Political Relations in Central Asia

The states of Central Asia are often described in regional terms. This description has become further accentuated by a set of regional developments presented as the way forward in order to stabilize and develop the area before and after the 2014 withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan. This report examines the level of interaction among five Central Asian states as well as their relations with countries outside the region.The data were collected between April and July 2012 by one researcher in each country, and variations in terms of data availability and quality across the countries must be noted. This report is divided into four main sections. First, an overview of official visits and meetings between Central Asian heads of state and others is provided. Section 2 focuses on formal diplomatic relations between the Central Asian states and other countries. Visa regulations are summarized in section 3. Finally, section 4 provides an overview of the participation of Central Asian states in various regional and international organizations