The Central Role of Uzbekistan on Renewing Central Asia

During the Consultative Meetings (2018, 2019), the main aspects of mutually beneficial cooperation were discussed, such as the development of transit and transport potential, rational use of water and energy resources, cultural interaction and strengthening regional security. 

During the second Consultative Meeting (November 2019, Tashkent), a serious achievement was the adoption of a Joint Statement, in which the Central Asian countries confirmed their determination to comprehensively deepen regional cooperation, strengthen the existing relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and strategic partnership.

All this gives confidence that through joint efforts the leaders of the Central Asian countries can independently ensure stability in the region, resolve all controversial issues peacefully in an open and trusting dialogue.

For example, close interaction between the governments and heads of the border regions of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan made it possible to solve the problem of the consequences of the breakthrough of the Sardobin reservoir (May 2020) in accordance with the norms of agreements on eternal friendship, strategic partnership and the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

The immediate reaction of the local administrations of Ferghana and Batken regions to the conflict situation in the Sokh region of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, as well as the political will shown during the negotiations, contributed to the rapid establishment of control over the situation and neutralization of growing tensions (May-June 2020).

Direct contacts between the heads of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as the measures taken to transfer the process into a political and diplomatic channel, made it possible to avoid further escalation of the conflict on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border (May this year).

The leaders of neighboring countries made a significant contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict. Thus, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held repeated telephone conversations with the heads of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, urging them to resolve the problem exclusively through negotiations in the spirit of friendship and good-neighborliness.

In turn, the President of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev, also stressing the importance of resolving all controversial issues exclusively by negotiation, spoke in favor of developing a mechanism for resolving border incidents within the framework of the next Consultative meeting of the heads of states of Central Asia.

This reaffirmed that this format appears to be an efficient and effective regional dialogue platform for confidential, constructive and open discussion of topical issues of regional cooperation and solving common problems of the CA countries.

Another evidence of the formation of a peaceful and friendly atmosphere in the region is the preparation of the first in the history of the region five-sided document on friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation in Central Asia in the 21st century. 

Until now, such agreements were concluded only on a bilateral basis. This synchronization of efforts and approaches of the Central Asian countries is a weighty response to many challenges.