By Hooman Peimani (4/10/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: Over the last two decades, war and instability in Afghanistan have given an additional dimension to Indian-Pakistani relations. The two enemies have sought influence in Afghanistan both for its own merits and also for its significance for their regional interests. The fall of the Soviet Union and the creation of independent states in Central Asia have increased Afghanistan’s significance for them, as it shares borders with three Central Asian countries (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).

By Rafis Abazov (4/10/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: During the second half of the 20th century Kyrgyzstan, like other Central Asian republics, had among the highest population growth rates in the former Soviet Union. Its population doubled between 1926 and 1959 from 0.9 million to 2.

By Stephen Blank (4/10/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: Despite Central Asia’s new prominence, few observers have reported about rising threats to and from naval forces in the Caspian.  Russia’s Caspian Fleet is the only one of its fleets to have grown since 1991, but the more direct threat is posed by Iran.  Iran’s open desire to expand its territorial sector in the Caspian, obstruct agreement on delimiting the Caspian and dividing it among the littoral states, and to use force to threaten its neighbors is well known and quite visible to those governments.