Armenia and Central Asian Countries in the 1990s

Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the main task of the foreign policy of the newly formed states was the search for allies and economic partners. Five Central Asian countries made a relatively successful attempt at consolidation. It is explained in the article why Central Asia is mentioned, and not the Middle Asia we are used to.

Politically, they were never on the list of priorities for Armenia, but economically, Turkmenistan was the third for our country, being the main supplier of gas. Armenia was not in the circle of the interests of those states, either. At the same time, there were a number of visits. The visit of the President of Turkmenistan Niyazov, in March 1996, which was the first in the list of the leaders of the countries who visited Armenia, is of historical significance. The visit of Kyrgyz President Akayev, who was the first among the heads of Muslim countries to visit the Genocide Memorial in Tsitsernakaberd, was also of interest. Mediation efforts of Kazakh President Nazarbayev aimed at the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, are mentioned. The issues of energy security are also addressed. The Armenian diaspora of Central Asian countries is also mentioned, which, unfortunately, has no political potential. Even today, the relations with those countries cannot be described as too warm․