Latest Articles about Central Asia
KAZAKH OPPOSITION FORCES PRESS GOVERNMENT FOR GENUINE DEMOCRACY
On April 12 dozens of opposition activists picketed the Department of Justice office in Almaty, demanding the immediate registration of Alga (Forward), an opposition party intended as the successor to the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan. Police forces watched calmly and did not interfere as... MORE
KYRGYZ PARLIAMENT SPLITS OVER LOYALTY TO BAKIYEV, PLUNGING COUNTRY DEEPER INTO CHAOS
Since April 11, ongoing opposition rallies in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, have paralyzed both the government and parliament. Neither President Kurmanbek Bakiyev nor the legislature is trying to find compromises with the opposition. Instead, both seem to be waiting until the protests calm down and the opposition’s... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN LAUNCHES AMBITIOUS MILITARY REFORM PLAN
On April 7 Kazakhstan published its new military doctrine, outlining both its strategic interests and priorities for future military cooperation. The doctrine advocates intensified cooperation within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), as well as broadening Astana’s strategic partnership with Russia and... MORE
KULOV MODERATES HIS DEMANDS AGAINST PRESIDENT, BUT BISHKEK STILL TENSE
On April 11 thousands of people gathered in central Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, to demand early presidential elections and a return to the November 2006 constitution. According to various estimates, between 4,000 and 12,000 supporters of two major opposition blocs, United Front and For Reforms,... MORE
SECURITY SERVICE VETERANS RISING TO THE TOP IN UZBEKISTAN
Uzbekistan remains the focus of terrorists in Central Asia. This situation has encouraged a “siege mentality” among the higher echelons of the Uzbek government, which is seeking to strengthen the country’s political and security institutions by combining them. Tashkent’s obsession with security also extends to... MORE
UZBEKISTAN FOSTERS EU CONTACTS
Uzbekistan, isolated from the West since the Andijan massacre in May 2005, clearly regards the European Union as its best hope for rapprochement as a means to promote its interests within Europe. As a result of the German presidency of the Council of the EU,... MORE
ASTANA PLAYS RUSSIAN CARD IN ENERGY TALKS WITH EUROPE
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov visited Baku on April 4, his first foreign tour since being appointed as head of the government in January. The trip followed the “EU Troika–Central Asia” meeting of foreign ministers in Astana on March 29, which was part of belated... MORE
KYRGYZ OPPOSITION, PRESIDENT REFUSE TO NEGOTIATE TO PREVENT MASS DEMONSTRATIONS
With only one week left until Kyrgyzstan’s two main opposition blocs, “United Front” and “For Reforms,” plan to stage a large-scale demonstration to remove Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev from office, neither the president nor the opposition are willing to start negotiations. Meanwhile, Kyrgyz experts and... MORE
MOSCOW PRESSURING KAZAKHSTAN TO FRUSTRATE WESTBOUND ENERGY TRANSPORT PROJECTS
Kazakhstan is apparently facing Russian pressure to stay out of Western-supported energy projects and maximize the transit of Kazakh oil and gas via Russia. In recent days, President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other officials seem suddenly to be turning a cold shoulder to proposals for Kazakh... MORE
RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN PURSUE ENERGY PARTNERSHIP
During a visit to Kazakhstan on March 30, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Kazakh officials signed a protocol to keep Kazakh crude oil shipments flowing via the Atyrau-Samara pipeline at 15 million tons per annum. Fradkov also said that Kazakhstan was seeking to increase... MORE