Blog
Crossroads Asia
Kyrgyz Opposition Leader in Hot Water Over a 2009 Border Deal
By Catherine Putz
A document signed in 2009 is now at the center of a scandal that has the Kyrgyz government crying treason.
Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Says US-NATO Steppe Eagle Exercise Will ‘No Longer Fly’
By Catherine Putz
Without directly commenting, CENTOM told The Diplomat that “plans for shared military environments involving our partners in Kazakhstan are currently underway.”
Voting with Their Feet: Emigration in the Aftermath of Kazakhstan’s Bloody January
By Akbota Karibayeva and Aruzhan Meirkhanova
Fears of continued instability and uncertainty over the government’s course of action may cause more people to decide to leave Kazakhstan.
New Strikes and Protests in Kazakhstan
By Catherine Putz
Though smaller in scale, ongoing protests highlight the economic inequality that lies at the center of Kazakh discontent.
CSTO Deployment in Kazakhstan: Strategic Shift or Political Consolidation?
By Gregory Gleason and Pal Dunay
A great deal depends on how Kazakhstan recovers from the disorder and orients itself toward the changing international security terrain.
Why Did Central Asia’s Leaders Go to Beijing?
By Catherine Putz
The visits by all five Central Asian presidents to China for the opening of the Beijing Games illustrate the importance of the relationship for both sides.
Killings and Arbitrary Arrests: Sorting Through Kazakhstan’s January Violence
By Catherine Putz
Officially, 227 people were killed in “Bloody January” and nearly 1,000 remain in detention. But what really happened?
Mongolia Now Has a Record Number of Women Ambassadors
By Bolor Lkhaajav
The achievement is part of a long trek toward gender equality in Mongolia's foreign policy.
Tokayev Urges Balancing of Nazarbayev’s Shortcomings and Merits
By Catherine Putz
“Let us pay tribute to the historical merits of the first president… and leave possible miscalculations as a warning to the future leaders of our country," Tokayev said.
2 Very Different Uzbek Bloggers Both Punished for Their Speech
By Catherine Putz
That the two are quite ideologically different illustrates the state’s unease with what it perceives as extremes, whether progressive or conservative.
Kazakh President Takes Aim at Wealthy Elite
By Catherine Putz
In asking Kazakhstan's rich to "pay their dues" Tokayev is addressing an aspect of public anger, but also might just be securing himself in power.
Blackouts Strike Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan
By Catherine Putz
The widespread blackout highlights a series of interconnected and concerning problems relating to reliable energy supplies in the region