Delegates from around the world begin a three-day meeting June 25 at United Nations headquarters to develop strategies aimed at containing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Central Asian leaders hope the meeting can boost regional prevention efforts.
There is great potential for interstate conflict involving these border countries. So even if the United States did not consider the Caucasus and Central Asian states of vital interest, it might be drawn in by the actions of others. Keeping the regions off the crisis response list should be a priority for the U.S. and Western governments.
The creation of rapid deployment forces marks a potential watershed for the Collective Security Treaty (CST), which is striving to carve out a far-reaching role as a security organization.
Shock waves from a dramatic drop in Afghanistan's opium production are beginning to reverberate throughout Central Asia's drug trafficking networks. Street prices for heroin in Eurasian and European markets have remained stable, indicating that the cutback in opium supplies still has not hit drug consumers.
Central Asian governments have a "unique opportunity" to prevent an explosion of HIV infections from spreading from high-risk groups, especially intravenous drug users, to the general population, experts said at an Almaty conference.
The European Union has worked in recent years to develop its diplomatic capacity. EU member states have paid especially close attention to developments in the former Soviet Union, including the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia. For example, EU states played an important role in securing the Council of Europe's decision to admit Armenia and Azerbaijan as full members in June 2000.
This year Kyrgyz historians and officials are planning celebrations of the 2,200th anniversary of the first mention of the "Kyrgyz" people in ancient Chinese manuscripts. The celebration is the latest in a decade-long string of festivities throughout Central Asia.
