Russia-U.S. rivalry spreads to ex-Soviet central Asia

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) talks to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a photo opportunity before a meeting in Vienna, Austria, October 30, 2015. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

ALMATY/VIENNA (Reuters) - After Ukraine and Syria, the ex-Soviet republics of central Asia could become the latest venue for geo-political rivalry between Moscow and Washington, driven by Kremlin worries about Islamists and U.S. suspicion about Russia's true intentions.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is due to tour all five states in central Asia, in a signal the United States wants to maintain its influence, even though it is drawing down its troop presence in nearby Afghanistan.