The Kyrgyz presidential elections: domestic and regional dynamics
October 26, 2017 6 min. read

The Kyrgyz presidential elections are a positive sign for democracy in the Central Asian region. However, a recent quarrel between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan tarnishes the picture and threatens regional integration efforts. President-elect Zheenbekov is confronted with crucial decisions concerning the formation of a government. The presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan held on 15 October were remarkable in many […]

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Despite Hurdles, Russia’s Eurasian Dream Lives On
February 22, 2017 5 min. read

Economic dependence and shared cultures and borders make it nearly impossible for the former Soviet republics to break ties with the Kremlin without shooting themselves in the foot.

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Living in Interesting Times in Central Asia
September 6, 2016 6 min. read

Uzbekistan’s president is dead, a suicide bomber struck the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan leader cracked down on widespread demonstrations.

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China, the United States and the Future of Central Asia
December 10, 2015 4 min. read

Given the amount of money already committed to supporting Afghanistan’s development, the effects of increased spending in Central Asia would be limited. Rather, the U.S. should withdraw from the region, leaving China and Russia to battle over influence.

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The Weight of History on the Arrested Development of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Potential
January 27, 2015 4 min. read

Kazakhstan’s tragic history of nuclear catastrophe still bears heavily on the national consciousness in the midst of new talks with Toshiba.

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China’s New Economic Silk Road – Another White Elephant?
November 11, 2014 4 min. read

While Chinese President Xi Jinping is busy greeting world leaders this week at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing, here in the quiet, old Dutch town of Galle, Sri Lanka, Chinese tourists are visiting one of the best preserved colonial-era cities in Southeast Asia.

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Cultural Cleansing with Chinese Characteristics?
September 12, 2014 5 min. read

In the remote northwestern autonomous region of Xinjiang, China authorities are certainly being exhaustive in their attempts to stem a spike in the long-running activity of Islamic militants. Recent attempts have involved the use of drones employed to locate, capture and kill suspected Islamic militants in the region, as well as restrictions being placed on the practice of Islam and the wearing of beards and veils in public.

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Chinese Autonomous Province May Seek to Limit Uighur Births
September 8, 2014 5 min. read

Authorities in the violence-prone Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China are sparing no measure in their crackdown on existing terrorists, and through a recently proposed policy, may even be trying to stem the birth of future terrorists. After a series of anti-terrorism efforts have repeatedly failed to stem the ongoing violence, a recent article in the party political theory journal Qiushi suggests Xinjiang may soon adopt limits on the ability of ethnic groups to bear children.

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China’s Challenges in Central Asia
March 1, 2013 4 min. read

Just when things are hotting up again with its neighbors in the East and South China Seas, Beijing faces new challenges from its western neighbors in Central Asia.  A report released on February 27 entitled “China’s Central Asia Problem” issued by the International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based non-governmental organization tasked with reducing deadly conflict, […]

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UN Members Must Rise to September’s Rule of Law Challenge
July 3, 2012 6 min. read

After more than a year of planning, much diplomatic hype, and thousands of attendees, last month’s UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro produced what one activist called a “failure of epic proportions.” The few agreements—including yet another “universal intergovernmental high level political forum” to talk some more—seemed to fall well short of the challenge […]

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