Kazakhstan's multilateral foreign policy, balancing and managing interactions in Central Asia

Akramiyan, Seyed Mohmamd Hosein; Talebi Matin, Ali Akbar

doi:10.22034/ca.2026.2089473.1991

Kazakhstan's multilateral foreign policy, balancing and managing interactions in Central Asia

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

seyed mohmamd hosein akramiyan ¹

ali akbar talebi matin ²

¹ PhD in Political Science, Department of Political Science, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran and Strategic Researcher at the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization

² Former Cultural Advisor of the Iranian Embassy in Kazakhstan and PhD in Cultural Management and Planning from Tehran University of Science and Research

10.22034/ca.2026.2089473.1991

Abstract

Since its independence in 1990, Kazakhstan, as one of the leading countries in Central Asia, has considered following a balanced multilateral foreign policy model in international and regional interactions with Eastern powers (including China and Russia) and Western powers (including the European Union and the United States). Efforts to benefit from “multi-level and indivisible” mutual interests, pursuing “mutual procedures and principles,” as well as taking action and action at the “reciprocal” level in relations and interactions with regional and trans-regional actors are on the agenda of this country’s governance. The process of these interactions and relations can be examined in the framework of the “balanced multilateralism” model. In this paper, the levels of this relationship are examined case by case and in relation to four actors; China and Russia (in the form of Eastern actors) and the United States and the European Union (in the form of Western actors) will be explained and analyzed. The data collection method in this paper is the use of a library model and is based on a descriptive-analytical model in terms of methodology. The results of the research show that the pursuit of the "independent", "interactive", "pluralistic" and "intelligent" model of Kazakhstan's foreign policy towards Russia, China, as well as the United States and the European Union, has occurred and continued in the form of multilateral balancing.

Keywords

Kazakhstan

balanced multilateralism

East-West bloc

Central Asia

Eurasia

Subjects