DOI: 10.17550/akademikincelemeler.1948647 ISSN: 2602-3016

France’s Pyramid Diplomacy in Post-Soviet Central Asia: The Case of Kazakhstan

Harun Fırıncı, Murat Yorulmaz
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This study examines the strategic logic underpinning French foreign policy in Central Asia across diplomatic, economic, and cultural dimensions in the post-Soviet context. It addresses the central research question of whether the pyramidal hierarchical diplomatic framework designed by France following the dissolution of the USSR continues to remain viable in a region outside its traditional sphere of influence. As a nuclear power highly dependent on uranium imports, France developed strong bilateral relations with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two key suppliers of this strategic resource, Kazakhstan through the 2008 Strategic Partnership Agreement, and Uzbekistan through its recent elevation to strategic partner status following President Macron’s 2023 visit. In Turkmenistan, French policy is predominantly shaped by business diplomacy while Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan represent the cultural pillar of France’s regional presence. Based on the Theory of Complex Interdependence, this study argues that France’s pyramidal hierarchical diplomatic framework remains valid. Within this framework, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan occupy the top tier, while Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan occupy progressively lower tiers. These findings contribute to understanding how a non-hegemonic middle power sustains structured engagement beyond its conventional zones of influence.

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