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Zh. Urmanbetova,
Professor, Kyrgyz-Turkish University "Manas" SECURITY IN KYRGYZSTAN
Security in modern Kyrgyzstan has become a vital aim for the survival of people, society and the state as a whole. The integrity of the state during the entire period of its sovereign development has been under constant threat and certain politicians in the international community, although theoretically, dismember the republic, determining the "masters" of its parts. Security from a standard of being has turned into an unattainable value in people's hearts and minds, and this is confirmed by everyday life.
To determine the essence of security in the Kyrgyz Republic as a theoretical concept it would be worthwhile to cite the words from a statement made by Yakushi Akashi at a UN conference:
"We need a broader and all-embracing concept of security, which includes not only military security as such, but also problems of economic prosperity, and ecological and even cultural security."1
Speaking of security in Kyrgyzstan we mean systemic security manifested in all spheres of development. In this sense it would be more acceptable to use the term positive security meaning the ability of the state and society "to reveal and eliminate traditional sources of conflicts and channel their efforts to averting all threats to stability and security."2 From the end of the 1990s the concept of positive (all-round) security includes such generally recognized elements as humanitarian, political, military, economic, ecological and information forms of security.
All basic internal and external factors of security related to the state as a whole are expressed in the concept of national security. For Kyrgyzstan it is the ability of the state to ensure territorial integrity, preservation and protection of national interests, political, economic,
civilian security, stability of living conditions, and anticipation of threats and challenges. The concept of national security endorsed by the President of Kyrgyzstan contains the generally recognized norms and standards with an emphasis on national interests and external and internal threats. However, its theoretical component is somewhat isolated from reality. During the past decade the main threat to Kyrgyzstan as a state has been permanent revolutions violating the main component of security, that is, stability of life, guaranteed calm and quiet, and belief in the future. This is why the first aspect of security - humanitarian - is the most pressing. Two radical changes in the life of a state during a period of five years is too much for any country, not to speak of a small republic entangled in endless contradictions and political conflicts and living through a permanent economic crisis. Internal threats to security are stronger and more dangerous than external ones, and, accordingly, to secure stability as the foundation of the vital activity is the task to be fulfilled by the state, which has not only to declare the concepts of national security, but should also implement them, which it has failed to do properly for the past decade, and can hardly cope with it at present. Kyrgyz citizens themselves do not hold guarantees of stable life of much account, which is manifested in their constant migration to neighboring and far-off countries.
The humanitarian aspect of security is actualized as a consequence of the revolutions taking place in the republic, whereas the dominant factor of the destruction of security in Kyrgyzstan is the political factor. The constant crisis of power and conflicts between its representatives result in domestic political instability and, as a consequence, the emergence of threats to economic, cultural, demographic, humanitarian, and the entire national security.
The two decades since Kyrgyzstan's has gained sovereignty have been a history of endless conflicts within the political elite. Unfortunately, the political security of the republic suffers and depends on individual political figures and clans. From the beginning of the sovereign history of our state it was Askar Akayev who, as the first president of the Kyrgyz Republic, has introduced and supported the negative tradition of political leadership which has led to the notorious upheavals and coups.
Political cataclysms are manifested with especial force in the period of elections to the main legislative body of power (Zhogorku Kenesh), thus reflecting the actualization of the phenomenon of tribalism in the political sphere. Tribal features of political consciousness proved stable and strong enough, which contributed to their inclusion in modern politics. The present-day political process is full of tribalism which passes into vividly expressed regionalism.
In this context it would be necessary to emphasize the deeply original features of political consciousness and public memory which predetermine the non-standard character of historical, political and socio-cultural life. The specificity of political consciousness and public memory is manifested in that power had historically been regarded as something sacral in Central Asia (particularly among the Kyrgyzs). After gaining sovereignty it has increased, which was partly a reaction to the bans and restrictions in the epoch of socialism, and during the transition period a new wave of "democratic sacralization" of power came into being. Public memory includes ethnic memory, just as political consciousness retains traits of generic consciousness, which inevitably leads to tribalism. Uniform political culture is absent, and the process of coexistence of traditional political culture with modern political thinking is observed.
It is common knowledge that the elite as the bearer of innovative ideas and organizer of practical actions should become the initiator of important social transformations. It is the elite that initiates cardinal changes in social development, political system and socio-cultural innovations. What do we have in our republic in this respect? Neither the elite nor the counter-elite which emerged in the first years of sovereignty could bear the brunt of responsibility and raise high the symbols of independence during the period of independence with dignity. To be honest we should admit that there is no really national elite which was able to take upon itself the burden of people's aspirations and carry it with responsibility and dignity. Our elite changes after every elections to Zhogorku Kenesh and sinks again into unending conflicts. The level of political culture of many representatives of the elite is catastrophically low. It is sad and funny to hear their speeches full of banal slogans. The popular masses heed and take up their slogans only during the days of "revolutions," when they really inspire them to militant actions. But in everyday life full of ordinary cares and concerns slogans cannot influence people, inasmuch as they have long lost trust in the powers that be.
Another aspect of security, military, is closely connected with the political factor, and it shows its instability at present, setting various political forces against one another. Military security is a priority for any state, all the more so for a small republic, which does not have a sufficient potential for protecting its territorial integrity. For the second decade already this aspect reflects the clash of interests of Russia and the United States, when the subject of discussion was the granting of military bases or the presence of military contingent. This problem, which remained unresolved since the time of President A. Akayev, has exacerbated during K. Bakiyev's presidency. Kyrgyzstan proved unable
to evolve a well-substantiated tactics of interaction, aggravating now one now another course of interstate relations.
