Russia ‘using Central Asia to sidestep war sanctions’
LORD David Cameron has acknowledged that Russia is using Central Asia to sidestep sanctions and said Britain wants to work with countries in the region to end the circumvention.
The Foreign Secretary warned that items which could be used to build Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine should not be being exported from the UK to neighbouring states only to be sent on to Moscow. It comes amid concerns about a spike in sales of drone equipment and heavy machinery from Britain to countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
Speaking on a visit to the Atabeyit memorial to victims of Soviet repression near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Lord Cameron suggested Britain can talk to Central Asian countries about the so-called “common high-priority list” of western items critical to Russian weapons systems.
He told ITV: “Of course we aren’t against trade between Kyrgyzstan and Russia – it is natural – it shouldn’t be that these items are exported here and then simply re-exported, simply building Russia’s war machine, without there being much advantage to Kyrgyzstan – so working with the government to try to put a stop to that.”
The Foreign Secretary is travelling across Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia in a diplomatic bid to boost trade, security and environmental ties with the UK.
In talks with leaders from across the region, Lord Cameron will seek to “advance discussions on sanctions circumvention, human rights and reform”, the Foreign Office said.
British exports to Kyrgyzstan have risen by more than 1,100 per cent since the Kremlin was hit by sanctions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to Sky News.
It comes amid wider fears over the expanding influence of countries such as China and Russia, which have sought to deepen ties in the region.
Lord Cameron famously hailed a “golden era” in Uk-china relations while prime minister, which have since deteriorated as Beijing grows increasingly assertive on the global stage.
His engagement with Central Asia signals a bid to limit the scope of powers in the east and encourage countries in the region to look west instead for partnerships.