Rubio Leads C5+1 Talks on Trans-Caspian Trade and Minerals
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Central Asian leaders to promote trade, minerals, and competition without pressuring them to cut ties with China.
Key facts
- The C5+1 meeting in Samarkand included the United States and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
- A joint statement backed investment in the Trans-Caspian trade route, industrial cooperation, and simpler customs procedures.
- The six governments prioritized mineral processing, energy cooperation, and cybersecurity, but did not provide funding figures.
- Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed the Artemis Accords in Rubio's presence, making Uzbekistan the 77th country to join.
- Rubio said Washington wanted to compete for business in Central Asia without asking countries to stop working with China.
On 19 October 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in Samarkand for a C5+1 meeting. The participants agreed to deepen cooperation on transport, critical minerals, and security. A joint statement backed investment in the Trans-Caspian trade route, industrial cooperation, and simpler customs procedures.
The six governments identified mineral processing, energy cooperation, and cybersecurity as priorities. No figures for new infrastructure funding were provided. The Trans-Caspian route, also known as the Middle Corridor, connects Central Asia with European markets through the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Turkey, bypassing Russia.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov proposed cooperation from mineral exploration to processing and local industrial clusters. He also called for closer links between the C5+1 forum and the B5+1 business platform. After the talks, Saidov signed the Artemis Accords in Rubio's presence, making Uzbekistan the 77th country to join the international framework for peaceful space exploration.
Rubio said Washington wanted to compete for business in Central Asia without asking countries to stop working with China. He added, "This is not about coming here to say, stop talking to somebody else or stop working with some other country." The US also discussed Kazakhstan's commitment to join the Abraham Accords and planned another round of consultations in Ashgabat in November.
Context
The United States seeks to deepen trade and minerals cooperation with Central Asian states while they maintain economic ties with Russia and China. The Trans-Caspian route is a key corridor for trade between Central Asia and Europe.
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