... understanding with Central Asia strategically advantageous. Thus Central Asia acts as a dual purpose economic-security bridge for China: a bulwark against Uighur and pan-Turkic nationalism/separatism and an energy hub for importing oil and gas.
Russia
Russia has always viewed Central Asia as its own backyard and particular sphere of influence. Thus, the SCO has largely been seen as a soft entry for Russia to maintain and project its military influence into the region. While Central Asia may represent a buffer zone for China's ...
... Professor Marlène Laruelle, Professor Cory Welt, and Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies Peter Rollberg, all of the
George Washington University
, to discuss future steps in development of their joint project on Russian-American cooperation in Central Asia.
On March 26, 2014 the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Russian Foreign Trade Academy of the Ministry for Economic Development held a roundtable "
Trade and Human Development in Central Asian Countries: Russia's Forms and Tools for Expert-Level Assistance
." The participants discussed the advancement of trade in Central Asia in the context of the emerging Eurasian Economic Community, Customs Union and free trade area, as well as the impact of these ...
On January 22, 2014 the Russian International Affairs Council held a roundtable “Prospects for Russia-U.S. Cooperation in Central Asia: Joint Assessment” aimed at discussing a draft project of a joint RIAC-George Washington University publication on this issue.
The two countries may boast vast experience of consulting on international relations in many parts of the ...
... of the main players and donors in assisting development in the region, and evaluate Russia’s role and capacity in this field with due account of its national interests. The authors offer a number of recommendations on increasing the efficiency of Russian aid to Central Asian countries.
Authors:
V.M. Sergeev, Dr. of History (
Chairman
); A.A. Kazantsev, Dr. of Political Science; V.I. Bartenev, Ph.D. in History
Assisting Development in Central Asia: Strategic Horizons of Russian Engagement
, 853 Kb
... assistance to Central Asia within five years, transborder threats will inevitably increase, with Moscow losing its clout in the region, primarily to Beijing’s benefit.
On November 8, RIAC presented its
working paper “Development Assistance in Central Asia: Strategic Horizons of Russian Engagement”
prepared by the RIAC experts within the framework of the analysis of the situation in Central Asia after the likely withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan in 2014. The paper was presented by RIAC Deputy Program Director ...
... followed by a discussion of international development assistance tools aiming to facilitate integration processes in the region and improve Russia’s image in the countries across Central Asia.
On the RIAC’s initiative, a team of leading Russian experts on Central Asia and development assistance programs has conducted a study on development assistance mechanisms in the region used by its key donors: the US, the EU and China; they have also came up with a number of recommendations to enhance Russia’s ...
An international conference entitled “Creating a business cooperation community encompassing China and Central Asia” was held in the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences on November 4-5, 2013. The conference was devoted to the concept of the Silk Road proposed by China’s president Xi Jinping during his speech at the Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan....
Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a meeting with
Patricia Flor
, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, and her colleagues –
Caroline Milow
, Political Advisor to EU Special Representative for Central Asia, and
Rein Tammsaar
, Senior Advisor at the Political department of the EU Delegation to the Russian Federation. RIAC Deputy Program Director
Timur Makhmutov
, and
Elena Alekseenkova
, Program Manager specializing in Central Asia, conducted the meeting.
RIAC activities were presented during the meeting. In particular, special attention was ...
... example of what I talked about.
Open Buffet or "New Model":
The current agreement could serve as a model for Moldavian, Georgian and even Armenian aspirations to join the EU. Umland believes that Armenia may not be entirely lost to the Russian Customs Union, even after it rejected moves from the EU (See: Euractiv, 2013). It could even be a model for Central Asia. I have to come in at this stage and say this is getting somewhat absurd as we know that this area has always been a burden on the USSR, so why the EU or EU taxpayers will want such enlargement is very questionable. No gas prowess of the ...
