Diplomat in Residence Program presents “Crossroads of Empires”: Presentation wraps up with “Democracy, Development and Security of Central Asia”

By Alexandra Murray
Collegian Staff
April 2, 2009

The Dunleavy room was filled Wednesday with eager students and faculty gathered to hear the Diplomat in Residence Program’s presentation on Democracy, Development, and Security in Central Asia.

On the panel were Counselor Meruert Saudabay of the Embassy of Kazakhstan, Political Attaché Dana Khussainova—also of the Embassy of Kazakhstan—and Stephen J. Blank, Ph.D, from the Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College. Moderating the debate was student moderator, Nikos Evangelopoulos, who facilitated questions from the audience.

The emphasis of the panel was the developing democracy of Kazakhstan, a democratized country that has been free of Soviet influence since 1991.

The establishment of a democratic and civil society in Kazakhstan, complete with constitutional reforms (including but not limited to the establishment of a parliamentary system of government and the reduction of the president’s term from seven to five years) have served to bring the country to the front burner, though the changes were more recent, Saudabay said.

The new government assembly is composed of 16 smaller, regional assemblies, demonstrating the emphasis now being placed on local authority, and the overall modernization of the Kazakh government as of 2007.

The increasing western-style of democracy also incorporates human rights and freedom of religion. Kazakhstan, a predominantly Muslim country, still emphasizes its “commitment to maintaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society,” Dr. Cornelia Tsakiridou, philosophy professor and director of the Diplomat in Residence Program, said.

Since Kazakhstan was under the influence of the former Soviet Union, Islamic extremism was unable to extensively develop throughout the country. While Kazakhstan identifies itself as an Islamic country, it does not strictly adhere to all of the beliefs found in the Qur’an, according to Khussainova.

Blank spoke to the audience about the importance of all the countries of Central Asia—including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and others—to the economic and geopolitical interests of the United States.

The Kazakh government emphasizes its mutual commitment to strengthening global interactions by being the first country to completely dismantle its large nuclear arsenal, which was the fourth largest in the world.

Though global relations remains one of its main concerns, Kazakhstan has also given millions of dollars in aid to neighboring countries for social projects and improving the development of commodities, which are so vital to these countries, Saudabay said.

The U.S. position in Central Asia was an important topic of conversation for the panel. According to Blank, the United States needs a Central Asia strategy in order to avoid security threats from neighboring countries including Russia and Afghanistan.

The biggest threats that Blank noted for the security of Central Asia were those dealing with terrorist activity, fundamentalist groups, narcotics from Afghanistan, and internal anxiety about governmental succession of rulers. “Succession could be the Achilles heel of these countries,” Blank said, citing the internal turmoil associated with the succession of rulers in Turkmenistan.

Blank also noted that the new administration, under the direction of President Barack Obama, needs to ensure that there is a unification of policy, and that a secure state be built in Afghanistan as “man does not live by words alone.”

murraya5@student.lasalle.edu