Uzbekistan was a Soviet socialist republic from 1924 until 1991. Both countries have had diplomatic relations since 1992. In the first years of independence, Uzbekistan remained within the rouble-zone until November 1993. The country has since moved politically away from the Russian Federation.[1]
Good relations with Uzbekistan are a key to Russian great power politics in the greater Central Asian region.[2] On the other hand, Uzbekistan follows a "multi-vectoral policy" with good relations to Russia, China, the United States and other states.[3][4]
In 1999 parallel to the Kosovo War, Uzbekistan joined the GUAM alliance, which formed into an international organization in 2001. It was called GUUAM until 2005, when the country departed.[5]
In 2003, Gazprom took over control of the Uzbek pipeline network.[6] In the same year, Uzbekistan started gas exports to the then economically recovering Russia.[7]
In the aftermath of the May 2005 unrest, Uzbekistan demanded that the United States leave the base at Karshi-Khanabad. Additionally, Uzbekistan left GUUAM, which again became GUAM. On 14 November 2005, both presidents Islam Karimov and Vladimir Putin signed a mutual cooperation agreement in Moscow.[8][9]
In 2012, Uzbekistan opted to formally withdraw from the Russian-led CSTO alliance, leading some to debate whether such a move indicated a shift in its foreign policy to the West.[10] However, Uzbekistan remains a part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, of which both Russia and China are part.
^Martin C. Spechler: Economic Reform in Authoritarian Uzbekistan, in: Michael Gervers/Uradyn E. Bulag/Gillian Long (ed.): Traders and Trade Routes of Central and Inner Asia: The 'Silk Road,' Then and Now, Toronto 2007, pp. 235–251 (here: p. 239).
^Dina Rome Spechler/Martin C. Spechler: The foreign policy of Uzbekistan: sources, objectives and outcomes: 1991–2009, in: Central Asian Survey, Vol. 29, No. 2 (2010), pp. 159–170.
^Aleksandr Pikalov: Uzbekistan between the great powers: a balancing act or a multi-vectorial approach?, in: Central Asian Survey, Vol. 33, No. 3 (2014), pp. 297–311.
^Kees van der Pijl: Global Rivalries – From the Cold War to Iraq, London 2006, p. 281.
^Monaghan: Uzbekistan - Central Asian key, p. 127.
^Spechler: Economic Reform in Authoritarian Uzbekistan, p. 248.
^Pikalov: Uzbekistan between the great powers, pp. 297–311.
^Paul Goble: Moscow Set to Use Karakalpak Separatism Against a Pro-Western Tashkent, Jamestown Foundation Eurasia Daily Monitor, Volume: 11, Issue: 148, 12 August 2014.
^Igor Rotar: Are There Possible Future ‘Crimeas’ in Central Asia?, Jamestown Foundation Eurasia Daily Monitor, Volume: 11, Issue: 107, 13 June 2014.
