CA: Introduction Flashcards
CA countries
Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Caspian Sea
Fight for oil of the coastal states, also Uzbekistan
Aral Sea
Dried due to irrigation, used for cotton cultivation during Soviet times
2 most important rivers
Syrdarya
Amudarya
- hydrodams, changing the inflow of the water, effect the countries located in downstreams
Kyrgyzstan
Fastest democratic development
elected president
water
rural women? bride kidnappings
USSR
Union of Soviet Socialist Rep.
- Russia
and it’s buffer zone:
- all of CA: UZ, TUR, KAZ, TAJ, KYR
- Baltics
- Bel, Ukr, Mol
- Caucasus: Geor, Arm, Azerbaj
Silk Road
connection between Europe and China, through CA and ME
emergences of cities and empires
Great game
competition between GB and Russia over CA
why? explain on the map: both Czarist Russia and GB colonies neighborhood, in between those 2 powers
Currently: Russia, China (mineral resources and trade), U.S. (aims to counterweight Russia, military presence) EU (oil e.g. NABUCCO pipeline that was cancelled but maybe changes now)
Regional interest: Also Pakistan, India and Iran, Turkey (Development Assistance - Turkic population in all of CA but Tajikistan)
again explain on the map
Uyghur Autonomous Region
In China, muslim minority
Transformation of CA after USSR
CA countries mainly rural (except for KAZ)
KAZ and TUR - boom in resources (oil, natural gas)
From USSR non-market prices to wealth from global market and competition
Republics unprepared for the changes
-transformation, decay, hyperinflation
Assistance from WB
WTO negotiations
No national tradition (they were Soviets)- later search for national identity (history, heroes, old towns)
Absence of national institutions
From ruble (hyperinflation) to own currencies
Economic reforms - the fastest in KYR (First WTO - 1998)
- Kyz- mainly Kumtor (gold mine) led the economy
UZB - a good starting point, but the slow pace of reforms today
- cotton and grains => Uzbekistan benefited most from resources due to lack of relying on pipelines
TUR - very slow pace of reforms and growth, especially after 1998 -crisis in Russia
Reducing funding for education and social issues (pensions) Lack of trading routes outside of Russia (oil and gas)
- Initial orientation only for Russia, but since 1996 more than half the trade outside of CIS (higher import from CIS than exports to CIS)
• Illegal trade - the drug route from AFG
Trends: Kazakhstan biggest area, Uzbekistan largest pop, Kazakhstan most urban people
- Economically best: Kazakhstan & Turkmenistan
Tajikistan economic recovery obstacle
Civil war 1992-1997
Leading powers in CA
Kazakhstan leads in:
- More economically developed than other countries
- Spatial and demographic potential
- Good relations with all three players in the region
Uzbekistan:
- neighboring with all other CA states
- No decision can be done without them
- Especially after September 11
Ferghana Valley
Ethnic conflicts along the border - enclaves
‘Neutral’ position of Turkmenistan obstacle for regional integration
Turkmenbashi = NIYAZOV
in practice: TURK not part of international cooperation
Shanghai Cooperation Organization: SCO
Established due to delimitations of the borders with Russia
Members China + 4 (RUS, KAZ, KYR, TAJ) today also UZB, IN,PAK, + observers (AFG,BEL,MONG,IRAN)
Regional integration
A lot of efforts- not all successful or the structure is dysfunctional
CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States
Compensation for the USSR
Russia’s attempt to preserve its influence
GEORGIA stopped membership in 2008
- the war in Ossetia / NATO?
TUR - striving for neutrality (the ‘associate member’) and UKR (stopped membership after annex. of Crimea)
Cooperative efforts, economic, political, security
Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB)
Remnant of CIS (which works ???)
Maintaining the degree of joint defense and military forces (assistance in case of aggression …)
Not to enter into other military groups
Russia,
KAZ,
KYR,
TAJ,
UZB, left and re-joined
ARM,
AZE, left
GEO, left
BEL
Creation of common army
The alternative to NATO, Russia’s position
2012 re-withdrawal of UZB - shift back to the USA? (UZB territory was/is needed for the withdrawal of troops from AFG)
Eurasian Economic Union EEU (operational since 2015)
single market (more than 17o million. people)
Founding: Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus
Newly acceded: Armenia, Kyrgyzstan
Economic, NOT political bloc !!!
Kyrgyzstan best position
Turkmenistan worst
Human rights and political freedoms
Economic freedom in CA
The biggest KAZ, KYR - currency convertibility
Problems with property rights and corruption - threatening foreign projects
Pressure on farmers - must grow cotton (UZB, TAD)
Bigger in Caucasus non-Muslim countries (see table below)
Freedom of movement, but bureaucracy
Own business - a lot of bureaucratic procedures
Defining CA
Many different concepts – depending on geographical and historical issues
traditionally – 3 main understandings/concepts
5 countries
4+1
5 + Afghanistan + Uyghur region
5 + N Afghanistan + NW China + N Iran + N Pakistan + Kashmir + sometimes also part of Siberia – according to Roux
What are GONGOs? or quango
quasi-NGOs, were established by the state esp. in UZB - have privileges, such as preferential taxation. Sometimes they were simply Soviet-era organizations under a new name.
(governmental NGOs), founded by the government → play a useful - less independcy
General problems of NGOs in CA
Fear of repercussion
Corruption
What was or is the situation in the NGO sector in CA? What is it related to? What is the difference between rural and urban?
In all countries but Kyrgyzstan the majority of NGOs are concentrated in the capital cities.
CA republics have large rural populations but NGO development in rural areas is mainly weak.
This is largely because the representative offices of international organizations are situated in the capitals, where people have more access to information. It is difficult for people living in remote regions to travel to the capital cities because of the cost of transport – especially in Kazakhstan, which has such a vast territory.
While in Soviet times differences in living standards between urban and rural populations were not so marked, because the state provided free education, health and social welfare services, there is now a sharp difference between city and village. More generally, society is becoming more stratified, more polarized between rich and poor, with poor people comprising the overwhelming majority.
What is the problem with the transfer of NGOs from the West
There is a sense in which the Western concept of civil society has been artificially attached to society in Central Asia and to the transition process. Much time and effort will therefore be needed before the concept is absorbed and assimilated. Not surprisingly, then, although NGOs are set up to help solve social problems, some governments in Central Asia tend to view them as anti-governmental organizations.
Language policies in CA
Women’s Rights situation CA
- Strong role in the household (under USSR stronger position)
- Domestic violence
- Lack of property rights
- Lack of ownership to their own body
- Belief that women inherit all the wealth of the family
- Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan trying to control bride kidnappings through law and change in culture
