During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on September 15-16 in Samarkand, a number of agreements were signed. One of them was signed by representatives of three countries at once – on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. The development of this economically significant project for the entire region began back in 1994. However, at that time the world entered the zone of geopolitical turbulence, and therefore the project was not implemented. And finally, it happened, according to the material of the Stanradar.com portal.
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov expressed confidence that the signing of an agreement of understanding on this project within the framework of this SCO Summit will become an important basis for further practical joint actions between the Chinese, Kyrgyz and Uzbek sides. This document will consolidate the unity of intentions of China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the construction of the road.
According to the plan, this project should link the whole of Asia: from the Chinese coast to the Middle East. The throughput capacity should be 13 million tons per year, while Kyrgyzstan intends to earn about $200 million per year only on transit.
However, the signing of this important document was overshadowed by the outbreak of conflict on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Controversial moments on the border of the two states arise constantly, the portal writes. Many Kyrgyz military experts noted that the methods of conducting this battle were the same as those of the NATO countries. Literally in mid-August, Tajikistan and the United States held joint exercises. The last time the conflict escalated during the CSTO summit. This refers to the border conflict in 2021 during the summit of the heads of law enforcement agencies of the CSTO countries in Dushanbe, when, as a result of similar heavy clashes, the parties suffered losses mainly among the civilian population.
At the same time, the portal asks the question that the organization, which was able to show its effectiveness during the January putsch in Kazakhstan, is most likely to be destroyed by the hands of the participants themselves.
When two countries that are part of the association begin to quarrel among themselves and refuse intermediaries, a natural question arises – why? And secondly, what if someone could be behind the escalation of the conflict?! And this someone really does not want to strengthen the role of China and Russia in the region, the portal is asking.
Internal problems multiplied by external ones
Some sources claim that both sides, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, need a conflict between countries, the portal writes. Above all, this is necessary to divert the attention of its citizens from internal problems, which are many. For example, in Tajikistan, the transfer of power from father to son has been going on for a long time. However, there are their own internal groups that would like to put their people. According to some reports, an internal political struggle broke out between the head of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan, Yatimov, and the only son of Emomali Rahmon, Rustam. Thus, a situation of undercovergames arose.
In addition, offshore accounts worth $3.5 billion were found with Rahmon’s associates and family, Stanradar wrote.
Generally known, that there are only 70 offshore zones in the world, which belong mainly to Britain, Luxembourg, the USA, Switzerland, and Singapore. Naturally, accounts can be frozen, and in order to prevent this from happening, the “Family” is ready to fulfill any conditions.
Not everything is calm in Kyrgyzstan either. The political field of this country has recently become “seething”. Starting with the rampage of the topic of rape and ending with the arrest of Bolturuk – appointed in 2021 as Special Representative in the nationalized Kumtor gold mine, which was owned by the Canadian company Centerra.
Geopolitics, and more!
If the construction of the railway is realized, then this will radically change the alignment of geopolitical forces, the portal believes. Western institutions will be replaced by China with its own economic projects. This will be unprofitable for Western forces and they will use any situation to prevent China from gaining a foothold in the region, at the same time it is beneficial for Russia to undermine Western positions, the portal believes.
This is also supported by the fact that immediately after the conflict on the border, the Kyrgyz pool of NGOsbegan to disperse Russophobia in social networks. So, for example, the editors of Polit. Lombard conducted a study, from which it became clear that 58% of all comments on the Kyrgyz-Tajik conflict were left by grant-eaters. And 22% of publications are written from fake pages. And immediately, the same NGOs began to build conspiracy theories that it was allegedly Russia that pushed Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan together in order to prevent China from building a railway. However, Moscow has repeatedly offered its assistance to stabilize the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, and this has long been known.
Is it a coincidence? Or is it still a deliberate act to divert attention, wonders Stanradar.
The well-known Kyrgyz political scientist Mars Sariev spoke about this in his interview. According to him, the task of the West is not only to undermine the influence of China, but also to open a second front against Russia:
“The task of the West is to destabilize the situation in Central Asia and not only cut off this new Silk Road, but also drop the reputation of the SCO, which cannot cope with conflicts. And at the same time unleash a second front against Russia. Because when two members of the CSTO are at war with each other, and the organization cannot provide effective support to one more of its members – Armenia, then in fact its role is reduced to zero. These are all systemic and competent actions of the West,” Sariev said.
After the border conflict, President of Kyrgyzstan Zhaparov said from the UN rostrum that he would involve such organizations as the CSTO, the OSCE and the UN in solving this problem.
Well, maybe after this step, there will be one less problem in the explosive region, sums up Stanradar.
Source: Stanradar.com
inozPRESS.kg,
Sept. 26, 2022