BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan: US President Donald Trump is to host a Central Asian summit next week, the leaders of two countries have said, as major powers compete for influence in the resource-rich region.
Russia has traditionally enjoyed dominance in the five former Soviet states, while China, the European Union, and the United States are all seeking to expand their diplomatic and economic influence in the region.
The White House has not commented on plans for the summit, but on Sunday the president of Kazakhstan said it was scheduled for November 6 in Washington and on Monday Kyrgyzstan’s president said he would attend, local media reported, citing their offices.
Heads of the other three states — Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — have not confirmed their participation.
The five countries span an area as large as the EU, but are home to just 80 million people.
Much of the territory is covered by mountains and deserts, but it is rich in natural resources, including rare earths.
Leaders are trying to coordinate to revive the region’s role as a historical logistics hub for East-West trade.
The US summit would follow gatherings of the leaders with the EU in April, China in June and Russia earlier this month.
The US-Central Asia summit would mark the tenth anniversary of the C5+1 diplomatic forum, which includes the United States and the five Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Citing unidentified sources in Uzbekistan’s presidential administration, Gazeta, a media outlet in Uzbekistan, confirmed the summit plan, saying Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was among the Central Asian leaders who had received invitations from Trump to attend the November 6 meeting in Washington.
Kyrgyz media have also reported that President Sadyr Japarov will attend the C5+1. According to Azattyq, the invitation was extended to all five Central Asia leaders.
The announcement of the summit coincides with a visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan by Sergio Gor, US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
Trump met Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month. Multi-billion-dollar business deals were announced in connection with those meetings.
The US president is currently on an Asia tour during which he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss trade tensions.
In an October 20 letter, a US congressional foreign affairs panel urged Trump to host a summit with Central Asian leaders before the end of the year.
It noted US interests such as the development of critical minerals, including tungsten, antimony, lithium, and rare earth elements; the full repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, a Cold War-era law that imposes some restrictions on trade with several countries in Central Asia; and counterterrorism efforts against the regional branch of the Islamic State group.
