Challenges and Prospects for Turkmenistan’s Engagement with the US and EU

In this article, the author focuses on the potential, prospects and challenges of Turkmenistan’s relations with the US and the EU. He analyses the key factors that have shaped the interest of these global actors in the former Soviet republic following its independence. The struggle for 'resource accumulation’, control over natural resources and important transport corridors has determined the priorities of global powers and geopolitical alliances. Geopolitical and geoeconomic factors have determined the keen interest of both the US and the EU in developing relations with Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, while the value of Turkmenistan’s potential was not immediately apparent to western governments. The study shows that as a Caspian Sea country, Turkmenistan's international subjectivity has increased significantly on account of the main factors determining its foreign policy, namely its neutral status and its focus on energy exports. Differences of political culture and civilisational codes between the sides also played an important role, making the development of relations between the US and the EU, on the one hand, and Turkmenistan, on the other, considerably more difficult.

Keywords

Central Asia, Turkmenistan, United States, European Union, personalist regime, policy of positive neutrality, cross-border security, major gas pipelines

Received

31.01.2023

Publication date

15.03.2023

Number of characters

19969

Cite

GOST	Mirzekhanov K. Challenges and Prospects for Turkmenistan’s Engagement with the US and EU // ISTORIYA – 2023. – V. 14. – Issue 2 (124) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840024935-7-1 (circulation date: 25.08.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840024935-7
MLA	Mirzekhanov, Karim "Challenges and Prospects for Turkmenistan’s Engagement with the US and EU." ISTORIYA 14.2 (124) (2023) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840024935-7
APA	Mirzekhanov K. (2023). Challenges and Prospects for Turkmenistan’s Engagement with the US and EU. ISTORIYA 14(2 (124)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840024935-7

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 235

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Alifirova E. TAPI — vse? // IA Neftegaz.ru. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: https://neftegaz.ru/news/politics/770650-tapi-vsye-iran-predlozhil-rossii-i-turkmenistanu-svopovye-postavki-gaza-v-lyubuyu-stranu-po-zhelaniyu/?ysclid=len9637wtp403164471 (data obrascheniya: 17.02.2023).

2. Akhmedbejli A. Gazovyj proekt Iran-Pakistan: SShA «protiv», Rossiya «za» // Informatsionnoe agentstvo «Trend News Agency», Azerbajdzhan. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: http://inosmi.ru/world/20120920/199513971.html (data obrascheniya: 16.02.2023).

3. Borisov N. A. Institutsionalizatsiya personalizma: institut lidera natsii na postsovetskom prostranstve// Tsentral'naya Aziya i Kavkaz. 2017. № 20(2). S. 69—82.

4. Gorak S. Osobennosti vneshnej politiki personalistskikh rezhimov (na primere Turkmenistana) // Mezhdunarodnaya analitika. 2021. T. 12. № 2. S. 153—165.

5. Grozin A. V. Pod turkmenskim kovrom. Ehlity Turkmenistana i «gazovaya geopolitika» // Postsovetskij materik.2014. № 1(1). S. 37—57.

6. ES-Turkmenistan // Veb-sajt Doma Evropy v Turkmenistane. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: http://www.europahouse-tm.eu/ru (data obrascheniya: 16.02.2023).

7. Kadyrov Sh. Problemy demokratii kak paradoksy diktatury // Turkmenistan. Istoricheskij slovar'. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: http://turkmeny.h1.ru/history/his1.html (data obrascheniya: 10.12.2022).

8. Kazantsev A. Prezidentskie vybory v Turkmenistane: chto zhdat' ot novogo glavy gosudarstva? // Rossijskij sovet po mezhdunarodnym delam. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: https://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/prezidentskie-vybory-v-turkmenistane-chto-zhdat-ot-novogo-glavy-gosudarstva/ (data obrascheniya: 16.02.2023).

9. Kryuchkova E. Turkmenskij tranzit // Kommersant'. 2023. 19 yanvarya.

10. Martsinkevich B. Interv'yu // Moskovskaya gazeta. 2022. 13 iyunya.

11. Panfilova V. Ashkhabad sblizhaetsya s Moskvoj // Nezavisimaya gazeta. 2022. 2 noyabrya.

12. Panfilova V. Knut i pryanik Ehntoni Blinkena // Nezavisimaya gazeta. 2023. 26 fevralya.

13. Fukuyama F. Konets istorii i poslednij chelovek. M.: AST, 2015.

14. Ehssenov M. Vneshnyaya politika Turkmenistana i ee vliyanie na sistemu regional'noj bezopasnosti // Tsentral'naya Aziya i Kavkaz. 2001. № 1 (13).

15. European Parliament resolution on Turkmenistan adopted in April 2003 at the 59th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-5-2003-0449_EN.html (data obrascheniya: 16.02.2023).

16. Gupta P. Turkmenistan’s presidential elections: No surprise in the offing // Observer research foundation. [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/turkmenistans-presidential-elections-no-surprise-in-the-offing/ (data obrascheniya: 16.02.2023).

17. Turkmenbasy Turkmeni Dunya tanadyar. Ashhabad: EKA International, 1999.