US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday expressed US support for the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, where Washington hopes to strengthen its influence in the face of former tutelary power Russia and the growing weight of rival China.
The head of the American diplomacy spoke with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in the Kazakh capital Astana, during this tour which comes a few days after the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine .
His visit was intended to strengthen the footprint of the United States in this region caught between the powerful Russian neighbor, a former tutelary power now concentrated on Ukraine, and the growing influence of China, in particular via its “new silk roads” investment project.
Main announcement made during his visit, Mr. Blinken indicated that 25 million additional dollars will be released, after a first equivalent tranche announced in September, to help Central Asian countries in particular to diversify their trade routes and create jobs.
The American Secretary of State also recalled during a press conference the attachment of the United States to the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence” of the five Central Asian nations. to help Central Asian countries in particular diversify their trade routes and create jobs. The American Secretary of State also recalled during a press conference the attachment of the United States to the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence” of the five Central Asian nations. to help Central Asian countries in particular diversify their trade routes and create jobs. The American Secretary of State also recalled during a press conference the attachment of the United States to the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence” of the five Central Asian nations.
Source : Lorient Le Jour