http://centralasia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/29/russia-isolated-in-a-21st-century-world/ American Foreign Policy Analysis in Central Asia Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:28:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 http://centralasia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/29/russia-isolated-in-a-21st-century-world/#comment-3807 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:48:04 +0000 http://centralasia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/08/29/russia-isolated-in-a-21st-century-world/#comment-3807 I was impressed that Nazarbayev came out almost immediately and asked for a peaceful solution. He also encouraged other CIS leaders to speak. That seems to imply that he wants collective monitoring and responsibility in the region, not for Mother Russia to dominate all States. Let's not forget that North Kazakhstan at one point flirted with joining Russia. Or that Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan (which has had Russian troops guarding its borders) could be considered failed states at some point, if Russia wanted an excuse to take them over. I think the CA states see where this could be headed. I was impressed that Nazarbayev came out almost immediately and asked for a peaceful solution. He also encouraged other CIS leaders to speak. That seems to imply that he wants collective monitoring and responsibility in the region, not for Mother Russia to dominate all States. Let’s not forget that North Kazakhstan at one point flirted with joining Russia. Or that Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan (which has had Russian troops guarding its borders) could be considered failed states at some point, if Russia wanted an excuse to take them over. I think the CA states see where this could be headed.

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