Having experienced two Batken wars in the summers of 1999 and 2000, Kyrgyzstani officials have come to the conclusion that they can expect significant help from nowhere except Russia. Defense Minister Esen Topoev, cited in the newspaper Vechernii Bishkek, called Russia 'a main strategic partner', saying that Russia was the country that had provided the largest help during the recent wars. It seems that President Akaev, who was trying to sit on two chairs at once by flirting with both Russia and the West now counts on Putin's help more than on anybody else's. Statements such as 'only with Russia can the Kyrgyz people be strong' or 'we go towards progress and prosperity in political, economic and cultural unity with Russia' led many observers to conclude that any remaining euphoria about foreign countries' help and assistance had disappeared.

As the Russian newspaper Izvestiya cited on the information site Ferghana Community, Central Asian leaders have realized that neither Turkey, preoccupied with its own economic problems, nor the United States, mostly concerned with Saddam Hussein and Bin Laden, are willing to assist the Central Asian republics in their struggle against Uzbek and Tajik Islamists. Russia, however, sees Islamic fundamentalists as a threat to its national interests and is eager to provide necessary help in fighting them.

'Nearest allies' and 'strategic partners' were the words used by the local media to describe the environment during the May 25 Yerevan summit of the members of the Collective Security Treaty. The Treaty dates back to 1992, when it comprised nine CIS states. However, by 1999, there were only 6 members left. Georgia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, feeling that their participation in the Treaty did not help them resolve regional conflicts, left the treaty.

The main goal of the summit participants (Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Armenia and Belarus) was to discuss security threats in Central Asia. As Interfax reports, the presidents were very much concerned about the forces that undermine global and regional security. They are all strongly opposed to terrorism and extremism, which is acquiring a larger scale and is becoming better coordinated.

The result of the summit was the document on the creation of the Rapid Deployment Forces (RDF). The Information Center in Bishkek informs that the RDF will be composed of battalions from each country. An agreement was reached on the creation of a three-front RDF: Central Asian, Caucasian and Western. The Central Asian RDF, formed out of battalions from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Russia is to combat Islamic extremism and not to let drug trafficking and terrorism bloom in the region. Bishkek authorities are responsible for all necessary arrangements in order to place coalition forces command center in the city and to ensure the start of RDF's training as early as August 1, 2001. The Caucasian RDF, created by joint Russian-Armenian forces, is to overlook stability in the region and keep an eye on potential sources of instability emanating from Chechnya. As for the Russian-Belorussian RDF, it will be in charge of providing security and responding to challenges of peace in the East European CIS region.

Another focus of attention of the summit participants was the unratified document on military-technical cooperation. According to the Information Center in Bishkek, in the event that the document gets ratified, Russia will sell military equipment and ammunition the CST member states at procurement prices. According to the Russian newspaper Vedomosti, (cited on the information site Ferghana Community), Moscow might in the future use discounts on military ammunition as a lure for other CIS states that are non-members of the CST.

In the final statement of the summit, participants expressed hope that the continued cooperation among CST member states and the successful implementation of RDF will lead to the creation of a comprehensive collective security system. Interfax reports that presidents expressed a commitment to minimize social conditions which give rise to extremism and terrorism, by ensuring stable economic development and satisfying the socio-cultural needs of the population. In their joint statement, the presidents appealed to the leaders of other CIS countries and the entire world community to back them in their struggle against terrorism and extremism.

By Maria Utyaganova, student, International Relations, American University in Kyrgyzstan.