On July 14 cultural ministers from 12 Turkic countries gathered at the Okan Intercontinental hotel in Astana for the 21st session of Turksoy, the international organization of Turkic-language nations set up in April 1992 to promote Turkic culture and spiritual values. In his opening speech,... MORE

In the first years of independence, ethnic Kazakhs barely made up 40% of the population of Kazakhstan. In a bid to regulate the ethnic balance, particularly in the heavily Russian-populated northern regions of the country, the government is encouraging oralmans ("returnees," i.e. ethnic Kazakhs returning... MORE

Kazakhstan has recently undertaken a number of steps towards improving its military capabilities through seeking closer military cooperation with Western countries. These efforts have congealed into what Moscow interprets as an emerging policy in Astana favoring the West. These areas of military cooperation, combined with... MORE

According to Kazakhstan's influential youth paper Express K, the Saryarka district court in Astana is investigating an unprecedented case. For the first time in Kazakhstan's history, a member of a skinhead movement has been indicted for stirring up racial and interethnic strife. Yevgeni Yefimenko, a... MORE

On July 2 two members of the Islamic extremist organization Hizb-ut-Tahrir (Islamic Party of Liberation) were given two-year prison terms by authorities in Pavlodar, Northern Kazakhstan. Security forces had detained Arman Hamzin (age 29) and Ruslan Ghinatulin (22) two months ago for distributing Hizb-ut-Tahrir leaflets... MORE

Since Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev made an official visit to China in May, the number of exchanges between the two countries has increased remarkably. Never have bilateral relations been so close and so warm. On June 17, just a few days after his official visit... MORE

Journalists in Kazakhstan had little reason to celebrate during this year's national "Journalism Day" on June 28. Traditionally a joyous event, this year the festivities were spoiled by recent attempts by officials wanting to silence the press. The rights of journalists to investigate and disseminate... MORE

Squeezed uncomfortably between China and Russia, Kazakhstan has always stressed the importance of the so-called "multi-vector" in its relations with its large neighbors. This approach allows Kazakhstan to strike the right balance of interests. During his recent visit to China, Kazakh President Nursulatan Nazarbayev was... MORE

After more than a decade of independence, the majority of Kazakhs feel deeply disillusioned with post-Soviet development of their country. Many are tormented with gnawing doubts whether Kazakhstan has really become independent of Moscow. The lingering nostalgia of older Russians for the socialist motherland clashes... MORE

In a clear signal of the growing importance that Kazakhstan attaches to military cooperation with the West, an historic agreement has been reached with Britain's BAE Systems to upgrade Kazakhstan's air defense systems. According to Russian media reports, Astana negotiated a tough deal, which stimulated... MORE