The inability or unwillingness of the elite to determine strategic priorities for ensuring national security is one of the most serious difficulties. Today this problem is actualized with greater force, inasmuch as it is not possible to have a cake and eat it simultaneously. Kyrgyzstan now has to determine its strategic orientations. Besides, according to certain analysts, as far as the positions of regional security in the 21st century are concerned, Kyrgyzstan will face the potential threat of religious extremism and inevitable border conflicts with neighboring states. Among other things, it may touch on disputable water and land problems and territorial claims caused by unresolved state border issues, interethnic problems, national-territorial settlement of the population, etc.3 In this sense, according to a CSTO agreement, the Russian base in Kant where a Russian military unit is deployed, is a long-term element of the system of ensuring external security in the conditions when Kyrgyzstan's armed forces as the main component of the system of military security and, consequently, the system itself, do not answer the requirements of the defense needs of the country and are unable to guarantee its security.4 At the present stage a radical reform of the military security system on new principles is necessary.
Another important aspect of security is the socio-economic one, reflecting the interaction of economic and social being. The economy of Kyrgyzstan is in a state of permanent crisis. Migration and poverty are the most difficult and contradictory problems which largely increase social tension in society. From this point of view, the most pressing problem in terms of the country's survival is the need for the urgent creation of the foundation, principles and spheres of its economic and political security, as well as the development of economic diplomacy for tackling questions connected with economic development and
economic security.5 However, all this is not properly developed in the republic, there is no culture of promoting the economic interests of Kyrgyzstan abroad, and the cultural level of work with donor organizations is extremely low. Economic security is reflected in the position of the middle class which should be the foundation of the stability of economic life. Although the republican authorities undertake certain attempts to ease the tax burden on the small and medium-sized business, one cannot say that there are favorable conditions for its development in the country. Economic security is systemic by itself, inasmuch as it has internal and external sources, however, strategy should be uniform. Such strategy is absent in Kyrgyzstan, accordingly, the problems of economic security are far from solution.
Ecological security is a special aspect of security, and it presupposes inclusion of the state in the general course of globalization. Ecological programs in the republic are practically ineffective. True, water problems are posed from time to time (uniquely pure water is Kyrgyzstan's national wealth; it supplies it to the entire region), but these questions of strategic character are not connected with the survival of the republic and therefore they are not dealt with permanently.
One of the elements of traditional nomadic culture, which is a source of Kyrgyz culture, has always been ecological thinking, as it were: the Kyrgyz nomad has always lived and thought in complete harmony with the surrounding world, which is the main specific feature of nomadic culture and its distinction from settled one.6
The formation of positive security in Kyrgyzstan should be of systemic nature, both in theory and practice. It should be based on national interests, and its slogans should have a profound strategic nature. It is necessary for the elite to form new thinking proceeding
from the ideas of integrity of society and stability of development. In this respect the ideology of a state acquires great importance, unfortunately, such ideology has not been evolved in Kyrgyzstan over the two decades of sovereignty. Our republic should have comprehensive strategic programs of the development of all spheres of life - economic, political, social and cultural. All this should be concentrated in state ideology.
It is necessary to realize that without well-though-out ideology the future of Kyrgyzstan is quite unstable. In this sense civil identity is quite important, especially taking into account the poly-ethnic character of our society. So far we have not overcome the crisis of identity in our country, which is a consequence of the crisis of state development. Without developing the phenomenon of civic identity there should be no talk of a possibility of cohesion of the people around any idea.
The absence of well-pronounced civic identity makes it possible to manage the feelings of various ethnic groups, especially in the period of social and ethnic tension. Consolidation of society is not possible without civic identity. Patriotism is a major component of civic identity, inasmuch as it expresses man's unity with society and the state.
Information security has acquired special importance recently. External sources sometimes play an essential role in the formation and propaganda of a negative image, an example of which is provided by numerous articles and other material in the mass and electronic media. It was the case of many countries in the days of the Kyrgyz revolutions. In this sense Kyrgyzstan invariably loses information wars and inevitably finds itself in unfavorable position.
Finally, it can be said that Kyrgyzstan needs a renovated strategy of positive security which is capable to reveal the sources of conflicts and to forestall threats.
Notes
Science and Technology and Their Implications for Peace and Security: Topical Papers 2 / United Nations. New York, 1990, pp. 3-4.
Doyle S. Civil Space Systems: Implications for International Security. Dartmouth: Aldershot. 1994, p. 10.
Esenbekova A. Voyennaya bezopasnost Kyrgyzstana i sovremenny mir, ili Kak svesti Kontsy s Kontsami [Military Security and Modern World, or How to Make Both Ends Meet]. URL.: http://www.easttime.ru/analitic/1/4/317.html Ibid.
Imanaliyev M. Diplomatiya i ekonomicheskaya bezopasnost Kyrgyzstana [Diplomacy and Economic Security of Kyrgyzstan]. URL.: http://www.centrasia.ru/ newsA.php?st=1227092
Urmanbetova Zh. Kultura kirgizov v proektsii filosofii istorii {Kyrgyz Culture as Projected by Philosophy of History]. Bishkek: Ilim, 1997, pp. 77, 136.
"Bezopasnost na Zapade, na Vostoke i v Rossii: predstavleniya, kontseptsii, situatsii," Ivanovo, 2013, pp. 300-308.
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T. Orujova,
political writer
STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND IRAN
The Russian state, recovering from the collapse of the Soviet Union over two decades ago, needs reliable partners, and the Islamic Republic of Iran could be one of them. For today, the need to develop strategic cooperation between Russia and Iran is determined by a number of important factors.
The history of diplomatic relations between the two states dates back to 1562. The Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the priority areas of cooperation for the Russian Federation in the East. This is a country with a growing population (79 million in 2013), the majority of which are young people.
