BISHKEK (TCA) — Although Uzbekistan has taken steps to improve bilateral relations with its Central Asia neighbors, some unresolved issues still remain in the region — from the use of water resources to cooperation within regional economic integration and security blocs, such as the Eurasian Economic Union and Collective Security Treaty Organization. We are republishing this article by George Voloshin on the issue, originally published by The Jamestown Foundation’s Eurasia Daily Monitor: The president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, paid an official visit to Uzbekistan in mid-September, highlighting improving relations between Central Asia’s two largest states. There, he met with his Uzbekistani counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, for the sixth time since the latter took office last December, following the death two months earlier of the incumbent (since 1990) Islam Karimov. Mirziyoyev had previously chosen Kazakhstan as a second stop on his first foreign tour as head of state, visiting the country in late March, right after Turkmenistan but before going to either Russia or China (Mir24.tv, Tengrinews.kz, September 16; Sputniknews.kz, March 23). Since the early 1990s, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been locked in a bitter, yet unstated rivalry for regional leadership. Despite its population of nearly 33 million people, in contrast with Kazakhstan’s 18 million, Uzbekistan had largely failed under President Karimov to open up the economy to foreign investors. The 2005 uprising in Andijan and the crackdown that followed drove the country into years of isolation. The European Union opened its permanent mission to Tashkent only in 2011, while the US embassy has existed since 1992 (Uz.usembassy.gov, March 22, 2017; Fergananews.com, January 24, 2012; Lenta.ru, May 16, 2005). Much of Nazarbayev’s time in Uzbekistan was dedicated to the discussion of bilateral economic cooperation, given both sides’ publicly acknowledged intention to strengthen trade and investment ties. Last year’s trade turnover amounted to $2 billion, but the leaders said it could increase to at least $5 billion by 2020, if all unexploited potential could be put to good use. Kazakhstan is now home to 130 Uzbekistani companies; meanwhile, 130 Kazakhstani firms are active in the neighboring market (Abctv.kz, September 16; Podrobno.uz, June 9; Sputniknews-uz.com, February 23). Mirziyoyev’s efforts to liberalize the economy and attract foreign investors seem to have already started paying off. Kazakhstani-Uzbekistani bilateral trade grew 35 percent year-on-year during the first seven months of 2017, largely due to the opening of additional border crossings at Mirziyoyev’s direct orders. The two governments have successfully launched a new car assembly line this year and are currently jointly renovating a major highway. The national air carriers have further announced plans to open extra flights between provincial capitals (Repost.uz, Uza.uz, September 17; Kapital.kz, Kazpravda.kz, September 16). Bilateral cooperation is also set to expand dramatically in the strategically important energy field. Following the discovery of several oil deposits in the 1990s, Uzbekistan almost stopped importing crude oil. However, those oil fields ultimately dried up. And now, with its refineries (capable of processing up to 11 million metric tons a year) running at only half capacity, the...
