Kyrgyzstan - Regime Security and Foreign Policy
Kyrgyzstan is an interesting example of a relatively weak state, which for its brief period of independence has already ousted two presidents, experienced two revolutions, survived two interethnic conflicts and yet remained intact. This book explores this apparent paradox and argues that the schism between domestic and international dimensions of state and regime security is key to understanding the nature of Kyrgyz politics. The book shows how the foreign policy links to the Manas Air Base, used by the US military and essential for supplying their forces in Afghanistan, the economic arrangements necessary for sustaining the base, both inside and outside Kyrgyzstan, and the myriad of different actors involved in all this, combined to overshadow points of friction to ensure stable continuance of the status quo. Overall, the book shows how broad geopolitical forces and complex local factors together have a huge impact on the formation of Kyrgyz foreign policy.
Kemel Toktomushev is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Policy and Administration, University of Central Asia
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Kyrgyzstan Regime Security and Foreign Policy
Kemel Toktomushev
First published 2017
by Routledge
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2017 Kemel Toktomushev
The right of Kemel Toktomushev to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Names: Toktomushev, Kemel, author.
Title: Kyrgyzstan : regime security and foreign policy / Kemel Toktomushev.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. | Series: Central Asian studies series ; 31 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016022530| ISBN 9781138691964 (hardback) | ISBN 9781315533490 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: KyrgyzstanForeign relations1991- | KyrgyzstanPolitics and government1991- | Manas Air Base (Kyrgyzstan) | Transit Center at Manas (Kyrgyzstan : Air base)
Classification: LCC JZ1714.A9 T65 2017 | DDC 327.5843dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016022530
ISBN: 978-1-138-69196-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-3155-3349-0 (ebk)
To my family
I would like to thank a great many people who have shared this journey with me and who have contributed their knowledge, wisdom and energy to the creation of this book. I was very fortunate to write this book under the supervision of John Heathershaw. It has been immensely enjoyable and stimulating experience to work with John and explore Kyrgyz foreign policy under his insightful and supportive guidance.
I thank the University of Exeter and the University of Central Asia (UCA) for the institutional support that allowed me conduct a rigorous research of complex political phenomena in one of the most volatile and turbulent regions in the world. UCA is about to embark on a fascinating journey of its own by opening its doors to the most talented students from Central Asia, and I hope my book will become a useful guide to those who believe changing the world is possible.
Also, I would like to thank all of my friends and colleagues, whose support was vital to me. Special thanks go to Bohdan Krawchenko, Sally Cummings, David Lewis, Alex Cooley, Klejda Mulaj, Bice Maiguashca, Almaz Tchoroev, Taalaibek Saidov, Madina Sarkulova, David McArdle, Ed Lemon, Farkhad Kerimov, Patrick Gallagher, Mirgul Umetaliyeva, Iskander Kulov, Alina Murzaeva, Kurman Otorbayer, Murat Kaiyrbek, Shirin Aitmatova, Mel Finegan and Stephen Minas for their invaluable advice and assistance.
There are also a number of people to whom I express my sincere gratitude but whose names cannot be revealed and listed here.
Finally, I am sincerely grateful to my family. I would like to thank my sister for keeping me hyped and focused, my wife for being my true source of inspiration, and my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law for support and encouragement.
However, this book would have been meaningless without my dear parents, whose love I always feel.
And thus I thank my parents. For everything.
