Having experienced two Batken wars in the summers of 1999 and 2000, Kyrgyzstani
officials have come to the conclusion that they can expect significant help from nowhere
except Russia. Defense Minister Esen Topoev, cited in the newspaper Vechernii Bishkek,
called Russia 'a main strategic partner', saying that Russia was the country that had
provided the largest help during the recent wars. It seems that President Akaev, who was
trying to sit on two chairs at once by flirting with both Russia and the West now counts
on Putin's help more than on anybody else's. Statements such as 'only with Russia can the
Kyrgyz people be strong' or 'we go towards progress and prosperity in political, economic
and cultural unity with Russia' led many observers to conclude that any remaining euphoria
about foreign countries' help and assistance had disappeared.

As the Russian newspaper Izvestiya cited on the information site Ferghana
Community, Central Asian leaders have realized that neither Turkey, preoccupied with
its own economic problems, nor the United States, mostly concerned with Saddam Hussein and
Bin Laden, are willing to assist the Central Asian republics in their struggle against
Uzbek and Tajik Islamists. Russia, however, sees Islamic fundamentalists as a threat to
its national interests and is eager to provide necessary help in fighting them.

'Nearest allies' and 'strategic partners' were the words used by the local media to
describe the environment during the May 25 Yerevan summit of the members of the Collective
Security Treaty. The Treaty dates back to 1992, when it comprised nine CIS states.
However, by 1999, there were only 6 members left. Georgia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan,
feeling that their participation in the Treaty did not help them resolve regional
conflicts, left the treaty.

The main goal of the summit participants (Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
Armenia and Belarus) was to discuss security threats in Central Asia. As Interfax
reports, the presidents were very much concerned about the forces that undermine global
and regional security. They are all strongly opposed to terrorism and extremism, which is
acquiring a larger scale and is becoming better coordinated.

The result of the summit was the document on the creation of the Rapid Deployment
Forces (RDF). The Information Center in Bishkek informs that the RDF will be
composed of battalions from each country. An agreement was reached on the creation of a
three-front RDF: Central Asian, Caucasian and Western. The Central Asian RDF, formed out
of battalions from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Russia is to combat Islamic
extremism and not to let drug trafficking and terrorism bloom in the region. Bishkek
authorities are responsible for all necessary arrangements in order to place coalition
forces command center in the city and to ensure the start of RDF's training as early as
August 1, 2001. The Caucasian RDF, created by joint Russian-Armenian forces, is to
overlook stability in the region and keep an eye on potential sources of instability
emanating from Chechnya. As for the Russian-Belorussian RDF, it will be in charge of
providing security and responding to challenges of peace in the East European CIS region.

Another focus of attention of the summit participants was the unratified document on
military-technical cooperation. According to the Information Center in Bishkek, in
the event that the document gets ratified, Russia will sell military equipment and
ammunition the CST member states at procurement prices. According to the Russian newspaper
Vedomosti, (cited on the information site Ferghana Community), Moscow
might in the future use discounts on military ammunition as a lure for other CIS states
that are non-members of the CST.

In the final statement of the summit, participants expressed hope that the continued
cooperation among CST member states and the successful implementation of RDF will lead to
the creation of a comprehensive collective security system. Interfax reports that
presidents expressed a commitment to minimize social conditions which give rise to
extremism and terrorism, by ensuring stable economic development and satisfying the
socio-cultural needs of the population. In their joint statement, the presidents appealed
to the leaders of other CIS countries and the entire world community to back them in their
struggle against terrorism and extremism.

By Maria Utyaganova, student, International Relations, American
University in Kyrgyzstan.