Interviews
«Central Asian states do not need another organization to cooperate, but rather they need something more flexible, like an informal club between them to regulate and open discussion» – notes Filippo Costa Buranelli, researcher and assistant professor in international relations at University of St.Andrews, in his interview for cabar.asia.
“Concern with Islam will surely rise. In terms of what? All these events happening in the Middle East are on the agenda and make believers, religious activists become active. They preach and explain Islam, which has its impact, as well,” ex-director of State Committee for Religious Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, specialist in religious extremism and terrorism issues Orozbek Moldaliev said in the interview to cabar.asia.
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Alymbek Bekmanov, a chair of the steering committee of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious centre in Kyrgyzstan, tells about the first appearance of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the country and how they interact with the people and the authorities in the interview to cabar.asia.
How will Kazakstan’s leader be remembered for his 30 years in power? (more…)
Azerbaijan-based political analyst Ilgar Velizade talks about the foreign policy priorities of Azerbaijan, Central Asia’s spot in it and future development of economic ties with the countries in the region in his interview to analytical portal cabar.asia.
Harmonious religious relations are a very sensitive and relevant topic today for Kazakhstan. Assylbek Izbairov, director of the institute for geopolitical studies, professor of the institute for diplomacy, religious scholar, told about the regulation in this sphere and how to build a system of religious relations in the interview to cabar.asia.
An expert in Islam and Central Asia in the interview to cabar.asia has told about the fate of the Islamic state concept, the role of Central Asians in this project, about religious peculiarities of the region and what can be done about it. (more…)
“Last year Kazakstan adopted many legislation amendments, including law on media, which recognises some statements as propaganda. It means that journalists preparing some material now should think whether it will be taken as propaganda,” said Gulmira Birzhanova, lawyer of Legal Media Centre, in the interview to cabar.asia.
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“First of all, secularism means equal attitude towards all faiths, religions, and beliefs existing in the territory of residence. So, the state may be secular, but human living in this state doesn’t need to be. A man may be a believer, an atheist, gnostic, agnostic, or deist, or anything else. It is their choice. They may believe even in a spaghetti monster or be a Pastafarian. Belief is their personal choice,” said Rasim Chelidze, a Kazakhstan-based theologian, in the interview to cabar.asia.
«The history of last 28 years was dominated by the consolidation of sovereignty in every country in Central Asia including Afghanistan. This was very difficult at first and problematic but it has been successful – all the states survived their difficult first years. They are developing at different rates today but none of them is stagnant», – states Frederick Starr – American geopolitical scientist, advisor to three US presidents on Russia/Eurasia, founder of the Institute of Central Asia and the Caucasus, in the interview for cabar.asia