Kyrgyzstan Quarrels With the United States, Again

Kyrgyzstan and the United States are once again involved in a tense diplomatic dispute. This time it concerns a human rights award the U.S. State Department granted to Azimzhan Askarov, a Kyrgyz national and human rights activist serving a jail term in the country. Kyrgyz and U.S. diplomats met in Bishkek on July 29, but Kyrgyzstan had already renounced a cooperation agreement between the two countries. The Kyrgyz government is clearly concerned that its strong ties with Russia in the context of Moscow's broader standoff with the West puts it at risk of U.S. retaliation. Moreover, Bishkek fears the country's history of political instability, along with growing economic problems and important elections in October, could threaten the government's position.