Document Type : Research Paper

Abstract

      A study of the Central Asian republics’ actions and behavior after their independence shows that these countries have had different and sometime opposite orientation and strategy   in foreign policy. Since 1991 the newly independent republics have been seeking to develop regional cooperation and unification. This has been central in the republics foreign policy, because of their weakness in political, economic and security aspects. Yet, due to sudden changes in their orientation they have not been able to move towards coalition and unification.
      This paper aims to answer this question: “What is the regional governments’ view about cooperation and unification between the republics?”  The paper discuses that despite internal and external threats, since most of the threats come from inside and against the republics’ governments, any cooperation and unification process in the region are evaluated by the leaders based on how they can safeguard their governments through such coalition.  In fact, regime security   is an essential issue in the republics domestic and foreign policies.