Week in Review - March 28, 2014 Share This /

In the shadow of recent tensions between the United States and Russia, the U.S. is hosting a military exercise with a number of former Soviet countries. Meanwhile, President Obama surprised many in Georgia when he stated on Wednesday that Georgia is not currently on a path to NATO membership. Below is a roundup of these stories and some of the other top articles and news highlights from around Central Eurasia over the last week:

Top stories from Central Asia and the South Caucasus:

• The United States Army and Bulgaria’s Land Forces are co-hosting Saber Guardian 2014, a military exercise aimed at improving interoperability between NATO and partner forces. Over 700 troops are participating in the exercise, including soldiers from the three South Caucasus states and from Ukraine. Given its recent row with Russia, Ukraine’s involvement has resulted in wide media coverage of the exercise. U.S. Army Europe’s Deputy Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Richard Longo, addressed this dynamic by stating: "While some countries threaten stability in this very region, our peaceful, humanitarian-focused exercise will help bring stability to this geopolitically significant part of the world." Notwithstanding this exercise, analyst Joshua Kucera noted on this blog that U.S. is set to decrease its security assistance to Ukraine next year.
• Georgian officials were forced to respond to comments by President Barack Obama on Wednesday that “neither Ukraine or Georgia are currently on a path to NATO membership.” The officials downplayed the significance of the comments, with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stating that Obama’s comments were “‘absolutely adequate’ and realistic” and Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze saying Georgia “is on ‘track’ to ‘one day’ become a member.” Nonetheless, Eurasianet.org reporter Giorgi Lomsadze noted that Obama’s response surprised many in Georgia. 
• President Obama met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev during this week’s Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands. Following the meeting, the White House lauded the Kazakhstan’s commitment to nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear security, and released a Factsheet detailing joint efforts to assure nuclear security in Kazakhstan. Specifically, the U.S. pledged to continue strengthening security in the former Semipalatinsk Test Site, the primary nuclear testing base for the Soviet Union. In addition to nuclear issues, the official website of the Kazakh President stated the two leaders discussed trade and economic ventures and Kazakhstan’s assistance to the Afghan government.   

Quick hits from Central Asia and the South Caucasus:

• Unless tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalate considerably, Russian military experts interviewed by Joshua Kucera do not expect Russia to block access through its portion of the Northern Distribution Network.
• The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned suspected drug and arms trafficker Pahlawan Rozi, who is particularly active along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border.
• Kazakhstan temporarily halted Russian rocket and missile tests in Kazakh territory after a Russian meteorological rocket crashed near a village on Friday. Russia’s missile and rocket programs in Kazakhstan have faced domestic opposition recently, and in January the Kazakh government lobbied to gain more control over some of Russia’s test sites in its territory.
• During high-level meetings between Afghan and Tajik officials, the two countries discussed expanding border security, drug trafficking and counterterrorism cooperation.
• NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly visited Armenia and Georgia this week. In Georgia, the assembly reportedly discussed the summoning of former President Mikheil Saakashvili for questioning, a decision that raised concern in the United States and with civil society groups. A separate NATO assessment mission also visited Georgia this week.
• Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry announced that it plans to increase the number of officers serving as Partnership Staff Elements in NATO structures this year. The Ministry also stated this week that 94 Azerbaijani peacekeepers are currently deployed to support the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
• Azerbaijan purchased two air defense radar systems from Israel, the latest in a string of arms deals between the countries.