How can the interestedness of Central Asian countries in consolidation of their ties with America be accounted for?
– After the collapse of the USSR CIS countries confronted numerous difficulties. In the Soviet times the economic, political and social systems were based on the links with Russia and the republics were governed from the unified center. When these countries had gained independence they had to settle all their affairs self-sufficiently. The degree of their interdependence remained high. For example, a production of one automobile was preconditioned by close cooperation of 400-500 outfits located in different republics of the Soviet Union. After the latters had become independent and there appeared national currencies economic activity was violated. Commercial and economic cooperation practically stopped. Russia itself was faced with enormous hardships. It was unable to render a proper economic and political support to the newly-born states. Under these circumstances they threw themselves into the arms of the West and received, as a rule, insignificant, but, in some cases, effective help
