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International Conference to focus on Islam and national security in Central Asia
ALMATY 20 June 2002
ALMATY, 20 June 2002 - A two-day international conference will be held in Kazakhstan next week to examine the recent growth in importance of "the Islamic factor" in the social and political life of the Central Asian countries. Participants are expected to include representatives from eminent international research institutions, members of the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scholars and researchers from Central Asian countries, Russia and the USA, as well as representatives of Kazakhstan's local non-governmental organizations.
The "Islamic factor" in the politics of the Central Asian region as the whole, is gaining more and more weight. It is often associated with some radical groups in Tajikistan, the Fergana valley and the south of Uzbekistan, and the Batkent oblast (district) of Kyrgyzstan. But the conference will not equate the Islamic factor with Islamic extremism as the definition is much wider and includes not only political but also socio-cultural and other aspects, such as civilization.
The conference will take place on 24 and 25 June, in the Dostyk Hotel, Almaty. It is being co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Almaty, the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KISI), and the Delegation of the European Commission in Kazakhstan. The event will be held in co-operation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Kazakhstan, and financial support is coming from the British Government.
The working languages will be Russian and English. Registration starts on the first day of the conference at 09:30am.
The "Islamic factor" in the politics of the Central Asian region as the whole, is gaining more and more weight. It is often associated with some radical groups in Tajikistan, the Fergana valley and the south of Uzbekistan, and the Batkent oblast (district) of Kyrgyzstan. But the conference will not equate the Islamic factor with Islamic extremism as the definition is much wider and includes not only political but also socio-cultural and other aspects, such as civilization.
The conference will take place on 24 and 25 June, in the Dostyk Hotel, Almaty. It is being co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Almaty, the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KISI), and the Delegation of the European Commission in Kazakhstan. The event will be held in co-operation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Kazakhstan, and financial support is coming from the British Government.
The working languages will be Russian and English. Registration starts on the first day of the conference at 09:30am.