U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a two-day visit to Central Asia after meeting the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
He also met with his counterparts from the C5+1 group of nations, comprising Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the United States.
Blinken’s visit was widely seen as an effort to woo Central Asian leaders away from Moscow, which views the region as falling within its traditional sphere of influence.
During his visit, Blinken repeatedly stressed Washington’s commitment to the “sovereignty” and “territorial integrity” of the five Central Asian states.
On Feb. 28, he held talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana….