TURKMENISTAN’S INITIATIVES UPSET CASPIAN BALANCE
By Fariz Ismailzade (9/1/2009 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Turkmenistan’s recent plans to sue Azerbaijan over the Kyapaz oil field as well as to create a military base, border patrol service and navy in the Caspian have shocked Baku and sent a worrying signal to European energy and political circles. These intentions put the much-hoped Nabucco gas pipeline at risk and set the scene for an arms race in the region. Nobody is likely to emerge as a winner in this situation, and the general security framework in the Caspian basin is likely to worsen.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE NORTHERN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK IN CENTRAL ASIA
By Cornelius Graubner (9/1/2009 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The activities of the Obama administration hint that the main U.S. interest in Central Asia continues to be in its function as a military transit and supply hub.
CSTO: COLLECTIVE SECURITY OR COLLECTIVE CONFUSION?
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.
FETHULLAH GULEN’S MOVEMENT IN CENTRAL ASIA: A BLESSING OR A CURSE?
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.
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