Integration Processes in Central Asia: Without Russia?

The author of this article assesses the interaction processes between Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, examining trends that are oriented toward regional integration. The author identifies the main reasons for the failure of integration initiatives, including, first and foremost, the region’s rejection of supranational institutions to which participating countries would delegate significant decision-making powers, the implementation of which would be binding on all participants. Intraregional competition is examined, including competition for regional leadership status between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. From the perspective of integration prospects, the format of consultative meetings of the presidents of Central Asian countries and interaction under the C5+1 formula is analyzed. Through the prism of the possibilities for forming a common pan-regional subjectivity, in the article examines the identity characteristics of the Central Asian region.