Carnegie Moscow Center
The position of the Russian Orthodox Church in modern Russian society remains unclear. There is a disconnect between the general population—which is disinclined to listen to the Church’s appeals—and the Church, which has a poor understanding of the society it is addressing.
As Kyrgyzstan prepares for its upcoming parliamentary election, it faces a number of pressing concerns, including launching an international investigation into the causes of the June violence, easing ethnic tensions, and addressing allegations of human rights abuses.
Recent developments in Russia's foreign policy reflect the country's struggle to preserve its status as a “great power” through modernization.
Following the June violence, Kyrgyzstan remains gripped by uncertainty surrounding rebuilding in the South and the upcoming parliamentary election. There is a strong potential for continued conflict in the country if these issues are not addressed.
Central Asia has significant importance to U.S. national interests and the Obama administration has a role to play in promoting human rights in the region.
The future for Kyrgyzstan remains unclear and the nature of the political systems in other Central Asian states creates the risk that conflicts such as those recently seen in Kyrgyzstan could break out in neighboring countries.
The circumstances surrounding the exodus of the Russian population of Chechnya and the deterioration of bilateral relations must be better understood if Moscow wishes to cultivate positive relations between Chechens and Russians and to avoid similar developments in other parts of Russia.
The role and importance of Orthodoxy in the Russian media is growing, but journalists and clergy alike have become overly focused on promoting their preferred image of Orthodoxy and demonstrating how they think Orthodoxy should be perceived by the public and portrayed in the media.
The role of Uzbekistan’s parliament has expanded significantly, but the transition from totalitarian regime to secular democracy will require further steps toward the decentralization of power.
Roza Otunbayeva, chairman of the interim government of the Kyrgyz Republic, discussed the recent upheaval in Kyrgyzstan and prospects for the country's political future and relations with the United States, Russia, China, and Europe.