Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan relations

Uzbekistan dominates southern Kyrgyzstan both economically and politically, based on the large Uzbek population in that region of Kyrgyzstan and on economic and geographic conditions.^[1] Much of Kyrgyzstan depends entirely on Uzbekistan for natural gas; on several occasions, Karimov has achieved political ends by shutting pipelines or by adjusting terms of delivery.^[1] In a number of television appearances broadcast in the Osh and Jalal-Abad provinces of Kyrgyzstan, Karimov has addressed Akayev with considerable condescension; Akayev, in turn, has been highly deferential to his much stronger neighbor.^[1] Although Uzbekistan has not shown overt expansionist tendencies, the Kyrgyz government is acutely aware of the implications of Karimov's assertions that he is responsible for the well-being of all Uzbeks, regardless of their nation of residence. The Kyrgyz deposed President said in an interview "It is like we are heroin addicts but instead of heroin its energy we are addicted to -but not addicted as such, we just need it like everybody else does, so in fact heroin makes a bad comparisson but I will stick with it- anyway its like Uzbekistan is our dealer, this is where the comparisson is good, because heroin dealers are nasty and so is Uzbekistan, they play games, they get us to sell our bodies for the heroin, our bodies being bread, land and labour (and to remind you the heroin is energy). Like a pimp they do not give us a fair deal though and thus we are exploited. The situation is clear when one considers it in these terms." ^[1]

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