The Diplomat
Thursday, October 2, 2014 - 07:29
For all the questions about the SCO’s purpose, it has brought at least one unlikely pair together.
Thursday, October 2, 2014 - 07:28
Despite some signs of progress, the littoral states still remain apart on key issues. Presidents of the five countries surrounding the Caspian Sea held a summit last week in Astrakhan, on the Russian shore of the sea. And while the Russian hosts declared that the summit moved the Caspian countries closer than ever to a final resolution of the stickiest issue – formalizing the sea’s international boundaries – strong differences of opinion linger not far under the surface.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - 07:53
In a 121-page report released last week, Human Rights Watch chronicles the dismal fates of 34 prominent political prisoners jailed in Uzbekistan. The report highlights larger trends of political repression in Uzbekistan, shedding light on the government’s “attempt to suppress a wide range of independent activity that occurs beyond strict state control.”
Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - 07:17
Iran and Russia have built unanimous consensus among the Caspian states, which also feature Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, over the inadmissibility of a foreign military presence in the Caspian Sea, ruling out any future possible deployment of NATO forces in the basin.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 08:40
Recently, the State Department announced a potentially significant change in U.S. policy towards Turkmenistan when it was designated it a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for particularly severe violations of religious freedom. The move came as a surprise to many Central Asia hands who may have asked “why?”
Friday, August 29, 2014 - 07:14
7,000 troops from five countries are in China this week as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) “Peace Mission 2014” military drills. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional multilateral body consisting of China, Russia, and the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This year’s military drill included troops from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in what Chinese media called the largest SCO drill yet.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014 - 11:21
But if Kazakhstan can develop an indigenous capability for high-tech weapons that will enable it to undercut Russian arms sales in Central Asia, which are a prime factor in preserving Russia’s strong position there.