As proof of this, the reader is given an overview of a number of significant bilateral negotiations that took place over a short ten-day period – on the eve of and shortly after the EAEU Heads of Government Meeting.
Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan: Meetings of the Heads of Foreign Ministries and Governments
The Foreign Ministers and Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan held talks on 29 January-1 February. The sides focused on discussing opportunities to eliminate obstacles to bilateral trade and cargo transit. As a priority task for the development of bilateral relations, the aspiration of the states to increase the volume of bilateral trade to $2 billion was identified – by the end of 2023, this figure increased by more than 12% to $1.3 billion. Also discussed were major projects of Kazakh investors in Kyrgyzstan, such as the construction of a solar power plant with a capacity of 50MW, development of the Bozshakol copper and gold mine, as well as the construction of a joint industrial trade and logistics centre on the border area in Chui oblast. The partnership and allied nature of bilateral relations was noted, which the parties plan to strengthen in the course of further bilateral activities – the nearest of them includes the planned visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan in April 2024.
Russia-Kazakhstan and Russia-Kyrgyzstan: Meetings of Heads of Government
On 1 February, a day before the meeting of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council in Almaty, the Russian delegation met with representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The parties expressed hope for further strengthening of partnership within the EAEU, SCO and CSTO. During the talks, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation M. Mishustin offered his Kazakh counterparts to build new production chains, and Kyrgyz counterparts to expand cooperation in the energy sector, including through the NPP project, which the parties have already discussed at the end of 2023. The two sides also exchanged views on creating favourable conditions for Kazakh coal exports through Russia, promoting the Russian language in the two Central Asian republics, and cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan in geological exploration and mining.
The Belarus-Uzbekistan Summit
On 7 February 2024, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Tashkent. The indicators of trade turnover between the two geographically distant partners were described as insufficient – in this regard, a proposal was made to increase the volume of trade up to $1 billion. Positive signs in this matter can already be traced now – the trade turnover between the two countries in 2023 increased by 15 per cent. To develop mutual trade, the leaders of the two countries agreed to establish a joint foreign trade company.
In addition, the President of Belarus expressed readiness to share with Uzbekistan the technologies available in his country and suggested setting up a joint pharmaceutical enterprise. The latter proposal can be considered highly relevant in view of the plans of the Uzbek leadership to multiply the production of medicines in the country and reduce the volume of their imports from foreign countries. A similar proposal was made by the President of Belarus regarding the establishment of a joint venture with BELAZ in Uzbekistan to produce dump trucks. This proposal also has a significant potential, given Uzbekistan’s increasing production of gold, coal and copper, as well as the plans of the country’s leadership to set up several new copper processing plants in the coming years. The establishment of branches of Belarusian universities in Uzbekistan, partnerships in the construction of poultry farms, and the development of the TEXNOPARK production complex in Tashkent were mentioned as promising projects for bilateral cooperation.
The two heads of state also discussed the prospects for expanding access of Belarusian exports to South Asian countries through projects promoted by Uzbekistan, such as the trans-Afghan railway. This aspect of the bilateral partnership is particularly relevant for Belarus in the context of European sanctions and the need to find new markets for industrial products. The parties agreed to continue political dialogue and mutual support within international structures, mentioning the UN, CIS and SCO among them. The parties noted the importance of a common language space, within the framework of which representatives of Eastern European countries communicate with their Central Asian counterparts without language barriers.
Belarus-Uzbekistan: Regional Forum
On the eve of Lukashenka’s visit, another event significant for the relations between the two countries took place, namely the Second Forum of Regions of Belarus and Uzbekistan, during which agreements worth up to $1 billion were concluded.
Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan: Meeting of the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister with the Foreign Minister and President of Tajikistan
Speaking of recent significant bilateral meetings in the Eurasian space, the visit of the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister to Dushanbe on 5 February 2024 should also be mentioned. Tajikistan, although not a member of the EAEU or an observer to this organisation, can be considered its promising partner and an active participant in Eurasian political and economic processes. During the visit, the sides positively assessed the breakthrough in agreeing on the disputed sections of the state border at the end of 2023, noting the opening of a wide range of new areas of co-operation in the context of overcoming political differences.
Thus, the recent EAEU summit was a central, but by no means the only event aimed at developing the Eurasian partnership. At the same time, its positive results, along with positive assessments of the outgoing year and hopes for the current year, were reflected in a number of bilateral summits with the participation of representatives of EAEU member and observer countries, as well as other Central Asian partners of the Union, such as Tajikistan. This whole set of events points to a significant intensification of constructive political and economic processes in the vast Eurasian space.
Boris KUSHKHOV, Department of Korea and Mongolia, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences. Especially for online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”
