ISSN 0971-9318 HIMALAYAN AND CENTRAL ASIAN STUDIES (JOURNAL OF HIMALAYAN RESEARCH AND CULTURAL FOUNDATION) NGO in Consultative Status-Category II with ECOSOC, United Nations Vol. 2 Nos. 3-4 July - December 1998 KYRGYZSTAN SPECIAL Kyrgyzstan on the Eve of the 21st Century Askar Akaev Administrative Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic K.M. Jumaliev The Political Culture in Kyrgyzstan A. Dononbaev Ethno-Political Boundaries of Kyrgyzstan N. Karimbekova On the Trail of Silk Route K. Warikoo Kyrgyzstan on the Great Silk Road and Cultural Relationship with India V. Voropoeva and V. Goryacheva Human Activities in the Mountains of Central Asia A.A. Aidaraliev EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Mr. T. N. Kaul Dr. T.N. Khoshoo 7, Poorvi Marg, Distinguished Fellow, Vasant Vihar, TERI, Habitat Place, N. Delhi (India) Lodhi Road, N. Delhi (India) Prof. Rahmatullah Khan Mr. Alexender Veigl Rector, Secretary General, Jawaharlal Nehru University, IOV, N. Delhi (India) Modling, Vienna (Austria) Prof. L.R. Verma Dr. O. Kasenov Vice Chancellor, Deputy Director, H.S Parmar University Kainar University, of Horticulture & Forestry, Alma Aty (Kazakhstan) Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh (India) Prof. A.A. Aidaraliev Prof. Bakyt Beshimov President, President, International University Osh State University, of Kyrgyzstan, Osh (Kyrgyzstan) Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) Prof. Devendra Kaushik Prof. Jayanta Kumar Ray School of International Studies University of Calcutta, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Calcutta (India) N. Delhi (India) Prof. B.R. Grover Prof. B.P. Misra Patel Nagar, N. Delhi (India) Centre for Himalayan Studies, University of North Bengal, Prof. K.N. Pandita Darjeeling (India) Jammu, J & K (India) Prof. Ved Kumari Ghai Dr. R.P. Khatana Jammu, J & K (India) Gurgaon (India) Himalayan and Central Asian Studies Vol. 1 No. 2, July - Sept. 1997 95 CONTRIBUTORS Askar Akaev is the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan K. M. Jumaliev is the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan M. Imanaliev is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Dr. N. Karimbekova is Advisor to the Foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan Dr. V. Voropoeva is Associate Professor at the Kyrgyz - Russian Slavonic University, Bishkek Dr. V. Goryacheva is an archeologist and presently Director of the Museum at Kyrgyz-Russian Salvonic University, Bishkek Dr. K. Warikoo is Professor, Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Prof. V. Ploskikh is an archeologist and presently Vice President, Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, Bishkek Dr. Osmonakun Ibraimov is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyzstan in India. Dr. A. Dononbaev is Director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kyrgyzstan Sovetbek J. Toktomyshev is the Minister for Education, Science and Culture of Kyrgyzstan Dr. Vladimir K. Semyonov is Professor at the Kyrgyz State National University, Bishkek Dr. A. Kakeev is Professor and Academician Academician A.A. Aidaraliev is President of the International University of Kyrgyzstan and also Advisor to the President of Kyrgyzstan 158 Himalayan and Central Asian Studies Vol. 2 Nos. 3-4, July - Dec. 1998 Editor‘s Page Kyrgyzstan – the land of Tien Shan is a land-locked country having coterminous borders with Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China. After having gained independence in August 1991 following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan chose the path of democratic civil society based on market reforms. The country has been passing through a delicate phase of transforming into a new political, social and economic order. That nearly 94 per cent of the territory of Kyrgyzstan has altitudes of more than 1000 meters above sea level and about 40 per cent of the area is more than 3000 meters above sea level, imparts its own peculiarities of a nomadic society having a distinct philosophy and traditions of mountains. The United Nations bodies have time and again underlined the importance of maintaining the eco-cultural system of the mountainous regions which are the rich and unique centres of biological and cultural diversity with plenty of hydel power and mineral resources. It is against this backdrop that this Kyrgyzstan Special issue of Himalayan and Central Asian Studies is being brought out. It is a matter of gratification and fulfilment of its purpose for the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation that a galaxy of political leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Askar Akaev, the President, K.M. Jumaliev, Prime Minister, M. Imanaliev, Foreign Minister, S.J. Toktomyshev, Minister for Education, Science and Culture; diplomats and strategic analysts like Dr. O. Ibraimov, Dr. A. Dononbaev, Dr. N. Karimbekova; academicians / scientists