Recently, the concept of “preventive diplomacy” and its application in practice has become increasingly necessary and successful in world politics.

Conflict situations have occurred, and will always occur, as well as those that are not so serious, do not carry large negative consequences, and those that relate to global, interethnic, the results of which are deplorable. Conflicts are not always inevitable. They can and should be prevented in a timely manner. This is exactly what “preventive diplomacy” is for.

Preventive diplomacy can be considered as diplomatic actions aimed at preventing the emergence of disputes between the parties, at preventing the development of existing disputes into a conflict, as well as at reducing the spread of an existing conflict.

With the aim of an effective policy of resolving international conflicts, new concepts and methods are being introduced into political use. One such concept is early conflict prevention. It should be noted that early warning of conflict situations requires a certain system. The “responsibilities” of such a system should include continuous monitoring of the main indicators of possible conflicts; ensuring the analysis of the information received; assistance in the prevention of possible conflict situations and crises. With the right use of such a system, the concept of early warning will ensure calm and stability in a country potentially prone to conflict, since the severity and consequences of a conflict will be realized at an early stage.

The timely use of preventive diplomacy and the promotion of peace was recognized by the Security Council and the General Assembly as the most desirable and effective means of easing tensions.

Today, Central Asia is a region that has a large number of problems of domestic and foreign policy nature. In this regard, the conduct of a policy of preventive diplomacy plays an important role in resolving a number of complex contradictions in the region.

Central Asia is the main region in the post-Soviet space where the UN policy of preventive diplomacy is practiced. For this purpose, an international structure was established in the region – the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy (RCPD) for Central Asia (in Ashgabat).

The history of the RCPD dates back to 2004, when Turkmenistan initiated the creation of the RCPD and was followed by a series of consultations between representatives of five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). The result of this initiative was universal approval and the center began its activities in December 2007.

The RCPA's mandate is to assist the Governments of the five Central Asian States in developing the capacity to resolve disputes and prevent conflicts through peaceful negotiations and to attract international support for the implementation of relevant projects.

The analysis of the political situation of the states made it possible to identify three main groups of priority areas in the activities of the RCPD.

The first group was determined by cross-border threats, namely, terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and organized crime. The second group consisted of problems related to the deterioration of the environmental situation and the joint use of water and energy resources.

The third group included such a serious problem as instability in Afghanistan, which still poses a threat to the security of Central Asia. The reasons for the emergence and growth of security threats in Central Asia can be considered such factors as inter-clan relations, elite rivalry, border problems, etc.

In addition, the situation in the Central Asian region was aggravated by the economic crisis that began after the collapse of the USSR. It is noteworthy that in some countries of the region, the difficult economic situation is still observed today.

It should be noted once again that the problem of conflict prevention is one of the most serious problems in the modern world. Ways to prevent conflict situations are not easy. But by making an effort and developing the right strategy for action, achieving peace is quite possible. The experience of preventive diplomacy has repeatedly shown good results: countries that were once enemies, in the end preferred peace and friendship. And the opposing groups, thanks to preventive diplomacy, make compromises with each other, regardless of disputes and disagreements. Conflict situations have arisen and will continue to arise, as long as humanity exists. But, it should be remembered that conflicts can be avoided without reaching the limit. It is for these purposes that “preventive diplomacy” exists.

Khaitova Dildora

Master’s student, International Relations Department, UWED