Kyrgyzstan's first president, Askar Akayev, has shared why he believes a monument should be built in honor of Uzbekistan's late president, Islam Karimov.
Reflecting on Uzbekistan’s first leader in a recently released podcast, Akayev argued that the isolationist policies pursued under Karimov accidentally created a golden opportunity for Kyrgyz and Kazakh entrepreneurs.
According to Akayev, if Uzbekistan had been as open to the world back then as it is today under President Mirziyoyev, Kyrgyz businessmen would have never been able to compete with Uzbek businesses.
Speaking during the podcast, Akayev noted:
"I was amazed at how quickly the Kyrgyz people mastered commerce. It was a massive success, which, in my opinion, proves how capable and adaptable our people are. To be honest, during the 1990s when I was president, I had my doubts about this. I used to worry whether the Kyrgyz people could truly grasp market mechanisms and compete with the Uzbeks. It seemed to me that as soon as we transitioned to a market economy, our Uzbek brothers would completely take over and dominate Central Asia. The reason was clear—they were already prepared for it even during the Soviet era. However, we all owe a debt of gratitude to Islam Karimov. He isolated the Uzbek people within Uzbekistan. By doing so, he gave the Kyrgyz and the Kazakhs a fighting chance. That is exactly why I would erect a monument to Islam Karimov in Kyrgyzstan. Because he stepped aside and gave us breathing room, the Kyrgyz people were able to master market mechanisms. If there had been open competition—if Islam Karimov had opened up Uzbekistan back then the way Mirziyoyev is opening it up to the world today—we simply would not have been able to compete with them."
Stay up to date with all the latest news:
