Expert: Central Asian countries don’t want to become dependent on global players

The countries of Central Asia do not want to become dependent on global players in the market for raw material suppliers, but strive to maintain good relations with everyone, political economist from Uzbekistan Bakhrom Radjabov told Report, commenting on the potential cooperation of France with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the energy sector.

The expert explained that at the moment France is interested in access to the rich natural resources (including uranium) of the Central Asian countries.

“France needs uranium, as its supplies from Niger and the Russian Federation continue to be unreliable,” Radjabov said.

The political economist suggested that in the future the French company EDF will supply a nuclear reactor to Kazakhstan (this company is on the short list to supply a reactor to Kazakhstan for the country’s first nuclear power plant).

In Uzbekistan, the economic cooperation agenda will also prevail.

“In the French press, this visit is also covered as an attempt by France to give a geopolitical signal to the Russian Federation and China, to invite the countries of Central Asia to closer cooperation as a counterbalance to the growing influence of neighbors in the region. As for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the French press and analytical circles characterize them as “they have taken a course towards reforms, but are still authoritarian regimes,” so for the Central Asian countries this is an opportunity to discuss and demonstrate commitment to reforms and a desire to diversify partnerships,” concluded Radjabov.