Central Asian States in the International System: Sovereignty as a Power. The Case of Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

After the dissolution of USSR, Kyrgyz Republic gained its independence in 1991. Kyrgyzstan found itself as politically alone and economically poor actor. Thus, Kyrgyzstan followed the democratic path of development and moved towards free market based system. This allowed Kyrgyzstan to not only attract foreign investment but also to become active player for outside powers such as U.S., Russia, and China. However, Kyrgyzstan experienced difficulties in addressing security issues, political and economic upheavals. More importantly, different great powers pose different challenges to Kyrgyzstan’s sovereignty. Besides, Kyrgyzstan’s internal and inefficient governance increases external dependence. Consequently, this dissertation aims to explore why Kyrgyzstan’s sovereignty is declining and how the interaction between Kyrgyzstan and foreign powers affect the concept of sovereignty.