Looking Forward: Kazakhstan and the United States
Svante E. Cornell, S. Frederick Starr, Bulat Sultanov, S. Enders Wimbush, Fatima Kukeyeva and Askar Nursha
Notwithstanding Kazakhstan’s entrance into the Eurasian Economic Union and a growing perception of American disengagement from Central Asia, the major finding of this report is that the strategic objectives of the Republic of Kazakhstan and of the United States today are mutually compatible and even mutually reinforcing. Indeed, each country needs the other in fulfilling its goals. Therefore, this paper argues that, to the greatest extent possible, both sides focus their energies with respect to the other on advancing these commonalities. Immediate events will inevitably impinge on this bi-lateral process, but they, too, must be addressed through serious discussion, not confrontation, and within the context of longer-term roles and objectives. In sum, this paper concludes that, to a greater extent than in the past, both countries need to nest their bilateral relationship within broader policies directed towards the Central Asian region as a whole.
Related Publications
-
A Steady Hand: The EU 2019 Strategy & Policy Toward Central Asia
Executive Summary The launch of a new EU Strategy for Central Asia in June 2019 marked a milestone in the gradual development of relations between the EU and the region. […]
-
Rethinking Greater Central Asia: New American and Western Approaches to Continental Trade and Afghanistan
Executive Summary: Greater Central Asia is reeling from the twin shocks of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The chaotic U.S. withdrawal risks postponing indefinitely […]
-
Religion and the Secular State in Kyrgyzstan
Summary Since independence, religion has become ever more important as an identity marker in Kyrgyzstan, with increased practical relevance in the everyday lives of many citizens. This religious revival poses […]