REGIONALISM, NATIONALISM, AND REALPOLITIK IN CENTRAL ASIA

In: The Pacific review, Band 49, Heft 4, S. 637-655

Abstract

THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE FORCES PUSHING THE NEW CENTRAL ASIAN STATES -KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TURKMENISTAN, AND TAJIKISTAN -- TOWARDS COOPERATION AND POSSIBLE INTEGRATION. HE ALSO IDENTIFIES THOSE FORCES THAT LIMIT THE CHANCES FOR THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW TURKESTAN. DESPITE THE NUMEROUS IMPERATIVES THAT MAKE SUSTAINED COOPERATION AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION, MULTILATERAL COOPERATION AMONG THE CENTRAL ASIAN STATES -- LET ALONE INTEGRATION -- WILL REMAIN AN ELUSIVE GOAL, AT LEAST FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. THIS CAN PARTIALLY BE EXPLAINED BY RUSSIA'S POWER IN THE REGION AND ITS INTEREST IN PREVENTING CENTRAL ASIAN UNITY.