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U.S.-Uzbek partnership and democratic reforms
In March 2002 the United States and Uzbekistan signed a Declaration of Strategic Partnership. This document marked a qualitative break in the international relations of Uzbekistan and, to some degree, the United States' relations with Central Asia. Uzbekistan had sought closer relations with the United States since its independence in September 1991. But the course of U.S.-Uzbek relations was not smooth. Various obstacles hindered Tashkent's progress in making a positive impression on successive U.S. administrations in the last decade of the twentieth century. Tashkent's abysmal human rights record and the snail's pace of democratic reforms made the notion of closer ties with Uzbekistan unsavoury for U.S. policy makers. At the same time, Washington was more concerned with developments in Russia. Other former Soviet republics, especially the five Central Asian states, were relegated to the periphery of the U.S. strategic outlook. But the dramatic events of September 11 and the subsequent U.S.-led "war on terror" changed the geopolitical landscape of Central Asia. The consequent development of ties between Tashkent and Washington was beyond the wildest dreams of Uzbek foreign policy makers. Virtually overnight, Uzbek leaders found themselves in a position to pursue an ambitious foreign policy without being slowed by domestic considerations.
History
Journal
Nationalities papers: the journal of nationalism and ethnicityVolume
32Issue
2Pagination
271 - 286Publisher
Carfax PublishingLocation
Abingdon, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0090-5992eISSN
1465-3923Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2004, Association for the Study of NationalitiesUsage metrics
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