In 2009, the escalation of the war in Afghanistan and the growing insecurity of allied forces supply lines in Pakistan led to the installation of the so-called Northern Distribution Network, a supply line for allied forces in the region that runs from the Baltic through Russia and Central Asia to Afghanistan. This has led analysts in the West and in the region to conclude that the new U.S. administration continues to regard Central Asia primarily as a military supply hub rather than a region with strategic importance in its own regard.

This Open Society Institute forum will discuss the political and economic implications of transit and basing agreements as well as security sector cooperation and other components the Northern Distribution Network.

Speakers will consider the strategic importance of Central Asia within the framework of the war, transparency and accountability issues around base-related spending, and the question of how the U.S. can and should interact with the nondemocratic regimes in today´s Central Asia.

Panelists

• Clark Adams, Director for Central Asia in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
• Andrew Kuchins, Senior Fellow and Director of the Russia and Eurasia Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Alex Cooley, OSI Fellow and Associate Professor, Columbia University
• Anthony Richter, Associate Director and Director of the Central Eurasia Project, Open Society Institute (moderator)

Please note that space is limited.