Eurasia Task Force Concludes U.S.-Central Asia Relations Need Rebalancing

By Rob Sanna- Talk Radio News

U.S. relations with Central Asia can be improved by inviting local leaders to Washington, making strong statements demonstrating U.S support, and supporting border security to prevent terrorists and extremists from entering new democracies and the spread of illicit material, according to a new report from the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Task Force.

“It is a region that presents tremendous opportunity for democracy, security, energy production, for cooperation,” Chuck Hagel, a former Republican Senator from Nebraska and current chairman of the Council, said during a discussion on the report Monday.

Former Ambassador to Turkey and Azerbaijan Ross Wilson, who joined Hagel, noted that the United States has a history of providing aid for countries in central Asia because many of them were formed when the Soviet Union fell and they were very unstable.

Today, he argues, the United States are in a similar position except now the primary concern is ensuring that these new democracies are protected against terrorism, narcotics, and other destabilizing factors overflowing from Afghanistan.

Ross also pointed out that during the nineties, the region received plenty of personal and active diplomacy that involved high profile policy makers from the United States getting involved with the issues in the various new countries.

More recently, the dialogue has primarily been coming from the U.S. Military asking for basing, overflight rights, and other support while the civilian government demands democratic measures be put in place.

Ross argues that this policy has created an impression with local leaders that the U.S. only has its own interests in mind and not the interests of the region.