The rival energy summits, just held by pro-Western countries in Krakow and Russia-led countries in Astana and Turkmenbashi (see EDM, May 14-16), illustrated Kazakhstan’s accelerated drift into Russian-controlled, Eurasia-wide energy transport systems. This drift risks turning Kazakhstan into a component of Russia’s strategy to gain... MORE

The December 6, 2006, killing of Kyrgyz truck driver Alexander Ivanov by U.S. soldier Zachary Hatfield continues to fuel Kyrgyz public anger toward the U.S. military base in Kyrgyzstan. Hatfield left Kyrgyzstan on March 22 despite the Kyrgyz government’s appeal to keep the soldier on... MORE

Presidents Vladimir Putin, Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov, and Nursultan Nazarbayev signed on May 12 a declaration of intent to upgrade and expand gas transport pipelines from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, along the Caspian Sea coast, directly to Russia. At their tripartite summit in the Turkmenistan’s city of Turkmenbashi,... MORE

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Astana on May 10 was widely regarded as the Kremlin’s attempt to regain its political and economic foothold in Central Asia, as Kazakhstan has increasingly tilted westward. Only one month ago Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev gave a cordial welcome... MORE

In his annual address to parliament on April 30, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon outlined prospects for Tajikistan’s economic growth through 2015 within the National Development Strategy. Rahmon enjoys majority support in Tajikistan despite widespread corruption and elements of authoritarianism in his governance, and most Tajiks... MORE

In a style reminiscent of a Soviet-era collective accusation campaign, pro-Moscow forces in Kazakhstan have stepped up their propaganda work, mobilizing public organizations and parliament members against an alleged “resurgence of fascism.” On April 27 both chambers of Kazakh parliament approved a letter to be... MORE

On December 6, 2006, U.S. soldier Zachary Hatfield shot and killed 42-year-old Kyrgyz citizen Alexander Ivanov, a fuel truck driver, at the entry gate to the Manas airbase outside the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. Subsequent U. S. intransigence about submitting Hatfield to the Kyrgyz justice system... MORE

During his April 26 visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev promised greater economic integration with Kyrgyzstan. The president, however, slammed his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek Bakiyev for the continuous political turmoil in that country. Along with his pledges to increase involvement in Kyrgyzstan’s key economic... MORE

Kazakhstan’s Defense Minister Daniyal Akhmetov recently described the country’s participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and its military partnership with members of the organization as priorities. “Kazakhstan's new military doctrine clearly outlines issues of international military cooperation, in which a priority for the... MORE