Institutional Structure of Russian-Kyrgyz Humanitarian Cooperation

This paper discusses the institutional structure of humanitarian cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Kyrgyz Republic. Humanitarian cooperation involves the following areas of bilateral relations: education, science, culture, sport, tourism, youth policy, and media. The authors display and discuss the institutions, which put in practice the Russian-Kyrgyz interaction, their scope and symmetry. The study involved such sources of information, as bilateral diplomatic documents, reports of state and non-state organisations, field research, and media news archives. In the paper, the authors consequently study state and non-state institutions of cooperation. The paper concludes that the institutional structure of cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan, including both state and non-state organisations, covers all humanitarian areas. The most diverse is the structure of the bilateral contacts in education and culture. Institutions of different nature interact in the process of cooperation. Meanwhile, the structure of cooperation is asymmetrical, as the number of Russian institutions (both state and non-state) is larger, and their contribution is larger, too. However, the Kyrgyz side, even possessing less resources, is evidently interested in cooperation. The vast humanitarian potential of the diasporas is a specific factor of the relationship. The multiple organisations of Russians in Kyrgyzstan are a significant resource for cooperation, and require more financial and organisational support from Russia. There are many Kyrgyz communities in Russia, too, and they also participate in cultural activities, so this institution can be further involved in bilateral cooperation. People-to-people exchanges between non-state institutions can be successful and should be further developed. Generally, Russia needs to maintain and enhance its humanitarian activities in Kyrgyzstan, raise the intensity of the institutional contacts, and develop successful partnerships, while the risk of the increasing impact of other leading powers in Kyrgyzstan can destabilize the Kyrgyz society and the long-term Russian-Kyrgyz partnership.