Latest Articles about Kazakhstan
DISCUSSIONS INTENSIFY WITH KAZAKHSTAN ON TRANS-CASPIAN GAS PIPELINE
On a visit to Astana on February 27-28, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov took the initiative to discuss possible exports of gas from Kazakhstan through the proposed gas pipeline on the Caspian seabed (Kazakhstan Today, Turan, February 28). In his talks with Kazakh... MORE
ASTANA OPTS FOR “GOVERNABLE” DEMOCRACY
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has invited Turkmenistan’s newly elected President Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov to visit Kazakhstan. While the new Turkmen leader undoubtedly could learn a great deal from Astana in terms of political reforms, the Kazakh model is not without its flaws. Over the last two... MORE
AKHMETOV TIES MILITARY REFORM TO PARTNERSHIP WITH RUSSIA
Kazakhstan plans to cooperate more closely with Russia’s defense industries in order to modernize its own armed forces by 2015. The timing of this announcement enabled Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defense to counter negative publicity surrounding the crash of a MiG-31 on February 16, which resulted... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN DOWNPLAYS POLITICAL RISKS OF ENERGY CORRIDOR TO EUROPE
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s February 2 visit to Ukraine appeared to be an ill-timed event that triggered controversial speculations in light of the recent gas row between Belarus and Russia and the lingering standoff between Moscow and Kyiv on energy issues. But under the circumstances,... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN DEEPENS TIES WITH GERMANY
President Nursultan Nazarbayev has moved to deepen the level of Kazakhstan’s cooperation with Germany. On January 30, during a visit to Germany, Nazarbayev explored ways to increase existing bilateral political, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Reportedly, both leaders share... MORE
KAZAKH FOREIGN MINISTER SHIFTS PRIORITIES FROM SUPERPOWERS TO NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS
One of the more puzzling turns in Kazakhstan’s recent cabinet reshuffle was the replacement of Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev, a professionally trained and skilled diplomat, by the dark horse Marat Tazhin, who had made an inconspicuous career as a chairman of the Security Council and... MORE
WESTERN MAJORS SIGN AGREEMENT OF INTENT ON TRANS-CASPIAN OIL TRANSPORT SYSTEM
As anticipated some time ago (see EDM, August 17, 2005, March 16, 2006), Moscow’s extortion of Western companies in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) on Russian territory has finally persuaded the companies to choose a trans-Caspian solution for the export of their rapidly growing oil... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN OIL OUTPUT AND EXPORT DATA DRAMATIZE NEED FOR TRANS-CASPIAN OUTLETS
Amid growing concerns over Russia’s reliability as an energy supplier and its treatment of Western investments in the energy sector, Kazakhstan stands out for its reliability on both counts. However, Russian policy is geared to ensuring a decisive -- if covert -- say on Kazakhstan’s... MORE
NAZARBAYEV APPOINTS CIVILIAN DEFENSE MINISTER
On January 10 Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev took the dramatic step of appointing Kazakhstan’s first civilian defense minister. In general terms the step will be welcomed in the West, as it sends a clear signal that the Kazakh government is interested in increasing civilian control... MORE
NEW GOVERNMENT IN KAZAKHSTAN HERALDS NO RADICAL CHANGES
The resignation of Kazakh Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov caused little public reaction when it was announced on January 8. The demise of the Akhmetov era had been rumored throughout 2006, as the Kazakh government had briefly resigned last January following the December 2005 presidential elections,... MORE