Uzbekistan’s Mediator Role in the Afghan Peace Process as a Neighboring and Small State

Various international actors have attempted to establish peace in Afghanistan in the last two decades. This article addresses the mediator role of Uzbekistan, one of these actors, which had become visible especially in the last stages of the Afghan peace process. The foreign policy adopted by Uzbekistan until the peace treaty signed in Doha is compatible with the cases where mediation is used in international politics. In particular, the mediation motivations of states to solve crises in their neighbors have significant similarities with the main reasons behind the mediation efforts of Uzbekistan, as a neighboring country to Afghanistan. This article categorizes these motives under three headings as economic, security and international prestige. The difficulties and opportunities that Tashkent faced in Afghan peace process also resemble the limitations and advantages of small states in international mediation. Although the small state status did not always provide Uzbekistan a chance to achieve the desired results, it allowed gaining the trust of the parties because of its peaceful and non-threatening position. Tashkent has contributed to the process by establishing dialogue with the conflicting sides individually, proposing the use of its territory for the negotiations, maintaining close cooperation with other third parties, and hosting international meetings.