Engineered Volatility in Kyrgyzstan

Mar 23, 2016 | Geopolitical Diary - Ghostwriter
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Kyrgyzstan is a small yet strategically located country in Central Asia whose geopolitical significance has often outstripped its geographic size. March 23 marked the sixth straight day of an active border dispute between Kyrgyzstan and western neighbor Uzbekistan. An official from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Moscow-led security group made of former Soviet states, has been dispatched to the disputed area as both countries maintain their border security forces at high alert. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan's domestic political situation — which has been simmering — has the potential to flare up on March 24, the Day of National Revolution. Anti-government protests are scheduled to take place tomorrow in the country's restive southern region.