TOMSK, May 17. /TASS/. The standoff between Russia and the West is one of several factors that could affect the security of Central Asian countries, Yang Cheng, a professor emeritus and executive director of the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies at the Shanghai International Studies University, told the media on Wednesday.

The expert listed three factors that could have an impact on security in Central Asia.

"One has to do with the so-called Great Game: the competition between the major powers: Russia and China, on the one hand, the US, the West [on the other]. This competition has become tougher than ever," he said on the sidelines of the Third Central Asian Conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Tomsk.

Another factor that could affect the security situation in the region, the expert said, are relations among the Central Asian countries themselves.

"In recent years, we have noted a rapprochement among the countries of the region, but military conflicts remain there," the specialist said. "There have been no big wars in the region, but there have been military conflicts, for example, between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan."

And a third factor, Yang said, is that unpopular reforms may serve to trigger domestic tensions within the region's countries.

The Valdai conference titled "Russia and Central Asia: Interfacing with a Changing World" is being hosted by Tomsk State University on May 16-17.