KZBlog

Thanks to Net News Publisher for bringing this to my attention.

However as a resident of Astana it was hard to miss the fact that the newly inaugurated Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, was recently here. Roads were blocked off, Russian flags were hanging from hotels and planted outside Bayterek. Black Mercedes and Land Cruisers with government plates were to be found everywhere.

It is however significant that not only did the President’s visit inconvenience residents, it also marked the importance of Russia-Kazakhstan relations. The RFE/RL article points out that Putin’s first State visit as President was to Uzbekistan. Now Kazakhstan has become the main regional power with a stable society, a stronger economy, and more international respect and prestige. Kazakhstan also has more economic and political ties with Russia, partially due to geography and partially due to its large Russian population.

It should also be noted that Medvedev’s choice to visit Kazakhstan (and to make a visit so soon after his inauguration) reflects an interest in Central Asia over Europe or the US or other Asian nations. Recently Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in particular, have negotiated quite a bit over oil distribution and pricing. Medvedev clearly is interested in continuing this cooperation and seeing these deals come to fruition. His visit is a signal that Kazakhstan is very much a priority in his foreign policy.

Of course, the President will likely not bother to come to the US until after January 19th, when his new counterpart will be inaugurated–President Bush is a lame duck and there’s not much point in continuing negotiations especially as Bush and Putin recently signed a memorandum of sorts laying out where the US and Russia agree and where they disagree.

So it is notable, but not surprising that Medvedev took a chance to climb Bayterek first.