Marco Rubio arrives in Samarkand for talks with five Central Asian states
The US secretary of state is due to meet ministers from five countries on 19 October, with trade, investment and security on the agenda.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on 18 October ahead of talks with ministers from five Central Asian countries scheduled for 19 October. The visit brings more than 200 American business leaders to the region as Washington seeks closer trade, investment and security ties.
The ministerial meeting uses the C5+1 format, bringing the United States together with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Rubio is also scheduled to hold separate talks with senior officials from each of the five countries, Euronews reported.
Trade and security on the Samarkand agenda
The State Department said more than 200 American business leaders accompanied Rubio, according to Euronews and Reuters. Trade, investment and wider economic cooperation are expected to feature in the discussions. US officials also identified security cooperation, including counterterrorism with some countries in the region, as an area for discussion, Euronews reported.
Before leaving Washington on 17 October, Rubio said the timing of the visit had been chosen to bring together the foreign ministers of all five Central Asian countries, Euronews reported.
Rubio and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov are due to hold the first round of an expanded strategic partnership dialogue on 19 October, Euronews reported. Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry said the dialogue would cover political relations, trade, investment and regional and international developments.
Russia and China’s ties with Central Asia
The five Central Asian states retain deep historical ties with Moscow, Reuters reported. A Central Asian diplomat told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that officials in the region were questioning whether Washington would keep pressing them over Russian sanctions evasion. Reuters said the United States had previously urged regional governments to curb trade flows that Western officials say violate US and European Union sanctions.
China is the main trade partner of all five countries, AFP reported. The agency said Russian influence in the region has weakened since the war in Ukraine, while China has gained ground.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met US Special Envoy Sergio Gor on 16 October to review preparations for Rubio’s visit and related meetings, Euronews reported. Mirziyoyev was scheduled to attend a business council in Samarkand on 19 October.
After Uzbekistan, Rubio is scheduled to travel to India, with stops in Mumbai and Jamnagar, AFP reported.
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Sources and context
- Marco Rubio arrives in Uzbekistan for C5+1 talksEuronews; by Rushanabonu Aliakbarova, with AFP and AP credit
- Rubio heads to Central Asia while other US officials hit foreign policy hot spotsReuters, republished by Al-Monitor; by Gram Slattery and Simon Lewis
- US goes on the offensive in Central AsiaAgence France-Presse (AFP), republished by The Straits Times
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.