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Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-879940
Israel's Growing Partnerships across Central Asia
(Jerusalem Post) Alex Winston - Israel is looking to expand its diplomatic ties and trade with five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Although they are Muslim-majority nations, the "Stans" have discovered the benefits of working with the Jewish state. "Israel established diplomatic relations with all five countries in Central Asia in the early '90s as the Soviet Union fell apart," said Yuval Fuchs, deputy director-general for Eurasia and the Western Balkans at the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Israel has quietly become a partner that many of these countries want to work with. While even post-independence, the Central Asian nations were dependent upon Russia. But after 35 years of independence, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many Central Asian states have distanced themselves from Russia politically and economically, seeking to diversify their diplomatic friendships. Israel is seen as technologically advanced with much innovation, politically stable, and militarily competent, but geographically distant and non-threatening.