A Glimpse on Changing Foreign Policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan from the Consistency Theory Point of View

The republic of Uzbekistan is the only country in Central Asia and the Caucasus that has pursued a changing approach in its foreign policy. Uzbekistan''s foreign policy has always oscillated between accompaniment and opposition towards both the US and Russia. This raises the question that what is the main reason of this lack of consistency in Uzbekistan''s foreign policy and what are the regional and international consequences? To answer this question، this article tries to study the reasons of this changing policy at both domestic and international levels of analysis in the framework of James Rosenau''s consistency theory. Accordingly، the article argues that Uzbekistan as economically undeveloped society and politically closed society as well as being a small power (in the international system)، two variables of personality (authoritarian character and approach of Islam Karimov) and international environment (differences in the Central Asia and the US-Russia rivalry) are more influential than other variables of role، government and society in shaping a changing foreign policy. Adopting this kind of foreign policy by Tashkent، may cause important consequences including undermining Uzbekistan''s prestige as a reliable ally، aggravating differences between Uzbekistan and Central Asia countries، weakening the Collective Security Treaty Organization، divergence in Shanghai Cooperation Organization and intensifying competition between China and Russia on the one hand and the US on the other hand in the Central Asia which in turn has played an important role in the unstable conditions in the Central Asia.