Prof. A.A. Aidaraliev, Prof. A. Kakeev, Prof. V.K. Semyonov, Prof. V. Ploskikh, Dr. V. Voropoeva, Dr. V. Goryacheva have contributed their learned papers to this special issue, sharing their thoughts and experiences. Himalayan and Central Asian Studies Vol. 2 Nos. 3-4, July - Dec. 1998 1 President Akaev has expressed confidence that Kyrgyzstan will develop as a democratic society after the success of political, economic and social reforms, as outlined by him in his paper. Jumaliev, the Prime Minister has stressed the need for administrative reforms by improving the system of state management with the introduction of information and telecommunication technology, local self-government and appropriate personnel policies. Dononbaev seeks to explain the paradox of inconformity between the democratic institutions of state governance and the traditional behaviour of the people manning such institutions. He compares the traditional authoritarian political culture in Central Asia to the nomadic society of Kyrgyzstan which provides a basis for relatively freer attitudes. Since clan and tribal loyalties are strong in nomadic societies, there is a tendency for distribution of power and patronage on the basis of clan or tribal linkages, which can lead to conflict for power among different clans or regions. The Foreign Minister, Imanaliev stresses the importance of Kyrgyzstan-India cooperation in political, economic and cultural spheres. Karimbekova sheds interesting light on the historical geography of Kyrgyzstan and the formation of Kyrgyz ethnos and state. She also delves deep into the complicated issues of historical ties between the Yenisei and Tien Shan Kyrgyz tribes. Ibraimov recapitulates the pain and suffering of Kyrgyzs who took part in the 1916 uprising against the Tsarist regime. Kyrgyzstan's ancient Silk Route connections with India have been established on the basis of archeological sites existent in Naviket,Sujab,Ak Beshim,Balasaghun etc.in Kyrgyzstan, by Voropoeva and Goryacheva.Few Buddhist images (VII-VIII century A.D.) found in Naviket town 35 kms. away from Bishkek, are preserved and displayed in the Archeological Museum of Kyrgyz Slavonic University and Historical Museum in Bishkek. 2 Himalayan and Central Asian Studies Vol. 2 Nos. 3-4, July - Dec. 1998 That Naviket resembles the finds in Ajna Tepe, Fayaz Tepe, Kara Tepe and Merv in other Central Asian Republics, offers the conclusive evidence of close historico-cultural links between India and Central Asia. Warikoo recounts his experiences of travels in Kyrgyzstan on the trail of the old Silk Route. That Manas, the national epic of Kyrgyzstan was even known beyond its borders in India in medieval times, has been the main focus of Ploskikh's paper. The peculiarities of political culture and socio-economic trends in Kyrgyzstan owing to its mountainous character have been highlighted by Academician Kakeev. Having been subject to the influences of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Islam, Marxism and now democracy, the Kyrgyzs retain their original indigenous culture based on mountain philosophy. Academician Aidaraliev stresses the importance of mountain regions in the 21st century and calls for working out a national policy on mountain territory development. Toktomyshev and Semyonov point to the alarming trend of depletion of ozone layer and formation of local ozone hole in mountainous region of Central Asia, based on the results of research at the Issyk Kul Station. Given the proximity of Kyrgyzstan to India and close historico-cultural ties dating back to ancient times, India and Kyrgyzstan need to concretise their programmes of socio- economic and cultural cooperation. That there is enough goodwill at the popular level on both sides and there is perfect political understanding between the two governments on issues of common concern, provides a sound basis for forging ahead India-Kyrgyzstan ties in the twenty first century. K. Warikoo Himalayan and Central Asian Studies Vol. 2 Nos. 3-4, July - Dec. 1998 3 KYRGYZSTAN ON THE EVE OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY : PRINCIPAL TRENDS OF REFORMS Askar Akaev The Kyrgyz Republic is situated in Central Asia at the crossroads of ancient civilizations. The country is being influenced by various political, economic and socio-cultural systems and also by diverse external and internal factors. The end of the present century has been a landmark for the Kyrgyz people. On 31 August 1991 the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic adopted the Declaration of the Independence of the Kyrgyz Republic. The country has chosen the path of democracy, secularism and peace. Our people are experiencing difficulties in the process of modernization. They do deserve a right to independence in their decision making. The way of securing such independence is to go through trials and errors and
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