By Farkhod Tolipov (9/1/2009 issue of the CACI Analyst)

At the June 14 summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Moscow, the leaders of the member states adopted the decision to form the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF). However, two CSTO members, Belarus and Uzbekistan, refrained from joining the CRRF. Thus, the alliance once again failed to display the collectivity it needs for becoming a full-fledged military block.

By Roman Muzalevsky (9/1/2009 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Fethullah Gulen movement, originating in Turkey and with activities in 110 countries, has established a particularly strong presence in Central Asia. It promotes tolerance and inter-faith collaboration through secular educational institutions. But while secularism, democracy and the non-political nature of the movement are part of Gulen’s personal lexicon, the situation in Central Asia may indicate not only the leader’s political agenda of promoting moderate Islam and Turkism in the region, but also a gross misapplication of his expressed ideas by adherents on the ground.

By Oscar Pardo Sierra (8/19/2009 issue of the CACI Analyst)

One year after the August war between Georgia and Russia, the EU’s profile in Georgia has strengthened. The most visible consequence is the presence on the ground of the EU Monitoring Mission, which aside from seeking to implement cease-fire agreements provides decision-makers in Brussels with first-hand information about developments in the country. Before the war, however, implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was patchy; key areas such as market reforms and regulatory convergence faced strong opposition in key circles of the Georgian government.