Statue of the first Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Turkmen Leader Has to Make His Choice Now
Turkmen carpet is a matter of national pride of the most unusual Central Asian republic. It is as amazing as the current under-carpet geopolitical struggle of world powers for Turkmenistan, a republic fabulously rich in carbohydrates, which is now at a foreign policy crossroads. It is quite significant that Ashgabat now talks a lot about ‘multidirectionism’ which is to replace ‘neutrality’ (read: ‘isolationism’) of late Turkmenbashi.
However, the term ‘multidirectionism’ is as polysemantic as incorrect. For instance, Moscow too talks a lot about the ‘multidirectionism’ of Russia’s foreign policy. Accordingly, Beijing speaks of the ‘multidirectionism’ of Chinese policy. Yet, it would be ridiculous to suppose that the foreign policies of these two countries, so different in their weight and potential, have any common origin and source.
In fact, each of the countries which speak of a multipolar world uses the thesis for its own purposes. For Turkmenistan, declaring ‘multidirectionism’ means announcing a foreign policy tender. Its participants are to prove their priority right – first, on the access to Turkmen energy resources, and second, on involving Ashgabat into the orbit of their influence in Central Asia. Apparently, the country’s former foreign policy is dying out, even if not as quickly as someone might be wishing. So, the new foreign policy is under formation now. It means that all world players struggling for Turkmenistan should act right now, before it’s too late.
The purely economic component of the struggle under the Turkmen carpet lies on the surface: the world’s leading economies more and more need stable and accessible energy sources. In this respect, quiet Turkmenistan, where no one blows up gas pipelines and is not so far using energy resources for putting pressure on the outer world, is just perfect. It is more complicated with the geopolitical component of the struggle for Turkmenistan. Trying to outdo Russia in the competition for the Central Asian republic left without Turkmenbashi’s supervision, the West is implementing its long-craved strategy for obtaining alternative energy sources, and is also trying to weaken the chief lever used by Moscow in recent years for reinforcing its leading role on the post-Soviet space. Consequently, today’s struggle for Turkmenistan and its gas is, at the same time, the struggle for Georgia and Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic states.
It is quite likely that while speaking of ‘multidirectionism’, the new Turkmen leader also means his wish to use both Russia and the West in his interests. However, he won’t manage to sit on two chairs at once forever. The struggle for influence on the post-Soviet space intensifies, and Turkmenistan has to make the choice now.
Sergei Strokan, observer
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 20, 2007
|
|
|
