Karimov Expresses Regional Stability Fears

The president of Uzbekistan says that he fears a new Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan will spark a military contest between world powers and ultimately threaten security in Central Asia.

President Islam Karimov told a press conference on December 12 that the move, which comes hot on the heels of the establishment of airbases for United States-led forces in his own country as well as Kyrgyzstan, could prove "counterproductive to this overheated region".

Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the creation of a Rapid Deployment Forces Coalition, RDFC, in Central Asia at an airbase in the city of Kant, 20 km from the capital Bishkek, when on a visit to the country earlier in the month.

Aviation units formed by the air forces of Kyrgyzstan and Russia will be able to provide support for the main RDFC forces in fighting international terrorism if necessary, Putin said.

The move has been widely seen as a diplomatic coup for Kyrgyz president Askar Akaev with the increased ties with Russia ultimately reducing the small nation's dependence on its neighbours.

However, while it may have greatly strengthened Bishkek's status in the region it was a move that was always bound to irritate surrounding countries.

Kyrgyzstan and its larger neighbour Uzbekistan have long had a difficult relationship, and Kuban Mambetaliev, head of the journalists' association, said that Karimov's latest pronouncements flow from his fears about how Russia's move will affect these ties.

"The Uzbek president understands that he can't mine borders and get away with it anymore, or do whatever he likes to his neighbours," Mambetaliev told IWPR referring to Uzbekistan's arbitrary delineation of disputed border areas and a number of incidents in surrounding regions resulting in the deaths of civilians.

Russian journalist Arkady Dubnov, a Central Asian specialist, suggested that Uzbekistan's president had even broader concerns of a return of Russia's imperial influence over the entire region a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Karimov himself drew attention to such regional power plays at his press conference. "Some of my presidential colleagues constantly try to show who is closer to Russia," he said.

He did not hold back his displeasure at Moscow's manoeuvring in recent years, saying that in 1999 and 2000 it did little despite requests for cooperation in the face of incursions by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, IMU, into the region, "Back then we didn't get any support from Russia except for some vague promises, although the situation was extremely dangerous."

The change of attitude today was, he said, due to it wanting to show off its powerful military arsenal to the Americans. Herein, says Karimov, lies the danger, should the two powers become locked in competition and spark a regional security threat.

US-led coalition forces have been stationed in Kyrgyzstan's Manas airport since December 2001, as part of its "war against terror" in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Current strength stands at 1,700 soldiers, 19 F-16 fighter planes and two KC-135 re-fuelling planes from the Danish, Norwegian and Dutch air forces.

At Kant, Russian forces of around 1,000 personnel, five Su-25 attack planes, five Su-27 interceptor planes, military transport and training planes, and two Mi-8 helicopters are now expected to be in place by the end of next summer.

In both cases, Kyrgyzstan's warm welcome has seen financial benefits flow into a desperately poor country, which has experienced a continuing series of economic disasters since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In its first year of existence, the American military base alone is estimated to have spent 45 million US dollars.

Further, Kyrgyzstan's deputy prime minister Joomart Otorbaev told IWPR, that the stationing of coalition forces has attracted foreign investors, with funds expected to top 100 million dollars by year end.

Russia has in turn now extended the payment period for Kyrgyzstan's 170 million dollar debt for 20 years, with part of that sum to be used in the development of air base infrastructure.

A neighbour's displeasure may indeed prove a small price to pay as Kyrgyzstan opens its doors to two old foes and the political and financial benefits they can bring.

Meder Imakeev is an NGO activist in Bishkek and Olga Borisova is an independent journalist in Tashkent