The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) announced on August 4 that its leader Usman Odil had been martyred and his deputy, Usman Gazi, would replace him as Amir (commander) of the IMU (furqon.com, August 26, 2012). The announcement was preceded by press reports from Pakistan that said Usman Odil had... MORE

The recent cabinet reshuffle in Kazakhstan clearly reflects President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s emphasis on social and employment programs and economic development, which he outlined in a program article published in July (https://kazworld.info/?p=22739, July 12). Following the departure of Karim Massimov, as the country’s longest serving prime... MORE

“The [United States] can work with India over its growing role in the world,” US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell said at a discussion with her Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao on September 17, adding that Washington can work with Central Asian states and New Delhi... MORE

Close examination of relevant Chinese-Uzbekistani documents for the past years exposed a curious pattern of repetitive enunciation of strong mutual political trust that exists between the two countries. Entire bilateral documents and reports in official news agencies are permeated with this phrase (Api.uz, June 7,... MORE

Russian and Kazakhstani leaders have reiterated plans to further develop bilateral commerce, relying on the free trade arrangements of their Customs Union. Two-way trade, however, has appeared to advance slower than previously expected. Attended by presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin, the Inter-Regional Cooperation Forum,... MORE

On September 11, Tajikistan’s Supreme Court reached a final verdict in a case against 15 alleged members of the banned Islamic militant group, Jamaat Ansarullah. In the closed trial hearing, 12 of the defendants were sentenced to prison terms between five and 24 years. According... MORE

The first autumn winds in Kazakhstan’s capital brought with them a major cabinet reshuffle that promoted popular, effective Prime Minister Karim Massimov to head the preeminent presidential administration and moved First Deputy Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov to the premier spot. President Nursultan Nazarbayev confirmed both... MORE

Tajikistan’s officials reported that an Uzbekistani border guard entered Tajikistani territory on horseback on September 11 and began filming Tajikistan’s side of the border. After he ignored a command to leave, the Tajikistani side opened fire. The Uzbek border guard was seriously injured. Authorities in... MORE

Recent Chinese diplomatic maneuvers in Central Asia, both bilateral and multilateral, show that Beijing’s strategy treats the region as a corridor for reaching resource bases in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. Central Asia is thus part of China’s broader blueprint of securing strategic resources... MORE

On September 11, Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Defense, visited Dushanbe to take part in bilateral talks concerning the extension of Russia’s basing rights for their 201st motorized rifle division (BBC Tajiki, September 13). He met with Tajikistan’s commission headed by Minister of Justice... MORE