On March 31, 2011 Tashkent hosted a roundtable on the “Problems of regional security and prospects for ensuring stability in Afghanistan». The roundtable was organized by the Center for Political Studies with the assistance of the Fund Forum.
The event was organized within the framework of the visit of Ambassador Ross Wilson, Director of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council of the United States.
The Atlantic Council of the United States is one of the leading non-governmental think tanks in the world that is an advisory body to the U.S. government and other partner countries on a wide range of issues of international relations.
The scope of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center includes the study of processes in the fields of politics, economy and energy in a vast region, which unites Eastern Europe, the Caspian-Black Sea basin and Central Asia. The main objective of the Center is to promote stability, international dialogue and regional cooperation. Ambassador Ross Wilson, Director of the Center, is a career diplomat and has 30 years of experience in the diplomatic service.
The Atlantic Council of the United States is one of the leading non-governmental think tanks in the world that is an advisory body to the U.S. government and other partner countries on a wide range of issues of international relations.
The scope of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center includes the study of processes in the fields of politics, economy and energy in a vast region, which unites Eastern Europe, the Caspian-Black Sea basin and Central Asia. The main objective of the Center is to promote stability, international dialogue and regional cooperation. Ambassador Ross Wilson, Director of the Center, is a career diplomat and has 30 years of experience in the diplomatic service.
The event summoned a wide interest in the expert circles of Uzbekistan. The roundtable brought together leading experts from the scientific and analytical centers, representatives of 15 ministries and agencies, academic milieus of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as independent think tanks specializing on the issues of regional politics, security and economy.
Subsequently, the roundtable discussed a number of topical issues in the region of Central Asia (CA). This particularly includes a military-political situation in Afghanistan, the role of neighboring countries to achieve peace and harmony in this country, as well as prospects for further political and economic cooperation between the U.S. and regional countries.
In his speech, Ambassador Wilson noted the increasing role of CA in the system of international relations. According to Mr. Wilson, the U.S. paid an insufficient attention to Central Asian countries, whereas the need for intensification of bilateral relations and deepening of cooperation, especially in the context of the Afghan issue has become an increasingly apparent. As was noted by R.Wilson, one of the key roles in resolving the Afghan crisis is given to neighboring countries. In particular, according to the U.S. expert, a significant contribution to resolving the situation in Afghanistan can be achieved with the active support from Uzbekistan. In this regard, R.Wilson noted the positive dynamics of bilateral political and economic relations between the U.S. and Uzbekistan.
According to the American diplomat, a breakthrough in resolving the Afghan crisis will depend largely on how successfully the determination of official Washington to make a bid in the foreign policy solely on diplomatic efforts will be implemented in practice.
In the framework of discussions, participants of the roundtable touched several notable aspects of regional issues. Therein, experts noted the continuing concern towards military-political situation in Afghanistan on the background of the planned withdrawal of U.S. military contingent in 2014.
Along with this, reference was made to Russia's role in stabilizing the Afghan crisis, which particularly provides a strategically important northern transit route both of military (air transport) and non-military (railway transportation) goods to Afghanistan.
The roundtable participants emphasized that to date the CA attracts attention of the major actors of world politics, including the U.S., Russia, China and the EU, not only in the context of regional and global security, but also because of the presence of high interest in strengthening bilateral economic ties.
The theme of global and regional energy was also mentioned at the roundtable. Thereat, the recent trends in the global oil and gas market, as well as some aspects of pipeline politics in CA were highlighted.
Upon the conclusion of the roundtable, Ambassador Wilson expressed his hope for continuation of such kind of expert dialogue in the future. In its turn, Center for Political Studies expressed its willingness to become a partner in the organization of possible joint research projects with the the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council of the United States on subjects that bear a common interest.
Along with this, reference was made to Russia's role in stabilizing the Afghan crisis, which particularly provides a strategically important northern transit route both of military (air transport) and non-military (railway transportation) goods to Afghanistan.
The roundtable participants emphasized that to date the CA attracts attention of the major actors of world politics, including the U.S., Russia, China and the EU, not only in the context of regional and global security, but also because of the presence of high interest in strengthening bilateral economic ties.
The theme of global and regional energy was also mentioned at the roundtable. Thereat, the recent trends in the global oil and gas market, as well as some aspects of pipeline politics in CA were highlighted.
Upon the conclusion of the roundtable, Ambassador Wilson expressed his hope for continuation of such kind of expert dialogue in the future. In its turn, Center for Political Studies expressed its willingness to become a partner in the organization of possible joint research projects with the the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council of the United States on subjects that bear a common interest.
