The hostage drama helped underscore that in Chechnya itself there appears to be no end in sight to a vicious cycle of violence. The Russian military has begun withdrawing troops, but each day the casualty list grows longer and the human suffering spreads. Russian news agencies reported March 14 that at least 12 Russian troops were killed in a Chechen rebel raid on a military convoy.
As President Askar Akayev prepares for his inauguration at a joint parliamentary session December 9, many in Kyrgyzstan are pessimistic about the government's capacity to address a variety of socio-economic issues, including worsening living conditions, corruption and the exodus of non-Kyrgyz citizens.
Georgia's relationship with Russia is entering a critical phase, in which Moscow is seeking to compel Tbilisi's acquiescence on an array of geo-strategic issues by threatening to introduce a visa requirement for Georgians.
Mongolia in recent years has emerged as a focal point in the struggle between China and Russia for regional influence. In the decade since the Soviet Union's disintegration, China has significantly raised its profile in Mongolia.
EurasiaNet: The situation in Central Asia is deteriorating with the Taliban making advances, and a split has appeared among some Central Asian nations. Uzbekistan, in particular, is reaching out to the Taliban. How does Russia view President Islam Karimov's actions vis-à-vis the Taliban, and what might Russia do to respond?
Russia has joined the states of Central Asia in expressing alarm over recent military gains made by Afghanistan's Taliban movement, as well as the threat posed by the Islamic insurgency in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Leading Russian international security affairs expert Andrei Kortunov spoke with EurasiaNet about Russia's strategy and interests in Central Asia.
Following former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the enforced isolation of the Soviet peoples ended. Yet, the isolation of post-Soviet studies to a considerable extent remained, and still remains to this day.
Along with increasing security cooperation among themselves, Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are forging closer ties with NATO and its members (i.e., Turkey and the US) to enhance regional security.
